Buy ICE Resin and Jewellery Making Supplies in Australia
Making resin jewellery at home isn’t just fun, it can also be incredibly rewarding! Particularly when you can go out and show off your gorgeous creations to the world.
If you’re looking to make your own resin jewellery at home, you can’t go past ICE Resin’s quality jewellery making supplies. A crystal clear, liquid resin for jewellery making, ICE Resin is known for its ease of use, which makes it an excellent option for first-time home crafters
What Jewellery Making Supplies Do You Need to Get Started?
Getting started with resin jewellery making can seem a little overwhelming to begin with. But you really don’t need that much to give it a try. Here are the jewellery making tools and supplies we recommend for all first-time home jewellery makers.
- Liquid resin for jewellery making (or a syringe pack)
- Resin jewellery molds
- Resin bezels
- Mixing cups
- Stirring sticks
- Gloves
- Tints (optional)
- Powders and glitters (optional)
The easiest and, quite often, the most cost-effective method of getting all the jewellery supplies you need to get started is to buy a resin jewellery making kit. A kit will typically contain all the basic equipment you’ll need to create your first showstopping piece.
Please note, when buying a kit, you will still need to purchase bezels, molds, and any other extras that you want to add to your pieces.
How to Use ICE Resin for Jewellery Making
The most important thing to remember when using ICE Resin for jewellery making is that it’s a two-part epoxy resin. Part A (resin) and Part B (hardener) need to be mixed in a one-to-one ratio in order to work.
If you purchased a jewellery making kit, it will come complete with instructions on how to use it, but here are the basic steps you’ll need to follow to create your first piece of jewellery:
- If using an ICE resin jewellery making kit, slowly pour Part A resin into the measuring cup provided. Keep pouring until it’s half full (1 TBSP).
- Using the same cup, pour an equal amount of Part B hardener on top of the resin.
- Gently fold the resin and hardener together. You may notice the mixture begin to form tiny bubbles and turn slightly opaque.
- After a minute, switch to a stirring action, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom to prevent any resin or hardener from sticking. Continue stirring for two minutes.
- To achieve those crystal-clear results, leave the resin to rest for five minutes (this is when the little bubbles will begin to disappear).
- After five minutes, dip your mixing stick back into the mixture and use it to slowly drip the resin into the bezel where you have already placed your decorations or design.
- To create a beautiful dome, fill the bezel to just below the top and then leave to dry.
- Once dry, you can mix a smaller batch of Ice Resin and slowly drip that into the bezel. The liquid resin will form a natural dome due to surface tension.
- Avoid moving the bezel after pouring but check back in 30 minutes for any bubbles. You can gently pop these with a skewer or toothpick.
- Throw away all measuring cups and sticks after use. Reusing can damage future pours.
If you’re using an ICE Resin Plunger you’ll follow the same instructions as above, but rather than having to measure out your resin and hardener, you simply need to press down on the plunger to squeeze out an even amount.
You don’t even need to use all of the liquid in the plunger at once! If you want, you can squeeze out enough for one or two bezels, and then simply clean off the top and replace the cap to save your resin for a future project.
How Long Does ICE Resin Take to Dry and Cure?
Drying times can vary depending on the temperature and humidity of the room; taking anywhere between 6 to 12 hours. The resin should look crystal clear and feel smooth as glass once dry. If the resin is still sticky after 24 hours, something has gone wrong with the process.
Curing takes 3 days. Avoid placing your new resin piece in an air-tight container during this time, as a lack of oxygen may turn the resin cloudy.
How Long Does ICE Resin Last on the Shelf?
ICE resin has a one-year shelf life, so it's best to use it before then. Once the bottles have been opened, exposure to the air will cause the hardener to go a darker shade of yellow over time. This doesn’t always mean that the hardener is unusable, but we suggest creating a test piece before working on something more complex.
If the resin has gone white and cloudy, or is really yellow after mixing, it’s past its shelf life. Resin past its shelf life will still cure, so if clarity isn’t a big deal or if you like the yellow tint, you can still use it in jewellery, or even use it as a casting medium.
Using Tints and Glitters in Your Resin Jewellery
To add a bit of sparkle to your resin, or to give it an interesting colour, there are a range of exciting tints and glitters available. Simply add a couple of tinting drops to your mixed resin for a subtle hint of colour, or multiple drops for greater saturation.
For a glittery look, you can pour ICE Resin Opals, Shattered Mica, Glass Glitter, or a number of other materials into the bezel prior to pouring, or you can sprinkle them on top for a bright pop of colour.
Ready to get started on your resin jewellery? Don’t forget to share your amazing creations on Instagram and tag us @riotartandcraft. We love seeing what our amazing customers can do with our products!