Which resin for a large tree sculpture?

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    • #11325
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      This question comes from Kris:

      Which epoxy resin is best for a tree sculpture 11″ high x 12″ wide – using a silicone mold? I’m having the mold made professionally. I want to reproduce them, so cost of resin is a factor. I want it amber colored, possibly adding glitter, safe for exposure to children

    • #11326
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      Hi Kris,

      So I will start with the most difficult aspect of your request which is ‘something safe for children’. I’m guessing by that you want a resin that if the kids lick the tree like a lollipop, you don’t want to have to worry about whether or not you should rush them to the ER.

      We sell one clear epoxy resin in our store that has a FDA food safe designation once cured. It is the Alumilite amazing clear cast epoxy resin. You can find it in several sizes here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/alumilite It cures very clear, so if you want something with an amber tint, adding a teensy bit of yellow and/or orange should get that for you. You can find colorants for this resin here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/colorants/products/alumilite-liquid-pigment-transparent-dye?variant=965324901

      It’s not my ideal choice for a casting this size because this resin mixes thick. If you fill your mold with this resin all at once, it’s going to be almost impossible for you to get all the bubbles out. I would suggest mixing only 4 to 8 ounces at once, then pouring. Get all the bubbles out, then wait for that layer to gel before pouring the next layer. (You can wait until the previous layer is completely cure, but you will see casting lines.)

    • #11407
      Kris Downing
      Guest

      What would your ideal choice of resin be for a casting this size? I am not worried about school age children licking it, so it does not need to be food safe, just something that might be touched on occasion without any problem. I’d definitely like to know your ideal recommendation. Thank you!

      • #11408
        Katherine Swift
        Keymaster

        Here’s my question for you: How many bubbles to do you want to put up with in your final casting?

        I ask because the super clear resin would be great for this project as it mixes in a thin viscosity so bubbles are almost never a problem. The issue is that you can only mix three ounces at a time. (Mixing more than that will cause the mixture to heat up quickly and cure within minutes.) Based upon the description of your tree, you will have to mix many times to get the amount of resin you need to fill your mold. You can find several sizes of the super clear resin here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/resin-obsession

        If that doesn’t sound like something you want to do, I would go with the Alumilite Amazing clear cast epoxy resin. You can mix up to 16 ounces at once and have up to 45 minutes to work with the resin before it starts to cure. It mixes thick, however, so it is unlikely you will get all the bubbles out before it starts to cure. You can find it in several sizes in our store here: https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/resin/alumilite

    • #11498
      Kris Downing
      Guest

      Thanks for all of the information! I’ve ordered a kit to start practicing with the super clear resin. I wondered, though, if I decided to mix the super clear resin in small amounts (3 oz) at a time, to fill the tree mold, would I just pour one in after the other as fast as I could mix it? Or would I have to wait a time before pouring the next 3 oz? Would you see some kind of line in the resin where one was poured over the other? Again, thank you for your guidance.

    • #11502
      Katherine Swift
      Keymaster

      Hi Kris,

      Good question! Yes, I have done this with the super clear resin when pouring into jewelry molds, but I’ve only done this with two to three subsequent quick pours. I’m concerned that with multiple pours cast quickly, the heat will add up in your casting quickly and the entire mass will act like it was all poured at once. (Did I make sense there?)

      It might be worth pouring three to four layers, waiting 30 to 40 minutes, then pouring another three to four layers. Repeat as necessary.

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