Krympress reports:
Epoxy — the material is capricious. It is worth it somewhere to watch, and instead of a beautiful product, marriage is obtained. Over the years of work with various projects — on jewelry to countertops — I realized: success depends not so much on the expensive resin as on the correct sequence of actions.
Many newcomers are looking for information about how to work with epoxy resinBut they receive either too general tips or complex technical instructions. We will analyze in order what stages really affect the quality, and what you can not spend extra time on.
5 extremely important stages of working with epoxy resin
1. Creating the right conditions — half the success
Many newcomers think: he mixed the components and flooded. In fact, the climate in the room decides more than the quality of the resin itself.
Which is really important:
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The temperature is 20-25 ° C-with the cold, the resin is thickening, in the heat it bubbles;
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humidity is not higher than 50-55%-otherwise the surface will become clouded;
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No drafts — they cool the resin unevenly;
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Good lighting — without it you will not see bubbles and defects.
Tested in practice: an hour for preparing the premises saves a day for remaking.
2. Accurate compliance with proportions — mathematics without compromises
Here, either for sure, or nothing. «On the eye» with epoxy does not work. The deviation is 5% — and the resin either does not freeze or go with cracks.
Basic rules:
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weigh the components, and not measure with cups;
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To consider that the resin and hardener have a different density;
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Cooking with a small margin — it will remain better than not enough;
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Always check the shelf life of the components.
Council from Practice: Keep the proportions for each project. When it turns out perfectly, you can repeat.
3. Mixing technique — slowly but thoroughly
The main thing here is not to rush. Poorly mixed resin will give uneven hardening and cloudy spots.
Tested technique:
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Add hardener with a thin stream to the resin, not vice versa;
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We interfere with a spiral from the edge to the center;
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mixing time — at least 3 minutes;
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Pour into a new container — so certainly there will be no uninvited areas at the walls.
You can’t interfere too quickly too — excess air is seized.
4. The fight against bubbles — patience and correct tools
Bubbles spoil the view and weaken the structure. Removing them is completely real, but you need a systematic approach.
Effective methods:
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Construction hair dryer at a minimum-we warm the surface of 30-60 seconds;
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alcohol in the spray — destroys small bubbles on the surface;
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light vibrations — tap on the table or shape;
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Toothpick for large bubbles — just puncture.
The main rule: you need to work with bubbles in the first 30-60 minutes, then it will be late.
5. Failure control — know when you can interfere and when not
The epoxy has several phases of solidification. In each you can do something of its own, but something is no longer possible.
Phases and opportunities:
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The first 30-60 minutes (liquid)-you can add decor, remove bubbles;
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1-2 hours (thickened)-the last chance to correct something;
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6-12 hours (rubber)-can be removed from the forms, but the product bends;
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24-72 hours (solid)-ready for grinding and polishing.
Secrets from practitioners
Planning is all
Never start work without calculating time. The working hours of resin are limited-usually 30-60 minutes after mixing, depending on the temperature and the type of hardener. During this time, you need to have time to pour, remove bubbles and make adjustments.
Protection is not a formality
Respirator, gloves and ventilation are required. An allergy to epoxy develops unnoticed, but then it will become impossible to work with it.
Records help to study
Keep a project diary: what they used, under what conditions, what happened. In a year of such records you will work on the machine.
Frequent errors of beginners
Work in bad conditions — A cold garage or a wet basement is guaranteed to spoil the result. It is better to wait for suitable weather.
Hurrying when mixing — Unlucky resin will freeze. 3 minutes of mixing is a minimum.
Ignoring bubbles — “Summarians itself” does not work. Bubbles must be actively cleaned.
Violation of proportions — “A little more than a hardener for speed” will lead to cracks and fragility.
Practical tips for beginners
Start with small volumes-100-200 grams of resin. Work out the technique on them, study the behavior of the material.
Do not immediately take difficult projects. A simple filling in shape will teach more than an unsuccessful table.
Buy resin with a margin of working hours. Beginners need more time for all operations.
Conclusion
Work with epoxy resin is a sequence of simple, but important steps. I broke one — spoiled all the work. But when you master the basics, the process becomes predictable and brings pleasure.
The main rule: It is better to spend time on preparation than to redo the spoiled work. Each of the five stages is equally important, and you can save time only on secondary details.
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