Glass Clear Polyester Casting Resin is an optically clear, two part polyester resin used to encapsulate and embed a wide variety of visual articles e.g. paperweights, sculptures, flower vases, tabletops, key fobs, promotional items, electronic encapsulation and potting

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• Low viscosity
• Optically clear
• Free flowing & self levelling
• Electronic encapsulating and potting

This resin can be readily pigmented by the addition of our resi-TINT range of acrylic pigments, resi-TINT metallic powders or resi-METAL metallic pigments.

Mixing

The mixing ratio must be accurately followed to achieve perfect results. It is not possible to change the ratio which would result in the resin not drying properly and lower mechanical properties.

1. Whether laminating or clear casting you should work in an ambient temperature around 20ºC, as this ensures that the resin will cure correctly. Resin will not cure adequately below 15ºC, and at temperatures above 30ºC it will cure too quickly. Due to the flammable nature of polyester resin do not use oil heaters or electric fires, so maintain the temperature with convector heaters, ‘Dimplex’ radiators or similar. The mixed components should be thoroughly stirred for 3-4 minutes to ensure an even consistency. THE CAN LIDS MUST BE REPLACED AND TIGHTENED AS SOON AS THE DESIRED QUANTITY OF RESIN AND CATALYST HAS BEEN POURED.

2. For optimum clarity, air bubbles introduced by hand mixing and catalysing need to escape quickly. Pre-warm the resin to approx. 25ºC then add a small amount of catalyst (approx. 1-2 % by volume, i.e. 10-20ml activator to 1kg of resin). A plastic spoon, not metal, can also be used-1 tsp = 5ml.

Thorough mixing of catalyst into resins is very important. Also the correct additions should be observed to maintain good results, dispensers are advised for accuracy. The table below gives the correct ratios of catalyst to resin and gelcoat by weight. 1% is considered a slow mix, 2% is ideal, 3% is a fast mix. Additions outside these bands is not advisable for proper curing, adding more than 4% may result in a failure to cure. The pot life of these mixes is also determined by temperature. The higher the temperature the faster the cure. As a general guide 2% addition at 20ºC gives 15-20 minutes pot life. The resin will always cure quicker if left in a mass such as the mixing bucket or in castings.

3. Mix thoroughly for 2-3 mins and pour. The hardening process begins immediately, so only catalyse a working quantity or your mixing containers will soon be full of solidified resin. If pigments are being used these should be stirred into the resin before adding the catalyst. Add up to a maximum 10% of pigment, depending on the depth of colour required. To maintain consistent colour on a large project, it is often a good idea to pigment all the resin and then decant working quantities to be catalysed as required.

Once catalysed the resin gradually cures, taking on a jelly-like consistency in about 10-20 minutes before becoming hard in about 30-40 minutes at room temperature (about 20ºC). The curing process generates heat (known as ‘exotherm’) within the resin. Too much catalyst or large volumes of resin increase this heat so a thick laminate or a large casting should preferably be built up in stages.

Application

4. If air evacuation (bubbles escaping) fails to be complete before the resin hardens, simply adjust the next mix via resin temperature and/or reduce the amount catalyst slightly to allow a longer open time for bubbles to escape. Once the resin is poured, any air bubbles present can be removed by passing hot air across the surface. Bubbles can be popped with a pin or similar implement as they rise to the surface. Leave the resin to cure.

Glass Clear Polyester Casting Resin Technical Datasheet PDF

Glass Clear Polyester Casting Resin Safety Datasheet PDF