Tiered trays, bowls, and serving trays are included in this single tutorial for a simple reason. Epoxy resin is increasingly popular for creating items used for serving food, and for all these products, it is likely that you will want to use them for this purpose.
You can make them from any resin, but we recommend using Fluid resin for the final layer, or even for the entire product. Only this resin has a food contact certification. Therefore, you don't need to worry about the resin releasing any harmful substances into the food.
The Fluid resin is also suitable for use on serving boards with resin.
What you will need for production
Silicone mold
Resin
Color or metallic powder for resin
Decorative materials
Consumables
Scale
Production process
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Prepare the mold on a flat, covered surface and use tape to remove any dust and dirt. Level the surface ideally with the help of a spirit level. If the surface is not perfectly flat, the resin will run to one side.
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Mix the required amount of resin and hardener according to the size of your chosen mold. For these products, we most often use Fluid, iCrystal, or Start resin.
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Always mix resin according to the mixing ratio stated on the packaging and weigh both components on a digital scale with gram accuracy. Don’t forget to protect your skin, eyes, and respiratory system from contact with resin or its fumes while working with it. Mix both components thoroughly from the bottom and scrape them from the sides of the cup (approx. 3-4 minutes), then pour the mixed resin into a new cup and repeat the mixing. This eliminates poorly mixed areas that might not cure properly.
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Divide the resin into several cups according to your needs and color it, or add decorations. Don’t delay processing - resin is in the cup in a higher column than the recommended maximum pour height, so it works faster and may cure quickly in the cup.
Use only a few drops of color, powdered colors approximately the size of two pea-sized balls. Add and mix colors gradually until you achieve the desired shade.
A large amount of color could negatively affect the properties of the resin; the maximum recommended amount of color in the mixed resin is about 2%. -
Pour the mixed and colored resin into the mold. There are many options for application, and it depends on your imagination. For example, you can leave part of the resin uncolored and color part of it. Then pour the colored and uncolored resin into both sides of the mold. The colors won’t blend completely and create an interesting effect. You can place decorations or dried flowers in the transparent part.
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After pouring into the mold, remove surface bubbles using a lighter. Never hold the flame over the resin for too long; just move it over the bubbles. If you hold the flame too long on the surface of the mold, the resin may stick to the mold and damage both the mold and the product.
Remove bubbles from the bottom of the mold with a toothpick, for example. Also, be careful in the corners of the molds where bubbles may be trapped. -
Cover the product to keep dust out and let it cure. You can cover the mold with a plastic box, or place cups around the mold and put a cardboard on top.
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Finish the edges of the final product with metallic markers. Join tiered trays with center rods.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
If you need help or want to learn more about working with resin,
Visit our Tips and tricks section, where you can find everything you need to know about working with resin!
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