[Samantha C]

Hello!

I’ve been making doll miniatures for a few years and recently began making Barbie doll jewelry. I’m having an issue with the necklaces & tiaras being too brittle. If you can imagine how thin and tiny the pieces are you’ll certainly understand how an incredibly low viscosity is crucial.

I use a low viscosity, shore A 15 silicone to make my molds, as it captures the tiny details of my prototypes and is highly flexible. Needless to say I have to use a very low viscosity casting resin to fill those tiny spaces and limit bubbles. And my squishy soft molds would never stand up to a pressure chamber. I also use different liquid tints and powder pigments to color them.

I suspect the mica & pigment powders contribute to the brittleness of such tiny pieces. Perhaps such a low viscosity resin is more brittle? Maybe I shouldn’t use epoxy? However, I’ve always been under the assumption that polyurethane was even more brittle with a higher risk for bubbles.

Is there a particular brand of super low viscosity resin that is also non brittle or a bit more flexible? Should I try a different brand pigment powder?

Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks so much for your time:)

[Katherine Swift]

Hi Samantha,

You’re right. Low viscosity resins (epoxy and polyurethane) cure hard. I can see how that’s a problem since it sounds like they crack when you try to flex them.

Have you looked into 3D printing options?

[Samantha C]

I have. I’ve been reading reviews of various brands and resins for the past few years, actually lol.

I suppose the hefty upfront costs, coupled with learning the design software, have been the biggest deterants. I’d really love to get into it when I have the time. And to be honest, all the money I’ve spent on experimenting with different materials, I could have a pretty decent 3d printing set-up right now lol.

But valuable bit I’ve learned is that, when color needs to be consistent from batch to batch, you can pre-tint/color part B (Hardener) and store for repeat use. It won’t alter or inhibit the cure, at least for a few months. 9 weeks is the longest I’ve tested. I haven’t tested every brand, of course, but I have tested Castin’ Craft’s Clear Cast, Alumilite’s Amazing Clear Cast, and a slew of no name brands.

The one exception (so far) is ArtResin. The dye must be oil based (no h2O) and you must pre-tint part A, the resin.

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