Ice Resin by Susan Lenart Kazmer -How I use it in small quantities to decrease waste

Ice Resin is an awesome 2 part jewellers grade resin that I use heaps of. It dries to a hard durable non yellowing surface. It's self leveling. You can create domed effects on bezels by pouring half the height needed in, let that set and then pour more in till it domes. If you do get an uneven result or a bubble where you don't want it or a finished piece gets scratched then Ice Resin is also self healing. You just sand the imperfection away. Wash off and dry the piece and then pour more mixed Ice Resin on top. Even though the item looks milky after sanding it will go crystal clear once more resin is applied. You can drill thru it as well.

Ice Resin makes some papers see thru when applied on top. If you wish to apply it on paper or an image that you don't want to be transparent test a small section first. Use toner based copies of originals and/or apply a clear sealer (even a clear drying white glue) on top and let that dry thoroughly before you apply Ice Resin. (I rarely worry about that as I use allot of vintage book papers and I kind of like the transparent look of the words or images after Ice Resin is applied :o).

If you are using open backed bezels with Ice Resin place tape underneath and burnish where it makes contact with the back of your bezel to help stop the Ice Resin leaking out. Once the piece is set remove the tape. I always place a sheet of Glad Bake or other non stick baking paper on my work surface when I am using Ice Resin. I also cover my poured items till they are set with an upturned plastic container as I live where there are tiny little winged things that get attracted to light and inevitably one gets stuck in the ice resin setting surface that I don't see till its set! I usually wait till I have several items to pour at once and do the pour at night and cover it up. It will be then set and ready in the morning.

Ice Resin can seem hard in cold areas so if you go to use it and it feels hard just pop it in a container of warm to hot water for 5-10 minutes and it will be runny and easy to pour again. Like all chemicals always work in a well ventilated area when using Ice Resin. Ice Resin has minimal smell and is quite safe to use. If you are sensitive to chemicals of course use a mask and always use a mask regardless when you are sanding Ice Resin. Always read the instructions supplied with your Ice Resin thoroughly. There are loads of tips, instructions and videos at the Ice Resin web site here.

The trick to using Ice Resin successfully is to ensure you have exact equal amounts of part A and part B the hardener and I do mean exact. With my jewellery I sometimes use tiny amounts of Ice Resin on tiny embellishments or as a glue for attaching my tiny watch cogs etc. I prefer it over E6000 glue as E6000 does go yellow after time.

When I want to fill small bezels such as the brass keyholes in the photo below, a small bezel or attach tiny parts to my jewellery (the tiny watch parts are for the owl, bike and necklace in the photo below) I only need a small amount of Ice Resin and I use far smaller amounts then that recommended in the instructions. To use small amounts only I have developed my own way to make sure I am precise. I waste very little of the Ice Resin and the way I do it means I use very little consumer required things as well.

WHAT YOU NEED

• Ice Resin part A and part B hardener
• 2 small syringes. One marked A and the other marked B
• 3 plastic cups. I use cheap shot glasses from the cheap shop. They don't need measurements on the side. Mark one with a A and and another with a B. When you finish measuring and putting the ice resin in the third plastic container the containers marked A and B become the storage pots for their respective syringes. That way you can use the same syringe over and over without cleaning the syringes or containers as the A syringe/container will never mix with the B syringe/container!
• Something to wipe out the unmarked container after use and to wipe  the Popsicle stick on. I use a cheap cotton pad or tissues.
• Popsicle stick or something else to mix the resin with.
• Something to apply the Ice Resin mixture with. I will use a small paintbrush in this tutorial. It can't be used as a brush any more afterwards but I just lay the used brush on the Gladbake and when set I break it off at the metal section and then I use the Ice Resin encased brush as a dangle in my jewellery!
• Gladbake or other silicone baking sheet.
• OPTIONAL: Gloves and mask. I don't use them. Ice Resin washes of your skin easily enough. It doesn't burn the skin but is slippery. I also have a Q tip or cotton bud close by to remove any excess drips. 
• Container to place over the Ice Resin till it sets.

WHAT TO DO
1) Use syringe marked A and draw up required amount of Part A resin you want. I'm only attaching the small watch parts today so I only need a few mls. I drew up 3mls

Gently squirt that into the third unmarked container and put syringe A back in container marked A

2) Use syringe marked B and draw up 3mls of Part B resin.

Gently squirt that into the third container that already has the part A resin in it and put syringe B back in container marked B

4) Gently mix the two parts with Popsicle stick for the recommended time. It goes milky looking and then clear with no striations. Make sure you scrap the sides and the bottom as you mix.

5) Let the mixed resin sit under a warm light for 5-10 minutes to allow the bubbles to come to the surface and pop. Wipe the Popsicle stick clean and it too can now be used again.

 6) You have about 25 minutes before the mixed resin starts to thicken up so while its under the light I put the items I want to work on close by. Today I want to use the resin as a glue to attach small watch parts. When ready I dab small amounts of the mixed Ice Resin from the brush onto item of jewellery and then position watch parts over the small blob.

When I am done I wipe the container that had the Ice Resin mixture in it out with the cotton pad so its completely clean. Then I can reuse that too! Any drips I clean up with the cotton bud. Cover with a container and leave for the recommended time to set. If you miss a drip just use an awl to pull it off or craft knife to cut it off once its set.

Any questions please ask
hugs
Annette In Oz xxx