Get Creative With Resin Jewellery Making

Although resin isn’t toxic, it is categorized as hazardous goods. Resin works by creating a chemical reaction and therefore is classed as being as dangerous as other household chemicals and must be handled carefully. Taking safety precautions such as ensuring you wear safety gloves, eye protection and an apron when mixing resin is important. Resin must not be inhaled or swallowed.

Moulds are not essential when making resin jewellery. Using blanks and settings is a great starting point, especially for beginners. Why? To put it simply, blanks are easier to work with. You only have to worry about the top part of your resin, no filing or sanding will be required and you can scoop out and start again if your resin fails to cure. Moulds are versatile but it is a lot easier to create a finished piece when using a setting.

It is important to measure resin correctly. The mix ratio of epoxy resin and hardener is 2:1. This means, by volume you will require two parts of your resin and one part hardener. Not measuring correctly may cause your resin to fail to cure so be sure to use a measuring jug for accuracy.

Unfortunately, when working with resin, you may find that your piece has bubbles. Bubbles can be caused by a range of issues, which include not sealing photographs, the temperature of your resin and overmixing, amongst others. Bubbles can be removed by carefully using a toothpick to pop the bubbles or a straw to gently blow the bubbles out. If there are too many bubbles you may need to repour, but practice makes perfect so don’t give up!

Cloudy resin is often caused by using the wrong mould. To make shiny resin you will need to use a specialist resin mould that has a shiny cavity as only this will ensure that your piece is shiny when you remove it.

The process through which epoxy resin goes from a liquid into a solid is referred to as curing. This is done by mixing your resin correctly with hardener. With the correct ratio, your resin should cure within 24 hours.