Whenever I do my epoxy resin work, I always have leftover scrap wood that I had to cut, either to make even or that fell off brittle wood. Sometimes, I keep the bark from live edge slabs and use that for some of this as well. Here are 7 fun and unique ideas (plus extra thoughts and tips) to use the scrap wood, leftover epoxy, and impress your peers.
Make Paperweights
One of the absolute simplest and most beautiful things to do with small scraps (slivers and shavings) is to add them to a mold and make some paperweights. Much like the paperweight in the picture from this Etsy store, you can add creative scraps and colors to do this with.
At first this may sound boring, but once you see these beautiful creations I’m sure you’ll agree. The best part is – it’s so easy! You can purchase cheap molds that work for soap, resin, wax and more on Amazon. These come in perfect shapes, so all you have to do is add the wood and epoxy resin, and wait.
*Pro Tip* If you have a real talent for things like carving, or you’re adventurous, maybe make a small figurine and embed it into the paperweight. This would hit creative ability on multiple levels and allow a very sentimental gift for someone.
Make a Bowl
Although I’ve never done one of these myself, one of the coolest projects I’ve seen (with a full tutorial) is spinning a bowl from scrap wood.
This is great if you have the tools and are ready to make an unbelievably unique gift!
Make Unique Coasters
Let’s say you need something a little more simple than a hand-spun bowl… we all get that. Luckily, you can make these much easier. Simply add the wood to a casting mold, either buy a cheap one on amazon or build your own using the same steps (but smaller) as my article on casting molds. This is a lot of fun because you can also just make epoxy resin coasters without little bits of wood in them! A perfect cheap and classy piece.
Coasters are one of the most versatile and well-made pieces of beginning resin with wood… they don’t cost a ton and they allow for lots of practice on things like pours, sanding, polishing, and colors. I will always and forever suggest coasters as one of the first few things one should make.
A Unique River Table
This will be a lot more work, and the payoff may or may not be what you want. I haven’t done this because I usually only make large river tables to order. That being said, there are some gorgeous river tables with fish or other underwater life in them. Like the one in this image, I found on Etsy by KanohaVN. I think this could add to the aesthetic that is happening in this image.
Make a Cutting Board
If you have some good square scrap wood, you may be able to make something without the epoxy. These cutting boards are a huge hit all over stores right now, and are sure to bring in the comments.
Glue Them Together for a Coffee Table
Similar to the cutting board above, you could glue some pieces together and then put them in a mold for a coffee table. This would add the unique “square” texture and contrast of the colors will make a super unique and modern look. I would suggest this with a dark epoxy, as something more vibrant would take away from the rest of the table and contrast a lot.
This design would also work for larger tables and serving trays as well – or any mid-large sized project. I love this because it recycles a lot of wood scraps while allowing for beautiful and unique pieces to be made. This is a must-try for anyone with the tools!
Epoxy Jewelry
I saved this one for last because it could be simple, or very intense depending on how you go about it. There are watchmakers who take a block of epoxy and cut, print, and shape it by hand and printer.
If you don’t have the time, talent, or money to spend on larger chunks that you make yourself, consider (yet again) molds from Amazon. It’s just SO CHEAP, and they send so much to make the coolest items. Those rings on the right hand side are AMAZING, you for sure are a show stopper if you can pull out some of this partial wood partial epoxy jewelry.
Also look around for some unique shapes of molds for necklaces. This will allow you to make bulk, unique products for friends, family, and gifts as well!
When All Else Fails – Look for Inspiration
A huge percent of the time when I’m going to start a new project, I spend a good 30 minutes checking Pinterest, Etsy, and Google Image for inspiration. This will be the best bet if you have leftover material from an epoxy resin project, just search around for the top ideas. People are so creative – and you can be too!
With that being said, share your ideas! Drop a comment here on favorite ways to use leftover material, and put pictures on Pinterest for the rest of us!
What to Do With Extra Epoxy?
For extra epoxy (and no scrap wood) I would consider doing resin art. This can be beautifully done, and you can make beaches and sunsets with it, as well as galaxy style art. Just pouring colored resin over different pieces of wood can create great modern and classic looking wall pieces that will be absolutely gorgeous. Don’t let any resin go to waste! It is pretty pricey stuff and will bring someone (maybe you) a lot more happiness to have art out of it.
