Part of the process
Workspace and safety
Liquid resin is a skin sensitizer and the cure depends on room temperature. Set up a level, covered table in a ventilated room at about 70 to 80 F before you open a bottle.
- Room temperature
- about 70 to 80 F, steady
- Hands and eyes
- nitrile gloves, safety glasses
Uncured epoxy and UV resin are skin sensitizers: repeated contact can cause an allergic reaction, which is why every data sheet starts with gloves. Wear nitrile gloves and safety glasses, cover your arms and keep liquid resin off your skin. If it gets there, wash promptly with soap and water. Is epoxy resin toxic and is UV resin safe go through the details.
Work in a well-ventilated room. Where the air does not move, makers recommend a respirator with organic vapor cartridges, and a particulate filter when you sand cured resin. A paper dust mask does nothing for vapors. The respirator guide explains the cartridge types and what each one is for.
The room matters to the resin too. Makers ask for a steady 70 to 80 F, and some name 75 to 85 F as ideal. In a cold room epoxy turns thick and cloudy and may stay tacky. Level the table, cover it with plastic sheeting and keep a dust cover ready, because the piece will sit there untouched for at least a day.
Common mistakes at this stage
- Working bare-handed because the label says non-toxic.
- Pouring in a cold garage and expecting the cure time on the label.
- Using a dust mask as if it were a vapor respirator.