Post by Hlbmlp on Oct 14, 2022 9:07:31 GMT -5
I have noticed some things about my finished pieces after years of storage/ display and wonder if it is normal or if i may have not quite mixed the resin properly when i made them. These pieces range from 2012-current. I have used alumilite clear cast, two part white fast, uv clear (this year), all from michaels, among other brands. I have not mixed said resins in any of these pieces.
I know that a lot of plastics leak plasticizer over time, some worse than others, and that certain plastics, when in long term contact with each other can affect each other negatively.
The white, can be greasy to touch at times, especially if i have had them stored in jars or plastic bins, though they were not when i first put them in. If they are in long term contact with hard clear plastics, they will melt the clear plastic some. Uncured polymer clay will melt the clear plastics like this, so i have switched storing my resin pieces in plastics that are recycle 5 or pp. thats how i store the polymer clay, and the resin seems ok that way too. These pieces though, no matter what container i have them in, will smell strongly when i open up the container. If i try to paint them right away, acrylic does not want to stick and can sometimes even melt off. If i let them air out for days-weeks etc, they behave with paints and smells and greasy etc. for the most part. When stored these pieces can also become a tad more flexible than when not stored, and can sometimes deform. If left to “air out” they become less flexible, but deformations do not always “spring back”. I have some pieces that were put under tension next to each other and both pieces have deformed so that they fit perfectly with each other (not ideal in the situation). This is the oddball, occurring in both stored and displayed items.
I am assuming a lot of this is because its urethane? (Cant remember if thats the correct kind of plastic but i do remember that the white is a different kind of plastic than the clear??? I think???)
The clear cast stores way better. It stays hard, no greasy, no bending etc. the main issue is just stink. I swear they have gotten harder over the years, which is great for the thin pieces. Kinda wish the newer casts i have made would get that hard when initially cured (like in the first week after casting). They also affect the hard clear plastics, though not always.
I have used many kinds of ways to color and additives in these resins, but the pieces seem to act the same regardless for the most part.
Anything that has not been stored in a container does not stink and isnt weird or misbehaving. So i have always assumed its because theres not airflow in the boxes and plastics just be weird. But i have wondered if ive just been doing something wrong all these years? Or if there was better techniques or tricks that have come up over the years.
Love the products, will still be using them. Not a complaint, just curious and want to learn more.
I know that a lot of plastics leak plasticizer over time, some worse than others, and that certain plastics, when in long term contact with each other can affect each other negatively.
The white, can be greasy to touch at times, especially if i have had them stored in jars or plastic bins, though they were not when i first put them in. If they are in long term contact with hard clear plastics, they will melt the clear plastic some. Uncured polymer clay will melt the clear plastics like this, so i have switched storing my resin pieces in plastics that are recycle 5 or pp. thats how i store the polymer clay, and the resin seems ok that way too. These pieces though, no matter what container i have them in, will smell strongly when i open up the container. If i try to paint them right away, acrylic does not want to stick and can sometimes even melt off. If i let them air out for days-weeks etc, they behave with paints and smells and greasy etc. for the most part. When stored these pieces can also become a tad more flexible than when not stored, and can sometimes deform. If left to “air out” they become less flexible, but deformations do not always “spring back”. I have some pieces that were put under tension next to each other and both pieces have deformed so that they fit perfectly with each other (not ideal in the situation). This is the oddball, occurring in both stored and displayed items.
I am assuming a lot of this is because its urethane? (Cant remember if thats the correct kind of plastic but i do remember that the white is a different kind of plastic than the clear??? I think???)
The clear cast stores way better. It stays hard, no greasy, no bending etc. the main issue is just stink. I swear they have gotten harder over the years, which is great for the thin pieces. Kinda wish the newer casts i have made would get that hard when initially cured (like in the first week after casting). They also affect the hard clear plastics, though not always.
I have used many kinds of ways to color and additives in these resins, but the pieces seem to act the same regardless for the most part.
Anything that has not been stored in a container does not stink and isnt weird or misbehaving. So i have always assumed its because theres not airflow in the boxes and plastics just be weird. But i have wondered if ive just been doing something wrong all these years? Or if there was better techniques or tricks that have come up over the years.
Love the products, will still be using them. Not a complaint, just curious and want to learn more.
