Epoxyplast 3D B20 JewelCast 3 kg - Clear Epoxy Resin for Jewelry and Small Decorations

EPOXYPLAST 3D B20 JAWELCAST - Crystal clear casting epoxy resin

EPOXYPLAST 3D B20 Jawel Cast is a low-viscosity crystal clear casting epoxy resin designed forcasting small castings up to 0.1 - 2 cm thick. EPOXYPLAST 3D B20 Jawel Cast cures at low temperatures as low as 15°C, which is appreciated by everyone, especially in winter when heating the production area is very expensive. The resin is UV resistant, yellowing resistant and has high adhesion and good flowability. Epoxyplast 3D B20 Jawel Cast resin has very good natural defoaming.

How to use EPOXYPLAST 3D B20 JAWELCAST casting epoxy resin

Always check that the epoxy resin component (component A) has not crystallized before starting work. For more information, please refer to the datasheet under "Crystallization (milky, viscous or cloudy mass in component A)"

Application and Use

1. Check the ambient temperature, it is the most important parameter next to the casting volume. Successful application depends on the room temperature and the amount/volume of resin/hardener mixture used. Too high a room temperature can lead to a very strong exothermic reaction resulting in yellow coloration, cracking and vapor formation in the mixture.
2. Check the tolerance of the materials to be coated/cast in a preliminary test before application.
3. Recommended procedure for most accurate measurement of all components is by weight, weighing accurately at 100:50 or 2:1 parts by weight based on component (A). A deviation, however slight, results in prolonged or no hardening. Adding too much hardener increases the elasticity of the material and reduces the hardness of SHORE D. Too much component A results in a permanently sticky film that is no longer reversible due to polyaddition. Maximum tolerance range is 0.1%.
4. Maintain the recommended mixing time of three to four minutes and then transfer to a clean container and mix again for three to four minutes to achieve a maximally homogeneous mixture. Use the mixing container only once. Then allow the mixture to stand for about 15-25 minutes before pouring to allow it to self-aerate. The mixture can be placed in a vacuum chamber for excellent bubble removal.
5. Adhere to the recommended maximum speed for mixing both ingredients,which is 300 rpm. this will prevent or minimize air pockets during mixing. Hand mixing is recommended for smaller quantities up to approximately 1 kg.
6. To prevent the mixture from leaking due to long curing times, ensure the mould is completely sealed. DIPON polypropylene tape is suitable for this purpose and can be easily separated from the mould after curing. Optionally, a separation wax can be used.
7. Seal (penetrate) wood, porous and absorbent substrates with a highly reactive epoxy resin, HoneyResin or EpoxyPlast 100 P to prevent the epoxy resin from penetrating the material and creating excessive air bubbles. The primer must be cured before casting. For an ideal bond, it is recommended that the cured primer coat be sanded with coarse P100 sandpaper.
8. Air bubbles will usually crack on their own due to the excellent self-venting properties. Epoxy AB Corrector Spray, a flame torch or heat gun can be used to crack air bubbles on the surface from a distance of approximately 15-20 cm.
9. It is important to note that coatings/castings that are exposed to prolonged UV light may discolor locally. Any discoloration does not affect the material properties.
10. Prevent humidity above 60%.

Tips and tricks to prevent streaking (carb forming) on the surface of epoxy resin:

• A phenomenon that occurs from time to time is streaking on the surface of the casting if you are casting a low thickness casting. I will explain why they form and how they can be prevented.
• Amines based solvents like B20 JewelCast bind moisture (are hygroscopic). When these substances react with moisture, ammonium carbamate by-products are formed (carbamate/hydrate layer).
• This shows up as reddening and is visually perceived as water spots. Products with a longer processing time (e.g., resins with a large casting plate) are significantly more susceptible to carbamate formation (amine blush/bleed) because they take longer to gel. This increases the risk of bloom caused by interaction with moisture in the air when combined with an amine-based hardener.
• The lower the amount of moisture received, the lower the exotherm and the greater the risk. EpoxyPlast 3D B20 JewelCast has excellent venting as well as excellent UV resistance with a casting height of 20mm. This cast thickness can only be achieved with the appropriate hardener reactivity to avoid too "big" an exothermic reaction.
• For example, a 50 mm casting cannot be removed from the mold clean and bubble-free within a few hours.
• This only works with a low-reactive hardener that controls the entire curing process. Different resins are highly reactive, such as HoneyResin, which is formulated for casting heights up to 6 mm.
• Due to its high reactivity, heat builds up quickly during exotherm so that surface damage, such as amine anomaly, can hardly occur at all. However, unlike B20 JewelCast, special shapes with higher casting heights cannot be cast. But B20 JewelCast can also be used for top layers - without Amine Blush. In the next few steps we will show you how to do it.

What to do with streaks or how to prevent blooms? Thanks to the following instructions, streaks are a thing of the past:

• Step 1: Proper mixing (3-4 min. + transfer to a clean container + mix again 3-4 min.)
• Step 2 : Intensify the exothermic reaction. This process is also called "stepping". It is recommended that the mixed, poured and remixed epoxy resin be allowed to sit until it reaches at least 35 degrees, ideally 37 degrees Celsius at the surface (as measured by a laser thermometer).
• Step 3 : Final potting. Ideally, the casting height is at least 3 mm. However, this process also works for a 1 mm casting. Depending on the ambient temperature, it may be necessary to allow the resin to heat up to about 40 degrees in a controlled manner.
• Caution : Please take care not to heat the resin too much, as it may start to boil due to the high temperature.
• Note : Please pay attention to temperature and humidity fluctuations. The ideal humidity is 40% to 60%, but this can be increased by amplifying the exothermic reaction.
• Additional tip: Controlled curing at temperatures well above 23 degrees Celsius is preferable to curing at low temperatures.
• Please note that these guidelines apply to castings up to approximately 3.5 - 4 mm (0.35 - 0.4 cm) thick. From about 4 mm onwards, the exothermic curve is sufficient to prevent blooming. At higher ambient temperatures and a maximum casting height of 20 mm (e.g. B20 JewelCast) a strong exothermic reaction can occur which can cause the resin to rupture or even "boil". Basically: the shorter the processing time, the faster the gel time and the lower the maximum casting height.

Cleaning

Use acetone or all-purpose thinner to clean used application items. Once the epoxy resin has cured, it can only be removed by sanding. It is recommended to clean immediately after use.

Important instructions and SAFETY

Crystallization (milky, viscous or cloudy mass in component A)

• Storage below 20°C may accelerate crystallization.
• Crystallized components are decrystallized by careful heating to approximately 55 to 70°C for several hours in a hot water bath, depending on the size of the container.
• In principle, it is important to keep the decrystallization time as short as possible.
• The maximum temperature should not exceed 70°C.
• After the epoxy resin (component A) has decrystallized, allow it to cool to a suitable processing temperature (15 - 20°C).

Important instructions

• Curing areas. The recommended room temperature for processing EpoxyPlast B20 JAWELCAST is 20 - 22°C with a maximum casting height of 2 cm. It is not possible to cast arbitrarily large areas at the maximum casting height because there is a direct relationship between the exothermic reaction, the amount of material and the ambient temperature. If the exothermic temperature is too high, the result is a yellow lumpy mass.
• Mixing the mixture: The maximum speed should not exceed 300 rpm. After a mixing time of approximately 4 min, transfer the material to a new clean container and mix again for 3-4 minutes.
• If the minimum mix quantity of 120 grams is not reached, the curing time may be extended. In this case, it is also possible that a not completely homogeneous mass is formed and the exothermic reaction is too low to cure the workpiece completely. The recommended minimum quantity is 90 grams (A 60 grams + B 30 grams), and the recommended quantity is 120 grams (80 grams A + 40 grams B).
• When casting larger quantities: It is necessary to control the temperature of the mixture. The temperature of the mixture during the chemical curing reaction should be between 20 - 38 °C. The temperature must not exceed 50 °C, then the resin will show undesirable effects such as yellowing. Use a non-contact laser thermometer to measure the mixture. To cool the river, a fan can be used to blow air onto the river.