Resining Conditions

[Surmainey]

I'm done with a few peps and I really want to start resining to get some experience in it and make some second stage progress, but I live in Indiana and the weather has been frigid and awful.



I'm asking for suggestions to make my garage a suitable place to do it still. I've thought about using heaters and then fans aimed out of a cat door(old owners) so that way I keep it the right temperature and it's well ventilated. But I know that resin and bondo and such are all very flammable. Would it be alright if I was careful to try this plan out? Thanks in advance.



I also am posting to try and get my experience in posting on the forums. If this is inappropriate for a topic then just tell me, I'm a nub so its all cool.



If I feel confident enough from your guys' feedback to start, I shall post pics of the first of my resined projects.

 

[MW Immortalking]

I'm resining outside in about 55* sunny days, seems to be working. Although I'd imagine it'd work better if it were warmer. I use a hairdryer to try to get the resin to set faster XD

 

[HaloGoddess]

I think I remember coming across something to help with this. They used some VERY good sealing containers. Sort of like the ones that you use for storage. You will want something placed in the container to set your piece on so that it does not sit on the bottom of the container. You resin your stuff outside as you normally would, then place the piece in the container on whatever it is you are using to hold the piece in place, THEN you can bring it inside where it is nice and warm. If you are able to still smell the resin, then your container is either not sealed tight enough or it's just not a good sealing container, but you can then use a large, heavy duty garbage bag and place the whole container in the bag and hopefully that will help to hide the fumes so you don't smell it in your house.



I hope you kind of get what I was trying to explain. XD On the other hand, if you have a garage and are able to make it warm enough for resin, then you don't need to hassle with the idea I mentioned.

 

[Carpathia]

Alternatively, if you don't want to bring a resined piece inside while it's curing, you can leave it in said storage tub, but prop the tub on its side and place a space heater next to it. I recenlty used this method, since it's been freezing here in Illinois, and it worked fine for both resining the surface and fiberglassing the interior. You just have to use good judgement as to how far away to put the heater.

 

[amancue]

well for resining in cold weather, you can do it,.. just might want to add a bit more catalyst and it'll speed up the exothermic process,. as for safety conditions, if you watch Ben Streepers latest videos he's doing it in his workshop w/ heaters on wears the proper safety equipment (organic vapor rated respirator) and just airs the place out after its cured.



what I've been doing this past week as its been freezing, go fig I live in florida and every day lately starts out below freezing anyway I've converted my bathroom into a makeshift resining room I turn on the exhaust fan in the ceiling and put a big box fan in the window to suck out all the noxious fumes and wear my respirator and it works fine I also put weatherseal on the bathroom door to keep smells from encroaching on the apt but since you have a garage I think if you keep the heaters far enough away from your work it should be fine just warm it up and work, just remember to wear your repirator up to I think it was 30mins AFTER everythings been cured for the room to be less toxic and after your done just vent the place

 

[Apocalypse]

The comments on using storage boxes for resin-ing pieces is a very interesting idea! I live in a dorm, so while I might be able to fit a storage box or two in my room, I cant exatly resin in my room, nor do I have anywhere safe I can store it. How does this sound:



Could I resin my pieces outside(With a respirator, gloves, etc), throw them in a storage box(Maybe add some tape or cyran wrap to help tighten the seal), and then keep them in my room? Maybe near a window with a fan on? As much as I like doing this kind of stuff, I dont want to poison me or my roommate, but I really want to get started



Thanks!

-Apoc

 

[cneyrinck]

A dorm room is definitely not Ideal conditions for this type of work. With a room that small, the resin fumes could, if left unchecked, build to toxic levels within mere minutes. If you're at a Dorm, I'm going to assume you're at a college. Ask around in the engineering or Chem sciences departments, and see if there's a Vented garage, or a lab with a large drying or vent hood that you can use. Most colleges I've found are okay with students using their facilities, and it's a load safer than risking your lungs with one mistake on a sealed container.

 

[JangoFett140]

i totally feel your pain man nebraska isnt any better right now. ive worked on 2 suits in a shed using space heaters at 2am in November, you can do it but its very difficult and you freeze. the biggest problem you would have is that if you garage is attached to your house it is very likely that you will stink up the rooms next to it and that may piss of family members. my family gets all over me for the fumes that come of my cloths when i come inside after resining.

 

[Surmainey]

@ HaloGoddess



That seems like a great idea. It will be kinda tough to find a container big enough for the torso though(that seals really well).



@ everyone



I will probably do a mix of all these ideas. Use the heater and fan when resining and to save on the electric bill and prevent the place from burning down while I sleep, I will use the container after I'm done and keep it in the house.



Thanks everyone for the great info. I'm desperate to get started, but not enough to risk my safety. And please keep responding it seems this might help others that have the same weather problems as me(which is like 90% of the U.S. right now).

 

[Surmainey]

I just resined my first pieces a shoulder and hand piece. They are in the container in my bathroom we'll see how well it works out. Just to be precautious I did duct tape the lid all the way around .

 

[Sniperbaas]

Check this thread out



http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21982





Theoretically, you could resin outdoors, then chuck the pieces in your box.





Cheers!





Or you could drive your car a lot more and warm up the earth. lol. That wouldn't make me too unhappy.

 

[guido666]

I went to Walmart and bought a little tiny electric heater for about $8. Then I got a big cardboard box and cut a little hole in the side. The heater sits on the workbench, next to the hole in the box, on the workbench in the garage, and blows hot air inside. I just close the "doors" of the box, and even with a little gap, it keeps the inside plenty warm.



It's about a $10 solution, but it works great. The heater is just a little no-brand one that they sold as a cheap Christmas gift, but you should probably be able to find something around. Like... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...code=xm2&camp=2025&dev-t=0AQ9JZQZSR7MG2PJV4R2

EDIT: And don't set it up in a way that catches the box on fire. You can keep it several inches back from the hole and just let it blow in.

 

[jdawg224]

I just resined my first pieces a shoulder and hand piece. They are in the container in my bathroom we'll see how well it works out. Just to be precautious I did duct tape the lid all the way around .

do you smell any fumes?

 

[Surmainey]

Both pieces cured perfectly. I even finished the second half of the shoulder and then didn't use tape on the box and still didn't smell any fumes so I think it will work out.



That cure box seems a little extensive. This process works fine. I actually am just going to do it all in my freezing garage and then toss them into the container and sit it inside. So that's all it took. Thanks for the idea HaloGoddess and in the morning when I check both pieces I'll see if they warped and post pics.

 

[BladeSlasher]

hope you figure a way out!

 

[thingymajiggas]

Hi there I just noticed this and thought id say some bits. I hope you dont mind? I know some of it has been said before.



I spend alot of time resining in cold workshops especially my one at home. If you have enough catalyst and you are mixing it correctly then you shouldnt have a problem with it curing. However if your chemicals are cold or your glass is damp then you will have problems and your resin wont react with the catalyst. Slightly over catalise (but not too much as that causes the resin to react hotter and can cause warping and shrinking) or use accelerators and leave to cure overnight.



buy a UV torch as the UV activates the chemical reaction. So sunlight will work as well.



And yes use heaters but remember to rotate your work cause it will cure faster and possibly warp where the heat is concentrated.



I hope this helps?



Cheeze