How to Cast Resin
Epoxy resin is a type of plastic that you can manipulate to make jewelry, paper weights and even doorknobs when it is in its liquid state. It is available from most craft stores and hardware stores.
Things You'll Need
- Two-part epoxy resin 3 plastic cups Latex gloves 3 wooden Popsicle sticks Toothpicks Resin mold Things to include in your resin Resin dye Sandpaper Jewelry findings
Instructions
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You must work quickly with resin, otherwise it will begin to get tacky before you are finished. Assemble all your materials before you get started and have them easy to reach. You will also need to cover your work surface, as the resin will damage it otherwise. When gathering things to include in your resin, make sure they are water resistant. Stickers, candy sprinkles, small plastic toys, and paper that has been coated in glue on both sides are all popular options.
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On one of the plastic cups, mark a line with your marker one inch from the bottom. Fill the cup up to the line with the bottle marked 'resin'. Then, pour the resin into another cup. You can use a popsicle stick to get all the resin out. Now, fill the first cup up to the line with the bottle marked 'hardener.' Pour this into the second cup that has the resin already in it. Use the popsicle stick to mix the resin and hardener for two minutes, making sure to periodically scrape the bottom and side.
Epoxy resin must be mixed in two stages. Empty the mixed resin into the third cup and use a clean popsicle stick to mix it another two minutes. After you have done this allow the resin mixture to rest for a minute or two so the bubble can rise to the surface. If you want to dye your resin, mix the dye in according to the package instructions during the second mixing. -
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Set your mold in front of you. Pour a small amount of resin into the mold cavity, filling it 1/3 full. Place any inclusions you want in the finished piece into the resin and use a clean popsicle stick or a toothpick to arrange them inside the mold. Have the inclusions face the bottom of the mold, as this will be the front of the finished piece. Fill the remaining mold cavities the same way. Then, starting with the first cavity, fill the mold to the top of each cavity. You may use a toothpick to pop any large bubbles that form.
You can also pour the same way into a jewelry bezel, except you will want the inclusions facing up. You can also paint a thin layer of the resin onto a flat finding with a popsicle stick. -
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Cover the mold and let it sit undisturbed for 24 hours to cure. You can then pop the resin pieces out of the mold. Use the sandpaper to smooth the sides and rough edges. From here, you can drill holes in the resin pieces to attach jewelry findings or glue the findings on with jewelers glue.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also blow gently through a drinking straw a few inches from the resin to pop the bubble. Be very careful not to inhale while using this method. The inclusions may shift while the resin is hardening, so you may want to check on them one hour into the curing time. Resin may require up to 48 hours to cure in humid conditions.
Always pour resin in a well ventilated room. Wear gloves when pouring resin. Wear a face mask and follow safety precautions when sanding resin.
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo courtesy of GoGoKioko!
