Now, making resin dice is just a piece of cake. You’ll see people involve themselves in several indoor games during this pandemic. Though, it’s undeniable that board games are one such favorite time pass for many these days. But, you’d require some dice for playing it, from family-friendly to roleplaying. Moreover, it would be not very pleasant when you can’t find Dice while playing the game.
Interestingly, you’d need some oddly shaped dices for dome games, and it would hard to buy them instantly from any store so, you’d be left with only one option that’s making them on your own. Many people are wondering about having a resin dice guide so that they could make resin dice. So, we will try to guide each one of you to make it at home easily. Keep reading the article further to get some detailed information regarding Dice making processes.
Types of Dices
You must know about the standard dice moulds that primarily consist of seven sets of variations, that includes the following types:
- Tetrahedron Dice or D4
- Cube Dice or D6
- Octahedron Dice or D8
- Pentagonal Trapezohedron Dice or D10
- Percentile Dice or D00
- Dodecahedron Dice or D12
- Icosahedron Dice or D20
- Zocchihedron Dice or D100
What materials do you need for casting Dice?
Those wanting to make Dice out of resin must have a few specific tools and materials. Below, we will make a list of requirements that you’d undoubtedly need for casting good-quality Dice out of casting resins and suitable silicon mould.
- One must have three cups that are disposable, measuring and mixing.
- Also, it is crucial to have some sticks made up of either rigid or plastic for the mixing process.
- Keep some toothpicks that would be needed for removing bubbles from the resin moulds.
- Ensure to have a clean and plain surface that you’d use for work.
- Keep some decorative items as per your choice.
- For numbering the Dice, you’d need mica powder, alcohol inks, or you could have some suitable resin colourants.
It is essential to keep all the materials ready before you start making it. You’d have to face a lot of trouble if you don’t keep your materials ready.
How could you make resin dice using brought dice moulds?
1. Prepare for the making procedure.
Before you start making the dice, the first step is to have a separate clean working space to avoid making a mess out of resin. And, we have already mentioned the types of dice. Still, it would be best to decide the kind you’d make and get all the materials mentioned above to start the process in a hassle accessible manner. Also, after getting everything clear in your mind, purchase the moulds from any online store as per your choice.
2. Process of mixing the resin
Let’s take an instance; those wanting to make polyhedral Dice could follow the further steps, and those who’re going to make some other type could take the steps as an example. For mixing the resin, you’ll need to follow the instructions provided on the packaging. You’d have clear instructions for using the quantity that you have to use for the project in that package. You’ll have to pour the amount of resin into the disposable measuring cups and mix them using a spoon or other tool.
While mixing the whole thing, you must keep in mind that the air doesn’t get trapped between the mould. So, position the whole thing accordingly. Later, you have to use the toothpick that’d direct the resin to make the hole. Next, the wax should be allowed to cure after you pour it into a mould.
3. Decorate it
You’d get two options for the looks of your Dice, and you can either keep it as it is in a clear form or add something extra to decorate it. If you want to have it clear, skip these particular steps; others could follow other processes. There are various ways to decorate the dice, like using alcohol inks or mica powders to get some attractive colour for your Dice. Later, you can add some fancy glitter powders to the mixture and ensure that you always mix it thoroughly before pouring the mixture.
4. Allow the resin to cure
After completing the above steps, it is vital to leave the resin for 24 hours to cure before handling the mould. Before you mould the wax, you’d test it by checking by touching it whether it is hard and smooth. Sometimes, you’d need 48 hours to 72 hours to properly cure the resins. You could know that there’s something wrong with the resins when you find them sticky and wet and don’t appropriately cure.
5. Demold the Dice
After the above procedures and curing the resin, you have to mould your dice casting. If you still find the casting sticky then, your resin isn’t fully healed, so you’ve to put it in the freezer overnight to let the stickiness go away, indicating your success for the project.
6. Give some finishing touch.
After removing the Dice casting successfully from the mould, you’d still find some extra materials left by the edges of the Dice. Those supplementary materials make a good indication that your polyhedron dice has formed an end product by slightly shrinking into perfect Dice. The end product is commonly called spruce, and you’d have to remove that from your Dice.
If those materials are not correctly removed, your Dice won’t roll appropriately like the real ones. You have to use some sharp objects or even a utility knife to clear the edges. Moreover, you’d need sandpaper to smooth the base as it would be slightly rough after removing the spruce.
Winding Up
I hope this article will be a great help for those who’ve tried to find several ways to make a resin dice but failed. We have been attempting to convey step to step procedures to apply them during your preparation easily. If you use casting resins for moulds, you’d need material having low viscosity, which this type possesses. Lastly, it is crucial to follow each step correctly to avoid making mistakes.