Learn how to make resin keychains! DIY resin keychains are gorgeous, lightweight, and great for gifting and selling. This easy step-by-step tutorial includes plenty of tips and tricks for the best keychain molds and 8 different design ideas.
DIY resin keychains
Working with resin is a great way to express your creativity! The material is incredibly versatile and lends itself to many different projects. After sharing tutorials for resin dice, jewelry, rings, and ornaments, it’s time we learn how to make resin keychains!
And the best part? You just need epoxy resin, colors, embeds, and a few simple tools. From picking the best resin to beautiful silicone molds and fun resin keychain design ideas, this post has everything you need to create beautiful resin letter keychains.
Whether you want to expand your hobby or grow your resin business, I hope you find my resin keychain tutorial helpful and feel inspired to create your own epoxy keychains!
This post is sponsored by our friends from IntoResin. All our opinions are my own, and I only share products I personally love. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site possible.
Materials & supplies
Resin keychain mold
For this project, IntoResin kindly sent me their alphabet mold to play with. The alphabet mold is perfect for creating personalized keychains with initials. Initial keyrings are a fantastic and personal gift for family members or friends.
The mold features all 26 letters and 10 numbers from zero to nine. The layout is well-thought-out and makes excellent use of the space.
As you can see in the photos, the letters have beautiful, smooth, shiny surfaces and clean, well-defined edges. Each ornament is about 2.5 in x 2.5 in / 6 cm x 6 cm, which is a great size for key chains.
The mold is made of flexible, durable silicone that will last a long time. I poured many resin alphabet keychains in preparation for this post, and the mold still looks brand-new.
Once cured, the letters and numbers release effortlessly. All you have to do is push the backside of the mold and the resin ornament pops right out.
I also love how easy it is to clean the mold. Once everything is cured, wash it with warm, soapy water, and you’re good to go for the next round.
Of course, you aren’t limited to keychains. The mold can be used in so many ways – from creating signs to jewelry and artwork.
Other molds
Aside from the alphabet mold, IntoResin offers plenty more molds that would make great keychains. I browsed through their wide collection and gathered up a few more favorites:
- Zodiac Sign Molds: This set of 12 molds has a design for each zodiac sign and allows you to create personalized gifts.
- Pendulum Molds: This bundle contains 10 molds and each looks like a beautiful crystal.
- Teardrop Mold: The teardrop mold allows you to embed small objects like dried flowers or cute charms.
- Sphere Mold: This 3-piece mold casts pedants that look like perfect round crystal balls.
- Pedant Mold: Although intended for earrings, this mold would make fabulous keychain charms, too.
- Hummingbird Mold: This adorable bird mold has a little hanger for key chains.
- Mom & Dad Molds: These would be perfect for Mother’s and Father’s Day gifts.
The best resin for keychains
Resin is a chemical compound made of 2 parts, resin and hardener. Both are liquid, but they harden and solidify when you mix them together.
Different types of resin are available, like epoxy resin, polyester resin, or UV resin. For this resin keychain tutorial, I highly recommend the Fast Cure Casting Resin from IntoResin.
I’ve been crafting with this resin for over a year now and have used it in many projects. It cures fast, looks crystal clear, and is perfect for casting small pieces. Here is everything I love about this product:
- Cure time: The Fast Cure Casting Resin cures incredible fast. Small objects cure within a few hours, and larger pieces harden within 24 hours.
- Clarity: IntoResin‘s epoxy resin is the clearest resin you will find. It almost looks like glass and doesn’t yellow.
- Surface: It cures hard and shiny on the surface. No need for sanding or polishing!
- Bubbles: If you combine the resin and hardener slowly, you should be able to avoid bubbles. As you can see in the photos, the letters came out almost bubble-free.
- Fumes: I also love that it doesn’t smell strong, and I have never experienced headaches.
Colorants & embeds
Epoxy is great for customizing. You can color and decorate your resin letter keychain in endless ways with the following materials:
- Colorants: Resin can be colored with liquid resin dye, which creates a translucent effect, or mica powders, which give an opaque color and stunning shimmer effect.
- Embeds: You can have so much fun with embellishments and decorations. Pressed flowers, glitter, and gold leaf are lovely to style epoxy resin keychains. Rhinestones and nail art charms are small enough to make gorgeous embeds too. More on this later!
Key chains
You can’t make key chains without the keychain rings! I bought this keychain ring set. It comes with 90 open-jump rings and small hook screws to attach the chains to the resin ornaments.
The set includes 6 different colors: gold, silver, rose gold, black, brass/antique gold, and zirconium. I love that the screw hooks are color coordinated and match the jump rings.
Tools
You also need the following equipment to make epoxy keychains:
- Drill: You need to drill small holes into your resin ornaments to insert the screw hook and attach the keychain rings. IntoResin offers a hand drill and this electric drill.
- Needle nose pliers are helpful to attach the jump ring to the hook screw.
- Plastic cups to mix the resin and hardener.
- Wooden stirrers or popsicle sticks for mixing.
- Disposable pipettes: Resin rings require precise pouring, and the best for this job are disposable plastic pipettes.
- Toothpicks and a fine needle to perfect the details and burst air bubbles.
- Tweezers to insert ornaments and dried flowers.
- Nitrile gloves protect your hands from being exposed to resin.
- Mouth cover or a face mask to ensure you aren’t inhaling any resin fumes.
- Drop sheet: Cover your work surface with a drop sheet, wax paper, a resin mat, old newspaper to protect it from spills and drips. Uncured resin is super sticky and hard to remove.
How to make resin keychains
Making resin keychains is actually really easy, but there are a number of steps involved. This is just an overview of the basic steps. You can find more design ideas in the next section.
Step 1: Set up your work area
Ensure your work area is clean and free of dust. Cover your work area with a drop sheet or old newspaper. Gather all supplies and materials. Put on nitrile gloves and a mouth cover.
Step 2: Mix epoxy resin
The Fast Cure Casting Resin is 1-to-1 part by volume. So, mark 2 disposable plastic cups with measurement lines. Other resin brands may have a different mixing ratio, so check the manufacturer’s instructions if working with another type of resin.
Measure out equal parts of both resin and hardener into the cups. Pour the hardener into the resin. Using a wooden stirrer, mix for 5 minutes. Thoroughly stir until you see no more streaks between the resin and hardener and the mixture looks clear.
Tip: Stir slowly to avoid creating air bubbles. I also like gently tapping the container against the work surface to release air bubbles.
Step 3: Color resin
Optionally color the resin with a few drops of alcohol ink or mica powder. Stir the resin until the colorant is evenly distributed throughout and all blobs of powder or ink have dissolved.
Step 4: Mold resin
Carefully pour the resin into the letters of the alphabet mold, going all the way to the top of the mold.
Tip: If you notice bubbles at the surface, prick them with a toothpick or needle to burst.
Step 5: Cure
Let the resin cure undisturbed and at room temperature. The curing time for the Fast Cure Casting resin from IntoResin is 8 to 12 hours. The curing process can take 24 to 48 hours if using another brand or another type of resin.
Step 6: Unmold
Once the resin has fully hardened, remove the letter from the mold. Simply push the shapes out of the mold until they pop out.
Tip: If you notice any overflow or spills, use scissors or a blade knife to trim it away.
Step 7: Drill hole
Using a small drill, drill a hole in the top of an ornament. The smallest drill bit works best. You want to do this step immediately after the resin has cured when it’s still a bit malleable and easy to work with.
Step 8: Add keychain ring
Twist the screw hook into the letter and attach the keychain hanger. Needle nose pliers work great to open and close the jump rings. Your DIY resin keychain is ready!
Helpful tips
- Plan ahead: One thing to remember is that resin needs time to cure and set. So, allow yourself a day or two before you need your DIY letter keychain to be ready.
- Consider the design: Resin begins to soft cure within 25 to 30 minutes. Before starting, it’s a good idea to think about the design you want to create and have everything you need nearby.
- Mix the resin and hardener slowly: To prevent air bubbles, stir the resin and hardener slowly. Be sure to scrape the stirrer along the bottom and edges of the mixing cup to ensure the 2 components are thoroughly and evenly mixed.
- Dried botanicals: Remember to only embellish your DIY resin keychain with dried or pressed flowers and leaves. Fresh flowers and plant material would rot and discolor the resin.
- Drill the hole for the key chain right after demolding. Resin is still somewhat workable after curing for 8 to 12 hours, but will fully harden within 24 hours. It’s easier to drill the hole while the resin is still soft, especially when you work with a hand drill. Once the resin is hardened all the way through, I recommend using an electric drill – otherwise, you’ll have a hard time creating the hole.
Resin keychain design ideas
Epoxy keychains combine function and design. You can create resin keychain letters in just about any color and embed all sorts of decorations, from glitter to gold leaf to pressed flowers and small charms.
Once you have mastered the basics, you can get really creative with your resin letter keychain ideas. To inspire you, I have created a few different designs to highlight how versatile resin is.
#1 Marble
The first design features a simple black and white marble effect, which give the letters a timeless and elegant feel. I adorned them with black hardware, but gold features would look gorgeous as well. Here’s how to make it:
- Mix the resin and pour a small amount into a separate cup.
- Using alcohol ink, tint the larger amount white and the smaller one black.
- Using a wooden stirrer, drizzle some of the black over the white and pour it into the mold.
#2 Iridescent Sparkle
These letter keychains are made of beautiful iridescent glitter set inside crystal clear resin. I used this chunky glitter, which is a mix of glitter and hexagonal sequins and has a gorgeous iridescent effect. Let’s get to it!
- Fill each mold half full with clear resin and let cure for about an hour.
- Next, sprinkle on a thin layer of glitter covering the entire surface of the ornament.
- Add another layer of clear resin, filling the mold to the edges.
Rather than simply stirring the glitter into the resin, I like to sandwich it between two layers of clear resin. That way, no glitter particles will poke out of the resin, and you end up with a perfectly smooth, shiny surface. You also avoid oversaturating the resin with glitter, which can lead to problems with curing.
#3 Botanical Glam
A combination of gold leaf and dried flowers lends botanical keychains an elegant and feminine touch. I opted for dried pink flowers and rose gold hardware. Here’s a breakdown of the steps involved:
- Fill the mold 2/3 with clear resin.
- Using tweezers, place dried flowers and pieces of gold leaf in the resin. You can use a toothpick to nudge the pieces into your desired position. Dried petals sometimes float in the resin. To keep them stationary, dip them in resin first and then place them in the mold.
- Once you are happy with your design, fill up the mold with clear resin.
- Pay attention that nothing sticks out of the resin. If necessary, gently push flowers into the resin with a toothpick.
#4 Sprinkles
These sprinkle keychains are playful and cute. All sorts of sprinkles will work here. Nonpareils (like you see in the photos), rainbow jimmies, quins/confetti sprinkles, and sugar pearls. Let’s have a look at the steps:
- Pour a thin layer of clear resin into the mold to cover the base.
- Carefully spoon sprinkles into the mold until approximately half full.
- Fill up the mold with clear resin. I like to stir the sprinkles and resin with a toothpick to eliminate air pockets and ensure the sprinkles are entirely covered in resin.
#5 Rainbow Letters
This rainbow technique is simple and effective. You can go all in and use all rainbow colors or pick only 3 to 4 colors for a tie-dye effect. This is what you want to do:
- Fill the resin mold 3/4 with clear resin.
- Add drops of alcohol ink into the resin, following the colors of the rainbow (yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, turquoise, and green).
- Go light-handed and only add 1 to 2 drops per color. Any more than this will not cure.
- Use a toothpick to disperse the dye on the surface and create color transitions.
- To seal it all in, finish your keychain pendant with a final layer of clear resin.
#6 Gradient Glitter
Next, we make sparkly glitter resin keychains. Regular, fine-grade glitter works best to achieve this effect. While you could go for a monochrome look, I decided to create a gradient effect.
These ornaments consist of 3 layers: a colored, opaque base layer, the glitter layers, and a clear pour that seals the glitter in place.
- Base layer: Mix some resin and color it with mica or alcohol ink. My color scheme was green and aqua, so I decided to color the bottom layer green. Pour each mold half-full of resin and let cure for 1 to 2 hours. It’s important to wait for 1 to 2 hours, because if the resin is still too liquid, the glitter will simply sink to the bottom of the mold instead of sitting on the base layer.
- Glitter: After 1 to 2 hours, sprinkle glitter onto the bottom layer. To create the gradient, sprinkle lines of 3 to 4 colors.
- Clear resin: Finish the glitter resin key chain with a layer of clear resin. Fill the mold all the way to the top. Let cure before demolding.
#7 Elegant Lace
This design is inspired by beautiful English lace gowns where white floral lace is set before a darker background. I bought a set of beautiful nail decals that sit on a layer of colored resin topped with clear resin.
- Mix resin and tint it with mica powder. The design looks best when the flowers and base contrast, so don’t go too light on the color.
- Pour the colored resin into the mold filling it halfway.
- Let cure for 3 to 4 hours.
- Once the base is no longer liquid, stick the nail decals onto the base.
- Top with clear resin and let fully harden before unmolding
#8 Fruit Punch
My last idea utilizes nail decals one more, this time in the form of adorable polymer fruit slices. The fruits sit on a milky base under a coat of crystal-clear resin. I tinted each base color with a touch of mica to reflect the color of the fruit. Here is the step-by-step:
- Mix resin and tint it with white alcohol ink and a tiny amount of mica powder.
- Pour the colored resin into the mold filling it halfway.
- Let cure for 1 to 2 hours.
- Once the base is no longer liquid, stick the fruit pieces onto the base. You can opt for a single fruit (as did I) or use a mix of different fruits.
- Top with clear resin and let fully harden before unmolding
Use & gift resin keyrings
Letter keychains are lovely accessories! They are a great way to keep track of your keys and will add a touch of personalization. Clip them onto your keychain, handbag, purse, or school bag.
Resin art keychains also make perfect little gifts to treat yourself and others. You can customize the ornament with the recipient’s favorite colors and embed small charms and elements that are meaningful to them.
To make gifting even easier, I’ve created a printable card to package and present your epoxy letter keychains. The printable allows you to include a sweet note for your family member or friend. Just print, cut out, and attach the letter!
FAQ
Are resin keychains durable?
Yes, resin keychains are pretty durable and long-lasting. Cured resin is a hard, sturdy material and doesn’t break or chip easily.
Do resin keychains scratch?
Yes, resin can show signs of wear and tear after a while. But if you carefully handle your keychain, you will enjoy them for a long time.
My resin has bubbles. What did I do wrong?
Air bubbles can sometimes appear – even when you try your best to avoid them. I think they make each piece more unique and show that the item is handmade.
Resin Coaster Tutorial
See how to make show-stopping coasters with resin! This DIY resin coasters tutorial includes tips on choosing the best molds and shows design ideas such as beach coasters, flower coasters, and agate coasters.
Materials
Tools
- disposable plastic cups
- wooden stirrers
- toothpicks
- plastic pipettes
- tweezers
- nitrile gloves
- face cover
- drop sheet or old newspaper
Instructions
- Set up your work area. Ensure your work area is clean, free of dust, and well ventilated. Cover your worktop with a drop sheet or old newspaper. Gather all supplies and materials. Put on nitrile gloves and a mouth cover.
- Mix epoxy resin. The Fast Cure Casting Resin is 1-to-1 part by volume. So, mark 2 disposable plastic cups with measurement lines. Other resin brands may have a different mixing ratio, so be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions if working with another type of resin. Measure out equal parts of both resin and hardener into the cups.
- Pour the hardener into the resin. Using a wooden stirrer, mix for 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly until you see no more streaks between the resin and hardener and the mixture looks clear.
Tip: Stir slowly to avoid creating air bubbles. I also like gently tapping the container against the work surface to release air bubbles. - Color resin. Optionally color the resin with a few drops of resin dye or mica powder. Stir the resin until the colorant is evenly distributed throughout and all blobs of dye or powder have dissolved.
- Pour resin. Place the coaster mold on an even surface. Pour resin into each coaster mold. Go all the way to the top but be careful not to overfill.
- Dissolve bubbles. Let the resin sit for a couple of minutes. Then wave a lighter or heat gun over the resin to pop any bubbles that have risen to the surface.
- Cure. Let the resin cure, undisturbed, and at room temperature. The curing time for the Fast Cure Casting resin from IntoResin is 8 to 12 hours. You can tell the resin is fully cured once it feels no longer tacky. The curing process can take 24 to 48 hours if using another brand or another type of resin.
- Unmold. When the resin has hardened through, carefully remove the coasters from the mold. Simply push the shapes out of the mold until they pop out.
Tip: If you notice any over-poured resin, use scissors or a blade knife to trim it away and sand down any edges if necessary.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
More resin projects to try
If you love resin crafts as much as I do, then you must try these other resin projects. They are so much fun and make great crafts to gift and sell!
- Resin Dice: See how to make resin dice with this fun tutorial! Resin dice are perfect for role-playing and gaming and can be customized in so many ways.
- Jewelry: The post shows how to make resin earrings, necklaces, pendants, and rings. Resin jewelry is beautiful and great for gift giving.
- Rings: If you are interested in resin ring making, have a look at this post. It’s an in-depth resource on all things resin rings and comes with plenty of design ideas.
- Ornaments: Resin ornaments add festive flair and make fantastic holiday decorations!
- Beach Tray: This easy seashell craft is a fun summer craft project and beautiful coastal decor.
Rachael
Tuesday 10th of January 2023
lovely ideas and so well explained
Cyna | Country Hill Cottage
Tuesday 10th of January 2023
Thanks so much, Rachel!