The first types of epoxy resin appeared in the middle of the last century and were used exclusively in applied production. Fiberglass was made from them and used as a material for filling the floor. But already at this time, jewelers are beginning to think about using epoxy resin in jewelry. It is well suited for capturing forever any thing, especially fragile ones. These can be dried flowers, shells, and sometimes insects. Fragile and neat decorations would attract the attention of many people. In order to understand how to create jewelry from epoxy resin material, you need to understand the basic theory.
How to choose epoxy resin
The question of how to choose epoxy resin is asked by almost every beginner who decides to start making jewelry from epoxy resin. And there is nothing complicated about it. It is necessary to know what basic criteria the resin must meet.
It is intended specifically for filling jewelry.The manufacturer clearly states whether the resin can be used in a certain type of work. You can often find the mark “jewelry” on the packaging.
UV resistance. Otherwise, products exposed to direct sunlight will become cloudy and yellow after a short period of time.
Viscosity. The resin intended for making jewelry has a low viscosity. Of course, it shouldn't be as liquid as water. This resin is easy to work with. It mixes well with dyes and hardeners, penetrates micropores more easily, and a huge plus is that there are fewer air bubbles during operation.
If a manufacturer positions its epoxy resin as jewelry, then these criteria must a priori be met. When choosing, do not be lazy and, if possible, look for each of the criteria. This can save you from an unscrupulous manufacturer and choose another brand.
Selecting a resin brand
Today there are quite a large number of resin brands on the market. You need to find one that suits all the criteria and the price/volume ratio. The larger the volume of resin purchased, the cheaper it costs per 100 g of product.
Art-Eco
The resin is sold in buckets and comes complete with a container with a hardener. Mostly sold in 3 kg packs, but there are 1 kg packs.
Aquaglass citrus
Epoxy resin is available in different volumes, for example, 1.5 kg of resin and 0.5 kg of hardener. It is convenient to work with it when mixing 2/1; there is no need to carry out additional actions on the calculator. Also mixes well. Suitable for beginners who have never worked with epoxy resin. The resin hardening period is 8 hours. This is quite convenient; you can pour it in and leave it overnight to continue working the next day.There are small disadvantages: yellowing over time. Moreover, this is observed both in the decoration itself and in the hardener. To avoid this, you will have to constantly monitor the direct rays of the sun, both directly on the product itself and on the materials for work. And the formation of bubbles; when pouring, the surface of the epoxy resin is ideal, but after a short period of time small bubbles form. One of the advantages is flexibility, since the hardening period is short, when taken out of the mold the resin is soft, it is convenient to work with and shape it.
Epoxy Crystal plus
It has practically no disadvantages, with the exception of the mixing proportions: 100/35, where 100 g of epoxy resin and 35 g of hardener. It has a crystal fill and does not form bubbles. The price for such material is higher than for other brands, but it also justifies its quality. This type of resin has ultraviolet filters. Another minus is the high viscosity of epoxy resin; it requires additional heating, otherwise bubbles will form.
Mix art resin
Designed for decorating jewelry made of epoxy resin. The resin has a slight yellowish tint, which is especially noticeable when mixed.
Art Epoxy
A decent price for the quality of the material, about 1.5 times less than the type presented above. It has a low viscosity; there is no need for additional heating and gradual mixing procedures. Clear proportions - 10/3 is easy to figure out without a calculator, the main thing is to get used to it. If small bubbles form, they can be easily removed. The resin has a crystal fill. The epoxy resin comes with detailed instructions for the adhesive. This is convenient, since the manufacturer has taken care of quick awareness of the buyer.The instructions can be glued to the work surface, then the work process itself will be accelerated, and even if a person forgets some information, he can always quickly return to it.
Resin from Aliexpress website
Buying resin on Aliexpress has both pros and cons. The main advantage is low cost. Yes, indeed, you can buy inexpensive resin on Aliexpress and if you don’t like it, the losses will be insignificant. The next plus is a wide range; this online market offers many types of resins of different sizes and functional characteristics.
That's probably where the pros end, let's move on to the cons:
- Long transportation time. It happens, especially when there are constant clients, that the material is needed here and now, or at least delivered in a short time. On Aliexpress you will have to wait weeks for your order. During this time, the buyer may change his mind and go to another master. Or the master himself will decide that epoxy resin is not suitable for his work.
- Questionable quality. Buying on Aliexpress is like buying a pig in a poke. The customer cannot know exactly what quality the product will have and if it is bad, it will be problematic to issue a return.
- Lack of feedback and precise guidance. This site rarely contains detailed instructions that a beginner can easily follow; you will have to figure everything out on your own.
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