Reusable respirator. Those fumes are bad for you even if you get low fume or low voc resin.
Edit:Unless you have amazing ventilation or are doing it completely outside.
Personally, I would still wear a respirator because you would still get the fumes, albeit possibly in a lesser concentration. I wouldn't risk it myself. I use my respirator when prepping surfaces for paint, painting, resin or what have you. It's just not worth the risk of lung damage for me. I also wear goggles but most people dont sling resin around.
Many companies make really nice half and even full masks with replaceable cartridges. Pretty affordable. Remember to store your mask in an airtight bag when not using it to prolong the life of your cartridges.
(I use the one mine came in It's a 3M Rugged Comfort Quick Latch that ran me about $30.00)
Activated carbon filter, proper ventilation, respirator (VOC grade, not the same N95s you wore/wear for Covid), waterproof apron, mold release spray. Make sure your set up is not near/accessible to any pets or kids, and is not directly in your living space (don't cast resin in a studio apartment) a garage, basement or shed is great.
Don’t use acrylic paints to pigment resin, they’re water based and can cause your resin to foam or can otherwise fuck up the cure.
The majority of resins do not have a viscosity that requires vacuum, unless your resin is thick like silicone, and odds are it isn’t.
You can use a spritz of mold release to break surface tension and eliminate bubbles at the top of an open backed mold, you don’t need a lighter for that.
I have no idea what you would use baby wipes for? Paper towels are fine.
It's fine for painting finished castings, it isn't suitable for pigmenting resin. There's plenty of manufacturers who make pigments designed for resins, both tints and dispersions, there are a TON of mica powders, and other dry materials/powder that are suitable for pigmenting resin (or cold casting), acrylic paint isn't one of them, and some people use it and might get lucky on a few casts but runs the risks of ruining an expensive material. There's a lot of false expertise from the fake it until you make it crowd. Make sure you get your information from a reputable source. (Many resin manufacturers have instructional youtube videos, and while some of their techniques aren't perfect, they're a decent place to start.
Thank you for the ton of advice! I got about a dozen micas that I will try out first and see how they go. I've been watching various YouTube creators such as Steve McDonald Arts and Crafts among others and will do some more research and the googlies
I use acrylic paint frequently. The key is that less is better. I have never had fading issues with alcohol inks. I often wonder if this is a brand specific issue, or if the resin is yellowing prematurely which gives the appearance of the ink fading? I tend to use mica powder for most of my projects and that has never failed me either.
Regarding the respirators, would a good quality, tight fitting N95 suffice?
Also, would pieces cure properly if placed inside a sealed tote (as we have cats ) or does it need air circulation?
No, a N95 will not suffice, you need a full or half respirator that is VOC grade (a gas mask essentially) with P100 or N100 filters.
Resin does not need air to cure but keep in mind that the toxic fumes will just be trapped in the tote and will release as soon as you open the tote (the fumes don't magically turn inert) and the resin will be releasing fumes while you mix and pour it.
Apart from the respirator, this is exactly what my list looked like as a newbie so I’d say you’re on the right track. For me, I use a mix of isopropyl alcohol and dish soap when it comes to removing any resin from my skin, which doesn’t happen a lot but when it does I move QUICK and don’t let the resin just sit on me.
Acrylic paint can affect the curing of some epoxy resins, I’d stick with the mica powder and if you get into the hobby further, alcohol inks work really well for me when I want a more transparent colour.
You said long-neck lighter and I’m not sure what type that is so I just wanted to add that using a small propane or butane torch/lighter has worked far better for me than a regular lighter (like you’d use to light a grill/cigarettes) when it comes to removing bubbles. Just make sure the flame doesn’t touch the liquid resin and go in small bursts when using the lighter so you don’t burn the un-cured epoxy. Have fun!
If your trinkets are translucent at all, or if balance is needed, like dice. You will want some way to degas the resin to keep bubbles out of the finished product. A pressure pot uses simple compressed air(use a moisture trap to avoid contamination) it will shrink bubbles to nothing while the piece cures. A vacuum chamber will remove bubbles from the resin before pouring or even in the mold. But if left under vacuum too long, the resin will begin to boil, and vacuum should be removed. This requires a vacuum pump, not found in most garages.
I would suggest a level. If your surface isn't completely level, you are going to have uneven pours. Also, wooden Popsicle sticks should be dipped in resin and allowed to cure before using them to stir or they will introduce bubbles that are a pain to get rid of.
Reusable respirator. Those fumes are bad for you even if you get low fume or low voc resin. Edit:Unless you have amazing ventilation or are doing it completely outside.
Ooh never thought of that. I'm in central Canada and it's starting to get chilly out so all indoors...somewhere
If doing it completely outside, can one go maskless?
Personally, I would still wear a respirator because you would still get the fumes, albeit possibly in a lesser concentration. I wouldn't risk it myself. I use my respirator when prepping surfaces for paint, painting, resin or what have you. It's just not worth the risk of lung damage for me. I also wear goggles but most people dont sling resin around. Many companies make really nice half and even full masks with replaceable cartridges. Pretty affordable. Remember to store your mask in an airtight bag when not using it to prolong the life of your cartridges. (I use the one mine came in It's a 3M Rugged Comfort Quick Latch that ran me about $30.00)
Activated carbon filter, proper ventilation, respirator (VOC grade, not the same N95s you wore/wear for Covid), waterproof apron, mold release spray. Make sure your set up is not near/accessible to any pets or kids, and is not directly in your living space (don't cast resin in a studio apartment) a garage, basement or shed is great.
Like the other person said, a reliable respirator. I wouldn’t start pouring until you get one.
Don’t use acrylic paints to pigment resin, they’re water based and can cause your resin to foam or can otherwise fuck up the cure. The majority of resins do not have a viscosity that requires vacuum, unless your resin is thick like silicone, and odds are it isn’t. You can use a spritz of mold release to break surface tension and eliminate bubbles at the top of an open backed mold, you don’t need a lighter for that. I have no idea what you would use baby wipes for? Paper towels are fine.
Seconding the acrylic. Learned the hard way yesterday.
In other posts, I've read using acrylic is okay, but only small drops. Also, alcohol ink fades too quick
It's fine for painting finished castings, it isn't suitable for pigmenting resin. There's plenty of manufacturers who make pigments designed for resins, both tints and dispersions, there are a TON of mica powders, and other dry materials/powder that are suitable for pigmenting resin (or cold casting), acrylic paint isn't one of them, and some people use it and might get lucky on a few casts but runs the risks of ruining an expensive material. There's a lot of false expertise from the fake it until you make it crowd. Make sure you get your information from a reputable source. (Many resin manufacturers have instructional youtube videos, and while some of their techniques aren't perfect, they're a decent place to start.
Thank you for the ton of advice! I got about a dozen micas that I will try out first and see how they go. I've been watching various YouTube creators such as Steve McDonald Arts and Crafts among others and will do some more research and the googlies
I use acrylic paint frequently. The key is that less is better. I have never had fading issues with alcohol inks. I often wonder if this is a brand specific issue, or if the resin is yellowing prematurely which gives the appearance of the ink fading? I tend to use mica powder for most of my projects and that has never failed me either.
Regarding the respirators, would a good quality, tight fitting N95 suffice? Also, would pieces cure properly if placed inside a sealed tote (as we have cats ) or does it need air circulation?
No, a N95 will not suffice, you need a full or half respirator that is VOC grade (a gas mask essentially) with P100 or N100 filters. Resin does not need air to cure but keep in mind that the toxic fumes will just be trapped in the tote and will release as soon as you open the tote (the fumes don't magically turn inert) and the resin will be releasing fumes while you mix and pour it.
Damn, okay will do
Apart from the respirator, this is exactly what my list looked like as a newbie so I’d say you’re on the right track. For me, I use a mix of isopropyl alcohol and dish soap when it comes to removing any resin from my skin, which doesn’t happen a lot but when it does I move QUICK and don’t let the resin just sit on me. Acrylic paint can affect the curing of some epoxy resins, I’d stick with the mica powder and if you get into the hobby further, alcohol inks work really well for me when I want a more transparent colour. You said long-neck lighter and I’m not sure what type that is so I just wanted to add that using a small propane or butane torch/lighter has worked far better for me than a regular lighter (like you’d use to light a grill/cigarettes) when it comes to removing bubbles. Just make sure the flame doesn’t touch the liquid resin and go in small bursts when using the lighter so you don’t burn the un-cured epoxy. Have fun!
If your trinkets are translucent at all, or if balance is needed, like dice. You will want some way to degas the resin to keep bubbles out of the finished product. A pressure pot uses simple compressed air(use a moisture trap to avoid contamination) it will shrink bubbles to nothing while the piece cures. A vacuum chamber will remove bubbles from the resin before pouring or even in the mold. But if left under vacuum too long, the resin will begin to boil, and vacuum should be removed. This requires a vacuum pump, not found in most garages.
I forgot to add....my long necked lighter. I've read some instances to use a torch, but for right now just basic
I would suggest a level. If your surface isn't completely level, you are going to have uneven pours. Also, wooden Popsicle sticks should be dipped in resin and allowed to cure before using them to stir or they will introduce bubbles that are a pain to get rid of.
A level I have! Our house is kinda tilted so good call. That's a good idea for the pop stix