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In this video I walk through the process of making rings out of clear polyester resin, a type of moldable plastic. I show you everything from mold-making to embedments. I used this same technique to make my RFID rings, which are clear plastic containing unique microchips useful for electronics projects where you want to identify a specific person wearing one. Thanks to Townsend Atelier for the sample of Knead-a-Mold, a welcomed (and much easier to work with) alternative to pourable silicone for mold-making.
Materials:
- clear casting resin and hardener – Michael’s or other craft store
- plastic cups
- wooden or plastic mixing sticks
- silicone mold-making material – Townsend Atelier Knead-a-Mold or Polytek TinSil
- measuring cup (if using Knead-a-Mold) or high accuracy scale (if using TinSil)
- original from which to make a mold, mine was 3D printed
- turpentine for cleaning up unhardened resin mess
- nitrile or latex gloves
- dremel (small rotary tool) or sandpaper for touchups
Safety precautions:
- Pourable silicone and craft resins emit fumes that are bad for you. Work outside or in a very well ventilated area or use a respirator, which is not the same thing as a dust mask. If you’re pregnant, wait until you are no longer so before attempting this project.
- Craft resin is bad for your skin; wear gloves even if you don’t think you’ll spill.
- Keep your kids and pets away from your work table.
- Read and understand all info in the MSDS sheet that comes with these materials
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