UltraDome Brand, UV Curing Epoxy Resin for Polymer Clay Jewelry
“I would like to learn more about using different mediums with polymer clay… such as resins.” ~Cindy-E
More...
I am excited because I just received a sample of UV epoxy resin from Ultradome. Now if I can find the proper light source (or get some good sunny days), I will be able to add some beautiful resin finishes to my polymer clay beads and pendants. This is something that several of you have been asking me about for a while now.
debra b
Hi, I am new to polymer clay jewellery and am from South Africa. Can you use ordinary resin to coat the pendants and beads? Love your site. Blessings,
cindy e
For suggestions, I would like to learn more about using different mediums with polymer clay, such as mica powders, alcohol inks, stamps, resins, and other mediums. I am sure there are many other ways of using polymer clay in conjunction with other mediums that I am just not thinking of yet.
polyanya
I’d like resin techniques and lava beads sound fun, no idea what they are but would like to find out, Thank you.
peggie f
Hey Cindy. How about that thick resin coating that they pour on tabletops. Is it compatible with polymer?
Actually, the following link will take you to an article where I asked for feedback about what topics to film for upcoming tutorials, and resin techniques was requested no less than 17 times in the comments: Polymer Clay How To Videos
Anyway, back to the Ultradome product. It is similar to MagicGlos UV Resin which is promoted by polymer clay artist Lisa Pavelka, only much less expensive. Ultra Dome UV Epoxy is $6.00 for 1 oz, $30.95 for 8 oz and $51.00 for 16 oz, whereas the MagicGlos is $9.50 for 1 oz and $50.00 for 6oz.
Lisa’s UV lamps are much cheaper though at $36.00 for the 9 watt and $52.50 for the 36 watt. The cheapest lamp from Ultra Dome is the 18 Watt UV Lamp for $175.
Since we don’t get much sun at this time of year where I live (Vancouver, BC, Canada), I was hoping my OTT Grow Green bulb in my desk lamp would work to cure this stuff. But although my little test sample is hardening, it is not curing very fast. It’s been under the lamp for more than an hour and is still not done. With a proper lamp, the cure time is only supposed to be around 20 minutes. So it looks like something stronger is needed. I’ll be checking out a few of the local lighting shop to see if they have other UV light options and ideas for me.
What I really like about the concept of the UV cured epoxy resin is the open time and the lack of mixing. Usually, epoxy resin comes in two parts, which have to be carefully mixed and used up before they harden in 15 minutes or so.
I personally find the 2 part epoxy products to be a bit of a pain, because it is hard to know the exact amount of resin you will need for a project. This means you can often end up wasting a lot of product. Plus, most have a minimum amount that should be mixed in order for the formula to work properly. That means you can’t just do one small piece at a time when you are just fooling around, like I often do when I’m experimenting.
Also, 2 part epoxies set up quickly. There isn’t a lot of time for fussing around, removing bubbles and pulling the epoxy to the edges of the piece. If I’m going to go to the effort and expense of covering a carefully made polymer clay piece in resin, I do want to make sure it will not be ruined by imperfections.
With the UV cured resin, it won’t set until you put it into the UV lamp or in the sun, which means you have all the time in the world to remove bubbles and fix any flaws.
Another upside to UV Light cure resins over regular 2 part epoxies, is the smell. The regular stuff is so smelly, it needs to be mixed and used outside. This UV stuff doesn’t seem to have much of a smell at all. A big plus for those who are sensitive to chemical odors!
So I am really looking forward to playing with this sample product from UltraDome. I am hoping I can use it to bring some wonderful shine and depth to many polymer clay beads and pendants in the future… at a price that I (and you) can live with.
So off I go to figure this whole thing out. And when I do, you guys will be the first to hear about it, along with some fun ways to use it!
In the meantime, you can click on the following link if you like, to read up on some great feedback from Mary-B about several of the other resin products on the market today.
** Win Some Polymer Clay Beads: Handmade by Cindy Lietz.
Time to send in your photo entries: Polymer Clay Giveaway Step 1
Sponsored Ads & Special Promotions
Want to chat about today’s post? That’s what the comment section below is for. Scroll Down… We’d love to hear from you!
Or... if you would like to request a topic for a future post, here is the link to do that… PcT Suggestion Box
Hi Cindy,
I know you are not a fan of 2 part epoxy and agree with having that time to get any imperfections out, however… I am weighing up the cost of the UV equipment v’s a resin that does not use the UV equipment (I know they are inexpensive but still weighing it up).
Have you ever heard of, or, used ArtResin? The makers claim it to be no fumes/VOCs/non-yellowing
I’d be interested to know, or if anyone else has and what their thoughts are on the product?
Thanks
It might be worth noting that UV lights can be bought very cheaply on ebay instead of paying big bucks from other sources.
I just wanted to follow up regarding my stickiness problem with the Ultra Dome. I finally thought maybe it could be one of the bulbs from my UV light that needed replacing. I’ve used this light quite a bit so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try. I replaced all four not knowing which one(s) it may be. As soon as I cured my first piece, I could see it was fine. So, sometimes you can’t always see that the bulbs need replacing!
Well isn’t that interesting Janice! That would not have occurred to me. Thank you so much for reporting back. It’s new information that will be helpful for everyone!
Cindy,
Hey – remember me??? I’ve been using a loving my Ultra Dome this past winter and spring. But now that the weather has changed – it’s giving me nothing but problems. The issue is storing UD at the correct temperature. Have you figured out a way to do this? I put it in the refrigerator, but every time it cures, it is sticky. I contacted Terry -and actually sent some back to him – but he says he tested it and it works fine. Meanwhile I ordered more thinking there was something wrong with mine – but the new stuff turns sticky once cured. Everything has been cleaned properly (gone through a checklist with Terry). Terry has some sort of temperature controlled chest that he stores his supply in. Are you still working with it? It’s supposed to be stored at 40-65F – and I’m sure that’s my problem as it’s gotten warmer and humid in my studio (no ac – but fans run in the summer). Any thoughts?
Janice
Hi Janice, yes of course I remember you. Nice to hear from you. I just store mine in the bottom drawer of my filing cabinet. I don’t have ac either and it can get pretty warm in my studio over 80F sometimes and I don’t have any issues with it. Have some stuff over two years old that has gotten a little thicker but cures just fine. I found that the pieces needed to be really clean in order to not get sticky. Also I cure with a 100W lamp for at least 30 min and then don’t touch it for a day or so. If you play with a freshly cured piece, it can get sticky. Not always but sometimes. I found if I followed that procedure I never had any problems with it. No matter the temp that my room was in when using or storing it. Did Terry have any thoughts on this?
Cindy,
Hi – thanks for your response. He (Terry) told me the issue was the temperature as I sent him some stuff back and got some new UD. The new stuff didn’t work either, then he told me my stuff worked fine when he tested it! So it has to be temperature as he stores his UD in a temperature controlled cooling chest. I ended up buying a thermometer and a thermos (as he says that’s what people do) to store the UD in the refrigerator with. I let it cool till it hit 55f and then tried. Sticky then too. So I thought maybe I just had to leave it overnight in the refrigerator but haven’t had a chance to check it out yet. I’ll let you know if I have any success. I really like this product and would be really bummed if I can no longer use it. I went through so many checks with Terry and the only thing it could be is the temp. But it’s strange how your studio is also warmer and you’ve had success.
Janice
Hmm. If I can think of anything that would help you, I’ll let you know Janice. Maybe someone else here has had the same issue and can help?
While I haven’t tried it myself, I’ve read that heating cured-but-sticky UV resin will make harden fully.
No specifics were provided, unfortunately, but if I were going to try this I’d make a couple of test pieces, UV-cure them thoroughly as Cindy described, and try heating one to 80C/175F for about 15 minutes. If that was still sticky I’d try heating the other to 120C/250F for 15 minutes.
By the way, I have baked cured UV resin at normal polymer clay curing temperatures and times (130-150C/265-300F for 40-60 minutes) just to see what happened. There was a bit of odour and the resin yellowed, particularly at the higher temperatures and longer times, but otherwise it was fine.
And I too have some very old UltraDome UV resin — the label says best used by August 2011! — which still hardens beautifully despite being stored any old how since I got it. I keep it away from light sources but don’t pay any attention to storage temperature, which ranges from quite cold to really rather hot in summer as my studio is upstairs. As Cindy says it’s thickened somewhat, which makes it a bit more awkward to remove air bubbles, but other than that it still works perfectly, without any stickiness.
Great answer Sue! Hopefully Janice will see it and it will help her. Thanks for sharing your vast knowledge!
I have a paint that is covered with the Ultra Dome so I can’t put it in the oven as it would be toxic. I have since gotten a thermos to store the UD in and put it in the refrigerator with a thermometer. The thermometer read 46F so I tried again. Still doesn’t work. I also put it under the UV again for 15 more minutes and it’s still sticky. What worked perfectly before doesn’t work anymore and I don’t know what the reason could possibly be. All the bulbs are lit when the UV lamp is on. Could it possibly not be working properly?
I received my uv epoxy today from Ultra Dome. I have to say I really LOVE this product. Clean up is easy with rubbing alcohol. I’ve been using it on flat surfaces and it gets right on the edges (that Magic Glos failed to do). It does give you more bubbles, but I found moving a lit grill lighter over the bubble area to quickly pop them. No torch needed. The air gun will actually blow the epoxy around. It cured in my 36W uv light. at 20 minutes. Even if you make something flat, resin it over, you can then dome it and it looks beautiful. Thanks Cindy!
I know…. it’s good stuff Eh? That’s why I’ve been telling everyone about it all these years! Those bubbles will eventually be fewer, as your bottle gets a chance to sit for a bit. I use a BBQ Lighter to get rid of bubbles too. Let the pieces sit for a day or so to harden some more before playing with them too much though. I just found that the surface would dull a bit if you handled it too much right away. I have pieces that have been in heavy use for years (on a key ring in my purse) that look just as shiny as the day they were coated. The metal plating has worn off but the resin is just fine!
Cindy,
Hi. How are you? I just came across your review of the Ultra Dome and am considering purchasing. My biggest problem with Magic Glos is that it pulls away from the edges when doming something with no sides. Have you had any experience with this that you can share? Also, I have a standard uv light (36W) and am not sure I can use this with the ultra dome. His light is rather pricey. Is it necessary to purchase or have you substituted something else?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Regards,
Janice
Hi Janice, how nice to hear from you! I am fine… a little swamped but good. Hope you are well. I love the Ultradome product! It does not pull from the sides and goes on beautifully. I would recommend getting a 4 bulb lamp (36 Watt) from Terry on his EpoxyJewelry site rather than the larger lamps he has on his Ultradome site. I have one and it works beautifully. He calls the Ultradome ‘Jewelry Glaze’ on the epoxyjewelry.com site but it is the same product. And you will see that it is WAY cheaper than the Magic Glos (and a superior product imo). Let him know I sent you. He is a great guy to work with and I have been sending people his way for a few years now. I think you will love the stuff. Let me know what you think of it!
Hi, I have been using different types of resins and 3D glazes on small pendant tile photos and I keep getting an indent in the center of the resin/glazed photo after it dries, so I have been buying the epoxy stickers which are great but I can’t custom size them. I appreciate any help I can get with this problem. Thanks. Vivian
Hi Vivian, sorry to take so long to get back to you, but I have been swamped! A lot of brands of resin with pull up the sides or they will pull away from the edges of your piece. Either way they don’t look that nice when unless they are nice, smooth and preferably domed. I recommend you use Ultra Dome UV Resin. It domes beautifully and is inexpensive to use, once you buy the UV Lamp to cure it. I absolutely love it, and have done a few tutorials one it. Go up this thread and learn more about it. Once you use it, you won’t go back to the others!
I found a really good source for a very inexpensive UV light. Here’s the link:
secure.sciencecompany.com/Search.aspx?
k=Economy+Mini+UV+Blacklight+%2f+Flashlight
I’m very far from the top of the page where you were discussing UltraDome. I have worked with epoxy resin. It yellows…I can live with that. Pretty much. But you really have to have a lot of things thought out very well beforehand or fixing it afterwards is a real DRAG!! and sometimes impossible.
Anyway, hope this helps someone.
MRS aka Michelle Stancil
I would consider skipping buying the UV lamp from LP, or the one from UltraDome and searching for regular UV Lamps that professional nail artists use to cure nail gel with. I just got another one online for 31.00 (free shipping via Amazon.com) that is 36 watts and has timers as well as a non timer “on/off” switch. Usually they are marked as 3-way to have the timer-on/off option. You want the non timer version when possible so you don’t have to keep turning it on once the timer shuts it off.
@Shayla A: Thanks, Shayla…that’s a good buy from Amazon! I’ve had a nail-curing lamp on my “to buy” list for quite some time (it’s such a long list!) But after seeing they stock UV resin, I thought they might have lamps, too (and I thought I might get a good bargain with a 40 or 50% coupon!)