Hi folks! I wanted to jump in to clarify a few things about post-curing our Castable Resin.
– The “nail spa” UV boxes we recommend will work to fully post-cure pieces sufficiently for casting, but as most of them are fairly low in terms of power, the length of time is important. On average, a jewelry print will need to stay in the box (preferably flipping it over halfway through) for about 8 hours. Larger or pieces with greater thickness/density will take longer.
– Our Castable Resin undergoes both a color and tactile change during post-cure: the blue will turn a greyish-greenish, and the piece will feel stiff and brittle, compared to the uncured state which is more pliable.
– There is a difference between post-curing to a technical standard and to a point that makes burning out and casting work well. This is directly related to your investment type and casting method – you will see conflicting anecdotal evidence of successful castings from pieces that are post-cured at a huge range of times, temps, and methods.
– Casting resin requires an approach that differs from casting wax in a number of ways, but the primary point to keep in mind is that wax melts and resin burns. The two materials behave differently during the burnout process, which is why we continue to refine our recommended burnout and work with our customers so that everyone can reach casting success with this relatively new material/process.
A special thanks to everyone who participates in these discussions. Our active user community is often a wonderful resource for learning and feedback!