DIY cellotape moulds


I wanted to try out something different, and make pendants in a rough and rustic style and shape. I honestly had no flippin idea how these would turn out, but I'm so glad I went ahead and experimented. Feel free to try this out yourself!




What you'll need...


  • Tape (large parcel tape)
  • A pot or mould to store the pendants upright while setting.
  • Small pieces of wood  or strips of bark 
  • Extra inclusions (flowers, leaves, etc) 
  • A dremel /rotary tool/sander (for faster sanding and buffing)
  • Plasti-kote clear gloss spray
You will also need the usual tools when working with resin, i.e. scales, mixing pot... 

Don't forget to wear your gloves and apron. Cover your workspace if you don't want to get resin anywhere. Check with your resin supplier for safety information. Some resins need to be used in an outdoor area due to toxic fumes. 


*Depending on how quickly your resin starts to cure, you can mix it either before or after making up the moulds. If you're unsure, I'd suggest first making the moulds and adding the inclusions, then you can mix your resin. 


Step 1.

First gather up the pieces of wood you'd like to use, and make sure each piece is a suitable size for a pendant. The wood also needs to be completely dry.



Step 2.

Cut off a strip of tape long enough to wrap around the wood completely.

Step 3.

Place your wood onto the tape in the position you wish, and slowly start to wrap the tape around, leaving a pocket in front of the wood with enough room to add a flower/leaves or whatever you choose to include. 
Repeat this process by wrapping layers of tape around, and also underneath the wood to create a secure leak proof DIY cellotape mould. You can add as much tape as you like, as long as it seems secure and with no visible gaps that the resin can creep out of.








Step 4.

Once the mould is sorted, you can then start to add the extras. This is down to you, whether it be glitter, flowers, leaves etc. Don't worry too much when these extras get stuck onto the tape. It may also help to use a small spoon and pokey tool to guide these extras into the small space.
*Be careful not to over pack the space, this will cause a problem when pouring the resin, as air can become trapped, creating holes in your finished piece.




Step 5.

When all of your cellotape moulds are ready for the resin you'll need to find a pot or something suitable to help keep your pendant moulds upright while they are setting. This will also catch any resin that manages to escape through small unnoticed gaps.


Step 6.

If you've not yet mixed your resin, this is now the time to do it. Once your resin is mixed and ready to use, you can start to pour into your moulds. Do this slowly. You'll want to give any trapped air a chance to rise up and escape. I sometimes find giving the mould a gentle squeeze will help move and dislodge bubbles if they are trapped under something. A pokey tool will also help with bubbles. 
Fill your moulds to the desired amount, be careful not to fill too high to prevent spillage. Check back on your pieces while they are setting as bubbles can appear on the surface afterwards. This will give you a change to pop them before the resin has hardened. 

*Wood is a bit of a bugger when it comes to bubbles! If you're unable to stop them from appearing on the surface (especially those little pesky ones!) then don't panic, the top of your pendant can be sanded down when we get to the later stages. Let your pendants set for the recommended time on your resin instructions. 


Step 7. "The unwrapping"

I made a little video while unwrapping the tape! Don't be put off by how awful your pieces may look once unwrapped. They will be a covered in bumps and grooves from the tape, and they will also be rocking a very questionable shape! We still have some work to do! 



Step 8. 

* For this step PLEASE WEAR A SUITABLE DUST MASK!!! *

This is where you'll need to sand and reshape your pendants. Resin dust is highly dangerous to inhale, so please please do this outside and wear your dust mask. Be sure to use one that's suitable for this type of work. You'll want one that prevents even the smallest of particles from entering your lungs. I would also recommend wearing safety goggles when using tools such as a dremel / rotary tool, for drilling and sanding.




Sand your pendants down to level out any large bumps or crevices and into your desired shape. I also sanded down far enough to allow certain parts of the wood to show through the resin, leaving a lovely texture and effect.





Step 9.

Once sanded into shape you'll need to sand again using a high grit paper. I do this using wet/dry paper in a bowl of water. The first round of high grit sanding I used a 600grit paper. Put your piece in the bowl or water and sand. Smooth out the surfaces as best you can (This does require a lot of elbow grease!!) Once you're happy, you can then move on to a higher grit paper. The ones I used are a 2000grit. These are super smooth, and do the buffing layer to bring some shine back. 

*You may need to repeat step 9 a few times to get the surfaces as smooth as you'd like. Please keep your mask on while sanding, even when using wet sandpaper.



Step 10.

You'll need to leave your pendants to dry out over night, just to make sure no moisture gets trapped when you do the final gloss stage. 

Step 11.

This is where I've made them shine again. You don't necessarily need the gloss spray, because there are ways to get the shine back by sanding. But if you're like me, and want to finish it faster, then this handy sealer is perfect for the job! The one I've used on these pendants has been linked above in the 'What you need' section! Or you can search online.
You will have to coat the pendants a side at a time, and leave the wet faces to dry before turning over and doing the other side. You can either spray directly onto the pendants, or as I've done, sprayed into a pot to create a liquid, then use a paintbrush to paint the gloss onto each surface.  Repeat this process until you are happy with the finish. I used a few layers of gloss spray with drying time in between.



Step 12. (The end!)

Once your funky looking pendants are dry you can drill a hole into the top, and add some cord to wear as a necklace. 






I really do hope you like this blog post, and please feel free to share any feedback or photos of your tried and tested pieces. 

And remember, you can choose your own style and design, and finish them off however you choose. If you'd like them smoother than the ones shown then it's just a case of sanding them more to smooth them out. 

If you need any advice, please comment below, and if you would like to try with the resin I use then you can find them here... resin4art.com

Thank you for being here 
Love Jane x



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Comments

  1. Lorraine Britton15 March 2019 at 14:29

    I love how the bark looks golden. Thank you for sharing your knowledge x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww thank you very much! I'm happy to help, so feel free to message me any time x

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  2. Thank you for this tutorial, these are gorgeous! Do you seal your flowers/ leaves with anything before putting in the resin? I’ve tried without and the flowers change colour or go discoloured. Feeling a bit frustrated by it. Thanks in advance!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, thanks for your message. I dont seal the flowers, or do anything special with them. As long as the flowers are completely dry they should be fine to go straight in. Some flowers turn bad in resin, and others are fine. It's good to experiment and you'll soon figure out what works better than others. I hope this helps, and feel free to get in touch again if you need anything else x

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