Resin for making Micarta question

[HP500]

Can anyone recommend a resin for making Micarta that stays clear and won't darken your starting material after it drys?

[VainEnd84]

While I have never used these for making micarta, I have used them for other applications, I would recommend Envirotex-Lite, or a polyester resin. Envirotex lite is stronger but sometimes has  slight yellow tint once hardened. Polyester resins such as Castin' Craft hardens crystal clear. There are other epoxy resins that harden clear but you'd have to check the specifics for each.

I should clarify that not all polyester resins harden clear, some, like bonds fiberglass resin, harden with a distinct dark color. So check the brand.

[Frosty]

Seeing as I couldn't find a supplier to send me Cactus Juice, Alaska EPA is stupid hard to get things permitted. So, I used "Crystal Clear" epoxy resin by Parker to stabilize some wood for the Seax handle. A friend loaned me a vac pump. Thinning epoxy with xylene acts as a retarder so it doesn't set till the xylene has evaporated out and it thins the resin improving impregnation so it will work at all. 

Crystal Clear is the kind of resin you spread over a table top to give it a thick tough finish. It says it's not suitable for floors but is hard and tough enough for lesser duties.

I made green felt micarta for a spacer and it darkened the felt about as much as getting it wet with water.

Did a nice job on the Myrtle wood knife handle too. It penetrated full depth, you can smell it when sanding.

This is just a FYI. epoxy and polyester, etc. resins do NOT dry, there is a chemical reaction that causes the molecules to link in 3D. chains becoming hard. It SETS and CURES. It doesn't dry. 

Even though the Crystal Clear works I'd much rather have used Cactus Juice but it's not available without having someone buy and send me a bottle and the deed is done now. Using a single component heat curing resin allows you to leave it under vacuum indefinitely so you don't need to thin it to get full penetration.

Frosty The Lucky.

[HP500]

Thanks for the info!

[ianinsa]

here in deepest darkest Africa we can't get the same products/brands as commonly known though one might be surprised as to just how much is available "you just need to know what to ask for" the top  coat for surfboards is what you are looking for. virtually all the technical guys in the resin industry understand the requirements for it, ie. clear, non crazing .non yellowing , easy for hand sanding , good adhesion ect.  when you start talking about micarta/ wood stabilization and so forth they think about "the dark Arts" and cease to be helpful .

[HP500]

Thanks!

[RogueGeek]

I have used Alumilite resins in the past and had excellent luck with them. They have a water clear version.

[HP500]

18 hours ago, RogueGeek said:

I have used Alumilite resins in the past and had excellent luck with them. They have a water clear version.

Thanks!