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Step 7Mixing Resin
We need to mix our resin now for our first coat. The first coat will not contain any fiberglass, instead - it will be gently brushed on (we don't want to tear the PVA).
Start by mixing a pot of resin - without hardener. Slowly add Cabosil thickener and mix in. Mixing involves pulling up resin from the bottom as it will be thinner than the top. Keep mixing in more Cabosil until you get "peaks" on your mixing stick - just like whipped cream peaks. Another analogy is that it should be the consistency of tooth paste. Further instructions with video can be found in the Mixing Polyester Resin Video Instructable.
At this point, you should be ready. Once you add your hardener - you're committed. You will need to finish your layup soon. Keep an eye on your environment - you should be out of the sun and the sun should not reach your work during the process. Do not leave your resin in the sun and do not leave a pot in the sun. This will reduce pot time (the working time of your uncured resin).
Once your resin starts generating the necessary exotherm - it will get hot and become a chain reaction of curing. So know your resin's cure time (this will be shorter in your pot), be aware of your environment (ambient temp, sun position, etc.) and work quickly.
Now, add your measured amount of catalyst (in our case - MEK-P). Mix into your resin pot well. You will notice that our resin changes color - from pink to a brownish color. This is good. If you pull out your stick, and it's red - that means you need more mixing.
In the next step, I'll explain some finer points of application.
Start by mixing a pot of resin - without hardener. Slowly add Cabosil thickener and mix in. Mixing involves pulling up resin from the bottom as it will be thinner than the top. Keep mixing in more Cabosil until you get "peaks" on your mixing stick - just like whipped cream peaks. Another analogy is that it should be the consistency of tooth paste. Further instructions with video can be found in the Mixing Polyester Resin Video Instructable.
At this point, you should be ready. Once you add your hardener - you're committed. You will need to finish your layup soon. Keep an eye on your environment - you should be out of the sun and the sun should not reach your work during the process. Do not leave your resin in the sun and do not leave a pot in the sun. This will reduce pot time (the working time of your uncured resin).
Once your resin starts generating the necessary exotherm - it will get hot and become a chain reaction of curing. So know your resin's cure time (this will be shorter in your pot), be aware of your environment (ambient temp, sun position, etc.) and work quickly.
Now, add your measured amount of catalyst (in our case - MEK-P). Mix into your resin pot well. You will notice that our resin changes color - from pink to a brownish color. This is good. If you pull out your stick, and it's red - that means you need more mixing.
In the next step, I'll explain some finer points of application.
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