Resin Casting: A Primer and a Giveaway!

The fine art of resin casting.  I wish I could say that’s what I do.  But, alas, I’m just a humble crafter with a fearless (or senseless) attitude towards using dangerous chemicals in my work. 

"CANDY" Pendant with real cake sprinkles.

I have to say that I love, love, love resin and there is so much you can do with it.  Somehow, everything is cuter when it’s encased in resin.  Colors are brighter. And there is something satisfying about the glassy smooth surface.

I will say this, resin can be expensive when you are just starting and have to buy supplies.  The resin itself costs a minimum of $15, however, for that amount of money, you can make a lot of stuff.  Then, there’s all the stuff you don’t have to buy, but want to buy (molds, colorants, books, etc.).  It’s sooooo worth the money because resin is awesome! 

Hairpins embellished with resin cabochons.

Sara vs. Sarah and the great folks at ETI are giving you three chances to win some resin AND two different types of mold making materials.  This is an AWESOME prize.  At retail, this would cost at least $75.  We’ll be giving away one prize pack per week for the next three weeks starting today!  More on that at the end of the post.

We'll start the first project tomorrow.  Today, we're just going to go over some preliminary instructions.  This stuff isn't exciting, but I urge you to read it as it is important to successful casting!

One of my earliest resin pieces, a trivet made from a candle plate, an image from an old cookbook, some Christmas trim, sequins, glitter, and real Christmas lights.

Supplies

You need two basic things to start resin casting:  1) some resin, and 2) a mold.  Sounds simple enough, right?  Well.... 

Resin.  There are several different brands of casting resin available and several different types (epoxy, polyester, polyurethane, etc.).  So many choices.  Resin Obsession is both a blog and an online store.  This site is a great source of information on different sorts of casting resin.  I recommend you check it out if you want to start experimenting. 

I am going to use Castin’ Craft Easy Cast by ETI because I like this product. Like all resin, Easy Cast comes in two parts:  the resin and the hardener.  Whatever resin you use, it will need to be mixed accurately. Easy Cast is, indeed, easy as it is mixed at a 1:1 ratio.  Do pay attention to the mixing instructions or you may end up with a rubbery mess, or a casting that won’t come out of its mold.  With Easy Cast, you can do a fairly large pour, which is another reason I like using it.  With other resins, you may have to pour in increments.  But the real reason I like using Easy Cast is that it degases well and dries crystal clear.   

Resin comes in two parts, the resin and the hardener.

Molds.  Commercially made molds are available.  You can get them at some craft stores or online.  Castin’ Craft (made by ETI, the same people who make Easy Cast) makes many different molds.  You can also use silicone baking pans or silicone ice cube trays (I find them all the time at thrift stores for cheap).  Most plastics will not work as a mold (for example, plastic candy molds will not work). Generally, the softer the plastic, the better it works as a mold.  Experiment and see what works.  In general, if you can easily bend the plastic mold without it cracking or breaking, it may work as a mold if you use a mold release spray (Castin’ Craft does make one).

Faux enameling done on a copper pressing with resin colored with dry pastels.

Pay attention to the interior surface of your mold.  If the surface is rough, your casting will be rough.  If it has raised writing, then your casting will have raised writing.

Of course, you do not necessarily have to unmold your casting.  You could, for example, use a flat shallow plate like I did with my friend Joe’s Liberace Trivets.  Or do a casting in the bottom of a wooden box or tray.  Jewelry bezels are fantastic for making resin cast charms.  Fishbowls, glasses, a table with a lip on it. . .  If it can hold water, it can hold resin.

With molds you can really use your imagination and experiment.  Just keep in mind that once you use an item for casting, it’s not a great idea to use again for it’s original purpose, especially if it was meant for food.  Dangerous chemicals.  Remember that.

Some of the other things that make resin molding fun.

Other Supplies.  A few other things you will need are: disposable gloves, small plastic cups (I use the kind you get take out salad dressing in), and popsicle sticks for stirring.   Optional supplies are:  mold release spray (I’ve heard that cooking spray will work, but I’ve never tried it and can’t recommend it), a resin colorant (e.g., purchased dye, chalk, food coloring), decoupage medium, a craft brush, super fine sandpaper, car polish, a Dremel drill, and a heat gun for degassing.

Objects to Embed 

You can embed anything in resin:  photos, charms, beads, buttons, bugs, fabric, rocks, toys, decorative papers, glitter, candy, etc.  One of the great things about resin is that you can work with dimension instead of everything being flat.  Take advantage of this!

Candy is fun to embed.

There are a couple of things to consider.  If you use beads, charms, shells or other things with holes in them, you will get bubbles.  I guarantee you will get bubbles.  You can avoid this by filling the holes with clear drying white glue and letting it dry before casting.  With charms, I usually grab my tin snips (or an old pair of scissors) to remove the ring to ward off bubbles. 

The other thing to consider is that when you embed paper or fabric, you need to seal it first.  If you don’t, the resin will soak into the paper/fabric.  To seal it, cover both sides with white glue or decoupage medium and let it dry before embedding it.  Trust me on this one.  You will NOT be happy if you don’t take this step.

Finally, I would think twice about embedding any precious object.  Once that resin hardens, you are never getting it back out. It wouldn’t be a great place for great-grandma Mabel’s engagement ring, for example.

Safety

Resin is made of toxic substances.  Fumes from some resin products are very strong, the liquid is toxic, and it can cause irritation to skin.  Don’t be scared off.  The same would be true of your average permanent marker!  You need to take a few safety precautions and all will be fine.

• Work in a well-ventilated area
• To avoid harsh fumes, do not put your head near the mixed resin
• Wear gloves when mixing or pouring resin
• Safety glasses are a good idea, especially when mixing
• Keep pets and children away from resin until it is fully cured

One last word of advice, consider wearing an old apron or clothes that you don’t care about ruining.  I’ve done resin casting for years and have only spilled on myself once.  If you do spill, however, it’s not going to come out.

That’s it for the primer.  Tomorrow, we’ll start casting!

A marbleized flat disc technique I came up with.  I'll show you how to do this in the coming weeks.

Now about that giveaway....

To enter, you must be a follower of Sara vs. Sarah.  Leave a comment on on this blog post letting us know what you would try to cast if you won the Castin’ Craft prize pack. Be sure to include your email address or other way to contact you when you comment.

Entries will be accepted until Sunday, April 10, 2011 at 7:00 pm MST. Any entries received after this time will not be considered. We’ll post the winners the morning of Monday, April 11, 2011.  On Monday, we will also open another giveaway of a Castin’ Craft prize pack to be sure to enter that (and there will be yet another one after that—3 chances to win).

Open to US residents only.  Only one Castin’ Craft prize package per person. Winners will be chosen using random.org.

Thank you once again to the good people at ETI (EnviroTech, Inc.) who make the fabulous line of Castin’ Craft products who made this giveaway possible!

Good Luck!!!