You have Questions about ICE Resin®. Sometimes you need Fast Answers. Sometimes you want the Answer with the full story. You can have them both.
 
Question: What is the best way to protect my work surface and clean up any spills?  

Fast Answer: Use a Studio Sheet to protect and baby wipes to clean.
Answer: ICE Resin® Studio Sheets are the best way to protect your surface, they come in two sizes, a 9”x 9” two pack and a generous 15” x 18” sheet. If you spill resin on a Studio Sheet you can scoop it up with a clean Stir Stick and put it back in the cup. Then wipe the Studio Sheet with a baby wipe. If some ICE Resin accidentally cures on the Studio Sheet you can peel it off.

Question: What can I do to make sure my resin cures?

Fast Answer: Measure exactly, stir thoroughly for 2 minutes.
Answer: The most important steps are to carefully measure, as close to exactly equal parts as you can, and to mix them very thoroughly. Mark the precise fill lines of Part A & Part B, on the Ice Resin Mixing Cup with a fine tip permanent marker. This will make it easier to see the line you need to fill to. Make sure, when mixing, to scrape the sides, bottom & edges of the measuring cup with the stir stick while mixing, to make sure there are no pockets of unmixed resin or hardener. Mix for 2 full minutes.

Question: How do I get rid of bubbles?

Fast Answer: Heat.
Answer: Mix the resin gently, keeping the stir stick in the resin. Stir slowly, deliberately & thoroughly for 2 minutes. There will probably be some bubbles. Let the mixed resin sit for 5 minutes, during this time, if the room is warm (around 75°F), the bubbles should rise to the top and pop. If they are still floating on the top of your resin at the edges of the mixing cup you can scoop them out with the stir stick. To get bubbles out, right after pouring into a bezel or mold, use a Heat It™ Craft Tool & gently wand over the resin. (Keep the Heat Tool moving & be around 6” or so from the piece.) The bubbles will break from the heat. Sometimes the heat of your breath can work to break bubbles also.

Pro Tip: Warmth matters… Try to use ICE Resin in a warm room. A cold room usually results in more bubbles & a longer curing time.

Question: What can I do if a bubble cures into the piece?

Fast Answer: Keep it or drill, clean & resin over.
Answer: If you find a bubble in your resin, first decide if it detracts from the piece. Sometimes bubbles add extra interest to your piece. On the other hand, there are times when you don’t want a bubble over someone’s nose in a photo. Use a small twist drill or craft knife and carefully open up & clear out the bubble/hole. Lightly sand the resin with 600 or higher grit sandpaper to give the resin some ‘tooth’ or roughness for the new resin to grab onto. Clean any resin debris or dust, off resin piece. Mix a fresh batch of resin. Using an ICE Resin® Brush, fill the hole & paint a thin layer of resin onto your piece. This will patch the hole the bubble left and create a smooth surface so that you won’t be able to detect where the bubble even was. Let cure thoroughly.    

Question: Why do I have to seal some items before coating or submerging them in resin?

Fast Answer: If it is porous and would darken if put in water, seal it thoroughly.
Answer: It depends on whether the item is porous or not. Resin seeps into the pores of some materials & darkens them. Think of it this way, if the item you want to use was submerged in water would the color of the item change? Would it get darker and less vibrant? If the answer is yes, then it is best to seal the item with ICE Resin® Paper Sealer. It works on other porous materials as well as paper. Coat the object & let it dry thoroughly. Apply at least 3 coats letting it dry in between coats, making sure the object is thoroughly sealed. When using paper, coat one side at a time. Coat in one direction, let dry, then coat in the opposite direction. Repeat. After doing one side, repeat the procedure on the other, making sure to seal the edges of the paper as well.
 
Question: Should I glue down an image or other elements before pouring the ICE Resin?

Fast Answer: If you don’t want it to float to the top, yes.
Answer: Yes. Paper will want to lift up or float in the resin. Make sure to glue the image and the objects in place and let them dry thoroughly before pouring the resin. This way when you pour the resin, they won’t move around or lift up in the middle of a cure. ICE Resin Paper Sealer is an excellent glue to use.
 
Question: How long does ICE Resin take to cure?

Fast Answer: It takes 6-10 hrs. to cure to the touch. 72 hrs. for a full cure.
Answer: It hardens to the touch in around 6 -10 hrs. (If the room is cold, it may take a bit longer. The cold slows down the curing process.) You will be able to touch, use and wear it after this initial cure, but be aware, a full cure is 72 hours. Do not seal it in a plastic bag before then, or it may get cloudy.
 
Question: Can I cure in multiple layers?

Fast Answer: Yes.
Answer: You can get amazing results by curing in layers. You can achieve 3D effects by painting, stamping, adhering images or gluing items on successive cured layers. Just let the ICE Resin layer cure to the touch, decorate, then pour another layer. Repeat as many times as you want!

Question: What do I do if my resin doesn’t cure?

Fast Answer: Mix a new batch and resin over it.
Answer: Make sure your resin is in a warm area. Place it in the sun or under a warm light. Leave it for a couple of hours. If it still hasn’t hardened, mix another batch of resin, making sure that both parts are exactly equal and well mixed. Brush or pour it on top of the soft/sticky resin and let it cure thoroughly in a warm room.

Question: What is the best way to avoid spills when pouring resin?

Fast Answer: Use a stir stick.   
Answer: Use the ICE Resin Stir Stick to scoop some resin. Keeping the stir stick parallel to the table, lightly scrape the bottom of the stir stick along the edge of the cup to take off any excess. Drip the resin from the stir stick into your bezel, mold or onto your project. It does take longer than pouring, but it is generally a much neater way to fill a bezel or mold.
 
Question: Can Ice Resin be used as a jewelry adhesive?

Fast Answer: Yes!
Answer: Absolutely! It’s a great for costume jewelry. Adhere stones back into settings with Ice Resin. Just mix ICE Resin in the usual way, then use a small amount to affix the stones. Do not move until the resin has cured. Note: Resin doesn’t dry, it cures through a chemical process. Whether you use a little, or a lot, the curing time is the same.
Tip: Don’t mix less then ½ to 1oz Resin. You have to be as precise as you can when measuring equal amounts of Resin & Hardener. Have a bunch of items you want to repair or a small project ready to use up the excess resin.
 
Question: Can I use Resin to fill cracks in other items?

Fast Answer: Yes! Wear a mask, make a paste with resin and baby powder.
Answer: Wear a mask, mix a batch of Resin then slowly add and mix in baby powder until you get the desired consistency for the project. Use the paste of resin & powder to fill cracks & crevices. Let set, lightly sand and paint to match the finish of the item.
 
Question: What is the best way to keep my resin from yellowing?

Fast Answer: Keep ICE Resin in a cool, dark area & use within 6 months of purchase.
Answer: Resin Yellows when it is exposed to light & air in its liquid state. Use Ice Resin within 6 months of purchasing. After using, squeeze as much air as possible from the bottles & snap the caps on tightly. The blue tint of the hardener works to neutralize the yellow in resin. Sometimes you miscalculate & don’t use up or leave it uncapped and have a ‘yellow’ batch (Actually it is more amber than yellow).

Be creative and use the amber color to your advantage. Antique-looking pendants are charming. Black and white photos under ‘amber’ resin have an aged, old world look. Add ICE Resin® Tints to add a burst of color. Mixing the resin with ICE Resin® German Glass Glitter, Glass Glitter Shards, Opals, or Shattered Mica will totally transform the Resin. Amber colored resin is experimental gold in my book.
 
Anti-Grief Tips:

• Practice & experiment! Try small projects and experiment before you try something larger or use precious elements in resin. Always try to use a new element in an experiment before mass producing. 

• Read the instructions that come with ICE Resin carefully. A lot of trial & error can be avoided by knowing all the info.

• There are many great ICE Resin tutorials and ICE Resin videos on the rangerink.com website and elsewhere online.