Resin Casting Jewellery and Chess Sets

RESIN CASTING JEWELLERY AND CHESS SETS

What types of resin are used? The clear resin used is the same type used for embedding or casting objects. It is a water clear liquid polyester resin capable of setting rock hard when a catalyst is added.

Dyes and colours may be added to the resin Glitter, pearl essence, crushed glass, rock, marble dust and many other additives may be blended into the resin before it is poured for interesting effects.

Some of the practical craft objects that can be made are:  Jewellery  Display Souveniers  Frig Magnets  Paperweights  Ashtrays  Figurines  Desk Pen Holders  Chess Pieces

Polyester Resin has been the starting point for many interesting business ventures. One of our customers has been using moulds for years to make frig magnets in which she has embedded transfers, sparkle and many other interesting additions. She sells through weekend markets.

Can any other resin be used? Recently a polyurethane resin with remarkable properties has been developed called CraftCast. It can be used for everything except embedding where the water clear properties of polyester resin are required. It is opaque white in colour. It sets up in 3 minutes and can be demoulded in 10 minutes. It does not have the objectionable odour of polyester but can be coloured and filled with all the materials used with polyester resin. Silicone moulds are used which can reproduce extraordinary detail in the finished piece. See our article on quick set resins entitled “The new easy mixing and quick setting resin- CraftCast” MAKE YOUR OWN MOULDS FOR POLYESTER RESIN

You can make your own moulds out of metal, glass or heavy duty plastic, using things you have around the home. Providing the top of the mould is wider than the base and has straight sides to ensure easy removal, any item around the house can be used.

Never use plastic that is too thin such as margarine containers, as this type of plastic dissolves or melts when resin is poured into it. Moulds must have a smooth glossy surface to give casts with a polished finish.

If you wish to create figurines or objects with undercuts that would prevent you from releasing them from a plastic mould due to rigid nature of the plastic, you can make your own latex or silicone moulds that function perfectly. Aldax is preparing a silicone kit for jewellery etc that will be available later this year.

Most commercial moulds are made from heavy duty polyethylene plastic due to its easy release qualities and resistance to degradation by the polyester resin. Decorative items produced in these moulds may be made with one pour of the polyester resin or in several colours known as “Multiple Colour Pours”

Polyethylene moulds are widely used in the craft industry because they are inexpensive, reusable, require no mould release and produce castings with a high polished finish. The plastic is vulnerable to scratches, which show up in the finished product, so care must be taken in handling these moulds.

Polyester resin is mixed with a substance called MEKP methyl ethyl ketone polymer a catalyst that makes the resin go hard. Only very small quantities are needed to cause the reaction. However if too much catalyst is used is results in excessive heat, which will “burn “ the polyethylene mould and tend to distort its shape. If this occurs the heat may be dissipated by placing the mould in a tray of cold water, being careful not to allow any water to get into the mould. Experienced casters remove the castings onto mylar sheet as soon as the resin “sets” to prevent moulds from burning.

MULTI COLOUR POURS. If you bare using a multi section mould, multi colour pours are possible by covering any section of the mould you wish to isolate by covering with masking tape, until you are ready to pour that particular section. When resin poured into an isolated section has reached the “gel stage” remove the tape and pour the next section, until all separate sections are poured and gelled, then fill the mould to the surface with the final pour. Comprehensive directions follow:

[1] Ensure the mould is on a level surface- to ensure that the resin will cure in a level position.

[2] Add transparent dye to the resin, adding a drop at a time till you have the desired colour. Mix the dye with the resin till the colour is even. Add 5 to 6 drops of catalyst per 30ml of resin and stir for at least one minute. This first pour should be about 6mm thick. Allow this pour to gel but still be “tacky” before placing embedments in the mould or simply making the next pour.

[3] For the second pour mix the resin with drops of transparent dye till the desired colour is obtained. Stir thoroughly then add 4 to 5 drops of catalyst per 30ml of resin and again stir thoroughly. Pour into the mould, filling to the top of the mould. If desired a third pour of a different colour may be made to fill the mould. Use only 3 to 4 drops of catalyst per 30 ml of resin in any third pour.

[4] After the surface of the mould is hard it is time to remove the casting when you see it breaking away from the sides of the mould. Do not leave the casting in the mould beyond this time. It is easy to remove the casting by gently flexing the plastic mould away from the casting onto a sheet of mylar.

We are preparing a kit to take you through the entire process of embedding and making jewellery. The embedments will be made into a paperweight mould while the jewellery will be cast into a multi section cabachon mould. The kit is called “Clear Cast Liquid Plastic for Crafts”