Resin Mold Release: How to Use this Essential Tool
If you’re a hobbyist or a professional, working with resins and polymers lets you do some really cool things. However, having a good resin mold release agent is very important.
The resin mold release is the process of getting rid of the mold. Resin mold release is a chemical agent that helps you get resin out of metal and plastic molds that you make. While many resins are made to be easy to remove from different metal molds, the resin that sticks can damage the mold or the resin itself. Resin mold release is very important if you work with resin and make your own things. It’s important to use resin mold release agents the right way so that you can safely remove your project pieces from your molds. This way, neither your molds nor your castings will be damaged.
Here, you’ll learn about resin mold release and how it can help you with your hobbies and business. We’ll show you how to make your own DIY resin mold release agents so that you can make your work quickly and safely. Whether you make jewelry for fun, make art or miniatures for your Etsy store, or run a manufacturing business, we’ll show you how.
What are Epoxy Release Agents?
When epoxy resins don’t stick to molds, they use substances called “epoxy mold release agents.” Pulling the resin castings out of the molds with them is very important. These come in both aerosol and non-aerosol sprays. Usually, epoxy release agents are made up of things like polyvinyl alcohol. These are used to coat molds and make a film that will make it easy to remove castings.
In most cases, the mold is treated with an epoxy release agent before the mold is cast. Make sure that this is done. If not, the casting will get stuck to the mold, and it will be destroyed. Porous materials, like wood or plaster, should also be sealed before they’re used with epoxy resin, which is why it’s important to note this. These porous materials will get stuck to the resin and won’t be able to be removed without causing damage to the surface of the resin itself.
That they be dry and clean as well. Debris that gets into the resin can not only damage the mold, but it can also make your project a mess. Before you start a project, you should check and clean any molds you plan to use.
Types of Resin Mold Release Agents
There are two types of epoxy resin mold release agents that are used by hobbyists and in small-scale manufacturing: resin mold release wax and resin mold release spray.
Resin release spray is the most common and is usually sold in aerosol form.
Resin mold wax is usually carefully applied by hand and left to dry overnight, forming the seal for the casting. It is best used on large, flat surfaces.
What is the best release agent for epoxy resin? That depends on your project and your preference. Some people prefer working with sprays and others prefer waxes. This will depend on your project and the materials that you plan to use. Test your options and experiment!
Keep in mind, if you’re looking for a resin mold release alternative some common household materials like vegetable oil, mineral oil, and petroleum jelly may work for your project.
How to Use Epoxy Resin Release Spray
The steps below show how to apply resin mold release spray to a mold in the right way. You should work outside if you can. You should also wear a safety mask and goggles to protect your eyes and face.
1) Clean the mold with soap and water. Let them dry.
2) Spray a resin mold release spray into the air to make a small cloud of dust.
3) Slowly, draw the mold through the clouds. You may have to do steps 2 and 3 again two or three times. Make sure that you don’t spray the epoxy mold release spray on the mold, because that could damage it. This can hurt the casting and isn’t necessary. This can damage the casting.
4) Wait at least 30 minutes for the resin mold release to dry before you try to make the mold. Waiting to do so for a few hours is fine.
How to Use Resin Release Wax
How to use resin release wax is very much like how to use the directions above, except that you need to be careful when you mix the resin release wax. There are often separate parts to this product that need to be shaken vigorously to mix the resin release wax. An application brush can be used to spread the wax over the surface, gently removing wax from areas that need to be cleaned.
What is PVA Release Lacquer?
PVA release lacquer is a product you can use with either resin release spray or wax to initially treat porous surfaces. This is essential if you are working with wood, plaster, or any other porous material that epoxy can possibly bond with. Make sure that any porous material is sealed before you insert it as inclusion or use it in any resin project.
