Using epoxy resin is a new and fun way to get your creative juices flowing. However, resin art is easy as long as you follow proper safety procedures.
When working with resin, you naturally have to use resin moulds. However, they might be tricky, especially when you’re a beginner. Read more about the beginners’ top mistakes when using moulds for resin art.
Not Making Sure the Mould is at an Ideal Temperature
The resin mixture should be warmer than room temperature when making resin art. However, beginners tend to forget to check the temperature of the moulds.
If you want a perfect cure, ensure that everything is at an ideal temperature, including the moulds. Higher temperatures enable a faster curing time, potentially cutting your work time shorter by ten minutes.
Give them a warm water bath before using a mould and other resin paraphernalia. Does your resin art in a warm area? Otherwise, the surface of your resin might present imperfections.
Not Prepping Moulds Before Use
Before diving into the dirty work, ensure your work area is clean and dust-free. You don’t want dust or other debris contaminating your moulds or bottles, so wash and wipe everything before starting.
A warm water bath does not only ensure that the moulds are at an optimal temperature. It is also a process of cleaning the moulds so that you don’t end up including dirt in your resin art.
Wipe the mould with a dry cloth and keep it at the ready so that you don’t have to scramble when you’re ready to pour.
Not Misting Your Moulds Before Pouring the Mix
After you have your moulds prepped, it would help to spray your mould with alcohol or water. Coating the moulds reduces the chance of bubbles forming on the side of your resin art.
A torch gun can only remove bubbles on top of the resin, not underneath it. So, misting the moulds before use is helpful if you don’t want bubbles in your resin.
Bubbles also go away with warm resin, so you have to keep the resin, the bottles, and the moulds at a warm temperature.
Remember to mist the moulds in a well-ventilated area. Use a mask or a respirator to avoid inhaling the aerosols.
Improperly Cleaning the moulds
Resin remnants may stick to the moulds after taking out your resin art. Don’t panic; you can remove the remaining resin at this stage after the curing, especially in silicone resin moulds.
After removing the resin project, clean the moulds as soon as possible. You can peel the remaining resin with your hands or wipe it with something gentle like baby wipes.
If there is remaining resin on the moulds, soak them in hot water but don’t boil them. This will soften the resin stain on the mould to easily be removed.
An alternative method is putting the mould in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This method would be best if you’re hesitant to use hot water.
Don’t use alcohol, as it can degrade your mould faster. It can also cause dullness on the moulds, affecting your resin projects. Future resin projects on degraded moulds do not shine like normal.
Unfortunately, a damaged mould due to alcohol is irreversible. Therefore, there will be no other solution but to buy a new mould.
Using resin is a fun way of expressing your creativity. So, take care of the moulds properly to allow you to do resin projects for a long time.
