Safety

No matter what resin brands might claim on their bottles, it is best to treat all resins as if they are toxic. After all, resin is made of hazardous chemicals, and epoxy resin is a powerful irritant. We should remember that every time we work with it. Above all, we need to be mindful of our skin, our eyes, and our respiration.

Equipment

Here’s a list of some must-haves before we begin working with resin. Most of these can be easily found on Amazon, or else you can find them in local DIY shops.

Gloves

Use nitrile gloves to protect your skin from resin, which can irritate it. Nitrile gloves are tough and much more chemically resistant than latex, which can also trigger allergies in some people. Starter resin sets often contain flimsy, plastic gloves, and while these are better than nothing, they’re not the best at creating a solid barrier between the resin and your skin. If you do get resin on your skin, wash it straight away with warm, soapy water.

Goggles

Buy a pair of goggles. These are surprisingly affordable, and while you might feel like you’re back doing your science GCSEs, they are essential for protecting your eyes. If you do get resin in your eyes, flush them out as best you can with clean water for 15 minutes and seek medical attention as soon as you can.

Respirator

If you are unable to work in a very well-ventilated area, then it is worth investing in a respirator. Inhaling resin vapours for long periods can trigger respiratory irritation, asthma, and allergic reactions. At the very least, it is worth using a face mask (which most of us are used to now due to recent global events) while working with resin.

Clothing

It goes without saying, but don’t wear your Sunday best when working with resin. If resin gets on your clothes, it is best to change out of these as soon as possible in case it transfers to other surfaces, or even worse, you. Consider wearing an apron while working with resin.

Disposing of Resin

Ideally, you will have estimated the amount of resin you need in advance so that you don’t need to get rid of lots of leftover uncured resin. I recommend pouring excess into spare moulds. At the very worst, you’ll end up with a bunch of trinkets you can pass out as little gifts.

If you have resin left over, it’s important to know how to dispose of it safely. Do not simply pour it down the drain or toilet. Not only can this ruin your pipes, you also risk pollution and harming aquatic life.

Let the leftover resin cure in the mixing cup. If it’s a silicone cup, this makes it very easy to peel out once it’s cured. You can then toss the solidified resin into your usual rubbish bin.

When throwing out empty resin bottles and containers, make sure that they are as empty as possible, and keep the lids tightly screwed on. These can then go into your normal rubbish bin.