Getting Started with Mixing & Measuring: What to Consider

Mixing and measuring can look like the straightforward part of resin work, but it is worth getting your setup right. The tools you choose affect how easy it is to measure, mix, add small amounts of colour or additives, and move from one stage of a project to the next without unnecessary mess.

You do not need a huge collection of equipment to begin. A sensible selection of mixing cups in a few useful sizes, along with pipettes for smaller quantities, will cover a surprising amount of everyday resin work. Our Mixing & Measuring collection brings these sorts of tools together so you can choose what suits the scale and style of projects you make.

Start with the amount you normally mix

One of the easiest mistakes is choosing a mixing container simply because it is available, rather than because it is a sensible size for the job. A cup that is much larger than the quantity you are preparing can make small amounts awkward to handle. Go too small and you may leave yourself very little room to mix comfortably.

Think about your typical project rather than the biggest project you might make one day. Jewellery pieces, small moulds, decorative details and test batches may need quite a different setup from larger castings or projects where several colours are being prepared at once.

For smaller quantities, Resin Studio 40ml disposable mixing cups give you a compact option. Having smaller cups available can also be useful when a larger batch needs to be divided into separate portions for different colours or effects.

Give yourself room to mix

The capacity of a cup is not the same thing as a comfortable working quantity. Filling a container close to the top leaves little space for stirring and makes spills around the rim more likely.

A better approach is to choose a container that gives you some working room. This becomes particularly useful when you need to scrape around the sides and bottom as you mix, or when you are adding other materials to the mixture.

For projects requiring a little more space, the Crafted in Resin 240ml mixing cups are a larger option worth considering. You may find it useful to keep more than one cup size to hand rather than trying to make one size work for everything.

Measuring accurately

Resin systems are not all measured in the same way, so the instructions for the particular resin you are using should always determine how its components are measured and combined. Do not assume that a ratio used with one product automatically applies to another.

Before starting, work out what you need and have the appropriate measuring equipment ready. Trying to find another cup or measuring tool halfway through preparation is inconvenient at best, particularly once you have already started combining materials.

Graduated tools and small quantities

When you are dealing with very small liquid quantities, a large cup is not always the most practical tool. Pipettes can give you more control when transferring or measuring small amounts of suitable liquid.

For particularly small quantities, the 1ml graduated pipettes with 0.25ml increments provide a finer graduated scale. There are also larger pipettes available when you need to handle a little more liquid.

It is still important to use the measuring method required by the material you are working with. Graduations are useful tools, but they do not replace the manufacturer's instructions for the resin, pigment or additive itself.

Plan your mixing before you start

A few minutes spent preparing the workspace can make the actual mixing stage much easier. It sounds obvious, but resin projects have a habit of revealing the one missing item just after you need it.

Before beginning, it helps to:

1. Decide how much material the project requires.
2. Choose a mixing container with enough spare room to work comfortably.
3. Have any additional cups ready if the mixture will be divided.
4. Prepare the measuring and transfer tools you expect to need.
5. Keep the working area organised so clean and used tools do not become mixed up.

This is especially worthwhile for multi-colour projects. If you know that one main mixture will be divided into four colours, for example, prepare those additional containers before you begin rather than reaching for them later.

Disposable cups can simplify a busy workspace

For makers producing regularly, the number of cups used can build up quickly. Disposable cups can be a practical choice where appropriate, particularly when working with several separate mixtures during the same session.

They can also make organisation easier. You might have one cup for the main mixture, then several smaller cups ready for individual colours or other additions. The important thing is having enough space to work without confusing one mixture with another.

If you tend to work somewhere between very small and larger batches, 100ml mixing cups in a 30-pack provide another size to consider between the smaller and larger options.

Common mixing and measuring pitfalls

Using a cup that is too small

A container may technically hold the amount you need but still be uncomfortable to mix in. Allow some headroom rather than treating the stated capacity as a target fill level.

Assuming every resin uses the same ratio

This is an important one. Follow the instructions supplied for the specific resin system you are using. Ratios and measuring methods can differ, and experience with another product is not a substitute for the correct instructions.

Trying to measure tiny quantities with oversized equipment

Matching the tool to the quantity generally makes the job easier. Keep smaller cups and suitable graduated transfer tools available for detail work rather than relying entirely on your larger mixing equipment.

Not preparing enough containers

If your project involves several colours or separate pours, count how many mixtures you will actually need before you begin. It is very easy to prepare one mixing cup and then realise you need another five.

Losing track of what is in each cup

Once several similar-looking mixtures are sitting on a workbench, things can become confusing surprisingly quickly. Arrange them in a logical order and, where necessary, identify them before the workspace gets busy.

Building a useful mixing and measuring kit

For a beginner, there is little point buying every possible cup size immediately. Start with equipment suited to the projects you actually intend to make and add other sizes when you find a genuine need for them.

A practical setup might include:

• A general-purpose mixing cup suitable for your usual batch size.
• Smaller cups for dividing mixtures or preparing small amounts.
• Graduated pipettes for controlled handling of small liquid quantities where appropriate.
• Enough spare containers for projects involving several colours or separate mixtures.
• A clean, organised area where everything can be prepared before mixing starts.

As you make more projects, you will quickly discover which sizes you reach for most often. That is usually a better guide than trying to build the perfect kit from the beginning.

Keep it simple

Good mixing and measuring is mostly about preparation and choosing tools that suit the quantity you are working with. Give yourself enough room in the cup, use smaller tools when the quantities become smaller, and always follow the measuring instructions for the particular resin system you are using.

Once you have a few sensible cup sizes and suitable measuring tools available, the process becomes much easier to organise. You can concentrate on the project itself rather than hunting around for another container halfway through it.