Epoxy resin for jewelry and jewelry from it

Epoxy resin for jewelry is a modern chemical material, which is very popular among craftsmen creating handmade ornaments. From the plastic mass, you can make products that completely mimic the glass. Extremely attractive natural materials (cones, dry flowers, leaves, etc.), filled with transparent gloss.

People who are not indifferent to beautiful ornaments and are fond of creating all kinds of handicrafts with their own hands, suggest together to find out what the epoxy resin is, what are the rules and subtleties of working with it. Within the framework of the article, we will hold a small master class on making a pendant.

We study the content

The word "pitch" usually causes an association with the natural origin of the substance. But in this case it is a chemical product. Externally, the glaze is a clear liquid, which contains two components: resin and hardener.

When combined, the substances react chemically, polymerizing with each other. As a result, the resin is completely cured. Before the polymerization begins, solid fillers can be added to the glaze, which can change the properties of the resulting plastic material to the desired side.

Varieties of modified plastics

The epoxy resin is produced by our own hands on the basis of well-known brands of glue of domestic production - ECF and EAF. You can buy them in shops that sell household goods. A small package for 280 g costs about 70-80 rubles.

The ratio of modified resin and hardener should be in the range 8: 1 - 10: 1. The chemical polymerization process takes place at room temperature and lasts for several hours. For complete hardening, it will take at least 12 hours. The curing agent for epoxy resin affects the polymerization rate: the more it is in the composition, the faster the product shape will be fixed. The ratio of components must be measured very accurately - this directly affects the final result.

Another product of the domestic chemical industry is epoxy resin ED-20. It is very convenient to work with at home, and the price looks more attractive (twice cheaper than the ECF and EAF). A significant disadvantage is the large packaging: 6 kg of resin and 1 kg of hardener.

On the sale you can also find two-component compounds of foreign production. On their basis are obtained excellent products from epoxy resin. In addition to the main raw materials, in the packaging you can find protective gloves, plastic measuring cups, wooden stirring sticks. Such sets are much more expensive than domestic counterparts. Mixing ratio in them can be very different: 2: 1, 1: 1 or otherwise. It is possible that the proportions will have to be calculated according to a special formula. In any case, follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

We take care in work

Epoxy resin has a wide application in construction, finishing works, as well as in printing industry. Raw materials for technical purposes have a pronounced chemical odor, and evaporation has an irritating effect on the respiratory system. When working with industrial material, use protective equipment.

Epoxy resin for bijouterie and decorative works of proven manufacturers does not cause harm to health. Although the rules of safety are still neglected not worth it. Usually they have detailed information on the factory packaging, but it's not out of place to mention it now. So, precautions when working with chemical glaze:

• So that the resin does not get on the skin of the hands and mucous membranes, you should work in rubber gloves and a protective petal;
• In case of getting a chemical on the body, immediately remove it from the skin and rinse with clean water of the place of contact;
• It is not possible to use resin for the manufacture of articles in contact with food;
• It is recommended to cover the working space with a polyethylene film or wax paper ;
• Work is carried out in a well-ventilated room.

We maintain the temperature regime

The polymerization process is accompanied by the release of heat. As a result of the chemical reaction, the resin can be heated to 60 degrees. This feature should be taken into account when choosing the filler molds, it is desirable that they are heat-resistant.

Preheating the starting components accelerates the polymerization process. As the temperature rises, the flow of the resin increases and its viscosity decreases. Pouring epoxy resin fine parts will occur faster and better if the solution is preheated to 25-30 ^o C. Then, filler is introduced into it and only then the hardener.

Lowering the air temperature and excess moisture adversely affect the polymerization. Under such conditions, the process may be too long or not complete at all.

We achieve the necessary consistency

While the epoxy resin for jewelry did not enter the polymerization stage, it retains the properties of a viscous liquid. If a dry filler is introduced into the solution, it can fall down (cement, gypsum) or rise to the surface (wooden crumbs, cork). This feature of the material should be taken into account when choosing the mold and distributing the composition over it.

Application of auxiliary means

The main difficulty, which will have to face in the process of work - air bubbles. If you give the mixture a little to stand or slightly to warm it, then they will float upward. To get rid of the bubbles sticking to the form, you can use a conventional toothpick. To epoxy resin with your own hands turned out to be an ideal consistency, make a fill with a thin trickle through a fine strainer.

In the work with glaze it is convenient to use disposable utensils for preparing a separate portion of the mixture. For these purposes, plastic jars from dairy products (yogurts, cottage cheese) are suitable. Stir the mixture conveniently with wooden sticks from ice cream.

To produce an accurate dosage of components, you can use medical syringes of different capacities. Please note that in this case, epoxy resin casting should be carried out in a container from above. A hardener is typed into the syringe in the usual way.

Forms for pouring it is desirable to grease with a protective solution. It can be replaced by regular petroleum jelly or parquet mastic. Apply a thin layer and remove excess easily with a cotton swab. If the molds are made of silicone, polyethylene or plexiglass, they will not need to pre-lubricate.

Let's talk about fillers

Solid and liquid additives affect how the resulting decorations of epoxy resin are obtained. Most often, alabaster, cement, chalk, wooden crumb or glitter (sparkles) are used for this purpose. The content of the additive in the total volume of the mixture is not more than 50%.

Dry fillers provide a hard, but brittle plastic. To neutralize the unwanted quality and improve the ductility of the material, liquid plasticizers are used. The most simple and affordable additive can be castor oil. Usually, one or two drops are enough.

Choose the composition for the manufacture of the pendant

A special transparent epoxy resin for bijouterie will help us create a decoration. As an example, you can take the two-component composition Gedeo produced by the French company Pebeo with a capacity of 150 ml.

The material perfectly imitates glass and is used not only in the manufacture of jewelry, but also for multilayer coatings, surface decoration, restoration of cracks. The basis for application can be glass, metal, faience, silicone, plastic, painted wood. Glaze differs with exceptional transparency, absence of smell, it is easy to prepare. The finished product is characterized by increased strength and does not turn yellow with time.

Step-by-Step Actions

1. In a clean, dry container, the glaze components are placed in the following order: first 100 ml of Resin A liquid, then hardener for Hardener B 50 ml epoxy resin. Both substances must be thoroughly and smoothly mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. It is important to prevent the formation of air bubbles. If you still can not avoid this, you can immediately pierce them with a wooden toothpick. The mixing process can take 15-20 minutes.
2. The resulting mixture has a liquid consistency, so it should be set aside for 40-60 minutes. This time should be enough for the solution to reach the viscosity of a thick jelly.
3. During this time we prepare the form, the depth of which should not exceed 50 mm. If the volume is too large, the glaze may not harden. It is very convenient to mold jewelry from epoxy resin in a silicone container. On sale are products specifically designed for these purposes. If a mold is used from material that comes into contact with epoxy, then it must be treated with a protective grease.
4. A small portion of the resulting mixture is poured into a prepared mold and allowed to dry for 15-20 minutes.
5. Decorative details are spread over the frozen surface using tweezers. It can be colorful stones, crumbs, dried flowers, leaves and so on.
6. Top with the remaining mixture. Distribute the composition evenly so that it completely covers the inner element.
7. At the end of the potting, the epoxy resin for the jewelry should dry out within 24 hours. Since the surface attracts dust from the air, it is better to cover the shape.

Helpful Tips

If you do not want to wait long, you can speed up the drying process by slightly heating the mold in the oven. Try not to allow overheating, otherwise bubbles may form on the surface.

A hole for the lace can be done with a wooden stick, while the product is in a soft state. If you are late with this - do not worry, you can carefully drill a hole in the frozen pendant.

Make sure that the surface where the mold is located is absolutely smooth. This will not allow the mass to roll in one direction.

After taking out the finished decoration from the mold, sand it with a rough abrasive to smooth the edges. Thread the lace into the opening and wear the pendant for good health.