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What’s in My Resin Kit

I feel a little weird writing this because I’m still very much learning whatever I can about pouring resin.

In the beginning, I definitely bought a lot of things I used once or never touched again. Resin can be wasteful, which quickly turns into wasted money. These are the things I actually keep with me when I start a resin project.

I didn’t include components because you can literally put anything in resin. I’ll share where I like to buy those in another post.

1:1 Resin

I’m not cool enough at resin yet to have a favorite.

I usually buy whatever I can find on Amazon that looks decent. It lasts me a while, and by the time I need more, the one I bought before is gone anyway. I stick to a 1:1 ratio resin with low VOCs so the smell and fumes aren’t too bad.

Now that I’m writing this, I feel like I should eventually pick one and be loyal to it. We’re not there yet.

Heat Gun

A heat gun is a game changer.

You can use a hair dryer, but it’s huge for the scale of what I make and kind of too aggressive. You can also use a straw and blow, but I’ve definitely gotten lightheaded and accidentally spittled onto my piece.

The heat gun is small, controlled, and just makes everything easier. It gets rid of bubbles so you can focus on making things cuter.

Silicone Mat

I avoided buying silicone tools, let alone a silicone mat, for way too long. I’m embarrassed about it.

This is non-negotiable now. Cleanup is easy. You just let everything cure and peel off whatever dripped or spilled. You’ll also waste less because you’re not ruining surfaces or throwing things away.

Silicone Mixing Tools

Another thing I waited way too long to buy. I use silicone mixing cups and stir sticks for mixing liquid resin. They save so much time and cleanup. This kit I bought came with finger condoms and I thought it was funny.

Just like the mat, you let everything cure and peel it off. I used to go through so many plastic cups and craft sticks. I felt bad about the waste, and it added up.

Skinny Craft Sticks / Barbecue Skewers

Even though I have silicone tools, I still keep these.

I use them to position components in resin. Yes, technically other tools can do this, but I’m old school and I liked how these feel in my hand. Like I have more control over what I’m doing. The sticks are a good catch all and the skewers are helpful for small rhinestones, etc.

Also, I work with really small pieces, and some silicone tools are just too big or too bouncy for that level of detail.

Wax Pencil

This is what I use to place rhinestones. Some of my pieces are heavy on small cabochons and rhinestones. I usually place them when the resin starts to gel a bit. That means I have to move quickly.

The wax pencil lets me pick things up and place them without chasing them around.

Silicone Placement Tools

I use these silicone tipped sticks when I need a little more control, but I don’t want to get my fingers all in it. I saw these at the nail salon and figured they could for for crafting.

They’re especially helpful for getting air bubbles out from under cabochons when the heat gun can’t reach.

I’ll use the tip to gently rock a piece until the bubble finally farts out. 

Tape

I use scotch tape for quick cleanup. Mostly for molds and silicone tools before I wash them. It grabs whatever I missed and keeps things from getting messy later.

Final Thoughts

After years of being a “wannabe” resin person, these are the supplies I keep. I’ve tried a lot of things that didn’t earn a spot in my arsenal, and these are the ones that did. They make the process easier, cleaner, and a lot less frustrating.

I like having everything in one place so I don’t have to think about it when I’m in the middle of a project. Also, if I have an excuse to put everything in a cute box and call it a kit, I’m going to do that.