[Erin]

Hello! I wonder if anyone has any tips for me? Ive been trying to cast some very pale things – current example tiny white chicken feathers – only they seem to go transparent and vanish as soon as they touch the resin. Theyre not dissolving, just barely possible to see.

Ive tried them in clear resin, and tinted, and the result is the same. My next step was going to try setting the feather in clear resin then layering a tinted background – I just realised that I already know it vanishes in the clear stuff, so Im not sure the coloured background is going to make it reappear again! Though perhaps it will cast a shadow and that will help pick it out…

Anyway thats where I stopped and came to see what I can find out before wasting a pour on this (again!). Ive discovered that its a known problem but couldnt find any tips how to avoid it! Has anyone else come across this at all? Id love to hear any suggestions.

Hopefully!
Erin x

[Erin]

 I was reading about how things vanish because they have the same index of refraction as the resin. I remembered how I used to sandwich items between tape to make embedding easier – I stopped that because once resin got between the pieces and they separated and the tape became visible (yuck). But I figured a similar technique should change that refraction and maybe make the feather show up.

Im gluing a feather to clear plastic tonight while my first resin layer cures. Tomorrow Ill float it in, and the day after top it off. Really REALLY hoping this will help!

[Erin]

 Sadly Im in the UK so that isnt an option, though I have asked on another forum about available equivalents (slightly different reason, surface curing of polyester resin) – no suggestions yet, however.

I stuck the feather using mod podge hoping it would both seal it and alter the index of refraction. Ive put it in the resin tonight so will see how it looks tomorrow, though it did look suspiciously transparent again.

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Erin,

It also sounds like your items may be taking on resin.  White things will look clear if they aren’t sealed and take up resin stains.  I suggest sealing the feathers with a layer of our resin gloss sealer spray.  https://shop.resinobsession.com/collections/tools-and-supplies/products/castin-craft-gloss-resin-sealer-spray

[Author]

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