QA

Question: How To Thin Polyester Resin

Polyester resin can be thinned out using no more than 10 percent acetone. Any more and the fiberglass will not completely harden.

Can you thin out resin?

The best way to thin out ArtResin epoxy resin is to place the unopened bottles in a warm water bath before you mix. Warming it will alter the viscosity of ArtResin, making it more runny and greatly decreasing the bubbles.

Can you thin fiberglass resin with lacquer thinner?

Method #2: Thinning Epoxy Resin Using a Solvent Solvents like denatured alcohol, lacquer thinners and acetone. All of these solvents are easily available and also do a great job in lowering the viscosity. Also, these solvents evaporate quickly and are unlikely to become trapped in your cured epoxy resin.

How do you lower the viscosity of polyester resin?

Currently, there are two main methods applied to synthesize low-viscosity UPRs: one is by adding excess diluents to reduce viscosity; and the other is by introducing small-component linear molecular chains to reduce the chain entanglement [13, 14].

What is the mix ratio for polyester resin?

Generally speaking, for Polyester Resins, the mixing ratio is 2% i.e. 20ml for every 1kg of Resin in working conditions at room temperature. For the Water Clear Casting Polyester Resin, this drops to 1.5% or 15ml for every 1kg.

How do you thin out fiberglass resin?

Polyester resin also is used for gel coat, which is fiberglass paint that has to be thinned for spray application. Polyester resin can be thinned out using no more than 10 percent acetone. Any more and the fiberglass will not completely harden.

How do you make resin watery?

Pour the resin catalyst into a clear plastic cup. Dye the resin by adding enamel paint to the liquid and mixing it throughout with a stir stick to get the color of water you want. Use a reference photo for the type of water you want to recreate to get the right color.

Does acetone melt fiberglass?

Do not use an abrasive cleaner or scouring pad on the fiberglass surface. Abrasive products will scratch, discolor and dull the fiberglass surface. Acetone removes not only dirt and grime from your fiberglass surfaces, but also any set-in stains like rust and pen marks.

Can you make fiberglass resin clear?

Fiberglass becomes clear during wet out as epoxy surrounds and displaces the air between the many fine filaments that make up its strands. Choose a fabric with an epoxy-compatible coupling agent, because it permits epoxy to more easily replace the air around the filaments than incompatible fabric.

What does acetone do to epoxy?

It can be seen that the presence of acetone resulted in a decrease in Young’s modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break of the epoxy resin. This effect was more pronounced for resins prepared with a higher acetone content, reaching a 16-21% decrease in these properties for the 13.0 wt.

What is the viscosity of polyester resin?

Polyester resins have a normal viscosity of about 700 when cut in styrene (the standard monomer).

Which is better epoxy or polyester resin?

Epoxy is more resistant to wearing, cracking and peeling, and corrosion or damage from chemical or environmental degradation. Polyester is more fragile and useful for temporary fixes, or low-stress use. Epoxy is generally more expensive than resin, due to its strength and formulation requirements.

How is polyester resin mixed?

Use a long wooden stirrer to gently stir together the polyester resin and the MEKP. Resin often floats to the top, so it is sometimes necessary to stir from the bottom of the container to fully mix the products. Continue to slowly stir the mixture until it reaches the consistency of toothpaste.

Why is my resin so thick?

The working time of resin (also known as the pot time) is the amount of time you have to use your resin once the two parts (resin and hardener) are mixed together. The mixture gradually thickens as you get closer to the end of the resin’s pot time.

Can you use acetone to thin epoxy?

Using Acetone So be sure to follow the general rule of thumb by mixing the thinner at a ratio of 10:1. This means that one gallon of acetone is enough to thin 10 gallons of epoxy.

How do you dissolve polyester?

For polyester resins you could use isopropanol or sulfuric acid.

Will fiberglass resin harden without hardener?

You let it sit, and sit, and sit, but it never completely hardens. Chances are you did not add enough catalyst, the chemical that hardens the resin. It’s a chemical process and depends on how close you were to the proper amount of catalyst.

Can you dry resin with a hair dryer?

You can use a blow dryer or hair dryer to dry your resin art fast. To do this, simply plug in the dryer and blow it directly onto your resin art. But be cautious to not blow too hard and too warm.

Why is my resin still bendy?

In most cases, the reason you have resin that bends is due to the fact that the resin needs more time to cure. After 24 hours, ArtResin will be at a 95% solidity rate. If you attempt to curve or move the resin before that 24 hour mark, the resin will likely bend.

Will paint thinner damage fiberglass?

Acetone and paint thinner should only be used for stains such as oil or paint. Since these materials can harm the fiberglass, only use them to tackle especially bad stains. Wear thick gloves when cleaning using acetone or paint thinner.

Will MEK dissolve fiberglass?

Solvable Professional Grade MEK is an excellent solvent for dissolving resins and adhesives and for thinning fiberglass resins.

What do you use to thin gel coat?

Thin gel coat to your preferred viscosity using #70 Styrene Thinner or #1039 Duratec Clear Hi-Gloss Gel Coat Additive. When using styrene thinner, add to gel coat at 2-5% to lower viscosity and aid in spraying.