Epoxy Resin Crafts

All About Epoxy Jewelry

All About Epoxy Jewelry
Content
  1. Peculiarities
  2. What are they?
  3. Preparation for manufacturing
  4. How to do it yourself?
  5. Recommendations
  6. Beautiful examples

Jewelry made from epoxy resin can often be found on store shelves. Their popularity is due to the successful combination of mystery, tenderness and attractiveness. That is why such jewelry is very often preferred by romantic natures who are trying to highlight their uniqueness and femininity.

Peculiarities

The attractiveness, reliability and safety of jewelry depend on how high-quality epoxy has been selected. That is why on this material not worth saving, as it will not lead to anything good. Low-quality options are characterized by yellowness, have an unpleasant odor, and also have minimal elasticity.

The aesthetic appearance of the jewelry depends on the quality properties of the resin. Good quality cured material is very similar to ice or glass. Epoxy contains chemical resins and a number of hardeners, but it has a transparent appearance. In addition, this material is completely safe for both humans and the environment.

Epoxy resin jewelry is often used by decorators and designers when decorating rooms, clothing or souvenirs.

What are they?

On the modern market, there is a huge number of epoxy resin jewelry, which differ in their appearance, as well as in the peculiarities of production. It can be various jewelry, souvenirs made of wood with the addition of material, as well as furniture fittings.

Earrings and pendants, which are made of epoxy resin and to some extent resemble a diamond, are very popular today. Transparent beads and bracelets are also popular with young girls.

By adding amber, you can get unique brooches in the shape of a heart, which will become an adornment of any clothing and the centerpiece of a woman's image.

In recent years, rings and signet rings have become very popular. For them, you can find special molds, and dyes and various pigment pastes are often used as fillers.

This is a must, as a transparent product without any filler will not look good. But if there is a decor, then the degree of transparency of the thing will play an important role.

When creating rings and rings, various pieces of glass, plants or even small fragments of wood can act as decor. If you are planning to make a ring with mother-of-pearl filling, then you will need to take into account one circumstance - during the mixing of the ingredients, the proportion may be disturbed, since a dye is present in the composition.

You should also be careful with the use of a hardener, as too much of it can lead to fingerprints on the jewelry.

In order for the ring to be attractive and stylish, you need to choose high-quality molds. Their main advantage is that the cured resin will release without problem, resulting in a perfect finish.

Another popular product that requires the use of a special mold is the bracelet. If it is missing, then you will need to do it yourself. A special silicone is an excellent choice for this. However, it is possible to carry out work at the highest quality level only with the use of a special cliché.

In order for the bracelet to be original and stylish, you need to pay close attention to the filler. Today, options with shells or other marine items are in great demand.

If there is no way to go to the sea, then you can limit yourself to interesting stones made of river sand, which will also look great inside a transparent bracelet.

Preparation for manufacturing

The process of making jewelry from this material is quite simple, but close attention must be paid to the nuances to ensure success. Only in this case it will be possible to obtain a clean product that will be distinguished by its attractive appearance and reliability. The fact is that this liquid synthetic material only hardens when it reaches a certain temperature and perfectly imitates glass.

Resin selection

The range of epoxy resins on the market is quite large. Before purchasing, it is worth studying the description of the product to make sure of its purpose.

Experts advise to give preference to a special resin with a hardener for pouring into molds.

The main advantage of such a material is that it boasts increased resistance to UV rays, as well as unsurpassed transparency.

The second point that you need to pay attention to when choosing a resin is the popularity of the manufacturer and the availability of positive reviews. First of all, the cost of the product depends on the authority of the manufacturing company, so a high-quality resin will not cost a penny. A small amount of material is needed to make a jewelry, so you don't need to skimp and it is better to spend money on raw materials, which will allow you to get a high-quality jewelry.

The ideal option is to purchase several resin options in order to conduct a master class and find the best option for making jewelry.

Safety regulations

Despite the fact that this material is famous for its safety for humans and the environment, you need to pay attention to the peculiarities of working with it. Epoxy is a polymer that needs to be handled in a certain way.

  • Working with polymer substrates should be carried out in a well-ventilated area.... It is best to give preference to workshops that are located away from the residential part of the house or apartment.
  • Work should be extremely careful to avoid getting the resin on the skin or mucous membranes.... On the market you can find special gloves, masks and goggles designed to work with epoxy.
  • After the product is ready, you will need to polish it. Doing this without a respirator is prohibited, as this can cause damage to the respiratory tract.
  • If resin gets on the skin, rinse it off immediately with copious amounts of water. But if the solution gets on a certain object, then it is enough to remove it with a dry cloth.

Workplace

Epoxy jewelry can be made in a variety of ways, but each requires a perfectly flat work surface. The table should be free of any foreign objects that might interfere with the jewelry making process.

When working with this material, you should also avoid any contact with food.

The workplace should have all the necessary tools and containers that may be needed while working with the resin. You can mix various solutions only in heat-resistant plastic dishes, which are very often offered along with the material.

In addition, when working, you will need disposable syringes, which are used to adjust the fillers. If pouring is to be carried out, then it is imperative to provide for the presence of silicone molds.

Excipients

Before starting jewelry production, you should carefully study the photos and find out what kind of fillers you may need. They will need to be prepared in advance. The drying process usually begins several weeks before the start of the epoxy jewelry making process.

The leaves of trees can be placed under the press in books, and larger plant elements will be enough to string on threads and leave to dry in the air.

It should be noted that almost any object that is distinguished by its decorative value can act as a filler. These can be various shells, tree bark, rhinestones and much more. Images pre-printed on matte paper are also often sent to the epoxy capsule.

If necessary, to obtain an additional effect, you can apply various dyes, which will give the decoration uniqueness.

How to do it yourself?

At this stage, it is extremely important to strictly follow the rules and manufacturing steps in order to achieve an optimal result. There are three steps to making an epoxy jewelry piece.

  • Preparation of the mixture. It is worth being extremely careful here, since the appearance and properties of the future material depend on the quality of the mixture. It is worth strictly observing the proportions recommended by the manufacturer. In most cases, mixing with the hardener takes ten minutes, and the movements should be uniform and smooth.
  • Grasping. It should be noted that the chemical reaction does not occur immediately as a result of mixing. You will need to wait from half an hour to 2 hours. It all depends on the parameters of the material that the manufacturer indicates on the label, as well as on the volume. After mixing, bubbles will appear, which will simply disappear after the start of a chemical reaction. Sometimes it happens that the bubbles don't go anywhere.In this case, it is recommended to heat the resin again and wait until they burst.
  • Pouring into forms. This is one of the most crucial and important stages, which must be carried out in strict compliance with the time. Each type of work must be done as quickly as possible. Full hardening occurs a day after pouring into molds. They need to be placed in a place that is protected from dust so that the product is as transparent and attractive as possible.

Recommendations

    Every person who creates stylish and unique epoxy resin jewelry has have their own secrets.

    • Working with forms for filling. The molds, also called molds, are made from high quality silicone. The main advantage of such a product is that it allows you to control the pouring at every stage. In addition, it is extremely easy to pull out finished products from molds after they have completely solidified. After completing the work, it is imperative to rinse the molds with warm soapy water.
    • The choice of the optimal temperature regime. This process should be given close attention, since the quality and speed of solidification of the material depend on it. The fact is that polymerization is directly related to the release of heat. Resin often heats up to high temperatures during a chemical reaction, so the molds must be able to handle them. It is best to choose heat-resistant containers that are designed just for this kind of work.
    • Required consistency. Before polymerization begins, the resin usually retains liquid-like properties in a viscous state. This should be taken into account when choosing a filler.
    • Achieving transparency... The main problem that newcomers to epoxy jewelry are faced with is air bubbles. In order to get the product as transparent as possible at the exit, you need to let it stand for a while, and then heat it up again. As a result of such a manipulation, air bubbles will rise up, after which it will be possible to get rid of them.
    • The use of decorative elements. It all depends only on the imagination of the person who is engaged in the manufacture of jewelry. You can use almost everything, from small cones to flowers and rhinestones.

    There is no need to save money on accessories for the received jewelry, as this can nullify all efforts. Beautiful decorations must be well framed, otherwise there will be no effect.

    Many creators are confused by the fact that there is no mold, without which they do not want to make jewelry. If you find the right fittings, the lens will look quite aesthetically pleasing. However, it is extremely difficult to find such accessories, therefore, it is better to try another way out of this situation.

    • First you need to prepare the resin. This can be done using ordinary cups. In order for the lens to be formed as efficiently as possible, the ingredients should be mixed strictly according to the instructions. In order for the resin to boast of the required viscosity, it must stand for some time.
    • To control the spreading of the resin it is best to use a stencil made of paper. It can be round or oval in shape.
    • Now follows spread the polyethylene film on a perfect level surface to protect it from resin attack. Stencils are installed over the film.
    • While pouring the resin, the stencil allows you to control the spreading of the material. You can use a regular toothpick to disperse the resin. The resulting lens will harden within a few days.

    After that, it will only be necessary to carry out grinding and polishing - the decoration is now completely ready.

    Thus, epoxy resin jewelry is immensely popular and in demand. Using this material, you can create original and attractive jewelry, which will become the centerpiece of any look.

    Using a processing method such as cabochon, you can create original beads and other handmade jewelry sets.

    Beautiful examples

    • An original pendant made of epoxy, filled with an image printed on matte paper.
    • Stylish pendant, the inner part of which is made of pre-dried vegetation.
    • Earrings made using a special mold.

    For information on how to make epoxy jewelry, see the next video.

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