Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Photo Coaster Tips


The resin was tricky.  I know how much I loved this idea, so I wanted to pass on what I think would have made my project turn out better.

I bought the resin at Home Depot for around $15.  I bought my tiles for .35 each, and the prints for .28 each at WalMart.

The resin wasn't as smelly as I'd feared.  The instructions said to mix equal parts of the resin and hardener in a disposable container.  I recommend you use a different container for each batch.  I used a cough syrup measuring cup, but it wasn't large enough.This stuff is amazingly sticky and doesn't wash off with water.  I thought I could avoid getting it on my hands, but next time I will use disposable gloves.

I tried to wash my hands with soap and water, then nail polish remover, then canola oil, then about 10 more rounds of soap and water.  I think the oil helped some of it rub off on a towel.  I didn't have that much on me, but the resin was really, really sticky.  I even felt a little panicky about it.

The next tip is to pour a lot of resin on the tile, I'd say about an eighth of a cup.  It doesn't move much.  I spread it out with a piece of photo paper folded in half.  On three of them, I didn't pour enough.  I left gaps and a second coat added bumpiness.  I'm redoing those three.

The blog I read said they used a blowtorch to get rid of air bubbles but that a straw would work also.  I didn't have much luck with the straw.  I'm not sure what to recommend.

The last recommendation I'll make is not to work on a WalMart plastic sack that can somehow creep up and stick itself to the edge of one of the tiles.


 They need to dry for 24 hours.

Good luck!!