This oversized secret stone from Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a great epoxy project.
My love for the Legend of Zelda series is no secret. I went out and bought a game console so I could play Windwaker and I have been hooked ever since then. Playing the new releases and the old ones when I can find the chance. And the latest game is no exception.
One thing that fascinated me in the new game is the secret stones. Not because of their name, I am not the biggest fan of the name “secret stone” it feels so cheesy. But I love the design. I have always loved the magatama shape.
So, I wanted to make one out of epoxy. I thought the clearness that epoxy could bring would really make the stone look good. One problem, the only mold that I could find was much larger than I wanted. I decided to work with what I had and make a large secret stone.
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Supplies
To make a secret stone, I needed the following:
- Magatama mold
- Epoxy, part A and B
- Epoxy Dye
- Paint, White
- Sander
- Sealing Paint, Clear
Process
Pouring the Epoxy
This project is simple because there is not too much work to it. First, I needed to combine part A and B of the epoxy as instructed by the brand. Then In added in the blue dye. I figured I should go with Blue because it is my favorite color. Plus, I have a soft spot for Zora.
I poured the whole mixture into the silicone magatama mold that I had. There was one modification that I made to the mold to make it more like a secret stone. The magatama mold came with an indent in the center of the larger side which is what you usually see in a yin/yang symbol.
The secret stones do not really have an indent, so I decided to just cut it out of the mold. Did I do this perfectly? Probably not. My thought was that I could fix the epoxy afterward if needed. After pouring the epoxy, it was time to let this project harden.
I typically do epoxy pours right before I leave on a trip because then it can cure in the days that I am gone. And the space does not need to be used for something else. Otherwise, epoxy should really only be mixed and poured in a well-ventilated area
Shaping and Sanding
The next step is the most difficult and tedious step of this whole process. The secret stone came out beautifully, but it wasn’t the exact right shape that I wanted to be. At this point, I googled an image of a secret stone and realized that the mold I had was a lot different that the secret stone in the game.
The magatama I made had hard sides instead of rounded ones. But I was really enjoying this project, so I decided to push forward even with the wrong shape. I did want to get rid of the sharp edges. That is where the sander came in.
I sanded down any imperfections and try to make a beveled edge along both sides of the magatama. The sander did leave quite a few marks on the project since I had to use a low (80) grit piece of sandpaper to grind down the project.
While lead to the most tedious part of the project: smoothing out the surface. I basically had to sand while increase the grit to slowly get rid of all of the scratches. This proved to be a major challenge especially on the surfaces that were rounded. I ended up going through 180, 300, 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 grit paper.
All that was left was to polish the piece. I used a plastic polish and cloth to get that epoxy shine to come out. And it did! I love being able to see through the piece again. Honestly, this was my most successful epoxy sand and polish that I have ever done. Does it still have some flaws? Yes. But I am getting better and that’s all that matters.
Painting the Secret Stone
When I googled the secret stone, I realized that the symbols on the secret stones were engraved into the secret stones. Which was not something I was about to do. Not this time anyway. I decided to, instead, paint the symbol on the secret stone. It seemed like a good idea as an alternative.
Reflections
While this secret stone did not turn out exactly like in the game, I do kind of like how it turned out. It is my own little (or big) wonky secret stone! I probably will try to make a secret stone again in the future but for now, I will keep my secret stone in my Legend of Zelda Collection of things.
Lessons
Keep Using One Tool
While sanding the secret stone, I tried to switch from sanding with a machine to sanding by hand. This probably could have worked if I put in more effort, but I found that I was having little effect on the stone after switching to hand polishing.
I think once I started with one tool, I should have continued with that same tool. The sander is going to go a lot harder than I ever could. So, it is good to continue with the same tool that you start with.
Quick Recipe
Epoxy Secret Stone
Equipment
- 1 Magatama Mold
- Sanding Paper grits: 80, 180, 300, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000
Materials
- Epoxy part A and B
- Epoxy Dye
- Paint White
- Epoxy Polish
Instructions
- Mix Epoxy part A and B as directed by the product. Add blue epoxy dye until the desired color is reached.
- Pour into mold and let set. (time for curing should be specified by the product used)
- Remove mold and sand down and imperfections. Create a beveled edge along any edges on both sides.
- Continue sanding the same areas using a continuously finer grit (180, 300, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000)
- Using a acrylic paint, paint the design onto epoxy. Let dry.