r/resin

Hi everyone.
I requested some help earlier and had a lot of advice going forward. Thank you to those offering assistance, but I’m back.
I sanded down to a 2000 grit sandpaper. I followed the instruction (minimal instructions) that came with the Jue Fish polish and gloss kit I got off Amazon, before all the previous advice. It didn’t do anything. It’s still hazy. I tried Auto Glym, not sure where that advice came from but…. I still have a hazy base. I wanted to try just the base and make sure everything worked before I moved onto the rest of the cube since this rose has a huge sentimental significance.
Do I need to sand more?
I used the sponge to apply the polish and the fluffy one for the polish. Was that correct?

I’m trying to figure out what type of resin is being used to make pieces like these.

The pieces are stainless steel closed bezels with the resin filling the entire surface. They have a glossy, slightly domed finish and a cloudy/marbled, almost mother-of-pearl appearance.

I initially thought it might be UV resin, since these are small jewellery pieces, but I’m not sure whether UV resin works well in a closed bezel where the resin is surrounded by metal.

Would you recommend UV resin, 2-part epoxy, or another type of resin for this?

Also, if you recognize the specific cloudy/marbled effect, what type of pigment or additive would be used to achieve it?

Any advice from people who have worked with resin jewellery would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve never experienced this with my other molds. I get the air bubbles out, and I tap the mold so everything is spread out evenly. What am I doing wrong?

Don't hold out on the soap molds!

Finished this resin Bulbasaur and wanted to share the process.

Started with priming in gray, then built up base coats, added layering for depth, used washes/shading to bring out the details, and finished with a gloss varnish to seal everything.

The bulb was the trickiest part — took a few glaze layers to get the green tones looking right without losing the shading underneath.

Might do the rest of the starter lineup next if there's interest. Happy to answer questions about the process.

Hi All,

I am an artist and want to divide my designs across several 20 × 20 cm wooden blocks made from pine or spruce, finishing them with epoxy to add gloss and depth. I'm using the Mr. Boat Epoxy Ultra Clear 03.

However, I am experiencing a problem with the epoxy finish. I have attached several photographs showing the blocks and the issue that appears in the top layer during or after curing. The epoxy does not cure to a completely smooth finish. A type of texture remains in the surface, resembling greasy marks or stains. The surface is also not completely level and smooth.

I thought it was amine blush but i can't remove it with water & soap, it's not a layer that's on top but really in the resin itself.

The photographs were, of course, taken from very close up and directly against the light. At first glance, the effect is therefore less noticeable, but the finish is not good enough for me to sell the pieces.

The wooden blocks are prepared as follows:

• 20 × 20 cm spruce wood, coated with three layers of white water-based paint.
• I apply my designs using a technique known as waterslide decals. These consist of a very thin printable film. The decal is submerged in water, which releases it from the backing paper. It is then applied to the wood and adheres as it dries.
• I protect the waterslide decal with three coats of acrylic spray (SprayMax 1K). I allow the entire piece to dry for at least 24 hours before proceeding to the next step.

My current epoxy process is as follows:

• I work in a 10 m² room inside my home, with the window slightly open for ventilation (photo of the room and setup included).
• During the most recent pour, the room temperature was 21°C (70F). The epoxy is also stored in this room. During the first 12 hours after pouring, the temperature gradually fluctuated between 20C and 23C (68F and 73F).
• The humidity was around 55% when i poured (11 AM) and was 67% the day after (9 AM).
• I clean the surface of the wooden blocks—the printed design with its acrylic topcoat—with 99.99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. I then allow it to dry for at least ten minutes.
• I measure the epoxy components by weight according to the specified mixing ratio and mix them for at least three minutes. I have also tried the double-cup method: after mixing, I transfer the epoxy into a second measuring cup before pouring it onto the blocks.
• I pour a small quantity of epoxy—approximately 80 ml per block—onto the centre of each block. I allow it to spread briefly and then distribute it by hand, while wearing a nitrile glove, all the way to the edges.
• I leave it for a few minutes and then use a small torch to remove the air bubbles, i am careful not to torch to long to not overheat the epoxy, it's a quick move. I've also used a bubble spray and in my last pour i had some blocks that's i've not touched at all (no torch or bubble spray). All blocks had the same result.
• During the most recent pour, I also covered some blocks with plastic A4 storage boxes because I suspected that airflow in the room might be affecting the top layer. I left a small opening at the bottom so that the blocks were not completely sealed off.
• After 20 minutes, I perform one final check for irregularities or air bubbles. I then cover the blocks again and leave them undisturbed.

I have now worked with epoxy products from several different brands. The Mr. Boat epoxy has given me the best result so far, but the finish is still not quite as smooth as I need it to be. I initially suspected that the issue might be amine blush, but the residue or surface texture cannot be washed off with water.

Do you have any idea what might be causing this recurring problem and how I could achieve a perfectly smooth, mirror-like finish? I would like to avoid having to sand and polish every individual block afterwards.

Thanks in advance for all help and replies .

Wouter

A few different styles. What is your favorite?

Some of the sets I made recently! Hope you like them :)

I wish I could try more intricate patterns inside like a smoke effect but my alcohol ink is simply not doing it and I am always way too impatient to do pours with thick resin 🥲

Any recommendations on doing a 'smoke' like effect (colors + clear resin + white 'smoke')?

I've seen these kitty/bunny charms on pinterest (from multiple different sellers). Does anyone know where I can find the mold to make these?

i just love the shine it added to this worry stone I made!🥹🍳🥞🍓🥓

Hi, guys! This is my first attempt at resin using a vacuum pump. I think it came out... Ok?

Hello, I'm very new to resin overall, just using it for miniatures usually. However, I am doing a cosplay soon for a convention and wanted to create the shown hair piece, with the middle filled in with resin to look like glass overtop.

As you can see, I have a few attempts. Originally, I think I cured the resin too quickly/while it was too warm and it cracked. My second attempt I thought was due to curing it too quickly, but I cured my third attempt very slowly over the course of 10-15 minutes and it still has minor imperfections. All these developed during curing, after I had let it sit to cool and teased any bubbles from within.

I am not knowledgeable enough to know what the issue is, or even identify if this is bubbling or pulling away due to shrinking based on research, so I figured I'd ask here! Does anyone know what is causing the resin to not evenly fill? Is it just pulling away from the paint beneath?

Luckily, I am satisfied with the final result, so it's no issue, but I'd just like to know for future reference. Thank you all!

Just wanted to share some sentimental inspo. She passed January 2024 and absolutely loved her hair (it was iconic) and it lives on 😌

I’ll get it down eventually. I’m glad I at least got a few that look nice enough. I really would like to get it down though. It’s crazy how different they turn out . I keep trying to do the rose where you make little curved dashes all around but I have a hard time controlling the white paste/resin . Even with a piping bag. I see people just use the small wooden stick to do it and they get these perfect little c shapes but mine are just blobs . I think I was supposed to do one big swirl after that too which I forgot. The ones that are more like stars rather than flowers, I think I drew the lines going outwards but didn’t draw the lines going inwards to drag it down . I always feel so panicked . I need to stop making the swirl on the inside so big too but overall , the first pic is my favorite, not so much the colors but the design and bloom is really nice . I like the first 4 but I consider the others fails. . It’s still super fun though .

If anyone has any tips or suggestions, I’d love to hear them !