Epoxy resin for creativity: pouring, product options. Molds from epoxy and improvised materials Do-it-yourself molds for epoxy resin

This silicone (elastolux) is good because it does not react with epoxy.

Catalyst (pictured is a small bottle with a clear liquid). It is sold in a set with silicone.

Capacity for weighing and mixing silicone and a stick for stirring.

It is very important that the product has a perfect glossy surface, since silicone tends to take over all the smallest scratches. The fact is that small scratches are not always evident on colored products, but when you pour a transparent epoxy into a mold removed from such a product, such a scratch will be visible on a transparent epoxy. I emphasize once again that the product from which the mold is removed must be glossy, otherwise all epoxy products will be matte at best, and sometimes simply opaque. To create a silicone mold in the form of a ball, I use balls for bearings (you can buy them in the Yunost market in Kyiv). They come in different sizes and are sold individually.

When you are convinced that the product is free of scratches and defects, you can start making formwork. You can use sour cream jars, plastic cups, etc. In this case, for the ball, I took an empty package from under the shoe covers, and for the ring, a glass and a cap. The box from under shoe covers is convenient for those. that it is just the right size and the bottom snaps tightly into it from below - this is very convenient both when pouring silicone and when removing it from the formwork after hardening. You will also need plasticine, scissors, a knife and hot glue in order to secure the products and formwork. So let's get started.

We wipe the products with a soft cloth to get rid of possible specks and fingerprints - remember that the surface should be glossy.

We roll out a sausage for a ring from plasticine and a ball for a ball :-)

Carefully fasten the resulting sausage to the ring. We flatten the plasticine ball and attach it to the ball.

After that, we attach the ring and the ball to the caps.

Now we take the upper part from the box from under the shoe covers and cut off the top - we will pour silicone through it.

Now we snap this upper part of the box onto the lid. It fits snugly and the silicone won't slip off.

Now take a glass and cut off the bottom of it.

When creating formwork, it is usually recommended to leave a gap between the product and the formwork of at least 1 cm. From above, the product must also be covered with at least 1 cm. But, personally, I sometimes neglect this, since, for example, the ball is removed from the mold with such a wall thickness very problematic. Yes, and silicone in vain does not want to translate ....

Therefore, we return to our glass with the bottom already cut off and cut it to the required height with a small margin, so that it is enough to cover the mold with silicone and so that it does not run through the top.

Trying on. It is obvious that the distance from the product to the wall of the cup is too large, so we cut the cup. adjust to the desired size and glue with tape. The joints must be sealed very carefully, otherwise the silicone will run away.

Now, with hot glue, attach the cup to the lid. We check that there are no gaps through which silicone can drain.
In the photo, only a small piece is processed with glue - of course, this must be done around the entire circumference.

Now the products are ready for pouring with silicone.

The silicone that I use - elastolux should be mixed with the catalyst in proportions per 100 gr. silicone, 2.5 ml. catalyst. I won’t go into details and features of working with elastolux, since the manufacturer has quite detailed instructions on this matter. Silicone is weighed on a scale, the catalyst is measured with a syringe. The photo shows that I took 150 gr. silicone, respectively, the catalyst needs 3.75 ml. I must say right away that this amount of silicone is enough for you for 5-6 molds of this format as in this micron.

So, we measure the catalyst and pour it into the same container as the silicone and immediately begin to stir.

According to the manufacturer's instructions, silicone should be stirred with a mixer for at least 2 minutes, completely immersing the nozzle in silicone. But, the fact is that when you prepare a portion of silicone in a small amount, it is simply impossible to immerse the nozzle completely, so I just stir with a stick.

Now we fill the product with silicone. It should be poured in a thin stream, so less bubbles form.

But it should be borne in mind that silicone quickly begins to thicken. Count on the fact that you will have no more than 10 minutes to fill the product (depending on temperature conditions), but in reality it’s good if it takes 5 minutes.

After the molds are filled, leave them to harden for 7 hours. The first 10 minutes after pouring the foma, bubbles may appear on the surface - they can be popped with a toothpick or a needle.

When the silicone is completely frozen, separate the caps from the main mold.

We cut the formwork and remove the mold.

Sometimes silicone flows a little onto plasticine - just cut it with either scissors or a clerical knife.

Molds are ready!

A few more words on the care of silicone molds:
1. Silicone molds pick up dust and small specks, so it is better to store them in some kind of closed box.
2. Before pouring the epoxy, the mold must be washed in warm soapy water and dried well. I prefer to wipe the molds dry with an ear cleaner, as it happens that when the drops dry, they form whitish spots on the mold and be sure they will all be imprinted on your epoxy.
3. Rings and bracelets from mold are removed much easier if this is done under running water. Then wash the mold as described above.
4. When using a silicone mold for a bracelet, it is advisable to initially choose a mold of the desired height. From my experience, I somehow poured several layers into the mold for the bracelet and on the 3rd layer I decided that this height would be enough for me (and the mold was designed for a higher bracelet), when removing the bracelet, it naturally scratched the walls of the mold and use it more it is forbidden.
5. Molds are easily scratched, so do not try to pry the product with something sharp.
6. Molds should be stored in such a way that they are not deformed.
If you follow these rules, molds will last you much longer.

Now that's it, I hope this MK will be useful to someone.

Roses from cold porcelain, how to make molds and other useful things for modeling

Roses from cold porcelain, how to make molds and other useful things for modeling

A publication for those who are just starting to master cold porcelain modeling. Very beautiful roses belong to the author Tanyushsha. Below you will learn how to make molds for sculpting leaves and find a small list of the necessary tools for sculpting. I wish you all success in your work!

A METHOD of making molds that are not inferior to purchased ones (because they are made in exactly the same way)! AUTHOR lolkaolga

Materials: glass bottle (you can use hard plastic), petroleum jelly, soft plasticine for children (you can put it on batteries and it will be softer), epoxy glue (90 rubles) (or epoxy resin with a hardener in different bottles (sold in kilograms)).

We do not need the expensive transparent epoxy that is used in jewelry and other gizmos, so I purchased, on the advice of our universal well-wisher Svetlana (SVET1301), universal epoxy glue of the EDP brand, it is not expensive (90 rubles), and the amount of resin in one box per moldov 4-5 is enough! Its only negative is that it dries for a long time - because it is intended for gluing - but since our hardener is limited for the amount of resin, I had to wait a long time - complete drying probably takes a week + - another 3-4 days. The hardening rate depends on the amount of hardener and the air temperature (you don’t need to put it on the battery, otherwise the plasticine will melt and the print will not work), you can also add dyes on alcohol to give shades.

We roll the plasticine into a cake on glass or on a thick oilcloth, grease it with petroleum jelly and push the desired petal by rolling it with a bottle lubricated with petroleum jelly, make sure everything is beautiful, the work is dirty, prepare yourself wet wipes for wiping hands and bottles! Then we carefully make a border, I scraped it with a knife, moving it to the print. We remove the petal very carefully so that there are no extra notches from nails and fingers.


We prepare the epoxy according to the instructions in an unnecessary plastic food jar, such as yogurt, there will be no epoxy reaction with this plastic, the resin can be heated on batteries for fluidity pains. Pour the finished composition into our form and wait - I waited 3-4 days! See the fingerprint ?, I checked it - if it's sticky - we wait further!


We tear off the plasticine, I also had to wash the mold with a brush, then rub it with a damp cloth and wipe it with alcohol - degrease it! Dirty on the left, clean on the right!

AUTHOR lolkaolga
Homemade mold.
Production: we paste a transparent double-sided tape on a thick film (we put a printout of a leaf with veins under the film) and glue the threads on this tape in the right direction, the work is painstaking but the result is not bad, the threads can be taken of different thicknesses and then the texture will be more natural or something. After that, you need to open this "mold" several times with varnish so that the adhesive tape stops sticking (I opened it 3 times).

Mold: plate, price from 25 rubles.

Mold: plate, price from 25 rubles.
Plates of different sizes and shapes with this texture.

Mold: cutting board, price from 50 rubles.

Mold: bay leaf (soaked).

The mold is made of corrugated paper, the print is not deep, but the petals will be more realistic, the only thing is that the corrugation is painted a little, it is better to mold it with white corrugation (if there is one in nature, but if not, then in the color of the petals or light).

Homemade molds made of plaster and porcelain.

Miscellaneous things:
1 - Stack-bamboo needle (No. 4.5 length 20 cm)
2 - 2A - Bulk-smooth beads from the necessary and unnecessary beads (for rolling the edges of the petal)
3 - Stack handle (metal) (for forming the cores and rolling the edges of the petal)
4 - Cosmetic sponge (you can roll out the edges on it and press the HF to the mold so that there are no fingerprints)
5 - Stacks for modeling (I hook them with rolled petals)
6 - 6A - toothpick and skewer (gives texture to the petal)
7 - 7A - manicure bells and whistles (to add texture to the petals and leaves, as well as to make foam molds)
8 - Disposable spoons (we dry the petals in them to give shape)
9 - Manicure scissors (mode and shred the edges and not only ...)

Curly scissors: a very good thing, it makes it easier to shred the edges of the leaves (their price is different, from 45 rubles to 120 rubles)

Cutting knives - a knife (80r.) I chose for a long time everything I thought about how it would slide and cut in the right direction, but a pizza knife (70r.) is a good thing, but if the diameter is large, then it’s not very convenient to work with small parts, but if the diameter is smaller, it’s more convenient, well, a double knife (150r.) - wavy is also convenient for cutting leaves + my purchase of a cutting mat (expensive 230r. size A4)

Homemade: my dad made me all kinds of balls from bearing balls - a treasure!

Paint for greenery: I bought it for coloring a water-based emulsion and experimented with painting a samovar HF - I really liked the color - just chic looks so natural. The mass behaves in the same way as when painting with oil paints, it dries faster and the elasticity decreases, but not by much. In the left corner, the leaf is already dried up and the mass is fresh - as you can see, the color is practically the same!

Oil paint "Sonnet" - "Grass green" - a ball of 3 cm added 2 peas of paint. Oil paint "Gamma" - "Swamp dark" No. 528 - ball 3 cm added 2 peas of paint

Oil paint "Gamma" - "Glauconite green" No. 510 - a ball of 3 cm added 4 peas of paint

Syringe - it is needed for making thin, even sausages (orchid roots, curls, for running stems, etc.)

Homemade cutters made from beer cans

Purchased cookie cutters and not only, they are much cheaper than professional cutters - although of course they are inferior to them


Styrofoam balls - as a basis for flowers!
I bought a large package in a florist shop (solution from 0.5 to 1 cm) - 80 rubles, and "Fantasy World" balls in shops for creativity - 52 rubles.

A set of cuttings for making flowers from marzipan and mastic - I bought such a contraption at the exhibition "Formula of Needlework" for 650 rubles. These cuttings are very suitable for us - one set for all occasions! ;) I advise you to go to the bakery shops there are so many interesting things! and cheaper than floristic cutters!

Tools for marzipan - cheap up to 150 rubles. Everything for the baker is sold in stores.

So, first, we find suitable leaves. I chose a hydrangea leaf, a foxglove leaf, a girlish grape leaf, a regular grape leaf (I don’t know the variety), a rose leaf. I warmed up the plasticine a little in the microwave, rolled out the pancakes with a rolling pin (through parchment), made prints, raised the sides. I smeared it with a Vaseline-based massage cream with a brush. Next, I prepared the glue according to the instructions (I bought 120 ml glue). But before mixing with the hardener, I put a jar of resin in warm water to thin it for a couple of minutes. I poured glue into the molds. The layer thickness must be at least 3 mm.

I left the molds with epoxy for 5-6 days. And now the hardest part is to remove the molds from the plasticine molds. Despite the vaseline, plasticine is reluctant to leave. At first, she simply cleaned off the plasticine, then lowered it into hot water and removed the heated plasticine from the mold with a dry cloth, then she scraped the back side of the mold with a knife, and then wiped the mold with alcohol. Fuss, in short, a lot. But the result is satisfied. In future works I will show the use of molds in practice.
Here they are ready! From left to right, hydrangea, grapes, parthenocissus and foxglove. The dye from plasticine migrated to epoxy.

These are molds ready to be filled. Below is a leaf of girlish grapes and ordinary grapes, on top is digitalis (left) and hydrangea.

And this is a mold of a leaf of girlish grapes that textures a leaf of a new rose :)) It turned out so big, I really like it. At least I got leaf molds.

Used material from sites:

stranamasterov.ru/node/176771

If the number of castings is important to you and you understand in advance that this form should normally transfer a sufficiently large number of fillings, use silicones on a platinum catalyst, for example, Platinum 25, MoldStar. Silicones with neutral platinum catalysts are in most cases more resistant to aggressive media. than silicones on a tin catalyst. It means. that the form will transmit its original gloss and appearance longer. If you are just starting out, look for more fluid mold silicones, check with the manufacturer or seller. In this case, it will be more convenient for you to work with them.

Silicones convey matte and gloss well. That is, if you have a matte master model, the shape will be the same and the resin pour will come out with a cloudy surface. In this case, it is imperative to use varnish or master models with an initially smooth, varnished surface. The photo shows an example of how silicone is simply poured onto a glossy mirror with a matte pattern. You can clearly see the transfer of matte and gloss silicones.

3. Accurately observe the amount of base and catalyst in the silicone when mixing. Mix thoroughly for at least 3 minutes. Although the mold looks ready in a few hours, let the mold cure for at least 24 hours.
4. Wet and/or fresh molds must not be used to pour resins. Resins do not like moisture, this can lead to a violation of their properties (turbidity, discoloration). The same applies to pouring in a damp room.
5. Wash molds - both after polymerization and after pouring - using warm soapy water.
6. The form wears out the faster, the more often it is loaded - resin is an aggressive environment. Let's form "rest".
7. For a perfect top of the form, firmly attach the master model to the bottom of the formwork along the perimeter.
8. Store molds in food grade plastic wrap. not allowing moisture to evaporate, in a cool room, away from direct sunlight, so the shape is better preserved.
Successful creativity!

How to make DIY flower and epoxy jewelry

Extremely lightweight, airy jewelry made from epoxy resin jewelry is gaining popularity.

The ability to make jewelry in almost any shape, color scheme, as well as the availability of materials helped to find fans of this type of needlework around the world.

To create such a decoration you will need:

leaves and petals,

Two part epoxy resin

Syringes without a needle - 2 pcs.,

container,

wooden mixing stick,

Thick cardboard, tile or an unnecessary tray,

accessories,

Mini drill with attachments,

Gloves, if necessary - a respirator.

All manipulations are best done in a room that is well ventilated.

All petal flowers, twigs and leaves must be well dried for at least 4 weeks.

When preparing the resin, it is necessary to follow the manufacturer's instructions and mix in the proportion indicated by him. We collect from the package using syringes without a needle.

Mix for 3-4 minutes. The finished resin should resemble honey in consistency. It needs to be stirred occasionally so that it does not stagnate.

Further work should be carried out on a table, which is not a pity to spoil and a tray, which is also not a pity to spoil. :)

It is important that the coating of the tray does not stick to the resin and is glossy. Alternatively, you can cover the tray with tape.

When the resin thickens enough, spread the petals on the surface of the tray covered with adhesive tape and apply a drop of the petals. You can limit yourself to one drop and distribute it over the surface of the petal, wearing latex gloves on your hands. Cover the tray with a lid and leave for a day. Then we apply another layer of resin on top of the first.

24 hours after applying the second layer, turn the workpiece over and do the same from the back.

A day later, when the resin hardens, the blanks must be processed using a mini-drill.

First, grind the blanks with an emery nozzle. After that, you can varnish the products or pour resin again.

After you have obtained the desired shape, you need to make a hole for fastening with a drill.

Now it remains only to attach the accessories.

Epoxy Jewelry Ideas:

Similarly, you can make decorations from fabric:

Feathers:

And other materials:

Products created in this way must not be wiped with alcohol, acetone, etc. Avoid exposure to perfumes and deodorants. Do not leave in direct sunlight.

Epoxy can be used to make various items, it is actively used in industry and construction. Unusual decorations are made from such material, they are poured into prepared forms, and after a day the material hardens due to the hardener.

Advantages of Epoxy

Epoxy products have a number of advantages, first of all, they are distinguished by good resistance to acidic environments and chemical compositions. After curing, the workpiece does not emit toxic substances, and also does not shrink. Items are durable, and low moisture absorption. The resin has a long service life, that is, increased wear resistance.
Hardening takes time, adding a larger portion of the hardener does not speed up the process. In order for the resin to quickly harden, the material is heated, increasing the temperature by 10 degrees of the prescribed indicator.
Some material may solidify without heating. The curing speed is affected by temperature, and the type of material with which you have to work.

Using epoxy to pour various objects?

In order for the composition to freeze, it is necessary to perform work at a certain temperature of -5, +190 degrees. That is, resins can be of two types, cold and hot curing. When doing do-it-yourself work, cold hardening material is usually used, this makes it possible to manufacture products if it is not possible to perform heating for some reason.
In order for the manufactured items to be resistant to aggressive substances, it is necessary to perform work by heating.
Epoxy resin is used in different directions, it is impregnated with fiberglass, which is used in mechanical engineering or radio electrics. The material can serve as an excellent waterproofing, so the resin can provide reliable protection for basements, pools or flooring. Resin is used to make various decorations for rooms to give originality to the interior.

Proper preparation of the composition

For the manufacture of resin products, it is necessary to prepare materials, that is, epoxy resin and hardener. When working, it must be taken into account that when a lot of resin is heated, a large amount of heat can be generated.
There are several types of resin that can cure instantly or after mixing with a hardener. When working with such material, it is necessary to follow the correct technology, otherwise the resin may boil and deteriorate. Therefore, when choosing a material, you need to consult with the seller about the method of preparing the resin. After hardening, a transparent uniform workpiece should be obtained.
To make large or bulky items, a plasticizer is added to the composition, and the temperature is increased by heating the material, the viscosity of the epoxy becomes lower. The resin is heated in a water bath, then the material is lowered into a bowl of water, and cooled to 50 degrees. This method of heating can increase the solidification of the resin. If the composition boils, foam will appear on top, and the liquid becomes cloudy. Such a mixture is not used, it is necessary to reduce the viscosity of the material, for this a solvent is added, but this will affect the quality of the product.

Water must not get into the resin or hardener, otherwise the composition will begin to become cloudy. A plasticizer is added to the resin, gradually heating the material. To thoroughly mix all the ingredients, use a special electric mixer or a drill with a nozzle. The plasticizer is added in an amount of up to 10 percent.
Then the hardener is poured, the resin is pre-cooled to 30 degrees. In this case, the ratio of substance and resin is 1 to 10. All components must be well mixed in order to obtain a high quality product. The hardener is poured in gradually to avoid boiling of the resin.

Self-pouring items

When performing work, it is necessary to act consistently, adhering to a certain technology. The manufactured object must be of high quality and be transparent, it must not contain air bubbles. It is necessary to achieve uniform solidification of the resin from the inside and outside.
The resin is poured into prepared molds, which are lubricated with petroleum jelly so that the workpiece can be easily removed. To give the workpiece a certain color, various dyes are used in powder form. Three hours after pouring the mold, the resin begins to harden. Full solidification of the product occurs within a week.
Then proceed to trimming and polishing the product. When using dyes, the powder in the composition must be thoroughly mixed so that the coloring is uniform. Coloring elements must be of high quality, otherwise the resin may become cloudy.

Resin Safety Rules

When working, it must be remembered that the resin releases toxic substances during heating, so all protective equipment should be used.

1. When performing work, do not use food utensils, which will later be used for food. Such containers are considered unsuitable for food purposes.
2. Hands must be protected with long gloves so that there are no burns or an allergic reaction. Goggles are worn to protect the eyes, and a respirator will ensure respiratory safety.
3. The resin is stored for about a year, and then it is considered unsuitable for the manufacture of products, so the material must be used within this period.
4. If the resin gets on the skin, it is abundantly washed off with soapy water. This must be done immediately so as not to get burned.
5. If the composition is prepared indoors, then it should be well ventilated.
6. All components must be at hand in order to quickly complete the necessary work. Forms can be made independently or purchased in stores.

How to make resin jewelry?

To make earrings, you need resin and dried flowers of forest grass. First, the epoxy composition is prepared, using the instructions, all the ingredients are mixed, after which the material is left to make the necessary viscosity appear, this takes about 2 hours. After this time, air bubbles will disappear from the mixture.

1. Stencils of any arbitrary shape are drawn on paper, they can be round, oval or unusual.
2. Then it is necessary to prepare the surface, it is covered with oilcloth. There should be no grains or dust particles on the surface. And its structure should be smooth without differences, and flaws.
3. Stencils are laid on the film, ordinary files are placed on top. Resin is poured onto the file, and distributed over the entire stencil, the edges are formed with a toothpick. The filling is made up to 3 centimeters high, and covered with an oilcloth dome on top to prevent dust from entering the surface of the product.
4. Then the molds are left for a day to harden. After that, the blanks are removed from the film, and they are shaped with a nail file or sandpaper. Thus, the processing of the edges of the product is performed.
5. Now you need to prepare a new portion of the composition, and decompose the dried flowers. To do this, a little resin is applied to the product and dry blades of grass are glued to it, left to dry, and again covered with epoxy. Give the product its final shape with sandpaper.
6. At the tip of the product, a hole is drilled into which the ear is threaded. After that, the product is considered ready.

To make a bracelet out of resin, you need to use a special mold, mold. At the same time, the filling is performed slowly, the more accurately the work is done, the less grinding needs to be done. Sprigs are laid in a circle, and the leaves of dried flowers are straightened with a toothpick. To remove air from the product, the mold is placed in the oven for 15 minutes, while the temperature should not exceed 80 degrees. Then the form is taken out, and the product is left to solidify.

When the bracelet is completely frozen, it is removed from the mold, all uneven areas are polished with sandpaper. To add shine to the surface of the product, it is coated with acrylic-based varnish. Also, countertops are made from epoxy resin, for this it is necessary to prepare the old surface, build formwork along the edges, and evenly pour the composition. Dried flowers, coins or other decorative elements can be placed inside the resin. With the help of resin, they make an original floor in the bathroom with shells, starfish or other unusual decorations. For a beautiful picture, prints are used. You can also make unusual decorative decorations for the room, which will emphasize the interior.