How to Make an Epoxy Keychain!

By: April Greenlaw

Welcome back to this week's craft series blog! In this week's blog we will be talking about how to make your very own keychains using Ekopel 2K!! You can always experiment using whatever resin you would like. In this blog we will talk about some of the things you will need for this project. As well as the step by step you will need to follow! We will also give you some helpful tips and tricks. With this project you can really get creative! You can use many different molds, color options, and fun things to add! Let's get started!! 

First things first you always need to start with Ekopel 2K or another great epoxy resin. If you will be using another epoxy resin make sure you read up on that epoxy. All epoxies vary, ours is eco friendly and non toxic so we don't require ventilation. Other epoxies are very toxic and do require ventilation and other precautions to be followed. Next you will want to come up with your design. Some people are creative enough to imagine a design, others get inspired by others' work. I would recommend google for some inspiration. Then you will want to take a trip to your local craft store to get your supplies. A lot of silicone molds can be found at your local craft store or online. You will also need gloves, stir sticks, cups, pin stem or chain, acrylic paints or colorants, glitter, etc. This is another place where your options are endless!! You can really get creative with what to add in and make it YOU!! You will also need a heat gun or hair dryer for the end of the project to pop those tiny bubbles!  Your options are unlimited here so go get creative!!

Now let's talk about how to make your very own unique keychains! You want to set everything up and make sure you have exactly what you need before you begin. It would be a bummer to run out of supplies in the middle. This also helps the process go a lot smoother if it's all laid out in order in front of you. This will leave less room for errors. Once you know what you are working with and have some sort of an idea on what you want to do here, you can begin mixing the Ekopel 2K or epoxy according to their directions. Remember mixing the Ekopel 2K or epoxy is the key to success! Also remember working with epoxies is like a science if one thing is off, the whole project could be off. Once everything is mixed well you can now separate the resin into a few different cups to add color. You could also add some glitter or shimmer to mix as well. At this stage you can add your glitter, dried flowers, or whatever objects you chose to get creative with. Some people like to add to the material itself. Others like to add in the middle, or do layers.  Make sure to go over your project with a heat gun or hair dryer to pop any little bubbles. Some bubbles you won't be able to see are called micro bubbles, they will still need to be popped. Some people like to use the heat gun or hair dryer to make cool designs like waves. Your options are endless while pouring! So have fun, and go get creative!! 

Lastly place your molds on a flat level surface. If it's not on a level surface, it could dry unevenly. If you want your keychain to have a pin or chain you could insert it into the epoxy and allow it to dry this way.  Allow your keychain to dry for 24 to 36 hours to fully dry and harden. Then remove them from the silicone molds! You will want to pull the mold away from the charm while pulling the charm at the same time. If you want to add the chain in after you could always drill a hole into the keychain, and place the chain through it.  Now that you have you have your own unique keychains!! Pull out those keys and enjoy!!