{"title":"How to Sand Resin Jewelry and Polish the Edges","canonicalUrl":"https://www.craftingstepbystep.com/resin-art/how-to-sand-resin","category":{"slug":"resin-art","name":"Resin Art"},"creator":{"name":"ResinObsession","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq9DbnfK7sFPe9kcUEtVYaQ","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWii42EtJkM"},"tldr":"Sand resin smooth with wet sandpaper, shears, a rotary tool and needle files. Which grits to use and how to bring back the shine.","quickAnswer":"Sand resin smooth with wet sandpaper, shears, a rotary tool and needle files. An easy project: about 30 minutes. You need 10 things, including 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper, 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper and water. The 9 steps start with check the Resin Earring Edges for Sharp Ridges, sand the Resin Earring Flat on Wet 400 Grit Sandpaper, lift the Resin Earring and Check Your Sanding Progress and trim Overpoured Resin With Heavy Duty Shears.","totalDurationSeconds":422,"videoDurationSeconds":422,"difficulty":"easy","project":{"difficulty":"easy","projectMinutes":30,"waitMinutes":null,"totalMinutes":30,"estimatedCost":null,"yield":null},"tools":["heavy duty kitchen shears","flex shaft or rotary tool","heavy duty nail file","diamond needle files","safety glasses","dust mask"],"materials":["400 grit wet/dry sandpaper","600 grit wet/dry sandpaper","water","plastic polishing compound"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Check the Resin Earring Edges for Sharp Ridges","text":"Run a finger around each piece once it has fully cured. Look for a raised lip where resin crept up the side of the mold, or a thin skirt where you overpoured. These edges can be sharp enough to scratch your neck. Decide how much you want to remove. A light pass takes the edge off; more work can reshape the piece."},{"number":2,"title":"Sand the Resin Earring Flat on Wet 400 Grit Sandpaper","text":"Lay a sheet of 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface and wet it well. Put the earring face down on the paper and move it in small circles with light, even pressure. Change direction now and then and rotate the piece. Sanding flat like this takes the same amount off all the way around."},{"number":3,"title":"Lift the Resin Earring and Check Your Sanding Progress","text":"Pick the piece up every few circles and look at the edge. Compare it to one you have not sanded yet. Resin is soft, so it changes fast. Stop when the ridge is gone and the edge feels smooth to your finger. If you want a finer finish, move on to 600 grit and repeat the same circles to remove the 400 scratches."},{"number":4,"title":"Trim Overpoured Resin With Heavy Duty Shears","text":"When a casting has a wide skirt of extra resin, sanding it all away takes forever. Cut most of it off first with heavy duty kitchen shears. Work around the piece in short snips and get as close to the edge as you can without cutting into the shape itself. Thin overpour cuts like stiff plastic."},{"number":5,"title":"Sand the Trimmed Edge of the Resin Ring While Turning It","text":"Shears leave a sharp, choppy edge, so go back to the wet sandpaper. Press the piece on the paper and turn it as you sand, instead of sanding one spot and then turning. Sanding in one place leaves flat facets, like a stop sign. A few strokes remove a lot, so check often."},{"number":6,"title":"Inspect the Sanded Resin Ring Edge","text":"Lift the ring and look all the way around. The outer edge should now be even and smooth. You may still see rough bits on the inside of the ring where the paper cannot reach when it lies flat. For a small amount, fold a strip of wet sandpaper and work it around the inner edge by hand."},{"number":7,"title":"Clean the Inside of the Resin Ring With a Flex Shaft","text":"Put on safety glasses and a dust mask first. Fit a split mandrel with a strip of 600 grit sandpaper to a flex shaft or rotary tool. Hold the handpiece in your palm and brace it with your thumb. Run the spinning paper lightly along the inside edge and keep the ring turning so you do not dig half moons into it. Let the tool do the work."},{"number":8,"title":"Touch Up Small Spots on Resin With a Heavy Duty Nail File","text":"For one stubborn bump, a heavy duty nail file from a beauty supply store is often quicker than getting a tool out. Hold the piece steady and file in short strokes on that one spot. Check after every few strokes. It is easy to take off more than you meant to on a small piece of jewelry."},{"number":9,"title":"Smooth Tight Curves on Resin With Diamond Needle Files","text":"Diamond needle files have tiny diamonds bonded to thin steel shafts, so they reach into narrow cracks and inner curves. Slide the file along the rough spot with light pressure. They cut fast, so a few passes are usually enough. When you are happy with the shape, rinse the piece and move on to polishing."}],"recipe":null,"lastUpdated":"2026-10-14T13:56:10.715Z","published":"2026-10-14T13:56:10.337Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit Show Me Step by Step with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure. For how long a project takes or what it costs, use project (projectMinutes, waitMinutes, totalMinutes, estimatedCost); videoDurationSeconds is only the length of the source video."}