A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH RESIN IN OUR CLASSES
Resin is a chemical and as such is considered dangerous and caution should be taken when working with it. We choose to work with a LOW VOLITILITY resin with a LOW TO NO ODOUR. This is not the same composition as resin glues or resin you find in Bunnings that have an extremely high odour.
The resin we use is designed for art and artists, domestically (not commercially and can not be used for boats, floors or other commercial applications liek river tables).
Epoxy Resin, generally speaking, is completely cured at 7days (when mixed & measured correctly, and allowed to cure in appropriate conditions), which means it is stable and inert - and in-turn complies with FDA regulations.
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When working with chemicals like epoxy resins we complete the food and drink component of the class before we commence our class.
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You will not get a cure if you:
Stir copious amounts of bubbles into your resin (go slow once they are in we can't get them out) if you have very large bubbles and can't see them to pop them before they cure, they will result in pockmarks on the surface that are very large.
Inaccurately measure and mix your resin (take time to get this right - or you will have a sticky result that won't set)
Inaccurately mix your colour pigment into your resin (make sure it's mixed thoroughly or you will get sticky patches after cure)
Add more than 10% colour pigment (this will change the ratio and your board won't set)
Don't mix the chemicals properly - be sure to spend time scraping the edges and bottom as you go (unmixed resin will stay sticky and not cure)
Touch the surface of your work with your hands - oils repel the resin and so you will end up with clean fingerprints left if you touch the surface without cleaning the oils away
Your teacher will mention all this in class and walk you through it, but please be aware going in that paying attention is the best way to get a proper cure and we charge an hourly rate to correct work for customers who do not follow the instructions provided.
Please read the FAQ's for more tips and tricks.
Your board is designed to be aesthetically beautiful, we place the art to one end of the board so that you can enjoy all matter of food on the majority of the board.
Is resin food grade?
That’s a great question and as there is a great deal of misinformation around about resin, so let me explore thoroughly the various points that have been raised with us personally over the years so you can make an educated decision for yourself.
Firstly, Epoxy Resin, generally speaking, is completely cured at 7 days (when mixed & measured correctly, and allowed to cure in appropriate conditions), which means it is stable and inert (inert meaning it can not harbour bacteria)- and in turn complies with FDA regulations. When we run classes where the intention is for direct food contact we seal any pigmented layers inside a clear coat to ensure anything that isn’t food safe is encapsulated in something that is.
The first issue we bump into is if your resin is not cured properly. When’s class is designed for food, we pre-measure resin for students to ensure the amount you use is correct for curing, supervise the class by checking on your mix, colour application etc and provide post-production information to ensure the resin is cured properly from all our classes. We do this because the uncured resin can leech, which is why we have these engineering controls in place to ensure students that leave our classes do not have uncured resin on projects designed for food.
Next is the issue of chemical toxicity. Epoxy resin is two liquid components that are each made from chemicals, these chemicals are by definition toxic; then mixed together to create a completely new solid substance which is absent most of the initial liquid formula compounds - after a full cure.
As there are many different types of epoxy resin in the market and many of these are not manufactured or produced in Australia to Australia’s standards. Before choosing Just Resin’s Art Resin for functional homewares in our classes we made sure to check it is low or no VOCs (Just Resin Art Resin’s SDS reads specifically ‘low to no VOC’) and to choose an Australian-based manufacturer subject to Australian safety laws. This also means all of the compounds used to manufacture the resin have to be listed in the SDS (this is not the case for resins made outside of Australia) and therefore by forced disclosure can be checked by users for safety.
Almost all epoxy systems are made incorporating bisphenol A (BPA) which is another reason people question food safety. When people speak about epoxy leeching into food this is what they are referring to.
That said Bisphenol A (BPA) is an extraordinarily well-studied, building-block chemical used primarily to manufacture durable epoxy resins and strong, clear polycarbonate plastic.
BPA is not found in all plastic but it is found in many. Often found in plastics made from Polycarbonate (PC) resin and some epoxy systems. Fortunately in many modern epoxy systems the BPA is fully reacted in the process of curing the epoxy resin, which means that only trace amounts are left over after the manufacturing process. These trace amounts are so infinitesimally low that the resin is deemed food safe by the FDA.
Just resin’s art resin is not a commercial resin designed for boats/bench tops or industrial purposes, it is a domestic resin designed for many uses, and of them food safe functional art.
When products are marketed as 'BPA-free', this designation refers to whether the hardener component (we are talking about the materials used to make the product before it is made) contains BPA - not the resin. So as noted above ‘reacted’ epoxy resin is considered BPA-free as long as there's no free BPA. Free BPA means the product does not contain the chemical BPA, which is used as an accelerator to help the amine hardeners cure the resin.
It’s important to note at this point that for this reason epoxy resins are widely used to coat the inside of metal products, such as food cans, bottle tops, water supply lines (and a great many other products we use daily) even found in some dental sealants and composites.
Note also that the BPA used in most epoxy resins is a bit different. BPA is most often combined with another chemical, epichlorohydrin, creating Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (also known as BADGE) which is a completely different molecule with its own unique properties, and not just a mix of BPA + epichlorohydrin. It is considerably less harmful than pure BPA, and 42 times less soluble in water which is likely why the FDA considers it food safe.
Next up, we the issue of epoxy being used as a base for cutting food. This certainly can be considered a food safety issue IF it is if it’s used specifically to cut on. For classes where it is not designed to be cut on this point is irrelevant, for board classes disclosure is made in class that the resin is to be treated as art and decorative leaving the majority of thr board functional.
As noted once resin is cured properly it becomes a new plastic and is inert which means it does see not harbour bacteria, but once it has been cut on this changes (meaning Bactria can get into it). Over time can collect bacteria hiding under the deep scratches and cuts on a cutting board from your knives, even if cleaned thoroughly. Epoxy can also break down over time with knife use and also chip and splinter when used for heavy cutting surface justifying our engineering controls in this space.
Finally Tests on laboratory animals showed that older epoxy resins caused skin cancer. It is, most likely, due to in high volumes as it is deemed carcinogenic. This means it probably causes cancer in humans as well. However, many newer epoxy resins contain less epichlorohydrin, some contain none.
Fortunately, the resin we use contains none of this. You can determine if you resin contains it by visiting the SDS and locating the CAS number. The CAS number for epichlorohydrin is 99 106-89-8.
You can find the safety data sheets for the resins we use on thr footer of our website located at www.SIPNDIP.com.au
There are a few rules to consider when caring for your board:
Do not:
Apply heat to your resin (it will melt) - our resin can withstand a hot coffee cup 14 days after cure.
Leave it in the sun full-time (it will turn yellow eventually if left consistently exposed to UV light)
Stack things on top of it (it may leave dimples in your surface eventually)
Cut on your resin (it's not a chopping board its art, using a knife will leave marks) You may use a non-serrated cheese knift
Do:
Wash with warm lightly soapy water, rinse and dry
Air dry
Hang your board for all to see and admire
Oil your board from time to time to keep it looking beautiful
Resin is a liquid that over the course of a couple of weeks goes from liquid to solid as a result of a chemical reaction (and the heat achieved through that).
In many of our classes you will pour resin over a board, we encorage you to wipe the board a few times at hope to remove any drips.
If you find you have drips in the morning, please follow the instructions on this link to review options for removal:
https://www.artresin.com/blogs/artresin/how-do-i-remove-epoxy-resin-drips
If you plan to sand your board, you must wait 7 days before doing so as the chemicals are still active and if reduced to a fine powder (by sanding) can be inhaled. This is toxic.​
Resin Art is a form of Art. To create your own Resin Art, you combine any of our Resins, such as DiamondCote, JR Art Resin or ArtCast, and any of our pigments together. Resin Art can be wall art, home decor pieces, or objects created by casting Resin - The options are limitless, and whatever your imagination desires.
For this application, we suggest Just Resin ArtCast Slow Set.
Pours for ArtCast Slow can be up to 20mm deep (depending on surface area, and ambient temperature). Multiple pours can be done, to reach overall depth. For deep pours, we suggest to work in a cool environment (under 22 degrees) And then a final flood coat in between 22 and 25 degrees - ideal ambient temperature.
You may flood coat with DiamondCote for a high gloss finish.
Or coat with ArtCast Slow, sand & polish for a satin finish.
All depending on the finish you would like!
Click here to learn about Just Resin Epoxy Resins, their Project Compatibility chart is a very helpful tool!
All our epoxies are suitable for coasters, and can withstand a standard coffee cup – allowing approx 14days to cure prior to placing items on top of the surface.
For casting solid resin coasters, we suggest our ArtCast Slow Set epoxy.
If you’re coating mdf coasters, we suggest our DiamondCote Epoxy, or our Art Resin.
More detailed info on our resins and project compatibility can be found here - https://www.justresin.com.au/projecthelper
Epoxy Resin generally speaking, is completely cured at 7days (when mixed & measured correctly, and allowed to cure in appropriate conditions), which means it is stable and inert - and in-turn complies with FDA regulations.
FDA regulations for cured epoxy resin and food contact, generally refers to indirect contact.
The above is relevant when there are no pigments added, so a clear coat may be required over your pigmented layer.
To our knowledge, there is no FDA certification for Epoxy Resin & Food Safety.
Yes, we certainly do!
There is even a 'Print & Tick' version you can download and pin to your studio wall - you can find it here.
Various types of pigment pastes, inks, powder pigments and even acrylic paint.
Suggest to stay below the ratio of 10% (tint to resin) for best results.
Be sure to add a little bit at a time, until you reach your desired colour. *Making note that some acrylic paints or pigment additives may not be compatible and may accelerate curing due to high water content
The JR Art Resin Calculator is very handy to guide you with the amount of resin required for your pours.
We suggest you measure your Part A, add your pigments and mix until you reach your desired tone and then stir through your Part B - making sure the overall cup is mixed thoroughly and you have a 1 even tone throughout, paying attention to the sides and bottom of the cup - mixing for approx. 3mins each cup. The reason why we recommend this, is as soon as you add your Part B, your cure time begins! Leaving you with less time to actually enjoy pouring
This can occur when the Resin is exposed to cold temperatures, even during transit, it can also vary by batch.
You can fix this by placing some hot water in a bucket. Place the closed bottles into the bucket, keeping the lid on, and lid above the water - ensuring water does not leak in. Leave for approx 10 minutes, dry, give a good shake, and allow for the resin to return back to normal room temperature prior to use.
In a class situation, you will often find the heat from the chemicals meeting will remove the cloudy appearance.
Our pastes are very highly pigmented, which can cause some pigments to solidify during cool temps - good thing is, they can be returned to a smooth consistency.
Placing them in a hot bath will liquefy the entire jar within 10-20mins (depending on the temperature of your hot water from the tap), once the paste returns liquid, you can add some more Part A (only) to the tub, and this will stretch out the pigment loading - which should help it from returning back to solid.
An alternative for using them on the run is to grab your torch or heat gun, or even a hairdryer, remove the lid of the jar, and gently wave the heat over the top of the jar for only a couple of seconds - do not hold the heat too close.
The top layer will liquefy instantly for you, making it ready to use right away.
When purchasing ArtCast, the bottles may arrive not full, and details can be found on the product description.
To keep costs down, we have set size bottles available to us, and they are filled accordingly to the kit purchased.
For a 400ml ArtCast Slow Kit >
Part A : 300mls (in a 500ml bottle) Part B : 100mls (in a 250ml bottle) Total kit : 400mls
You may weigh the bottles to double check, if any further issues, please let us know :)
1. More than 10% ink/pigment/acrylic paint to Resin ratio used
*Making note that some acrylic paints or pigment additives may not be compatible and may accelerate curing due to high water content
2. Too much Part B, measuring is to be precise
3. Room being too warm, 22-25degrees is ideal
4. Leaving mixed Resin in a confined space (eg cup, jug) will accelerate curing and could encounter aggressive exothermic reaction
Various types of pigment pastes, inks, powder pigments and even acrylic paint.
Suggest to stay below the ratio of 10% (tint to resin) for best results.
Be sure to add a little bit at a time, until you reach your desired opacity.
*Making note that some acrylic paints or pigment additives may not be compatible with the resin you are working with, and may accelerate curing.
We recommend not to use bubble wrap as the first layer, as it may leave marks/indentations in your artwork. Best to use a flat foam of approx. 2mm thickness, wrap the piece with the foam, and then wrap with bubble wrap. Depending on the size of your artwork, you may be able to purchase cartons online or you can always makeshift a box!
Use lots of filament tape & fragile tape too.
yes you can but please refer to the SDS before doing so.
Approproate PPE gear should be used, torching resin wilkl increase the release of toxic vapour.
With approproate PPE and ventilation, you can use a torch or heat gun to remove micro air bubbles and pin point areas for movement - be sure not to burn the Resin!!
We suggest to gently heat in continuous sweeping motions, keeping in mind to not be too close or hold in one spot for too long
This is generally the result of room temp not ideal, incorrect Resin mixing or mis-measuring, too much tint (eg. over the 10% tint to resin threshold) incorporated with your resin, tint being in-compatible with the Resin - Or adding anything out of the ordinary, outside pigments designed for use with resin.
Be sure to mix your Resin thoroughly, until you have a clear consistency throughout, no stringy bits at all & paying attention to the sides & bottom of the cup! Your teacher is there to guide you, but is teaching a class group so responsibility ultimately lands with the user.
As you become better at using Epoxy resin, your experience will show in the quality of your pours. We do not take any responsibility for your boards beyond the class setting. If you choose to leave your work overnight at a venue you take full responsibility and understand that your board may be moved and a perfect level may not be achieved.
There are many variables that need to align in order to get a perfect pour.
Pitting and Dimples
This can often be because of a few reasons, over torching your resin, pouring an accelerating or overheated resin, if the resin is poured too thin in one area or because you have not wiped off any oils that may be present on the board from manufacturing processes. It can also happen if you try too many times to pop bubbles using iso spray.
Dimples filled with 'paint'
If you notice that you have achieved a perfect pour aside from small pockets of soft coloured resin, this means you have not mixed your pigment in thoroughly.
Bendy Resin
This generally indicates too much hardener in your resin mix.
Resin is repelling
This will often become present if you have over torched your board, if there are oils present on the board or if you have not leveled your board perfectly before it cures.
Yes, high humidity can affect the finish the , we recommend to pour during temperatures between 22-25 degrees Celsius and not whilst high humidity is being experienced for optimum results.
As epoxy cures in contact with moisture, a greasy or waxy film known as amine blush is produced. This film is created on the surface of the cured epoxy. Its appearance alters depending on the amount of moisture in the air, but it's usually more noticeable in cool, moist conditions.
Milder versions of a blush may look more like small dimples or spots, or a surface that has a strange surface look and feel.
For clear coats over acrylic pours, here are steps that may assist:
1. Allow the acrylic pour to dry for at least 1 week, usually 2-4 as it must be completely dry
2. If silicone, or silicone like substances have been used, clean away the silicone thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol and a cloth (test in a small section to ensure it does not ruin the painting) - allow to dry
3. Use a spray varnish or mod podge to seal the acrylic pour, and allow to completely dry
4. Pour the clear coat, gently heat, allow to cure (7days for a full cure).
Note - Taping up edges for clear coats can assist, and remove the tape when the resin becomes tacky, usually at approx. the 40min mark however this does depend on ambient temperature and viscosity of the resin.
In almost all venues you are required to take your work with you on the evening after your class concludes.
We recommend that you travel to your classes via taxi or UBER to allow you to use two hands to carry your work home and keep it level during that trip.
For liquid work, your work will move by approximately 1.5 inches between arriving at class, and when you get it home. This is to be expected as you are working with a fluid medium, even if you are allowed to leave your work overnight, you must still be of the understanding that it will 100% move between when you leave it and when you see it next.
Once you level it out at home, it will continue to move for some time until it is cured. Please be advised this is completely expected and we will not compensate clients if their work moves. You are working with a fluid medium, in that same way as you have very little control over the resulting artwork, you have the same level of control over the settling of your resin.
We recommend plastic tablecloths for your lap and to travel home from the venue holding your artwork and taking extreme care to keep it level while you do.
At the studio, your board will be left with us on the night, by morning they will be hard enough to travel with but it will be another 7 days before they can be sanded and finished for you.
Your board/s will be food-grade cured within 7 days (depending on humidity and heat) we can not sand them before that point is achieved as the chemical compounds remain active and toxic and can be inhaled. If you return early and decide to sand your own PLEASE DO NOT do so before the 7-day cure has been achieved.
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Once boards are ready to be collected you will be emailed a notification, please check your spam folder.
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In cafes, we use tape to protect the rear of your board - you will need to remove that tape as soon as possible after class to remove the drips.