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D
Fig. A: Evenly coat the blank interior with Mod Podge.
Fig. B: Gently press the image down and smooth it
out. Fig. C: Pour the hardener into the resin, scraping
the sides with a craft stick. Fig. D: Pour the resin into
A B
C
3b. Pour the hardener into the resin. Scrape the
sides with a craft stick to get as much of it as
possible into the resin cup (Figure C).
Stir for 2 minutes. Be gentle, to avoid creating too
many air bubbles. Scrape the sides and bottom to
get a good mix. The resin will go from cloudy to clear
during the mixing.
3c. Pour the mixed resin into a clean medicine cup
and use a clean stick to stir it for 1 minute more.
Again, scrape the sides and bottom (Figure D). If
the resin isn’t mixed well it ends up with a sticky
surface because it doesn’t cure properly.
4. Pour the resin.
4a. Prop up one end of the buckle blank with your
scrap material to level it, so you’ll get an even
surface on your buckle after the resin cures.
4b. Pour the resin gently into the blank to avoid
spilling it over the sides. Make sure the resin covers
the entire image (Figure E).
4c. To release any bubbles, use a drinking straw to
blow gently across the surface of the resin. Some
people use a hair dryer, a heat gun, or a small torch.
140 Make: Volume
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I find that the heat gun causes the resin to splash
over the sides, and the torch can scorch the image
or the resin, so I prefer the straw method (Figure F).
Cover with a small bowl or other container to
prevent dust or pet hair from marring the surface.
5. Let the resin cure.
Resin will harden after 24 hours, but most brands
need 36 to 48 hours for a full cure. Follow the
instructions included with your resin.
After it’s cured, you can remove any small drops
of resin that may have fallen on the metal buckle
blank with a sharp craft knife. Gently use the edge
of the blade to get under the resin, and it will pop
right off. Be careful not to scratch the buckle, and
don’t let the excess resin you just removed fall onto
the surface of the buckle. Sometimes the resin will
stick to itself if it isn’t fully cured yet, and you’ll mar
the surface of the buckle trying to remove it.
That’s it! Pair your brilliant new buckle with the
belt of your choice (Figure G).
Jenifer Bryan is a graphic designer and photographer
who lives in Austin, Texas. Check out her website at
lucybluestudio.com.
