Epoxy Resin
Put on gloves!
Resin and resin hardener are uncomfortable on your skin, but if you do get any on you, use rubbing alcohol (or hand sanitizer in a pinch) to get it off.
Prepare your space
As hard as resin is to get off your skin, it's even harder getting it off most surfaces. Lay down a silicone mat, plastic wrap, or vinyl. If none of these are available, spread multiple layers of craft paper or scratch paper.
Mix the resin and hardener
In a disposable plastic cup, mix equal parts epoxy resin and hardening agent (the two matching bottles).
Tips
- Be as precise as possible when you measure them out.
- Stir more than you think you need to - but stir gently to minimize air bubbles.
- You probably will need less than you think. For most projects, start with one small measuring cup. Plus, you can fill to the premarked lines instead of using a scale.
Optional: Mix-ins
If you want clear resin, skip this step. If you want to spice it up, mix in glitter, pigment powders, or a tiny bit of acrylic paint.
Pour the resin
If the opening of your mold is small, use a dropper to carefully transfer the resin into the mold without spilling over. If the opening of the mold is fairly wide, you can try pouring it straight from the cup, but be careful not to overflow or you'll have a messy product.
Optional: Air bubbles
If you want an extra professional finish, use a heat gun or hair blow-dryer gently over the surface of the resin to work the air bubbles to the top, then pop any that are left with a toothpick or other pointy tool.
Let sit 24 hours
The resin will be most of the way cured in 24 hours, and at maximum hardness by 72 hours.
If your resin is still gooey after 24 hours, that means it was either measured or mixed improperly (or you added too much acrylic paint). Try again and pay special attention to those steps!
Cleanup
To clean the mixing cup and other materials used, you can use a paper towel to wipe off the excess resin. After removing as much as you can with a paper towel you can add a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a paper towel and clean the mixing cup and other materials. After removing all the resin you can wash the mixing materials in hot soapy water. Never put leftover resin down the drain or wash out a container that still contains resin in the sink.