Help I've Got Tacky Resin?

Question

Hi

I coated some resin pieces with clear casting resin 2 and a half days ago and it is still slightly tacky.

Is there anything I can do to remedy this or do I have to chuck the whole batch away?

Answer 1

Try putting it under a heat lamp to help dry it. Some times the humidity makes it take longer to dry. Good Luck ;)))

Answer 2

If you were using a "casting" resin (technically, a *polyester* resin) instead of an *epoxy* resin, then the part in contact with the air during curing is supposed to stay slightly tacky.  

Polyester resins are used for pouring into molds (where the part in contact with air will be the back side), and between sheets of fiberglass cloth (to help it stick to the other layers). (The main brand of art-craft polyester resin in the US is Cast 'N Craft)

For coating things with an "art/craft" type resin though, what you want is an epoxy resin (some brands are Envirotex Lite, Ultra Glo, etc.).  

Epoxy resins will cure non-sticky even on the surface exposed to the air during curing. This kind of resin is not used for casting more than 1/8" at a time.  Sometimes even epoxy resins can stay sticky a day or two if the weather is particularly humid, or you've used the wrong proportions, etc, though.

I think you can put a coat of epoxy resin over your cured polyester resin to fix the problem now, but there's lots of info on both these types of resin plus how to cast, pour, or brush them on, etc., on this page of my site if you want to check itall out:

http://glassattic.com/polymer/other_mate...

HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 3

Um, I think you need to redo it in some spots with the resin.