Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

Finishing the Resin for a Project

Resin is a malleable material that makes it well-suited for use in hobby projects where surfaces must be joined together without the use of glues or screws. To finish, or cure, the resin once it has been applied, follow a procedure that uses an ultraviolet (UV) light source. The UV lamp can often be purchased from the same hobby store where the resin was acquired or from a hardware store. No special equipment is needed to finish the resin, although safety precautions dictate not looking at the UV lamp with unshielded eyes while it is in use.

Things You'll Need

Ultraviolet lamp
Reflector
Resin
Wooden stir stick
Sandpaper, 400-grade, 800-grade, 1000-grade, 2000-grade, 3000-grade, 4000-grade
Hard-wax car polish
Soft cloth
Polishing cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Screw the ultraviolet (UV) lamp into the socket on the reflector. Squeeze the bottom of the reflector to open the clamps. Place the clamps around the edge of the work surface to which the project the resin has been applied is resting. Release the bottom of the reflector. Angle the neck of the reflector so that the UV lamp is aimed at the resin on the project. Plug the reflector's power cord into an outlet.
- 2
  Turn the reflector lamp's switch to "On" or push its button in to activate the UV lamp. Let the lamp radiate at the resin for 1 minute. If gel resin is being used, let the lamp radiate at the resin for two minutes. Turn the UV lamp off.
- 3
  Apply resin to the end of a wooden stir stick. Press the end of the stick against one side of the area that has the resin on it. Drag the stick across the length of the area that has the resin on it to increase the amount of resin on the surface of the project. Turn on the UV lamp for one or two minutes, depending on the type of resin being used.
- 4
  Continue to add resin and cure with the UV lamp until the resin reaches the desired height.
- 5
  Sand the surface of the project that has the resin applied to it from one side to the other with the 400-grade sandpaper for 10 seconds. Repeat this procedure with 800, then 1000, then 2000, then 3000 grades of sandpaper until you have sanded the surface with the 4000-grade sandpaper.
- 6
  Apply hard-wax car polish to the end of a soft cloth. Rub the surface of the projector where the resin is from one side to the other for 20 seconds with the waxed end of the cloth. Rub the resin in the same manner as just done, only with a polishing cloth.

Other Hobbies