Click here to proceed toYOUR CART / CHECKOUT
info@plasticmaterials.net
We Are In the Process of Building Our New Site. If You Have Any Questions Please call us: (909) 923-6563
0 $0.00
Click here to proceed toYOUR CART / CHECKOUT

Archives

Home / Articles posted by PMI (Page 9)
October 14, 2021 BY
IN Composite Blog, Epoxy Resin

How To Polish Resin: A Step-by-Step Guide

 

Working in resin lets us create beautiful pieces of artwork. With resin work, we can create pieces for our own pleasure, or this can be the basis of a small business based on our art skills. Creating something beautiful can be immensely rewarding, either to give as a gift or as the foundation of a successful enterprise.

Today, we will share information and tips concerning how to polish resin. We’ll share ideas on how to use resin polish after sanding, what epoxy objects are easiest to polish, and what the best epoxy polish compounds are. Polishing epoxy resin is easy and will make your artwork shine.

What is Resin Polish?

Resin polish is usually a clear liquid or paste that is used after sanding. Any product that can be used for wood polishing also works great on resin. Various kinds of automobile polish also work very well with resin. You should experiment with test castings and determine what works well on the type of resin that you like to use in your castings.

Which Epoxy Resin Objects Should I Polish?

First,  carefully wet sand your object after removing it from its mold. Using water and wet sanding the object by hand is the best method. You should also use sandpaper that is between 120 and 3000 grit. Carefully clean your piece between each round of sanding and application of an epoxy layer. Sanding marks and grit can get caught between epoxy layers. This process is easy but requires patience and attention. Only fully sanded pieces should be polished.

All epoxy resin objects can be polished, but the methods that you use will depend on what kind of object you are polishing. The rule is that softer cured resin objects should be polished by hand, and hard cured resin objects can be polished with a buffing wheel or drill head. Smaller objects should be polished by hand if possible or with a buffing wheel. Hand polishing is the correct option for small objects that have many curves.

What are the Best Epoxy Resin Polishing Compounds?

There are several types of epoxy resin polishing compound on the market. We recommend that you experiment with each type of epoxy polishing compound available. As previously stated, automotive and wood polishes can work very well with resin jewelry and other small objects. 

If possible, cast and sand a test piece of resin and then polish, testing different polishes to see how they appear. The best polish for epoxy resin is the one that tests the best on your specific work.

How to Polish Epoxy Resin items

Here, we will discuss how to polish epoxy items, with an emphasis on polishing by hand. Even large objects can be polished by hand, although the best results can be gained on a large epoxy surface by using a drill with a buffing drill head.

For this process, you will need:

  • A Polishing paste of your choice
  • Water (either a bucket or a spray bottle will do)
  • A linen or cotton cloth
  • A block of wood that can be covered by your cloth and fits in one hand

How to Polish Epoxy Resin After Sanding

1)     Apply your polishing paste to your cloth, and then moisten it slightly with water.

2)     Rub your piece with the cloth using careful, circular movements over the object. There won’t be a change immediately, so keep at it and make sure you apply the paste to the entirety of the object. Keep rubbing with the circular movements until you notice the change of gloss. Be patient, this may take some time.

3)     Your wooden block will help you polish straight surfaces, edges, and other areas where you need to apply pressure. Cover the block with your cloth and use this to polish the straight corners and edges of your piece.

Make sure that you only use colorless polishing paste to avoid any coloring effects on your piece. Further, make sure that after every application you use a separate clean cloth to wash off the polishing paste. Until removed, polishing paste can give an epoxy resin object a matte appearance.

Polishing Resin Objects by Machine

When polishing by machine, follow the same general steps using a circular on and off motion. However, you should still be careful to use machine polishing only with resin pieces that have cured to a high level of hardness. Soft cured resin objects can warp due to heat or even breaking. A combination of machine polishing and hand polishing can be used for resin objects that have many curves.

Bringing Out the Shine: Let Plastic Materials Answer Your Resin Polish Questions

If you’re a crafts enthusiastic, professional artist, or small business person who works in resin,  let us help you. Plastic Materials works with arts professionals, and we can answer any questions you have about how to polish resin. Contact us today. 
September 22, 2021 BY
IN Composite Blog, Composite Industry News, Resins, Epoxy Resin

Your Questions About Sanding Epoxy Resin, Answered

 

When working on home improvement or art projects, a question arises: can you sand epoxy resin?  In this article, we’ll look at the issues surrounding sanding epoxy resin. Epoxy is an incredibly popular material to work with, and sometimes sanding it is a necessity, such as when a second layer of epoxy will be applied. 

We’ll also talk about whether dry or wet sanding epoxy resin in various situations is a good idea, what issues you can expect to run into, and what tips and tricks can make this process easier. So, let’s look at sanding epoxy resin, and attempt to answer these questions.

Can You Sand Epoxy Resin?

Yes, you can! However, several special considerations need to be kept in mind when you attempt to sand epoxy resin as part of a project. Here, we’ll show you how to sand epoxy resin, but let’s discuss setup first.

There are several setup steps to follow. Below are our recommendations for art projects, but the same general instructions should work for larger-scale projects (such as tables).

You will need:

  • A dust mask. Resin particulates can be carcinogenic, and protecting your respiratory system is crucial.
  • A supply of various sanding papers, from 400 to 1000 grit. If you are wet sanding, you’ll need waterproof sandpaper of the right grit ranges. Generously stock sandpaper for your needs.
  • A hard-surfaced area you can work in that will allow you to use water and can be easily cleaned. Even wet-sanding results in sand, resin particulates, and other debris. Make sure the area is also closed off to pets and kids.
  • A rubber hand sanding block. Do not use an electric sander if you are water sanding, it’s unsafe.
  • Eye protection for airborne particulates. Even if you’re not working with a powered sander, sand and resin particulates can harm your eyes.

Wet vs. Dry Sanding Resin

When working with epoxy, it’s recommended that you wet sand. While dry sanding may be unavoidable, wet sanding is preferable for these reasons:

  • The quality of sandpaper lasts longer when used wet than when used dry. Dry sandpaper abrades very quickly when used on epoxy and you’ll consume dry sandpaper much more quickly.
  • Much less dust is produced with wet sanding, keeping the area safer for your lungs.
  • Due to the binding of dust to surfaces, irregularities in the surface are more readily apparent and can be sanded appropriately.
  • If you are working with an orbital sander, you may have no choice but to dry sand. Usually, wet sanding is done by hand. However, generally, wet sanding is easier and safer than dry sanding.

What is the Best Sandpaper for Working with Resin?

When wet sanding, waterproof sandpaper with a grit between 60 and 4000 is the best sandpaper for resin. Be careful of what level of grit you use because sandpaper with a low grit rating can leave marks on the current layer. Make sure you sand with a grit rating of 1000 or above if you are applying a new layer of epoxy resin.

How Do I Sand Epoxy Resin?

Once you have your supplies ready and have created a space to work, follow these steps:

1)     Make use of a hard rubber sanding block. As stated above, using an electric sander is dangerous if you are wet sanding. Also, wear eye and mask protection. Switch to a curved sanding block when you need to sand curved surfaces.

2)     Use a container with warm water. Both a bucket and a spray bottle are helpful.

3)     As you proceed to sand, frequently remove debris, and check the surface, removing sandy residue with a cloth or paper towel. Be careful,  as you switch to finer grades of sandpaper grains from coarse paper, debris may remain and become trapped when you apply your next coat of epoxy. Take care when you are sanding epoxy resin between coats. 

4)     As you proceed, switch in finer and finer grades of sandpaper until your epoxy surface reaches the level of smoothness that you want.

5)     Sanding only achieves a certain level of luster and shine. Your resin surface may need to be polished once you reach the final coat.

If you follow these directions on how to sand resin, your project should look great and be done in no time.

Dry and Wet Sanding: Plastic Materials Helps You with the Answers

Do you have further questions about how to sand epoxy? We at Plastic Materials work with artists, small business people, and devout hobbyists every day to achieve their project goals. Contact us with your questions about sanding epoxy resin, or any other questions about working with epoxy. We can also assist you with any questions you may have about polyester resins, vacuum bagging, orbital sanders, and more. 
September 1, 2021 BY
IN Composite Blog, Abrasives

Sandpaper Grit Guide: Charts for Metal to Wood to Paint

Sandpaper Grit Guide: What You Need to Know

Sandpaper is an essential but often underrated tool that can help you finesse your drywall, woodworking, and metal projects. If you’ve ever tried to purchase some at your local hardware store, you’ve likely noticed that it comes in many different grit sizes, which can quickly become overwhelming. Sandpaper grit size will affect your finished project’s quality, so it’s important to know how and when to use which size. 

Here’s a basic sandpaper grit guide to help you decide which grit is best for you.

What does the Sandpaper Grit Size Mean?

Contrary to popular belief, sandpaper grading size does not refer to the size of the abrasive materials but rather how many particles can fit through a 1 square inch filter. The larger the particle, the fewer can fit through at once. 

Globally, the two standardized sandpaper grit charts are the Coated Abrasives Manufacturers Institute (CAMI) and the Federation of European Producers Association (FEPA). CAMI is used mainly in North America and FEPA in Europe. Sandpaper is labeled on the back with the grit size. If there is a “P” in front of the grit number, for example, P300, then you know it follows the FEPA grading system.


Sandpaper Grit Ranges 

Sandpaper grit ranges can be divided into two types: micro and macro grit sandpapers. Micro grits are primarily used on wood and some drywall, whereas macro sandpapers are used on tougher metals and hardier wood because they have a more robust clearance. Below is an essential sandpaper grits guide:

 

Micro Sandpaper Grit Guide

Ultra Fine

Ranging from 800 to1000 CAMI or FEPA P1500, this grit has incredibly delicate abrasives and should be used in the final sanding stages or when polishing thick finishes.

Super Fine

Ranging from 400 – 600 CAMI or FEPA P800 – P1200, this fine-grit sandpaper slightly wipes away patches and/or minor inconsistencies but isn’t strong enough for complete removal. Superfine grit is usually used for final wood finishing.

Extra Fine

Ranging from 360 – 320 CAMI or FEPA P400 – P600, extra-fine sandpaper should be used during the initial wood polishing stages.

Very Fine

With a 240 CAMI or FEPA P240 – 360, very fine sandpaper is the least abrasive and is best used when applying sanding finishes between consecutive coats when working with drywall or wood.

 

Macro Sandpaper Grit Guide

Very Fine

Coarser than very fine micro sandpaper and with a CAMI of 150 – 220 or FEPA P150 – P220, this sandpaper can be used to sand down fine wood.

Fine

Ranging from a 100 -120 CAMI or FEPA P100 – P120, this sandpaper cannot remove varnish or paint on wood and is better used to prepare wood for finishing, cleaning plaster, and removing water stains on wood. 

Medium

With an 80 CAMI or FEPA P60-P80, this grit sandpaper leaves a medium to coarse surface texture after sanding. Ideally, it’s used for sanding bare wood to prepare it for removing varnish and final finishings.

Coarse

Coarse sandpaper grit has a CAMI of 40 – 60 or FEPA P40-50. It removes hardy material rapidly and easily wipes away debris or helps with finishing with minimal effort.

Extra Coarse

Ranging from CAMI 21 – 36 or FEPA P12-36, an extra coarse grit removes the most material the fastest. It should be used during the initial stages of hardwood floor sanding or on surfaces that require intense treatment.

As you’ll see on any sandpaper grit size chart, the different grades of sandpaper have various quality abrasives. Most jobs require a range of grits as you progress. In addition, you’ll also have to choose between “open-coat” and “closed-coat” sandpaper. 


As a rule of thumb, “open-coat” paper doesn’t clog and is usually used for wood. Sandpaper grit charts are a great tool to help you determine what kind of paper you need for the job at hand; however, they don’t always specify which grit material is best.

Sandpaper Grit vs. Material 

There’s more to a sand paper grit chart than just the size of the grits. You should also be aware that there are five main types of sandpaper abrasives, all with different uses:

Aluminum Oxide

This common paper is used for woodworking projects. It’s primarily used in power sanders, such as an orbital sander, because of its durable nature; however, it doesn’t leave a nice finish and should only be used in the initial sanding stages.

Silicon Carbide

This paper is usually dark gray or black and is used for finishing metals or “wet-sanding.”  It is seldom applied to woodworking.

Garnet

Garnet paper is brownish-red and commonly used in woodworking. While it doesn’t sand as fast as other papers, it leaves a better finish and is a great choice for finishing sanding.

Ceramic

This paper is one of the most durable and can remove large amounts of material quickly. It’s commonly used in belt sanders and can also be used for hand-shaping wood. It leaves a rough finish and should be applied with caution to veneers or plywood.

Glass

Also called flint paper, glasspaper is very light and pale yellow. It disintegrates fast and is usually used for paint removal.

 

The Perfect Finish

At Plastic Materials, we have an impressive range of sandpapers for every application and project, whether it’s industrial-scale or simple DIY. Give us a call, and we can help you with all your sandpaper grit guide questions. Better yet, click here to purchase the best sandpaper for your project. Our premium-grade sandpaper is guaranteed to help you achieve the perfect finish. 
August 10, 2021 BY
IN Composite Blog, Vacuum Bagging & Infusion

Vacuum Infusion Process: Step-by-Step Guide for Resin Infusion

Vacuum Infusion Process: What You Need to Know

Vacuum infusion, also known as resin infusion, is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process for making high-quality composite parts used in the aviation, marine, and energy sectors, as well as smaller DIY projects like boat-building. It uses vacuum pressure to create quality products and is one of the best methods for molding large structural components. 

What is the Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP)?

The Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP) is a technique that uses vacuum pressure to drive resin into a laminate. Materials are laid dry into a mold, and the vacuum is applied before resin is introduced. The resin is infused into the mold cavity to wet out the materials and core during the vacuum infusion. Carbon fiber and fiberglass are mold materials commonly used for this process.

Benefits of VIP

While hand lamination is faster and relatively easy to execute, vacuum infusion has many advantages. It’s cost-effective, delivers better quality, and is safer for the environment. Vacuum infusion molding forms a closed mold process and reduces the number of styrene emissions, which can pollute the environment when not properly filtered. 

Even though it requires a longer set-up time, bottom-line comparisons reveal that when labor and mold longevity are taken into account, vacuum infusion is quicker because the process (not the set-up) is easier. It also has a lower tooling cost than other closed mold techniques.

During the resin infusion process, the resin is under constant vacuum pressure and is not influenced by manual labor.  Voids are reduced to a minimum, and there is little wastage. With the vacuum infusion process, the fiber content is higher, increasing the stiffness and strength of the resulting product.

Shortcomings of VIP

Most of the disadvantages of vacuum infusion are linked to the process’s long set-up time and general handling. Unlike hand lamination, vacuum resin infusion requires one to strategize and develop the optimal vacuum ports and resin injection locations for each composite that is made.

Furthermore, it also requires an experienced hand and can become expensive if there are continuous vacuum leaks as the entire part will have to be binned. Its cosmetic finish is also not as good as open mold processes due to the fabric print; however, this can be amended using a barrier coat.

At this stage of the process’s development, vacuum infusion is more suited to smaller projects. Too much time is required for applications that need high production rates or more complex processes on a mass scale. This is especially true when multiple-use flexible films or top molds are needed for one-off or large parts. 

 

Preparation: Everything You Need for the Vacuum Infusion Process 

While it’s not rocket science, resin infusion techniques do require some skill. In large industrial productions, trained technicians oversee the process. However, it is possible to perfect the technique with research and practice. Below are the basic materials and equipment needed: 

Materials

Generally, polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy resin tend to work best. When it comes to fibers, most conventional fabrics can be used, although we’d recommend fiberglass or carbon fiber as the gaps in the material allow the resin to transport well.

Equipment

There are four main pieces of equipment, besides resins and fibers, needed to successfully carry out the vacuum infusion process.  These include:

Vacuum Pumps

You will need to select the appropriate resin infusion vacuum pump to create the correct pressure. While all pumps require regular oil changes and blowdowns, the type of pump most suited is an oil-sealed, single-stage rotary vane vacuum pump. These pumps are available at most pump manufacturers and are produced by a variety of brands.

Vacuum Tubing

Vinyl tubing is a good choice as it’s strong enough to maintain its form under pressure without collapsing. Tubing with a ½” inner diameter allows for maximum flow during infusion application.

Resin Traps

Resin traps are vital to the safety of the vacuum infusion process as they are placed in line to catch excess resin. If not caught, the resin can destroy your vacuum pump. Large-scale projects usually utilize multiple resin traps.

Spiral Tubing

Spiral tubing is needed for vacuum line extenders or resin feed lines. Make sure you buy tubing that complies with resin infusion standards. 

Step-by-Step Guide to the Vacuum Infusion Process 

Bear in mind that each fiberglass infusion project is unique and will require variation depending on size and scale. Below are the basic steps: 

  1. Prepare the mold: Place good quality mold, reinforcements, and core flow material in the desired position.
  2. Set-up resin and vacuum lines: Ensure the network of lines reaches all areas of the laminate and can drain the resin effectively. 
  3. Attach the vacuum bag: The vacuum bag should be tight but allow enough room for tubing. 
  4. Attach the pump and set up the resin bucket: Ensure your resin bucket is properly secured as the pump will produce a strong suction during the vacuum resin infusion. Turn on the pump once everything is in place.
  5. Clamp off resin line: When the laminate is wet out, you can clamp off the resin line to complete the infusion. 

Have a project that requires vacuum infusion? At Plastic Materials Incorporated, we have a range of products from core materials to tubing to help you put together the ideal vacuum infusion kit. Give us a call or click here to start building your kit today!
May 25, 2021 BY
IN Composite Industry News

SORIC®: THE CORE MATERIAL SOLUTION

How Lantor Soric Core Material changed the process of Infusion

Our partner 3A Composites has delivered another top-quality product to our list of available core material options here at Plastic Materials, Incorporated. Lantor Soric® is the core material solution in composite parts for the Wind industry. Flexible infusion core for optimal flow behavior and weight reduction. Extra interlaminating flow and controlled and stable flow front. Soric® SF is a general-purpose grade for thin laminates. This grade balances resin flow with surface quality. The honeycomb structure formed during the process provides good shear properties. For product details go to https://plasticmaterials.lfdm.co/brands/3a-composites for more information, or call one of our technical sales representatives at Plastic Materials, Incorporated.
April 20, 2021 BY
IN Composite Blog, Composite Industry News

What is the Best Release Agent for Epoxy Resin?

. While many resins are designed to be easily removable from various metal molds, the resin that sticks can damage a mold or the actual resin product. Resin mold release is an essential tool if you work with resin and create your own products. Used correctly, resin mold release agents will enable you to separate your project pieces from your molds safely, ensuring that neither your molds nor your castings become damaged.

Read more
Menu
Click here to proceed toYOUR CART / CHECKOUT

Search for products

Back to Top
Product has been added to your cart