Given the many requests received from buyers regarding the "fast" resin, we have decided to report the different characteristics of the two resins in this article.

WHAT IS TRANSPARENT EPOXY RESIN?

Before discussing what the different characteristics are, let's do a little general introduction on epoxy resin. This type of resin is the most commonly used in the creative and do-it-yourself field, as it is multipurpose and can be applied in a variety of different sectors, surfaces, creations and uses (for example used as a final finish to protect or give lucidity to an artifact). Moreover, thanks to the different pigments, dyes and glitter that are found on the market, it can take on various shades, shades and effects that make a craftsman a real artist.

The transparent epoxy resin is marketed in two bottles, in one there is component A and in the other a component B which, mixed together in the right doses, allow, after a certain passage of time, the catalysis and hardening of the compound.

Special additives are usually added to the resin formulation that prevent yellowing over time (given the strong sensitivity to UV rays that would ruin the creation over time) and other additives that favor the release of air bubbles that form in the mixing phase of the two compounds. Another very important characteristic in the choice of the resin is the viscosity, but above all its hardness; Low quality resins can be very fragile and creations can break even with small bumps.

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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO RESINS?

There are several pros and cons that the two types have.

Starting with the standard transparent epoxy resin, using it it can be seen that it has a slow, gradual and constant curing over time and that it reaches a good curing (i.e. the level of hardening of the casting) after about 24 hours. This way of catalyzing has the advantage of facilitating the escape of air bubbles and of not creating a strong exothermic reaction of the product and therefore also allows casting of greater thickness. The negative side, if it can be defined as such, is certainly the long time to wait before being able to unmold the casting from the silicone mold.

The "fast" transparent epoxy resin is a resin that has the advantage of starting the catalyzing phase with an initial sprint and then being demoulded from the silicone mold after about 4 hours at 25 ° C (the time depends on various environmental factors and the thickness of the liquid poured). This allows the silicone mold to be reused several times within a day.

The pros of this resin, however, must clash with what currently could be some cons in general:

A too fast catalysis can in some cases create the formation of micro bubbles that do not have the time necessary to escape from the casting.
The exothermic reaction that occurs during the catalysis phase is almost always very strong (especially on thick castings that can reach, but also exceed 100 ° C). This, in addition to being dangerous in the event of contact with the skin, leads to a possible total or partial degradation of the gloss of the silicone molds and does not allow casting of higher thickness. In fact, this type of resin can be used in thicknesses ranging from a minimum of 2 mm to a maximum of 1 cm.
Very thick castings could tend to possible yellowing. This phenomenon may be due to a "cooking" of the resin and occurs when the mass of product reaches very high temperatures for a prolonged time.
The resin in thin form and not too thick could be more brittle than a traditional transparent epoxy resin. Fragility can also be found after "cooking".
Apart from the possibility of removing the casting from the mold in advance, the maturation of the product is almost always complete after many more hours.
Having said this, however, it must be said that not all fast hardening resins are the same and some of these do not have all the points listed above. However, some general considerations on the characteristics of this resin remain valid.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we can say that the perfect resin does not exist and as in all circumstances the best choice is based on the use that must be made of it. If you need to cast for jewelry or creations of thicknesses that fall within the range specified above, then the fast resin can be a valid solution to shorten the waiting times in the demoulding of the pieces from the mold.