Famous Jewelry Collections: THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Reader Question : What Glues to Use for Jewelry Making?

Posted: 18 May 2011 04:00 AM PDT

Image via Wikipedia
The Reader Question thread is where I pick a comment or emailed question to answer. I don't claim to know all the answers but I do my best to help.

When I posted about glue -on adjustable necklace findings, a reader asked what sort of glue she should use. I initially suggested E-6000 which is what I mostly use. It is just one of the many glues available and is easily found in stores. But is it the best?

That depends on the application. It's fine for small jobs. I use it mainly on coiled and fold-over cord ends for extra security. I also like GS Hypo Cement because it comes with a very fine nozzle for detail work.

But I didn't have much success with gluing glass cabochons to metal findings using E-6000. It just isn't strong enough to hold heavier items especially for rings where the wear and tear is considerable.

Way back in 2005, one jewelry making forum member actually did an experiment where she tested 6 different types of glues (E-6000, Crafter's Goop, Weldbond, Omni Stick, Boat Life/Life Seal and Gorilla Glue) on glass cabochon ear studs. Her test include wriggling the glass cabochons to try and get them off the studs. In her test, E-6000 held on to the glass only 50% of the time. Crafter's Goop came out best but the failure rate was still 1 in 4.

For uber performance, some artisans recommend an industrial strength two part epoxy adhesive like Huntsman's Araldite for glass, ceramic etc. It's incredibly strong, long lasting, solvent free and water resistant. The pieces can be painted or sanded after. It's so strong, removing it is very difficult but not impossible - see this eHow article .

Sydney Opera House via Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia, Araldite has been used in construction (Coventry Cathedral, Sydney Opera House) and in tram manufacturing. This excerpt describes their clever advertising campaign :

Sticky Moment - Araldite Advert Cromwell Rd 1978

Image by Danny McL via Flickr"In 1983, British advertising agency FCO Univas set up a visual stunt presentation of the strength of Araldite by gluing a yellow Ford Cortina to a billboard on Cromwell Road, London, with the tagline "It also sticks handles to teapots. "

Later, to demonstrate more of its strength, a red identical Ford Cortina was placed on top of the yellow Cortina, with the tagline "The tension mounts. " Finally, the car was removed from the billboard, leaving a hole on the billboard and a tagline "How did we pull it off? "

If it really holds a car or two, glass cabochon applications will be easy with Araldite! This glue is marketed in the UK and can be purchased through the Amazon UK. Or contact the North American division of Huntsman to ask if they have a list of local suppliers.

Another forum suggestion is Amazing Goop which is available as one part or two part adhesives. Two part adhesives consist of the resin which must be combined or reacted with the accelerator in order to become a glue. One part adhesives offer convenience. The two part types though will ensure the glue is really "fresh" when you use it.

Other products to consider are - Scotch Weld DP460 and Dymax 621.

Some things to consider when choosing a glue :

what you are using it for
strength
durability
whether it dries clear or not - a big issue if you are using clear glass
working time - a glue that sets too fast will not be useful if you need time to adjust your design
paintability- if that's important to you
safety - some glues need to be used in well-ventilated areas because solvents are given off during the curing process

Do you have some favorite glues to suggest?

Before You Go:

Via

For more tutorials check out my Jewelry Making Tips

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