It’s tempting to have a glowing manicure, especially if you’ve just invested in a nail UV light. But there’s more to this than meets the eye.
The difference between epoxy and UV resin is that while epoxy resin requires mixing of two components, UV resin only needs exposure to sunlight or strong artificial light such as an LED lamp, blacklight, or the one on your phone (if it has a flash).
Both resins are made of polymers that are cured by heat or by radiation. So while they both behave similarly, they differ in their makeup as well as their curing process.
The main difference is that UV resins are cured by exposing them to ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength below 400 nm.
Can a nail UV light cure resin?
A nail UV light is a type of UV light that uses UV-A rays to cure resin. This means it’s perfect for curing regular epoxy resin, but not for curing UV resins.
There are different types of UV lights on the market, so before we answer your question about whether you can use a nail UV light to cure resin, let’s get an understanding of what different types of UV lights there are and what they do.
The three types of common UV lights used in crafts are:
- A blacklight (fluorescent bulb) that creates visible blue-purple glow that doesn’t have the harmful effects of normal light bulbs;
- A UV lamp (fluorescent bulb) that emits both UVA and black light; and
- A LED nail dryer (LED lamp), which only emits UVA rays.
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Will any UV light cure resin?
“UV light can cure resin,” I replied, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. “That’s why nail polish remover works so well.”
When I was a kid, my mom used to see me polish my fingernails on the weekend, and she’d compliment them by saying: “What do you use for that stuff? It removes everything.” That’s how she remembered the stuff! And now this! UV light would be a game-changer.
Can I use a nail light to cure resin?
Yes! In fact, it’s a great choice. Resin cures when mixed with a catalyst, which creates an exothermic reaction and heats the resin to the point where it hardens. This heat is called “energy” and we measure it in wavelength, or nanometers (nm).
A typical UV light used to cure nails has a wavelength of 400 nm. This means that there is enough energy present for the chemicals in your resin to link together and make polymer chains.
A nail light can be used to cure your resin art because there are enough photons available at 400nm for the chemical reaction to take place.
It also happens that many nail lights cost less than $50, so you don’t have to break the bank if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative than getting an expensive piece of equipment from ArtResin or one of our other competitors who use different formulas that may not work with your nail light anyway!
UV curing resin is fun for all ages and skill levels so go ahead—get creative with this new hobby today! (PS – we recommend wearing sunscreen while doing any UV-related activities)
Can I use a UV light for epoxy resin?
Suppose you want to make a beautiful epoxy resin table, but you don’t have access to a heat lamp. You may be wondering if it is possible to use a UV light as a substitute. It sounds like it should work—after all, both lamps emit light in the ultraviolet range, and “curing” an epoxy resin involves being exposed to UV light.
However, this question is not as simple as it seems because different types of UV light cure different products at different speeds.
So, to answer this question in full detail we need to look at the specific types of UV light used for curing and their effects on epoxy resins.
Will a black light bulb cure resin?
Nope. Blacklight bulbs emit UV light at a different wavelength than the 365nm that resin cures. Blacklight bulbs actually emit UV light at a longer wavelength, which means they are not strong enough to cure resin. However, you can use blacklight bulbs to charge glow in the dark pigment!
What kind of UV light cured resin?
You’ve heard about UV light-curing resin, but are unsure what the difference is between this and other resins.
A UV light-cured resin is any type of hardener that needs a UV light to cure it. The resin will remain in its liquid form until the UV light is used on it, and then the mixture will harden into a solid.
Resins that don’t need UV lights to cure them include:
- Epoxy resins – these are usually made from plant proteins or synthetic polymers using acrylics or polyesters. They can be cured with heat or chemical additives like DMA (dimethyl aminopropyl methylmethacrylate), TMPTA (trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate), and NMA (N-methylolacrylamide).
Will UV resin cure without UV light?
Can a nail UV light cure resin?
The answer is yes and no. Why yes and no, you might ask? Yes, it works because the amount of power the lamp has is enough to cure the resin in a decent time. (It’s called a nail lamp but it can be used for all sorts of crafts.)
But why not? Because curing without UV light will take longer than curing with UV light.
Sure, you could use sunlight or another type of artificial lighting to cure epoxy resin or UV resin without a UV light – BUT IT WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER!
Will a 395nm UV light cure resin?
Will a 395nm UV light cure resin?
Yes, it will. The wavelength of 395 nm is the right wavelength to cure UV resin. It also cures epoxy resin as well. Depending on the brand you use, you may have to cure a little longer (sometimes 5-10 minutes).
However, if you are not getting good results with this light, make sure you are using a UV light that is emitting at least the equivalent of 40W or 4 x 9W bulbs. This means adding up all the watts of the individual bulbs in your lamp from left to right and top to bottom.
Conclusion
In summary, there are many models of nail UV lights that can be used to cure resin. Some of them are more effective and some take a little longer than others, but with the right model and enough patience, you can make your own miniature portraits in no time.
Hopefully, this article has enlightened you on the topic of creating resin artwork.
If you like the idea of doing tiny figurines but don’t have money to spend on a kit that includes a mold, consider using items from around your house as molds.
This can include silicone ice cube trays or even jewelry-making molds. You could also try making a mold out of pottery clay or Play-Doh if you want something very specific made.
