Gluing Hardware to Resin: Attaching Resin Kits to Cosplays

Gluing Hardware to Plastic: Attaching Resin Kits and 3D Prints to Cosplays

One of the biggest questions we get asked is: "How can I get my resin/3D printed pieces onto my costume?"

Really, there are a lot of different ways, but what we recommend is putting some pinbacks, or snaps on to the accessories and your fabric, (what you choose really depends on the costume and type of fabric). This way you can launder, clean, and transport your costume without the accessories attached, which just makes things easier. You can use this method with bodyshopped 3D prints, and our resin kits.

How to glue hardware to resin

In this tutorial we're referring to items such as jewelry bails, jump rings, or earring posts, even as hardware.

1. Score with a craft knife

You'll want to use a craft knife on the front and back of the resin piece and scratch up any piece you're applying glue to. In this tutorial, I'm using Gorilla Glue, but you can check out our kit finishing shopping list for more recommendations on glues, paints, and everything else! In this image I'm scoring the back of a Linkshell Linkpearl earring kit, (these are awesome if you just want to casually cosplay your Warrior of Light). 

Scoring Resin with a Craft Knife to Assemble a cosplay earring

2. Glue your hardware to your resin piece!

Of course, the next thing to do is glue the hardware to the piece, again I'm using the Linkshell earring as an example. I'm using tweezers to hold the smaller parts in place so I can avoid dropping and losing more delicate pieces. Pay attention to the cure time of the glue you've chosen for best results.

 Linkshell earring jewelry Final Fantasy XVI cosplay prop

3. Go forth and glue!

Here are a few examples of how we've glued hardware to some of our resin pieces in order to affix them to costumes. We've scored the back of this Urianger Cosplay Accessory Kit to glue a pinback on. Pinning the stars to the skirt kept them from moving too much while being worn. We've also glued a pinback to a strip of velvet in order to create Y'shtola's Choker

If resin pieces are sitting against your skin, you can always back them with felt to reduce sticking and sweating. Use the same method of scoring your pieces first and lightly apply some glue!

Y'shtola's Pendant Choker Cosplay Accessory Urianger Skirt Cosplay Accessories 

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