welcome to our artbeads.com handy tip today we're going to show you how to use ice resin ice resin should be used in a well-ventilated room please be sure to follow manufacturer's recommendations the ice resin kit comes with mixing cups and mixing sticks additionally we found the following items helpful a paintbrush tweezers scissors small sponge and a needle or pin for popping bubbles in order for the resin to cure properly you will need to use at least a quarter ounce of both the resin and the hardener if the item you are working on is small you may want to have multiple pieces ready to make the best use of your resin from the time you mix the resin it is usable for 30 minutes after that it will begin to set and must be discarded natural drying or setting time is best in a dust-free area you can cover the pieces with a box to prevent dust settling it takes approximately 24 hours at 72 degrees which is the optimal room temperature for mixing resin any cooler and you will have difficulty stirring and removing bubbles curing time is three days if you need to speed up the process use a toaster oven set at 85 to 90 degrees for 12 hours or 120 to 130 degrees for 2 to 3 hours for curing if you use paper in your design we recommend coating the paper with Mod Podge or other sealer this will prevent the paper from bleeding or forming water spots place the piece on a level protected work surface if you are working with a ring support the ring so that the frame is level if you're using paper in your design cut the paper to fit apply a coat of Mod Podge or other sealer to both sides of the paper and allow it to dry completely you will need to apply a second coat and allow it to dry completely as well we have prepared this one in advance apply a coat of Mod Podge to the inside of the frame position the paper and gently press and smooth it to remove any air pockets apply another coat to the surface of the paper and around the edges and allow it to dry completely before pouring the resin cut the tips off the dispensing caps and put them on to the resin and hardener bottles pour a quarter ounce Part A resin in one cup and a quarter ounce Part B hardener in the other Cup it is important to have exactly equal proportions of the resin and the hardener in order for it to cure properly which is why we use two mixing cups pour the Part B hardener into the part a resin use a stir stick to gently fold the two parts together mixing well the less aggressive you mix the fewer bubbles you will have mix for two minutes the mixture should look clear and no longer streaky once the resin is mixed you have 30 minutes before it starts to thicken because of the thickness of the resin it tends to mound as you pour it and then it settles making it easy to overfill the frame pour the resin slowly into the frame or use a mixing stick to drizzle the resin make sure that the piece is still level after you pour the resin use a needle or toothpick to pop any bubbles or gently tap the piece to coax the bubbles to the surface bubbles can hide under paper or components use a toothpick or mixing sticks to press on the paper and components to reef release any bubbles allow to dry for 24 hours placing the piece under a TAS clamp will help the bubbles to rise if you want multiple layers in your design fill the frame partway let the resin dry for 24 hours then add the next layer of components for smaller components use a toothpick or tweezers for better control mix up a new batch of resin and pour on top of the first layer fill just until you have a slight Mound let the resin cure completely before wearing for these and other great tips please visit the artbeads.com Learning Center in the Handy tips section