Anyone familiar with using resins in their art?
reema
I am an artist who is interested in learning to use resins.
Specifically, I would like to experiment with dipping fabrics in resin
and molding them, etc. Lots of the info I find on the use of resins
is very technical in it's approach. Anyone have information that
might help me, either in the form of personal experience, or a website
in plain english that would answer my practical questions??
Mayo Florece
reem...@yahoo.com says...
>Anyone have information that
>might help me, either in the form of personal experience, or a website
>in plain english that would answer my practical questions??
The first thing you should be concerned about
is your health and the first thing you should
research are the safety issues when dealing
with the highly toxic resins. There have been
various instances of artists dying at a young
age from cancers attributed to their careless
handling of toxic resins. Don't join their ranks!
If you MUST experiment, do it fully aware of
the health risks.
Fred Mason
other restoration work along with being used as a sculpture medium. Try a
google search and www.sculptinghouse.com as a starting point
Fred
"Mayo Florece" <ma...@noemailever.com> wrote in message
news:3cea3...@oracle.zianet.com...
Andrew Werby
"reema" <reem...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:477d448.02052...@posting.google.com...
[What exactly are you trying to achieve? When you mentioned molding, what
sort of mold did you have in mind? Do you want to make things that look like
stiff pieces of cloth, or figurines, or boats, cubes, or what? Have you
considered other methods of getting the same results, or similar?
Are you equipped for this? As was pointed out, these are toxic materials, as
well as being extremely messy, and it isn't the sort of thing you want to do
in your kitchen. You'll need a well-ventilated studio, and a collection of
protective gear- Tyvek suit, Nitrile gloves, goggles, respirator (with
organic vapors cartridge, if not the air-supplying type), etc.
The principle families of resin used in sculpture are polyester, epoxy, and
urethane. Polyester has a characteristicly vile smell, which lingers in the
cast parts for months. The base is a sticky stinky clear resin, and the
hardener is very nasty indeed- splash a little bit in your eyes and "out go
the lights". You use a tiny but variable amount of the hardener with the
base, the amount increasing with the section of the casting. The fiberglass
that's typically used with it will make you itch for days, if it gets on you
(and it will). Here's a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) on a typical
polyester resin: http://hazard.com/msds2/f/cjg/cjgpw.html. This is one for a
MEKP (Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide) hardener, which is commonly used:
http://hazard.com/msds/f/btz/btznv.html (This site, the SIRI database at
www.hazard.com is well worth bookmarking- you can look up other products
there the adverse health effects of which you might be curious about).
Epoxy consists of two resins which usually mix together one-to-one. While
not as outwardly offensive as polyester, both components are known for
causing an allergic sensitization reaction. While it may not bother you the
first day, at the end of a week or month, you might find you can't be in the
same room with the stuff. If you must use it, use it sparingly, and protect
yourself well. As with polyester, the catalyst (hardener) is worse than the
resin base. Here are a couple of MSDS's for two different formulas:
http://hazard.com/msds/f/cll/cllwy.html ,
http://hazard.com/msds/f/ccn/ccnvx.html .
Urethane resins are the most insidious of all. Even if they appear to be
odorless, upon mixing they produce isocyanate gasses which poison you
without your noticing. While urethane itself is a suspected human
carcinogen, it's these gasses which can kill you- slowly or suddenly
(remember Bhopal?) Here's a factsheet on them from Monona Rossol, author of
"The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide":
http://www.usa829.org/USA/urethane.htm
Fun as it may be to play with resins, do read up on them first, so you go
into this with your eyes open - but preferably covered by goggles...]
Andrew Werby
http://unitedartworks.com
reema
Thanks to everyone. I don't think I will be trying this at home. Yowza!
gaynorgallagher
by the hat making industry. also recently I have seen a student using
shellac and another a few years ago used sugar!!!!!
all involve laying the fabric over the mould and applying the substance and
waiting for it to dry.
if you can think of any others less toxic than resins please let me know
gaynor gallagher
RichG
there are some serious concerns for the un-protected or just plain dumb
user ) go to www.westsystem.com or www.systemthree.com
Either or both of those major manufacturers of epoxy resins has booklets
available describing various applications and concerns. If you have a West
Marine or BoatUS facility near-by, both of those are vendors of these
products, and may well have booklets available, too.
Wear gloves and respirators as needed. Remember, though, thousands of
fiberglass boats are built daily in this country. I haven't read of the
entire population of Flippin Arkansas ( home of Ranger boats ) dying, or
anything like that yet.
--
Rich&Sue
rgr...@houston.rr.com
p.s. I've built a fiberglass encapsulated boat. It IS a sticky, but
fascinating, material with which to work.
"reema" <reem...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:477d448.02052...@posting.google.com...
Michael Gainer
go
> > into this with your eyes open - but preferably covered by goggles...]
> >
> > Andrew Werby
> > http://unitedartworks.com
>
> Thanks to everyone. I don't think I will be trying this at home. Yowza!
Andrew is entirely correct, but paints a fairly
dismal picture for safety's sake. Go spend $10
on a pint of polyester resin plus the hardener,
and see. Do glove up, do get goggles, and do
work outside with a bit of a breeze. If you
fall in love with it, get the respirator and the
jumpsuit, etc, but once won't kill you or even
injure you much even if you skip *all* the
safety gear (except the goggles - never skip
the goggles).
Yes, it stinks, and no, you won't
want to do it in your house nor an attached
garage. On the other hand, enough people are
doing it successfully on a hobby scale that
hobby stores find it worthwhile selling the
materials in 1-pint quantities, rather than 55
gallon drums.
That said, I've used it on a couple of occasions
and it's waaay too stinky for me. On the other
hand, it's nice to know how to use it and what
it will and won't do in case I need something
like that in the future.
--
Mike Gainer
http://www.bnglifecasting.com
Mayo Florece
rgr...@houston.rr.com says...
>
>p.s. I've built a fiberglass encapsulated boat. It IS a sticky, but
>fascinating, material with which to work.
Did you do the resin application outdoors?
If not, I hope you had all the ventilation
and safety gear needed! I used to ride my
bicycle past a manufacturing plant that
molded resins of one kind or another and the
stench emanating from their exhaust fans was
overpowering, to say the least.
Mayo Florece
>but once won't kill you or even
>injure you much even if you skip *all* the
>safety gear (except the goggles - never skip
>the goggles).
Thankfully the person who began this thread has
changed their mind about experimenting with these
highly toxic and dangerous resins.
But for the sake of those who think that "a little
can't hurt" - let me relate to you my experiences
working in one of the most dangerous, toxic
industries there is - petroleum refining. I used
to work with people who thought that it wouldn't
hurt - this once - to break the strict rules for
handling dangerous chemicals. Invariably they
either didn't live to regret it - or regretted that
one rule-breaking for the rest of their lives.
Just one true story to illustrate.
My boss had the philosophy that radiation, in
small short-exposure doses is no worse for you
than taking poison in tiny doses. I can't tell
you that the cancer that spread throughout his
body in a matter of days was caused by his
careless handling of radioactive material, but
I sure wouldn't want to test his philosophy
by handling the same material in the careless
manner he did in order to find out. He died
nearly 30 years ago and I'm still living.
I obeyed ALL the safety rules for the 32 years
I worked in that industry - and am alive and
in fine health today, in spite of daily exposure
to some of the most dangerous chemicals on earth.
RichG
At the same time, thousands of workers produce thousands of products every
day with resins. You probably have five or ten resin based appliances, autos
etc. in/around your home right now. It isn't fair to damn an entire
industry because some bozo wants to carry radium home in his pocket, or
what-ever.
The artist who considered using resin asked for sources of material and
comments on the use of resins. I suspect many who replied never used a
resin in their entire lives. They parroted some fear monger's opinion. That
fear-monger, in many cases, never used resins either. He read or heard
about some bozo getting in trouble by mis-using the material.
Go check rec.boats.building and see how many people DAILY use resins in
their hobby and employment. They don't die from the use of those resins
because they are a lot more reasonable, and respectful of the real problems
of resin, than your boss was.
--
Rich&Sue
rgr...@houston.rr.com
Pi@noPl@yer
news:3cec2...@oracle.zianet.com:
I'd bet you would scare a dog off with a fart!
Mayo Florece
says...
> I'd bet you would scare a dog off with a fart!
NAH, I can't even keep the deer out of my
garden by "marking" the boundary with my piss!
Mayo Florece
rgr...@houston.rr.com says...
>They don't die from the use of those resins
You have NO POSSIBLE way of knowing what those
who expose themselves to resins die from!!
Get real!! OSHA has been notably negligent in
acting on, to say nothing of recording, incidents
of harmful industrial practices. It's one of
the worst-kept secrets in industry/government.
And who wants to see all those boat owners suffer
because they can no longer purchase cheap
fiberglass boats - cheap compared to other
manufacturing methods I mean.
In any event, assigning cause of death is most
often impossible in the case of industry-related
deaths. It's a very inexact science.
In some instances the evidence is there because
the body retains it - as in the case of asbestos
and black lung. When you're talking chemical fumes,
it's an entirely different matter since these
affect various organs in ways that are hard to
assign a cause. Cancer caused by chemical
exposure is another one that is nearly impossible
to pin down. People who smoke and later develop
lung cancer, emphesema or other related diseases
are "MOST LIKELY" to have brought those diseases
on by smoking. People who die from effects of exposure to
chemical fumes "MOST LIKELY" die with diseases
brought on by that exposure.
reema
These give me great ideas about how I can accomplish the look I want
without the toxicity. I am not adverse to experimenting with resin,
but it's a set and setting kind of thing. I would want a very
specific environment. I will experiment with the glue and even with
sugar or other starching mediums.
Thanks!!
Pi@noPl@yer
@oracle.zianet.com:
I worked with casting resin for over two years. Most of the time I never
wore gloves or goggles. I turned up the fan high to blow the resin away
from me while sanding on the grinder. But then again my pieces were small
most of the time so I simply poured the resin into the plaster mold and
waited till it hardened up and then took it out of the plaster mold. Just
turn up the fan and let it blow away from you!
Mayo Florece
says...
>I worked with casting resin for over two years. Most of the time I never
>wore gloves or goggles. I turned up the fan high to blow the resin away
>from me while sanding on the grinder. But then again my pieces were small
>most of the time so I simply poured the resin into the plaster mold and
>waited till it hardened up and then took it out of the plaster mold. Just
>turn up the fan and let it blow away from you!
You and thousands of others who used the
polyester resins for craft projects back
in the 70s when it was popular to cast
grape clusters and similar objects for
decorating one's coffee table, or whatever.
Luckily for many of us, we've become much
more aware of the hazards. Safety labeling
is more specific, etc etc.
Mayo Florece
>I worked with casting resin for over two years.
The issue isn't whether or not one should or
should not use toxic materials - as an artist
we all do that every day. The issue is being
INFORMED before the fact - and taking the
precautions that wisdom dictates. People who
ignore the dangers in tobacco use are not
likely to exercise any better wisdom when using
hazardous chemicals. But they make the choice
while KNOWING the potential dangers, acting
out of stupidity - hopefully not out of ignorance.
For those who ARE concerned about preserving
their health, there is a wealth of
information available on the Web.
All one has to do is search GOOGLE using
the words "art hazards" or similar.
Here is one site that offers a bibliography
of publications on safety/hazards in the arts:
RichG
--
Rich&Sue
rgr...@houston.rr.com
"Mayo Florece" <ma...@noemailever.com> wrote in message
news:3cece...@oracle.zianet.com...
Darrell Marleau
I'd recommend that you try using a product called "Industrial clear latex" -
it has a glue-like consistency and works great with canvas, fabrics and
paper. It remains somewhat flexible when it sets but is hard as a rock.
I've used this stuff for several sculptural pieces and was very happy with
the results. Phone some hardware stores and paint shops to find out if they
carry the stuff. Sorry but I can't recall the name of the company that
makes it, but suspect that several paint companies do. Work in a ventilated
area as you would with any latex paint. Dries fairly quickly. Watch out
for milkiness, squeeze out excess if your dipping fabrics. Hope this gives
you an acceptable (and safer) alternative to try.
Sincerely,
LM