Accessories can work wonders and give even the simplest clothes and hairstyle an original character. However, the products that are sold in most stores are most often made in thousands of copies on a large scale. But you really want to wear your own unique jewelry — those that you can make yourself from epoxy resin. They have a special value — their history, which makes them original and desirable. This piece of jewelry would make a great gift. Handmade things, in which the creator puts his soul, are always appreciated the most. Learn how to make epoxy resin jewelry in this article.

Epoxy resin: how to work

Epoxy resin is a synthetic material consisting of one or two components. The kit includes: resin and hardener in liquid form. After mixing them, the mass turns into plastic for the formation of various products. After hardening and painting, it becomes resistant to scratches and damage.

How to make epoxy resin products

This material allows you to create designer jewelry in the form of castings with embedded elements:

• petals,

• flower buds,

• dried leaves,

• grains,

• berries,

• photos,

• insects

• sequins,

• wooden and metal parts made in 3D technology.

Colorless epoxy resin can be given different shades using dyes and pigments of various textures. The most popular shades are gold, red, blue, green and black. You can use loose, liquid and fluorescent powders that glow at night, rhinestones of all colors and sizes, all kinds of small ornaments, small moisture-resistant stickers, dried flowers, various pearls, potal, shells, pebbles, feathers, etc.

What do you need to work with epoxy resin?

The main advantages of this technology:

• the ability to create without the use of complex machines, devices and tools;

• the freedom to create shapes and the ease of combining different elements.

Epoxy resin for beginners is a fairly complex material. At first, beginners make mistakes and are often disappointed. Working with resin requires a lot of time, care and patience. The main reward for fans of unusual, personalized and extraordinary handmade jewelry is a good result and the emergence of the skill to make original accessories and gifts that will stay with you forever.

In addition to resin, dyes, decorative elements and accessories, you need to take care of safety and prepare:

• protective gloves (latex, vinyl or nitrile);

• protective face mask. Although the epoxy itself does not smell, the hardener does give off a subtle smell of ammonia. Its vapors can cause irritation and allergies;

• protective glasses. When pouring resin with a syringe, there is a risk of splashing it in different directions;

• splash-proof clothing such as an apron or gown.

To mix dyes you will need:

• different containers;

• plastic cups for measuring proportions;

• sticks for mixing (wooden sticks for ice cream or coffee stirring are suitable);

• toothpicks that help in creating compositions from embedded elements and removing air bubbles;

• paper towels;

• protective film or paper for the table.

It would be useful to have a small separate source of fire — a gas lighter or burner, with which it is convenient to get rid of unnecessary air bubbles.

It is also necessary to take care of sufficient ventilation of the room and maintain the temperature at least 20 ° C. After all, the lower the temperature, the longer the curing time of the resin. At 25°C the partial cure time is 16 hours. This means that the resin, depending on the thickness of the layer, may be ready to be demolded, however, it must wait 7 days for it to fully cure, so that it is ready for further processing — grinding, polishing or drilling.

Epoxy resin products: where to start?

To start experimenting with epoxy, silicone molds are ideal for making castings. They are easy to use, reusable, easy to clean and give you complete control over the end result. Silicone molds are made in various sizes, with and without holes, with different textures, in the form of blanks for rings, bracelets, pendants, beads, cabochons or geometric shapes. Aerobatics is the ability to use openwork forms in the form of animals, plants, snowflakes.

How are epoxy resin decorations made?

Due to its unique properties, epoxy resin is used to create semi-finished products for jewelry such as beads, rings, bracelets, as well as entire sets, including earrings, necklaces and pendants.

• Rings up to 17 mm in diameter are filled with colorless resin or mixed with dyes and pigments. If the form is filled to the brim, after it has completely hardened, after a week, you need to cut off the excess resin with a file, sandpaper or grinder, and then polish the surface.

• Bracelets with a diameter of about 78 mm, an inner hole of up to 62 mm and a height of up to 10 mm are made according to the same rules as rings. The only difference is mixing more resin.

• Pendants and earrings allow you to experiment with pouring shapes and embedding various elements into them — hooks or pendants.

• Multi-colored beads are made from a mass of resin, embedding various decorative elements into them.

There are many articles and video tutorials on the Internet that show in detail the process of making jewelry from A to Z with various nuances. But if you think that you won’t succeed — you don’t have the appropriate skills, talent, time and patience, you can always buy ready-made high-quality products in the Silvers online store. Check out the catalog and choose the jewelry that suits the style, material and color and order their delivery in Ukraine.