Keeping resin fresh???

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Skye

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So, I take my remaining half gallon to my new pressure pot to whip up some snake skin blanks. I go to pour....... nothing. Jiggle the jug, I hear it, go to pour.... nothing.

Apparently my second hole in the jug let too much air in and ruined the resin. The cap got so gummy by the second use, it was stuck on. I poked a hole in it to get some out, covered the hole, but apparently it wasnt airtight.

So, how do you people do it? The cap seems good for about 2 uses, then it's impossible to remove. Any better ideas?
 
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wood-of-1kind

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Skye I'm not a 'caster' yet but I do know that there is an aerosol product sold at Lee Valley Tools that you spray into your container to remove air/moisture to prolong the lifespan of your resin and works great for paint cans that are partially full. Hope this helps.

-Peter-
 

its_virgil

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Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
Use it faster. [:D] According to a maker of polyester resin it has a shelf life of 6 months from the <b>date it was made</b>, not from the date it was sold or the can was opened. This is one reason to purchase it from a resin dealer...they move the stuff quicker than maybe Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Just my thinking. I've used several cans that were well over 6 months old and they were fine and I've a few go south after a couple of months. I try to use each gallon quickly. I've never had any go bad after it was cast and stored in my blank storage device.[}:)][:D][;)] Since I mostly do embedded snake skins, this works for me. If I were doing colored blanks or trying to develop unique colors, etc, then I may not use it quickly enough. I'm not sure the air in the half full can is a cause of it going bad, but using Bloxigen or a similar product would probably be okay. Moisture will cause clear PR to be cloudy and moisture is introduced by moisture in the air that gets into the can.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Originally posted by Skye
<br />So, I take my remaining half gallon to my new pressure pot to whip up some snake skin blanks. I go to pour....... nothing. Jiggle the jug, I hear it, go to pour.... nothing.

Apparently my second hole in the jug let too much air in and ruined the resin. The cap got so gummy by the second use, it was stuck on. I poked a hole in it to get some out, covered the hole, but apparently it wasnt airtight.

So, how do you people do it? The cap seems good for about 2 uses, then it's impossible to remove. Any better ideas?
 

Skye

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Jan 3, 2006
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Rock Hill, SC
All good suggestions, I'll start with the DNA and faster casting ideas before deciding if I need that spray. [:)]
 
M

Mudder

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I've found that once I open a can I need to use it within a month or two or it will go bad. I think heat and humidity have a lot to do with it but I'm not a chemist. I have had cans from Michaels that have lasted 2 years if they are unopened. It might cost me a little more but I just wait till I need some and find a 40% or a 50% off cupon from Michaels and buy the resin when it is needed. I have a store near my work and another about 5 miles from home so I can hit both stores and get a half gallon for for $25.00 and it holds me for a while. If I was casting a lot I would consider buying by the gallon.
 

Draken

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Sep 19, 2005
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Stafford, Virginia, USA.
I simply use a paper towel to clean up the threads of the cap immediately after pouring into the cups for mixing. So far, haven't had any problems and I've gone through about 3 gallons already. The key is to clean the threads quickly and throughly.

Cheers,
Draken
 
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