Everything for Jesmonite

From the visual point of view, the difference is definitely the transparency. You can dye resin using powders to make it opaque. You can dye Jesmonite but it will always remain opaque, its look resembling a gypsum casting.

From the production point of view, Jesmonite differs in the fact that it consists of liquid and powder parts that harden after mixing in a couple dozen minutes. Therefore you have much less time for working with the material but the finished product can be taken out of the mould after as soon as 30 minutes (for example, a coaster).

Jesmonite is a pouring material that, after mixing both components together, has a consistency similar to pancake batter. So you always have to have a silicone mould into which you’ll pour it and the shape of which it then acquires. You can use the same moulds for Jesmonite as you use for crystal resin. They just need to be thoroughly cleaned up every time.

If you don't have a good estimate in your eye yet, you can pour water into the mould and then pour that into a measuring cup. This way, you’ll find out what volume the given mould has. Jesmonite AC100 has a mixing ratio of 2.5 : 1 and you need 175 g of the mixture for a 100 ml big mould. AC730’s ratio is 5 : 1 and for a 100 ml mould, you need 185 g of the mixture.

In case you prepare more material than you need for a mould, spread the rest of it onto baking paper to make chips for a terrazzo effect for another product.

Although it might seem that inks used for crystal resin will dye Jesmonite, this is not the case. Due to its chemical composition, Jesmonite needs its own pigments that will ensure good richness and permanency of colour. You’ll definitely choose from our range. Remember that combinations of various pigments will achieve completely different shades and colours than those originally in the bottles. It’s enough to use just a really small amount of pigments. As little as 2 drops is sufficient to dye enough material to make one coaster. The total amount of pigments in the mixture should not exceed 2 %.

Jesmonite itself is definitely better off than, let’s say, self-hardening clay. But if you want to use it, for example, for making a flower pot or an outdoor decoration, we recommend always using a sealer. It will close the material off nicely and protect it from the influence of both moisture and weather.