Making Resin Pendants - Part 1: Supplies

I've decided to write some tutorials on casting resin.
Casting resin is a great way to make sturdy, attractive, and original pendants. You can make them in different colours, float different things in them, mold them in any shape that you can find a mold for (or make a mold for) and some other things I can't think of because I'm blogging at 10pm.

So that this isn't a massive post that goes on forever, I've also decided it do it in parts :)
Today I will start off by going through the various supplies required for casting resin.

1. Moulds
   No point mixing up some resin without something to put it in!
   There are varieties of moulds available specifically for resin casting. Furthermore, so long as you can pop the resin out once it's set, you can use just about anything! The face mold shown is technically for plaster. Technically-shmechnically...
   
   
2. Resin
   Well duh, but I just have a note to add here. Resin comes in 2 parts. Always. The reason is because if you didn't need to mix it then there'd be nothing to stop it setting in the bottle! The thing is that you can't nececarily swap brands. Each brand has its own ratio. Pictured below is 2 different brands. One is from a resin casting online store (Aldax). The 2 parts should be mixed even-stevens. If the amounts are uneven, the resin won't set.
   
   The second set is from an Australian hardware store (Bunnings). The resin in this case is mixed with a catalyst agent at 3%. That means 200 ml of resin with 6 ml of catalsyt. Big difference, huh?
   
   
3. Measuring cups
   You need 3. Two for measuring out each individual resin and another for mixing then into.
   
   
4. Popcicle sticks
   For mixing.
   
   
5. Mold release agent
   Some molds are ok, but you're better off having it than not. The release agent is sprayed onto the moulds before the resin is cast.
   
   
6. Additives
   The fun part. This is whatever you want to cast into your resin.
   A few examples shown here are glitter, transparent dye, and marble dust (face up top used marble dust).
   
   

And that's all you really need to get started! All of these products are available at reasonable pricing. I only know where to get them from Australian sites though. If you like some shop websites, just leave a comment and I'll get onto it.

Stay tuned for the next post where I'll demonstrate (via photos) the mixing and casting.
I know I can't wait :P