So, you were scrolling down your Instagram when a post caught your eye. Someone had made fancy resin earrings, and you instantly felt drawn to them. Or, you saw a transparent resin bookmark with a bright sunflower in the middle of it, and even if you don’t consider yourself a huge bookworm, you immediately wanted this bookmark. Just in case!
Then you decided you could dabble with DIY resin craft yourself. The thought is not uncommon. In fact, the global epoxy resin market is projected to jump from $8.9 billion in 2020 to $16.6 billion in 2030!
The world is just as drawn to this newfound craft medium as you are, and why not? It’s versatile and fun to work with, and you can create projects of both big and small scale. You don’t even have to be a skilful artisan to do so.
That said, you must have some tricks up your sleeve before you start.
1. Protect your workspace
Resin is a sticky, honey-like material. If you don’t want long-lasting damage to your table, you need to prepare for messy spills. Cleaning as quickly as possible will only help you eventually numega.net .
So, before indulging in the art and crafts activity, clean your table and cover it with something impenetrable for the different resins you’ll use. You can use a plastic garbage bag, shower curtain, a painter’s drop sheet, or a few layers of newspaper.
Besides this, using a non-stick material like a silicone sheet or waxed paper will help you quickly peel or wipe away spilt resins.
Remember to cover a larger area than just your immediate work spot!
2. Keep your moulds ready
The minute you mix your resins, the curing process begins, and you shouldn’t waste any time preparing your moulds then. The clock’s ticking!
Have your silicone moulds clean and ready to go! Make sure there is no pet hair, mica powder, dust, lint or glitter. Spray the silicone mould with mould release – demolding your art piece will become easier!
3. Accurate measurements are essential!
If your proportion of hardener to resins is incorrect, it may not cure properly. It’ll become bendy and soft. Check with the manufacturer’s instruction manual to see what ratio is suggested. Most epoxies work in the ratio of 2:1 or 1:1, but there may be some exceptions multiflow.me .
Read the kit carefully to determine whether the measurement is based on weight or volume!
4. Follow instructions to the T
Some manufacturers may not offer conclusive instructions besides the generic mixing directions. Others may provide a detailed step-by-step manual. Make sure to follow it to the letter!
Every manufacturer uses a different formulation strategy, and their instructions will give you the best result. So, stick to the procedure!
5. Say no to bubbles
The sight of bubbles in resin craft is a headache for every crafter. The only way to get rid of this situation is by slowly pouring the mixture. Epoxies cure slowly, which will offer you decent time to work slowly.
Remember, this is not a cake batter, so do not beat or whip it to combine the mixture well. It will only result in a lot of frightful bubbles later.
Being slow and steady will win you this race!
Wrapping up
As exciting as it is to work with the epoxies, it’s also a bit messy and requires some precision. So, follow the instructions, ready your moulds, keep your workstation clean, do not lose patience, and maintain the right temperature.
Meanwhile, it’s also vital to glove up and put on some goggles for personal safety.
Happy crafting! nicira.info
