Push pins....help on how to make them.

[StOrM]

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to go about making push pins with glass on the one side.....

what gauge wire/steel?
would you treat it the same as you would any other glass item and anneal it?
can someone help me out ....maybe if there is a tutorial out there somewhere?

thanks

[Wendyki]

hmm that would be fun to make :)

I would imagine it would have to be a pretty tough steel or hardmetal.

Might be worth a shot to play with 1/16th mandrels and sharpen the ends?

[Dale M.]

How about making bead on very end of 1/16 mandrel with NO bead release...

And as Wendyki said, just cut off mandrel and sharpen it...

Sure you can anneal it..... I would.

Dale

[Dale M.]

How about getting old "victrola " needles...

http://www.needledoctor.com/Victrola-Steel-Needles

Seem to remember the are about 1/2 inch long and very sharp... You could use pin vice to hold then while making bead....

Only thing is they may be to short....

Dale

[cghipp]

Too bad tungsten is so brittle - if it wasn't, you could use it and sharpen the ends with Chem Sharp. (Not helpful, I know...)

[Robinj]

Burgard used to make a kit, but they discontinued it. It was a pre-made pin with a small stem that you glued into a bead and then had a little thumbtack shaped part to glue into the top hole.

[Wendyki]

awesome idea on the victrola needles :)

[Michelle Walsh]

Great ideas! Perfect teacher gifts.

~Michelle

[Robinj]

Cool idea on the victorla needles -- $7 for shipping though. Could we do a mini-bulk buy on them?

[StOrM]

But iof they are only 1/2 inch long.....i don't know if that would work, a normal push pin(the metal part that sticks out from the plasitc) is about 3/8 of an inch. so if the victorla needle is less than that i don't think the pish pin would stay in the wall/board. I would have to be at least 1/2 an inch....or more so you could either make your glass on it OR glue in afterwards.....

how can we figure out how long they are? and how thick?

[StOrM]

i was thinking of making them for office people who may not wear jewelry or for men that like glaqssd but don't wear jewelry...but teacher gifts are good too......or a present for your boss....etc.....i saw them once while i was browsing online and throught it was such a nice idea.......

ok i talked with the people at the needle doctor from the web site that Dale suggested. The victorla needles are 5/8 of an inch long. and 1.5mm thick, which i think are perfect.....you would have approx 3/16 of an inch to put the glass on and the rest would stick out....

to ship here to canada would cost me $10......and i am not sure if i want to pay that much shipping.....i hate shipping cost to this country.....it is always more for canadaians then it is for Americans....

I would LOVE to do a bulk buy......i am sure if someone shipped them here they could ship them in an envelope and it would cost not very much.......let me know if you guys want to do this :)

[CO_Phantom]

Those victrola needles look great!

I'd never thought about doing push pins. Wow....great idea! I'd be all for doing a mini-bulk buy on these.

-Amy

[Bobby]

I make my push pins from brads found in the hardware store. They are stiffer than a heated mandrel and so far I haven't had trouble with them.

Sorry the picture is a little out of focus.


104655

I wire the nail/brad between six small mandrels to keep it steady while I melt the glass and then I can put the whole thing in the kiln.

Bobby

[theglasszone]

I make my push pins from brads found in the hardware store. They are stiffer than a heated mandrel and so far I haven't had trouble with them. Sorry the picture is a little out of focus.
104655
I wire the nail/brad between six small mandrels to keep it steady while I melt the glass and then I can put the whole thing in the kiln.
Bobby

Bobby!!! You are (yet again...) AMAZING!!!! These look wonderfully perfect...and the brad holding idea with the mandrels wired together - wow! Could you give us the "specs" on the brads you use? (Length/Head diameter?) Thanks for sharing and inspiring us all!

I'm beginning to think you are related to the inventor of the wheel!!!! Is your last name "Jefferson" (as in Thomas - inventor of the Light Bulb!)?

DeAnne in CA

[Bobby]

THANKS ! ! ! DeAnne
My muse wakes me up in the middle of the night for these things..............

The first brad on the left {longest} is
1.....1x22mm
2.....1x19mm
3.....1 1/2x21mm
4.....1 1/2x17mm

The heads are 3mm and 4mm across.

Before I wire the brad to the mandrel I tape the other end together to make it easier when I do wire the brad into the center of the mandrels. Keeps them from slipping all over the place. Just heat up the brad till you get a little glow and no more. Then add glass to the head first making sure you have it covered and then you can add more glass.

Oh...........6 of the 1/16th mandrels make a nice center for the brads to set in. Nothing slips or moves when it is all wired together.

Enjoy

Bobby

[scoutycat]

Would hemostats work to hold the brads?
I've alwyas made push pins by doing offhand cabs, etc and then glueing then on to regular flathead thumbtacks afterwards. I roughed up the glass on the glue side a bit with sand paper, then used a big glob of epoxy - enough to 'grab' the thumbtack. They've stayed together for 6 years now with no issues. - jen

[StOrM]

all of these sounds like a good idea.......

the victrola needles are steel so small chance of melting
the brad nails are ? (worried about melting the nail)
gluing on a flat pushpin is nice also, if you can make off mandrel cabs/.

if anyone has more pictures i would love to see our push pins!!!!


also a bulk buy might be a good idea....the victrola needles are 25 for $6.00 (so about .24 cents each) with $10 for shipping here.....so everyone let me know how many you want and i will do the bulk buy....and then ship out accordingly.....

[jhana]

Are the brads coated with zinc?

[Mark Parkinson]

This thread gave me a v8 moment ... I made a mandrel to make tacks with heres the result ... the nails are what I had in the shop they are 1/6" x 1" (and rusty) I'll have to get some new ones before I make more tacks ... I phoned my local industrial fastener supply and they are available in stainless steel, he did not know the price off hand but guessed around $10 a Lb that would be about 1500 nails ... when he gets back to me on price I'll let you know ... the next mandrel head I will make shorter, this one is 2" long and throws off the balance and the 1/8" stainless mandrel does not need to be removeable, the nail is held in place with a set screw that can be loosend with an allen wrench and just droped into the kiln for annealing.

[jhana]

That looks promising, Mark.
I also would prefer the stainless steel so I'm not breathing the zinc fumes.

[Mark Parkinson]

jhana
most (not all) small finishing nails do not have zinc on them it can discolour some hardwoods you can remove zinc by soaking in ascetic acid (vineger pickling is stronger) or in citric acid that can be obtained at most health food stores in a dry powder form and mixed as needed.

[jhana]

jhana
most (not all) small finishing nails do not have zinc on them it can discolour some hardwoods you can remove zinc by soaking in ascetic acid (vineger pickling is stronger) or in citric acid that can be obtained at most health food stores in a dry powder form and mixed as needed.
Thanks.
I'm thinking it might be easier to just find them in stainless steel at a marine supply store,no?

[Mark Parkinson]

if you have a marine supply store near you that would be the way to go ... I would also look to see if they had brass or bronze ones and see if they would stand up to the heat ... I'll will be looking for myself on monday thanks for the tought prompt :)

[Donna T.]

I've been thinking of the same thing lately. Push pins and magnets. You know for people who those organization boards in their home office or at work. the kind that has magnetic dry erase on one side and cork or the other.
I've experimented with just glueing a magnet to the flat back of a bead. It looks o.k but of course you can see the hole running thru.
I don't know how to do off mandrel work so that's all I have for the magnet idea but I couldn't get my mind around the push pins. I think I'm going to head to the hardware store this weekend and see what I can find in the nail section.
I think it's funny when some of us get the same idea at the same time. How cool is that?

[scoutycat]

It's actually not that hard to do off mandrel work, and kind of fun once you get the hang of it. You'll learn better heat control which helps with on mandrel work, too. For the pins I made, I just squished a lolly pop of glass, puntied up to the back of it & melted of the rod I used for the lolly pop. Now you have a flat round bit puntied to a rod, like a T . Then just decorate the top of the round how you want, being careful not to over heat the back. If you start to lose control, you can use a cold tool (like a stump shaper) to chill the back a bit and get it into shape. It's a great way to practice puntying because screwups aren't so bad, no one is going to see that part anyways & you can always dremel it down, so you don't lose pieces because of punty marks.

[StOrM]

I personally don't like the look of nails, I know they are cheaper but if you look at the back of any nice tack/pushpin the taper/point is smooth.. I would also hate it if they started to rust or oxydize ....

the victrola needles are nice and smooth,....here is a picture
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if anyone can come up with a better idea that is a bit cheaper i would love to get some feedback.

[ROC]

Anybody know what straight pins used in sewing are made of? I have some older ones that area actually brass, but they've got to be something that won't rust, I would think. They have that nice little head to hang on to the glass, and they would be smoothly tapered and sharp.

[theglasszone]

This thread gave me a v8 moment ... I made a mandrel to make tacks with; here's the result ... around $10 a lb. that would be about 1500 nails...the next mandrel head I will make shorter...the nail is held in place with a set screw that can be loosened with an Allen wrench and just dropped into the kiln for annealing.

Mark!!!!

Completely awesome!!! I was thinking of trying this with a pin vise...do you think it might work? Also, are you going to do a little "production" run of these tack mandrels? If so, I'd love to get in line for one!!! (:wink: + nudge)

Also, if you end up purchasing a bulk amount of the tacks, I'd be interested in buying a portion to help off-set your cost...hope you'll keep me in mind!

Thanks,
DeAnne in CA

[Mark Parkinson]

DeAnne

I will be making at least a couple more :) I'll post here when they are ready as to the tacks that too I will post when I find a price. If I do a miny production run of mandrels I'll include a hundred or so tacks with them we'll have to see how my machine work on the lathe turns out :rolleyes:

p.s. yes a pin vice will probably work as long as it is one of the steel ones not the cheap aluminum ones they will last about .5 sec if you accidentally "flash" it in the flame :( don't ask me how I know

[Mark Parkinson]

Storm

Victrola needles are just plain steel and will rust thats why they used to be kept in a felt lined box to keep the damp away


I just reread this post and realized I came off as really condiscending, I did not mean it that way I'm sorry.

What I do mean is that no steel is rust proof some just rust slower than others. Even stainless steel will rust, a lot slower than regular carbon steel but it will rust, until you get into the stainless blends that the areospace industry uses that cost thousands of dollars per lb there is no steel that will not rust.

[StOrM]

Mark in your opinion what would you use for this push pin idea then ......

nails?
victrola needles?
something else?

i guess i am just trying to figure out the best way to make push pins......and i am just looking for help......I take everyones opinions to heart when i post my own thread and i have found everyone's opinion helpful in my decision. I have not found anyone condescending. I am a bit analitical sometimes and the more opinions or information i get the better i can make my decision.

keep up the opinions...

[StOrM]

donna - let us know what you have come up with.....:)
i too am going out to find something to try push pins with :)

[Robinj]

I tried yesterday with #18 wire brads (the smallest I could find). They're difficult to push into the corkboard and feel like nails, not like push pins.

[StOrM]

robinj - thats too bad......

back to the drawing board........I am going out today and i am going to pick up a cork board and some stuff from the hardware store......I have searched online and there are some brass nails i found seem to be cheaper....i worry about melting them though......i also worry about the coatings they put on the nails and stuff.....so i am torn....

[jaci]

if you made beads on the ends of 1/16" and were to epoxy a nail, or needle into it, you would avoid the discoloration thing. Most tacks are made this way, and you could use whatever material you wanted if it is not going into the flame.

[jaci]

you could for starters, buy push pins (the plastic ones at the $1 store) and take the plastic off the top for comparison.

[Mark Parkinson]

I am not sure what the best way to go is yet, I will be going into the city tomorrow and hit up the industrial fastener distributer the marine store and the hardware store for several differant sharp things :) I will play with them and let you know what I have found out.

[StOrM]

thanks mark

[theglasszone]

DeAnne

I will be making at least a couple more :) I'll post here when they are ready as to the tacks that too I will post when I find a price. If I do a miny production run of mandrels I'll include a hundred or so tacks with them we'll have to see how my machine work on the lathe turns out :rolleyes:

p.s. yes a pin vice will probably work as long as it is one of the steel ones not the cheap aluminum ones they will last about .5 sec if you accidentally "flash" it in the flame :( don't ask me how I know

Hey, WHO YOU CALLIN' CHEAP? (Just kidding - I actually resemble that remark, Mark!!!) Yeah, glad I checked here first!!!! That would have been an ugly meltdown!!! Ha...!

You know where to find me!
DeAnne in CA

[Mark Parkinson]

DeAnne you know I whould never call you cheap :-\"... frugal :poke:... careful ... oh who am I kidding ... tight ... as in as water tight as a ducks .....:hide:


ducking and running for cover

[StOrM]

Let me know if you are interested in a bulk buy of the victrola needles......i am getting a quote from them and i need to know how many needles to ask him for.

Thanks

[Flame Crazy]

I've never tried making them before but maybe these might work. The pins are stainless and the heads are aluminum. I'm thinking you may have to use gentle heat because of the low melting point of the aluminum.

www.dickblick.com/zz649/16/?wmcp=yahoo&wmcid=SiteSubmitProducts&wmckw=Stainless+Steel+Push+Pins

[Megan]

What about using T-pins.. Dick blick has stainless steel ones but they are pretty long.. This one has littler ones but not stainless but I am sure they are out there and super cheap..
http://www.safetypins.com/steel_pins.htm

[jaci]

Good idea! I have a bunch of T pins at home... I'll have to experiment!!!

Either on a 1/16" mandrel and cut and glue or just cut down and put in a pin vise....

[MrArtemisLampwork]

Lynnie asked me to type this suggestion: what about using 3/64 mandrel stock and sharpening the tips once you cool and cut them? It is smaller in diameter than 1/16 and pretty stiff yet fine!

[StOrM]

they would cost about the same as the victrola needles and those are already cut and sharpend....

the T pins are nickle plated so i would have to try one to see if the plating melts off. and see what it looks like after your finished the piece.

someone suggested that your buy the stainless steel push pins and melt off the plastic part and use the metal. i think this would be the cheapest way cause a box of 100 push pins are like 2.00

[squid]

I would think a good whack with a hammer would break the plastic off the end of the pin - might not need to melt it off :).

[sleekbeads]

a good whack with a hammer definitely works, but sheesh....
be careful and wear your safety glassed.
I tried it and it worked, but not sure if I want to whack the heck out of the darn thing every time I want to make one.

Anyone know if the manufacturer can be contacted ? Perhaps they might be willing to sell the pins outright???

Jo

[StOrM]

i have been looking and i really can find anything close other than those darn Victrola needles.....i will keep searching though

[MrArtemisLampwork]

What do victrola needles cost? You could get 12 - 1 inch pins from 1 - 3/64 mandrel (cost for 1 mandrel is probably $1 at most probably less)...

[theglasszone]

What do victrola needles cost? You could get 12 - 1 inch pins from 1 - 3/64 mandrel (cost for 1 mandrel is probably $1 at most probably less)...

Hey Lynnie!!!!

Great to see you here - you know I think about you often!!!! And "MrArtemisLampwork" - yesssssssssssssss!!! Tee Hee Hee....I love it!!!! (Is that a picture of Mr. Niceguy in your Avatar? :))

I like your idea of using the mandrels, but I'm so short on time, before I explore this option, I'm waiting to see what other's come up with! (Not lazy, just crazy!!!)

Hugs to you my friend!

DeAnne in CA

[StOrM]

MrArtemisLampwork - you can get 25 for $6.00 on there web site but they are willing to do a bulk buy and i am just getting the cost of them right now (waiting for an e-mail back) and they are already sharp and pointy and only 5/8'' long......less work .i did post a picture some time ago.

I am also waiting for a quote from a push pin manufacturer to see if i can just buy the metal pins i am sure they will be cheap.....i just want to make sure they are steel.....and to see if they are coated with anything...i will let you all know what i come up with......my only problem is that i don't have my own business yet so if they need a tax # or something i can't buy them. so if that is the case i am hoping someone could get them and ship me some.

[CO_Phantom]

One of the links posted earlier that had the zinc coating also had quilting pins that were stainless steel. I'm not sure if they were coated with anything or not. The others that the site had listed mentioned coatings, but these quilting pins didn't say.

Let us know about the victrola needles...I was thinking about mandrels as well, but what a PITA to sharpen each of them. If they are already sharpened, in my book, it's worth a little extra cost.

I'm also curious about the push pin info!

-Amy

[StOrM]

Ok, so I got an answer about the victrola needles......They wanted to know how many I wanted....so I asked for about 1000. That would give Me 40 sets of 25. And the price would be about .19 cents a piece instead of .24 cents.

I am still waiting to hear something from the push pin company.......I am sure they will be cheaper.

i will keep you all posted.

[CO_Phantom]

I went to Michael's to the quilting/sewing section and found some pins that look like they could be good push pins. They were Clover brand, I'm not sure how many were in the package, but looks around 100 for $7.49.

They are called "applique pins" and the back says they are made of steel with a polyester resin head.

All the other pins in the section said they were steel pins with nickel coating. This one didn't say anything about a coating, so...here's hoping! I will try them next week when I get to torch.

-Amy

[StOrM]

Thats good news..............I would like to see how they look Amy......let us know how they turn out.

[CO_Phantom]

I will definitely keep you posted on what they look like and how they work.

But I would like some of the victrola needles when/if you get them. I think those would be nice as a "classier" type of thing, you know? Someone mentioned that they used to be individually wrapped and stored in little boxes, so I can just picture hand made pins, individually wrapped, presented in a little gift box, perhaps as a set of 6 or 10...I dunno, sounds kind of neat to me.

-Amy

[dichromary]

Well, I did some experiments yesterday with brads and pins I bought from Michaels and hardware store. Left to right: Applecore applique pins, upholstery nickled plated steel tacks, and brads. The brads are a bit thick and the pins are a bit thin. I like the tacks best but couln't find any that's not plated.

105967

[jaci]

looking good! Could we see the other side? Please? I am courious how the pin looks. There were all done in the flame?or were some glued?

[dichromary]

looking good! Could we see the other side? Please? I am courious how the pin looks. There were all done in the flame?or were some glued?

No glue used. They were all flameworked. The heart was premade using the petal puller.

105969

[Ro]

i have a roll of real pins for dressmaking from my grandmother, i made the dogs on a punti and grabbed the pin with tweezers and heated glass and pushed it in to hot spot pulled out a teeny bit then held my breath till it set up, popped them into a hot oven 968 and annealed an inch an hour then cooled 50 an hour to strain point.
there are on a map at the animal shelter i volunteer at to mark all the states/places our dogs go to.
i have no idea what the pins were made of, they have the tiny heads on them, all metal.
this was done with moretti, it doesnt work with boro without gouging a hole to later epoxy pin in.
ro

[StOrM]

dichromary - Ok, I really like the idea and look of the tacks. very nice work by the way. So does anyone know how to make them look clean again on the back side where the metal is? Can you tumble them ? or just buff them?

dichromary - can you try to buff one of them to see if you can get it clean?

I am sorry that i have not trying this yet....I do not have a set up at home and it is a 30 min drive to get to the studio where i torch.....plus i am not sure if i like their ventalation very much so i try not to so things like this there so i don't poison myself.

[Mark Parkinson]

Finally got the Victrolla needles to try ... they are nickel plated steel ... the shape is nice, I made up ten pins they are in the kiln ... will post later with pics when they come out but the steel discoloured pretty good just heating to get the glass to stick :( maybe polishing them will work ... gaaahhh I hate waiting for new stuff I playing with to come out of the kiln ... I want to know NOW

[StOrM]

Mark - sounds good......can you just pickle steel to make the finish go back to normal? or do you have to polish it off?

I would love to see pictures.

I am still trying to get my torch up and running.....so no glass from me in a while :(

[Mark Parkinson]

the pins do discolour in the flame and in the kiln (as does stainless) but they seem to clean up well with a light buff with steel wool or a 3m pad (green scubie) as most of the pin will be in the wall or cork I don't believe that this would be a problem for most people.

108591

108590

108589

[glassactcc]

Here's my rendition. I got the bases at Home Depot. I think they are made by Ook. They have a full line of picture hangers. I used epoxy to glue them on and really, I couldn't get them off if I tried. I made a full bead and then ground down a flat spot.

Hope this helps a little.

108607 108606

[squid]

OOh Cynthia - that is VERY cool.

[Ari'elle]

Here's my rendition. I got the bases at Home Depot. I think they are made by Ook. They have a full line of picture hangers. I used epoxy to glue them on and really, I couldn't get them off if I tried. I made a full bead and then ground down a flat spot.

Hope this helps a little.

Very pretty Cynthia. Which epoxy did you use or would any two-part epoxy work?

[Ari'elle]

Mark those are beautiful! How long are the needles?

[glassactcc]

I used a two part epoxy. Just make sure it says ok for glass!



Very pretty Cynthia. Which epoxy did you use or would any two-part epoxy work?

[glassactcc]

Thank you Squid!

[Wendyki]

Nice job :)

[jaci]

Cynthia those ROCK!! VERY COOL!! I love the floral!

[StOrM]

Cynthia - I love the look of those.....so you just ground down a bead until you saw no mandrel mark?

Mark - great job , those are the perfect length.....it also looks like you could clean up the black marks quite easy to make them look more professional.

great job you guys.....i so need to get this studio set up :)

[glassactcc]

Woops, I said bead didn't I? Sorry guys. I made a small marble but actually Storm, I guess you could also do what you said.

I like when the push pins seat all the way down onto what you are pinning them too. That's why I make one side flat.

[theglasszone]

Wow, beautiful!!! When I use 2 part epoxy for glass (I've made miniature kaleidoscopes for years!), I go with "330 2-part Epoxy" - it is crystal clear, and mixes up wonderfully...just thick enough to hold but not run. I have items that were glued over 5 years ago, and still no yellowing or releasing. Just thought I'd add my two cents...

DeAnne in CA

[Mark Parkinson]

Mark those are beautiful! How long are the needles?

they are 5/8" long 1/16" thick

[gubnavnania]

Those push pins are beautiful.

So are we going to do bulk buys? Anyone? Anyone?

[Mark Parkinson]

the victrola needles are available on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-NEW-PHONOGRAPH-NEEDLES-VICTOR-VICTROLA-4-50_W0QQitemZ220205475465QQihZ012QQcategoryZ38027QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

at $4.50 for 100 I got the 'loud' ones they are thicker

[StOrM]

yeah I think mark found a way better buy....than i did on a different web site.....

so buy from that ebay site if you want victrola needles. (loud size)

[StOrM]

cynthia - I don't know how to make a marble :(.......i guess i will just make a bead and grind it down.. I wish i could make a marble and know how to do implosions too....no one here can teach me (i don't think) i have watched a few videos but still not sure if i can.

[jaci]

Storm, just make a round bead (or any other shape) on the end of a dipped 1/16th mandrel. Then clean out the hole and glue in the needle, no grinding necessary.

[topher wren]

how about those t pins used in macrame, cut off ?

[squid]

Storm, just make a round bead (or any other shape) on the end of a dipped 1/16th mandrel. Then clean out the hole and glue in the needle, no grinding necessary.

that is a fantastic idea.

[jaci]

how about those t pins used in macrame, cut off ?

this is exactly what I was thinking!!! I made a few push pin size 'beads' but I don't think 104 raku likes to be encased... :( too bad they were pretty!!! I just cut the ends off T pins. I did not bother gluing them cuz the beads had cracks in them near the raku....

[StOrM]

thats a great idea.....i will have to try that :)

[chrisann]

I haven't read the entire thread but wanted to throw in that the pin ends that are smooth all the way up i.e. don't have a "head" flare at the top (that goes inside the glass) may eventually pull out. Genrally from fusing you put a nub or curl or something that takes up more space at the point it goes into the glass to keep it from pulling out. metal expands and contracts throughout it's life and I have seen hangers on fused stuff pull out if put in without the above mentioned "nub"...just a thought
chrisann

[Mark Parkinson]

chrisann you bring up a very valid point and one I too am concerned with, I am and will contine to look for a stainless steel pin/nail with a head that will address this and if I come up with one will post it here.
right now I am putting the pins I have made through freeze cycles bringing them up to room temp and refreezing them to see if these extremes affect the pins and glass I have had one failure so far but that may have more to do with encasing raku frit than anything else, I will contine the cycle and report back in a couple of weeks as to the results.

[QuietSky]

How about making bead on very end of 1/16 mandrel with NO bead release...

And as Wendyki said, just cut off mandrel and sharpen it...

Sure you can anneal it..... I would.

Dale


What about doing this method, then using a cup burr to sharpen the edge? that's assuming you have a dremel or foredom or such. you would have to hold the metal very tightly, not the glass, otherwise it would break off, but a slow speed and a pair of full locking grips or tweezers could take care of that! Another thought is doing a end of mandrel single hole bead and epoxy-ing it to your favored sharp end thingy... just a thought.

[menty666]

you could always pop it into a bench vice and mushroom the head with a ball pein hammer. Pain in the butt, but better than issuing refunds from angry customers :)

[RawhideArtist]

I made some hat pins a few years ago using .035 stainless. You could make them longer than needed and cut them down after annealing. The great thing about the .035 is how light it is to hold. Since the piece is so light, one naturally tends to be more detail oriented. Also as I recall, I had tried 1/16 mandrels but too many broke after coming out of the kiln. That's my 2 cents.

[StOrM]

manty666 - thats a good idea....that way you have that lip idea so if for any reason the metal comes loose from the glass it cant slip out

rawhideartist - thanks for the info

[Frit Diva]

I did the same as RawhideArtist describes, making hat pins from .035 stainless.

First I cut the rod/wire into 14" to 18" lengths and then bent a small loop into one end. This made it easier to build up a blob of glass, since the wire itself is so small!

No bead release~ made the glass tip in the flame, then stuck the glass end into the kiln just like a bead on a mandrel.

After annealing, I would clip the wire to desired length and then just sharpen it on a fine grinding wheel. I was trying to make them smooth enough to go through fabric, so I had a piece of fabric close by to test them on. The remining length of the wire could be used again till it got too short.

I have an old fashioned hand-powered grinding wheel that mounts on the edge of a workbench, it works great for this purpose (They sell these at Harbor Freight, but I got mine at a flea market). I'm sure you could do it on any bench grinder. The sharpening takes less than a minute.

What's nice about working with the .035 stainless is that you can make your pin as short or long as you want ~ though I confess I never found a big market for lapel pins or hat pins either one....

[Beadbug]

Late to the party... did anyone ever decide what the best item to use for pins that would have a head to help them stay on? I would like to make some for christmas gifts for the people at work.

[StOrM]

I don't know if we ever found a solution :)

[S. Greco]

Another latecomer...I was under the impression that steel was incompatible with glass?:-?

[StOrM]

What metal is then?

[twiggyinaz]

I am going to take a stab in the dark.

The knobs are built on stainless steel screws, so evidently the stainless is a good metal to put glass on.

I have a flower bed with flowers built on the ends of bent mandrels, and they have been there for a few years. In the summer and fall and most of the winter you can't see them, there are real flowers, but every February and March, they hold their heads high and brighten that patch of dirt. I don't think I have lost one of them... yet.

[jaci]

I have been making them successfully storm. I do just as mentioned above by cutting the T pins to size and gluing them in. I have not had a problem with them coming off. This is by far the easiest way. There is no sharpening, or polishing, and 2 part epoxy will hold for a very long time. For those concerned with making a catch in the pin, it is easy to take a nail file to the top of the pin, or just make grooves with a pair of pliers before gluing. It really is easy. I sell them 5 together with a cork board that I sometimes paint for $10.

[MerryFool]

Mark, you're my hero.

[StOrM]

jaci - i think you are right..... So you make the pin end on the end of a mandrel....do you use 1/16 size?

[simvet02]

I have been making them successfully storm. I do just as mentioned above by cutting the T pins to size and gluing them in. I have not had a problem with them coming off. This is by far the easiest way. There is no sharpening, or polishing, and 2 part epoxy will hold for a very long time. For those concerned with making a catch in the pin, it is easy to take a nail file to the top of the pin, or just make grooves with a pair of pliers before gluing. It really is easy. I sell them 5 together with a cork board that I sometimes paint for $10.

Jaci, how do you hold the pin while you are working on it if you don't mine me asking. I like the "t" pin idea the best. I'm actually thinking of leaving the "t" on the end, building out the bead head and then cutting and sharpening on a hand crank bench grinder. Shouldn't take but a few minutes to do that.
thanks,

[StOrM]

just make a round bead (or any other shape) on the end of a dipped 1/16th mandrel. Then clean out the hole and glue in the needle, no grinding necessary.

This is what Jaci means

[jaci]

yes exactly! :) 1/16th seemed to work the best. these really fast to make, and getting it round is super easy that small. I have done mini hearts, dots, stripes, swirls, flattened clear dots, top designs, marbled, squished, mashed into a mold, or press... (The itty bitties work great for this, or the sweetie series, just use one half and push into the center rather than trying to press it. You could press it too) Its really just fun! They make great mini test beads too (think of those tiny beads Corrina makes as testers, only now you have something to do with them after)

I do dremel out the bead release with a diamond bit and then make sure to let them dry out for a few days on toothpicks or pins, There is always a bit of water that manages to get trapped in there if you don't! lol. (putting them on pins should ensure that all the water does not stay up in the hole.)

[StOrM]

great.Thanks!!!!

can you post some pictures of your finished pushpins.

[jaci]

I will take a pic or two saturday at my show. (they are all packed away! lol)

[StOrM]

sounds good. sell tons at your show :)

[S. Greco]

What metal is then?

I learned that brass, copper, high temperature wire (nickel chromium?) and the precious metals (silver, gold, platinum) were compatible with glass. I supposed you could add aluminum, but it melts at a much lower temperature.

[jenyip]

Hope no one minds me resurrecting this. After combining several ideas from this thread, and a bit of trial and error, this is what I have come up with.

(a) The pins
- I use this type of push pins. They seem to vary in price so hunt around for the cheapest.
- After bashing off the plastic (see below) you are left with a pin shaft which has a "nub" that grabs the glass nicely, and of course a nice pointy end which is literally made for the purpose.

168439

(b) Removing the plastic head
- Prop a large empty box behind your hammering area. It won't stop the plastic shatter (wear safety glasses) but at least it will direct it to one area which is easier to clean up.
- Hold the pointy end of the push pin firmly with a pair of (old) pliers. Use a pair of pliers with a head that is smaller than the widest part of the pushpin. Butt the pliers up against the plastic head.
- Aim at the widest part of the push pin, closest to the pliers, and bash it with a heavy hammer!
- With a bit of luck the plastic will have completely shattered and you will be left with a perfectly straight pin shaft. It only takes a second.
- If the shaft is crooked straighten it with a few gentle hits of the hammer

It is a messy process but I do a whole lot in a single session, and then clean up in one fell swoop. And it's fun to bash them!

168708

(c) Preparing the pin shaft
Thanks to Bobby for her brilliant idea of binding 6 mandrels together. But I found the resulting mandrel to be heavy and difficult to rotate, so, I made some modifications:
- cut five 1.6 mm (1/16") mandrels into 5 cm (2") lengths
- bind the 5 mandrels, arranged into a "flower" around the end of another mandrel which has been cut to approx 15 cm (6")
- Bind the other end of the mandrel bundle, also in a "flower" pattern, around a pin shaft. It should be tight enough that the shaft won't fall out, but not so tight that you can't remove it with your fingers.
- the resulting push pin mandrel is light, easy to hold, and just like rotating a normal mandrel.
- it takes a while to set up, but it's a mostly one-time set up.

168441

(d) Make your pin
- Flash the pin shaft in the flame until just glowing before winding on the glass. Make sure you cover the "nub" of the shaft completely.

(e) Finishing
- Holding on to the middle of the mandrel bundle, gently ease the completed push pin out of the mandrel bundle.
- Check the stability of the mandrel bundle (tighten wires, replace as necessary)
- Ease in the next pin shaft.
- The completed pin shaft is pretty dark after annealing, but tumbling overnight brings them back to shiny.

168707

I love making these little guys! Thanks to everyone for their ideas.

[squid]

that is SO cool! Fantastic little innovation with the mandrels!

[Lara]

Very cool. I would not have come up wiith any of these ideas. Thanks for sharing everyone.

[lwilson21]

Jennie, thanks for sharing your process. I love your push pins!

Leah

[StOrM]

Jennie - I think you are right with regards to the cheapest and most effective way to make a push pin. Awesome idea for the mandrel. I think i am going to have to try it sometime.

[tt4st]

What fun!!! Jenny, Thanks for refining and tweaking the previous ideas and sharing with all of us!

[avisiblespectrum]

those are so cute Jenni! I'm itching to make some now!

[Beadbug]

I made some pushpins and though I would share, they were fun and easy with the instructions here.
184962

[StOrM]

ooooooo it looks like you used murrini. nice touch!

[MerryFool]

Seeing all your lovely push-pins, Tracy, reminds me of the doll-eye tut...

[jenyip]

Okay, so it's many, many months later and I am still obsessed by making pins. But I've figured out a couple of other applications ... lapel pins (aka tie tacks), and also stud earrings. What's even better is that the pin shaft thingies are commercially available (check at Rio Grande, eg, for "tie tac" and "ear posts").

Here are some lapel pins/tie tacks. They are about 15 mm in diameter.

194336

194337

194526


And here is a pair of stud earrings. Each earring is about 12 mm in diameter. The earring posts are sterling silver.

194339

Help! I can't stop making them!

[StOrM]

WOW great job!! i really like them. How much do you sell them for?

Do you just clean them after to make them shiny again?

[jenyip]

Thank you! The first two and the earrings are in my etsy shop. I sold the 3rd lapel pin for $12.50. Prices for the pins range from $5 to $15, depending on the style. The earrings are $30. The interesting part is that people are prepared to pay more for a functional piece of jewellery than a push pin. But basically it's the same thing. By the way, I've been selling sets of 9 push pins, like these ones, in a gift box, for $22.50.

194545

I throw lapel pins and earrings in the tumbler after annealing and let them tumble for at least 6 hours. That serves two purposes: cleans the metal and also makes sure that the glass head is robust. And I've learnt to dry the lapel pins so that the water drains away from the "dimple", ie not face down, otherwise rust can form at the join. I don't think that's a weakness, but it doesn't look so nice.

I forgot to say in my last post that I am *very* grateful that you started this thread. Thank you!

[Torched Art]

How did I miss this thread?

I made a few pins for my dad for his B-day in September. I found a shadowbox and used the pins to tack up photos from my wedding. It was super cute.

I have also used slumped millefiores and glued them to flat tacks.

i love this thread. Thanks for starting it.


194548

194547

[Ro]

love the earrings and tie tacks and info. i made a bunch of pins to use to mark a map at the animal shelter. they are all crazy dog heads. every time a dog gets adopted someplace new they add another pin. its cute. one of the reasons i love soft glass is its ability to combine with metal. i wish i could use these techniques with boro sometimes. the pins i used were from a huge roll of sewing straight pins that were my grandmothers. i have no idea what they are made of. ill ask at the shelter to see if any have rusted. i didnt build on the pin. i created the dog head off mandrel, then light heat on tip of pin and super heat on spot of dog neck and just pushed it in and held really still till it set up and the pin didnt move. solves the issue of holding the pin while your working.
great thread

ro

[Ro]

oops, i just realized i posted this before, memory of a sieve!
ro

[Ro]

i just looked on rio, i see they have surgical steel as well as silver for ear posts, im wondering if they are sturdier, they have a bit of a wider part on the ends? thoughts? they dont have steel tie tacs only nickel and base metal? what are you using jennie?
i found brass ones:
http://crystaltool.com/solderingcastingbrasstietackpost.aspx

will brass work? anyone tried?

they have the surgical steel earring posts for a lot less than rio
http://crystaltool.com/surgicalstainlesssteelsolderingcastingearringpost. aspx
ro

[jenyip]

For the earrings I'm using sterling silver posts. The ones that I can get are straight with no head, the other end has a furrow (? sorry, there's a better word but I'm tired) and is already rounded off. I pinch the end that will go into the glass with a pair of pliers (gently!) to form the "nub".

The lapel pin shafts that I use are some sort of base metal, but I don't know what. I like to use ones that look like a nail with "furrow" and a very flat, thin head. That seems enough to grab the glass.

[Ro]

i ordered the brass ones, i will see how they do.
i got posts and tacs from crystal tool and clutch backs from rio, they had better clutch back prices and selection for earrings and tacs.
ro

[StOrM]

jenyip - I started this thread just for you :) with out knowing it of course ;)
lol... i was so curious about push pins/lapel/earrings...that i had to ask because i did not see any posts about them. It turned out to be a very informative thread. I am happy for all the input and advice from everyone :)

***even though i have not made a single pin :hide:***

I am planning on it for gifts and thins for my office working clients....but i just need to buy the supplies and then i will see them on my work bench and finally get to it :

[StOrM]

Ro - great web site. Great prices :) Thanks for sharing.

I was also wondering about the Soldering/Casting Nickel Silver...if they will withstand the heat? any one know?

also which gauge would you suggest? 1/4", 3/8", 5/16", or 7/16" i have never been good with gauges.

[jenyip]

At a guess I think the brass should work fine. One thing that I forgot to say in my last sleepy post is that you should warm the base metal pin to glowing and apply *very* molten glass. That way you should minimise any bubbles around the join. For the sterling pins, don't warm to glowing (it will melt into a ball) but warm it up gently at the back of the flame. I then bring it closer and watch for the (very subtle) colour change, again add very molten glass.

I'm using 1.1 mm for the lapel pins and 0.9 mm for the earrings. Um, that's roughly 3/16" for lapels, and 1/32" for studs.

[Ro]

storm i got the 3/8" because thats what rio had listed , i figured that was the right length. the tacs on rio were .030 guage, but i got the brass which are .045 should be fine. i dont think burning nickel in the flame is a good idea due to fumes etc. thats why i got the brass.
i will post how they do when i get them
ro

[StOrM]

Ro - Thats kind of what i thought... I prefer the silver color over a brass or gold :(

[Ro]

me too, but for the tacs they wont be seen so i figured brass was good, no rust either! and for the earring posts i got surgical steel.
i hope they stick good, i dont think ive ever used brass before in glass only copper and steel. fingers crossed
ro

[Imaglassgal]

And here is a pair of stud earrings. Each earring is about 12 mm in diameter. The earring posts are sterling silver.

194339



What a cool idea (both pins and earrings) but I'm confused. I thought silver would melt/fume/etc. How can the studs be sterling and still be used? Or did I misunderstand and the posts are attached cold to the lampworked section?

Marina

[Truewealth]

I made some pushpins and though I would share, they were fun and easy with the instructions here.
184962

These are so cool!!!

[jenyip]

Hi Marina. No, the glass is melted directly onto the sterling silver. Yes, the sterling pin will melt if you heat it too long ... do NOT heat to glowing. Start by waving the pin in the back of the flame, then bring it closer towards you and flash it in the flame again. You will see a subtle colour change (sort of turns greyish and then shiny again), and that's about the right temperature. If the pin gets too hot it will melt. If the pin is too cold then the glass just won't stick.

In the meantime make sure your glass gather is VERY hot and then plop it directly on the just-the-right-temperature pin. Oh, don't forget to make sure that your pin has a "nub" (described somewhere in this thread).

About fumes: I'm sure there are fumes but I can't see them being any worse than burning off silver foil, eg, in other words, good ventilation is always a good idea.

What a cool idea (both pins and earrings) but I'm confused. I thought silver would melt/fume/etc. How can the studs be sterling and still be used? Or did I misunderstand and the posts are attached cold to the lampworked section?

Marina

[jenyip]

Wow, these are really good prices! Thanks for sharing, Ro. And yes this is what I meant, with a groove (and not a "furrow") and a flat, thin, small head. Please keep us posted about the brass experiment?


i found brass ones:
http://crystaltool.com/solderingcastingbrasstietackpost.aspx

will brass work? anyone tried?

they have the surgical steel earring posts for a lot less than rio
http://crystaltool.com/surgicalstainlesssteelsolderingcastingearringpost. aspx
ro

[jenyip]

Hi StOrM, yeah something about this topic resonated with me when I first discovered this thread. I think what I love most about making pins is ... no bead release! I never realised how much I hate messing around with bead release and mandrels. I hate dipping mandrels, I hate cleaning mandrels, I hate how my mandrels get bent (I mostly use thin mandrels), I hate getting beads off mandrels, and I especially HATE cleaning beads (my BeADreamer helps enormously but it's still one of my least favourite tasks).

Making pins means: no bead release (happy dance! no bead release!); you hand the cleaning task over to the tumbler; and, you give the "mandrel" away with the bead. Bliss!


jenyip - I started this thread just for you :) with out knowing it of course ;)
lol... i was so curious about push pins/lapel/earrings...that i had to ask because i did not see any posts about them. It turned out to be a very informative thread. I am happy for all the input and advice from everyone :)

[jenyip]

Okay, this is the last from me in this thread for this evening. But I neglected to say that I really like BeadBug's push pins!

I made some pushpins and though I would share, they were fun and easy with the instructions here.
184962

[squid]

At a guess I think the brass should work fine. One thing that I forgot to say in my last sleepy post is that you should warm the base metal pin to glowing and apply *very* molten glass. That way you should minimise any bubbles around the join. For the sterling pins, don't warm to glowing (it will melt into a ball) but warm it up gently at the back of the flame. I then bring it closer and watch for the (very subtle) colour change, again add very molten glass.

I'm using 1.1 mm for the lapel pins and 0.9 mm for the earrings. Um, that's roughly 3/16" for lapels, and 1/32" for studs.

I don't think the 3/16" is correct? 3/64" perhaps?

[jenyip]

Oops. Thanks squid, I'm sure you're right. I can convert from mm to decimal inches (at least my calculator can), but fractional inches really confuse me. The mm values are correct: 1.1 mm = 0.043 inches; 0.9 mm = 0.035 inches

[Imaglassgal]

About fumes: I'm sure there are fumes but I can't see them being any worse than burning off silver foil, eg, in other words, good ventilation is always a good idea.

Thanks for the explanation on technique. As for the fuming, I do have good ventilation and wasn't worried from a safety standpoint. I was wondering if the hot silver would give off fumes that make the glass look funky. Of course I can imagine instances where this potential for silver fume sticking to ivory etc. may be to the benefit of the design. When I get the time (and sterling studs) to give this a try, I'll post results.

Marina

[squid]

Oops. Thanks squid, I'm sure you're right. I can convert from mm to decimal inches (at least my calculator can), but fractional inches really confuse me. The mm values are correct: 1.1 mm = 0.043 inches; 0.9 mm = 0.035 inches

I found this :)

http://mdmetric.com/tech/cvtcht.htm

[jenyip]

Lol. Sorry! I confused "fumes" and "fuming" (truly! English really is my mother tongue, but I've been living in a foreign country for so long that my English gets muddled sometimes.). In any case, ventilation is a good idea because of undesirable silver fumes. On the other hand, the silver fuming aspect could be quite desirable on ivory-like glass.

Thanks for the explanation on technique. As for the fuming, I do have good ventilation and wasn't worried from a safety standpoint. I was wondering if the hot silver would give off fumes that make the glass look funky. Of course I can imagine instances where this potential for silver fume sticking to ivory etc. may be to the benefit of the design. When I get the time (and sterling studs) to give this a try, I'll post results.

Marina

[LauraLou]

Thanks for all the great info on how to make these! My "flower" bundle of mandrels didn't hold my pins tight enough so I had to "glue" them in with bead release. That held it good enough to be able to make the push pin. Here's some I made last night with the tutorial in this thread:
206755
206756

[Ro]

such pretty flowers!!!

ive been told not to use brass. not compatible coe and doesnt hold up to the heat well (melts) and gives off nasty fumes, so im using these

http://crystaltool.com/solderingcastingnickelsilvertietackpost-3.aspx

im doing lots of stuff with the pins, using them for mixed media on canvas. very fun! here are some others are in the gallery thread.
ro

[StOrM]

Great work....Those look awesome.

Love the canvas work too!!!

[LauraLou]

OMG! So awesome! You paint really well!

Is that price for a gross or per piece? It says sold by the gross, but that seems cheap for 144 of them. I wonder how much shipping is...
thanks for the link!

such pretty flowers!!!

ive been told not to use brass. not compatible coe and doesnt hold up to the heat well (melts) and gives off nasty fumes, so im using these

http://crystaltool.com/solderingcastingnickelsilvertietackpost-3.aspx

im doing lots of stuff with the pins, using them for mixed media on canvas. very fun! here are some others are in the gallery thread.
ro

[allegrafuct]

Still digging at this super old thread. For the earrings, how do you hold the earring posts?!?! Do you do it the same as the pins? Aren't they too thin to hold?

[FishBulb]

Neat thread! Just when I think it's all been done. Now I see Christmas presents looming!

[Seasoned Soul]

OMG! So awesome! You paint really well!

Is that price for a gross or per piece? It says sold by the gross, but that seems cheap for 144 of them. I wonder how much shipping is...
thanks for the link!

I was wondering the same thing...seems awful cheap for 144 but then kind of expensive per piece...maybe or maybe not.
:-k

[blong2001]

This is a great idea! Christmas is getting ever closer and these do look good for gifts.
The crystaltools prices are good-but shipping is outrageous!

[Ro]

I use self closing tweezers to hold mine. I usually add the pin at the end.
Ro

[allegrafuct]

Hi Marina. No, the glass is melted directly onto the sterling silver. Yes, the sterling pin will melt if you heat it too long ... do NOT heat to glowing. Start by waving the pin in the back of the flame, then bring it closer towards you and flash it in the flame again. You will see a subtle colour change (sort of turns greyish and then shiny again), and that's about the right temperature. If the pin gets too hot it will melt. If the pin is too cold then the glass just won't stick.

In the meantime make sure your glass gather is VERY hot and then plop it directly on the just-the-right-temperature pin. Oh, don't forget to make sure that your pin has a "nub" (described somewhere in this thread).


After you stick a nub on the sterling silver pin how do you keep working on it? If I try to get the glass to round off the silver melts and the ball falls off! I've pretty much been putting the melted gather on, stretching the glass rod away until it detaches, and then with the marver squashing it in, but the results are absolute crap. I could post pictures later when I get home.

[jenyip]

Hi Gabi,

By a "nub" I mean that the sterling pin should not be perfectly round and smooth; the glass needs something to hold on to. I usually squeeze the end between a pair of pliers to flatten it--that seems to be enough. Refer back to my original post about the push pins, you will see that push pins also have a "nub", hidden underneath the plastic head.

Once the glass is on the sterling pin, concentrate the flame on the glass, and keep it away from the silver! Also try flame cutting the rod (don't "stretch it till it detaches"). It takes some juggling to keep the ball of glass round and attached.

bye - jennie

[allegrafuct]

Hi Gabi,

By a "nub" I mean that the sterling pin should not be perfectly round and smooth; the glass needs something to hold on to. I usually squeeze the end between a pair of pliers to flatten it--that seems to be enough. Refer back to my original post about the push pins, you will see that push pins also have a "nub", hidden underneath the plastic head.

Once the glass is on the sterling pin, concentrate the flame on the glass, and keep it away from the silver! Also try flame cutting the rod (don't "stretch it till it detaches"). It takes some juggling to keep the ball of glass round and attached.

bye - jennie

Yeah I was asking mainly because my juggling was unsuccessfull and I was wondering if somehow I was doing it wrong.

[jaci]

really its easier to glue the pin ends in AFTER you make them. It gives you more creative freedom at the torch, and is easier to round out, because you dont have to worry about your heat melting your pin. I make mine on the end of a 1/16th dipped mandrel, then glue them onto any pin end i want. no fuss...

[jenyip]

Hi Gabi,

Jaci is right, it is possible to do the end-of-the-mandrel trick and glue the pin in afterwards.

But, if you want to continue with making glueless lampwork pins then I have some suggestions:
- start out trying to balance a ball of glass on the end of a mandrel a la Jaci. Dip the mandrel in bead release as normal and then make your bead on the very end of the mandrel. This is a great way to learn how to "juggle" your glass. You will learn how to wrap/plop the glass onto the mandrel, and how to round it out. Concentrate the heat on the glass and not on the mandrel. Don't forget to take the bead out of the flame, rounding it outside of the flame.

- while you are trying to round out the glass imagine that you are making a bead, the difference is that the bead only has one hole, and you have to imagine the other hole. Many of the techniques that you have learnt as a beadmaker are applicable, though you may have to adjust them slightly when making pins (one-holed beads).

- even if you are not interested in making push pins, save the silver and do your practising on push pins. Whenever I am developing a new design I try it out first on a push pin shaft. It's cheap and quite similar technique-wise to making an ear stud. Only when I am reasonably happy with a design do I start trying it out on sterling silver posts.

- when you do start working with silver, just flash the pin in the flame. I keep hammering on about the subtle colour change (grey then silver), I realised yesterday that this happens in less than a second. It doesn't take long at all to warm up.

- the biggest difference "artistically" between a bead and a push pin/ear stud is that you usually see the side (non-hole end) of a bead; with a push pin (etc) the focus is on what is effectively the end of a bead, where the hole would be.

Also, I've discovered that push pins are *the* most useful way to make colour samples. Make your push pin, note the colours that you have used. Write this info on a small piece of cardboard, push the pin through the cardboard, add a dab of glue to keep card and pin together, and then pin the lot to a corkboard.

[Seasoned Soul]

I'm having so much fun with these push pins... pics coming soon.

Thanks jenyip!!! I "built" the mandrels, "smashed" the plastic off the original push pin (that wasn't hard to do at all) and have been busy making p-pins. It really is super easy, especially for beginners. My only problem is staying with one "theme" or style to get a SET. After I make 2-3 I'm ready to try something different. :lol:

[allegrafuct]

Hi Gabi,

Jaci is right, it is possible to do the end-of-the-mandrel trick and glue the pin in afterwards.

But, if you want to continue with making glueless lampwork pins then I have some suggestions:
- start out trying to balance a ball of glass on the end of a mandrel a la Jaci. Dip the mandrel in bead release as normal and then make your bead on the very end of the mandrel. This is a great way to learn how to "juggle" your glass. You will learn how to wrap/plop the glass onto the mandrel, and how to round it out. Concentrate the heat on the glass and not on the mandrel. Don't forget to take the bead out of the flame, rounding it outside of the flame.

- while you are trying to round out the glass imagine that you are making a bead, the difference is that the bead only has one hole, and you have to imagine the other hole. Many of the techniques that you have learnt as a beadmaker are applicable, though you may have to adjust them slightly when making pins (one-holed beads).

- even if you are not interested in making push pins, save the silver and do your practising on push pins. Whenever I am developing a new design I try it out first on a push pin shaft. It's cheap and quite similar technique-wise to making an ear stud. Only when I am reasonably happy with a design do I start trying it out on sterling silver posts.

- when you do start working with silver, just flash the pin in the flame. I keep hammering on about the subtle colour change (grey then silver), I realised yesterday that this happens in less than a second. It doesn't take long at all to warm up.

- the biggest difference "artistically" between a bead and a push pin/ear stud is that you usually see the side (non-hole end) of a bead; with a push pin (etc) the focus is on what is effectively the end of a bead, where the hole would be.

Also, I've discovered that push pins are *the* most useful way to make colour samples. Make your push pin, note the colours that you have used. Write this info on a small piece of cardboard, push the pin through the cardboard, add a dab of glue to keep card and pin together, and then pin the lot to a corkboard.

::worships at feet::

PPP, then?

[jenyip]

Lynn & Gabi: you're welcome! Yes, PPP is the deal. Post pics!

[Seasoned Soul]

okay let's remember... 1) NEWWWBIE...2) FUN and not Perfection!

So here are my Push Pins. Each one is part of an 8 piece set. I told you I was having fun. I decided to stop playing around though and at least make "sets" just in case I wanted to give them as gifts or something. :lol:

215182
The bat and pumpkin are two of an 8 piece set

215183

[Lara]

Lynn, those are great!

[jenyip]

Well done Lynn! Love the spirals!

[Seasoned Soul]

Well done Lynn! Love the spirals!

Thanks jenyip!!! Just what I needed... a break from making donuts..grin*

[Carolyn Hipskind]

Is there another way to clean the metal push pin after it's been annealed other than a tumbler? I've tried a couple ways - a silver cleaner & plastic scouring pad.......no luck. Don't have a tumbler. Thanks, Carolyn

[jaci]

That is why I make them on the ends of 1/16th mandrels ( w/ bead release) and glue in "T" pins that I cut the top off of. No fuss with cleaning.

[jhana]

That is why I make them on the ends of 1/16th mandrels ( w/ bead release) and glue in "T" pins that I cut the top off of. No fuss with cleaning.
Smart.

[CSimi115]

Ebay has loads of the Victrola needles.

[Moth]

I only read the first page, then jumped to the last page, so sorry if this has been mentioned earlier. I've been using sequin pins for mine.

I hold them with a pin vise. I started using sequin pins because I was trying to make doll eyes and wanted a really sharp, short point. One day, I stuck all the eyes in the cork board in my kitchen so they would quit rolling off the counter and they looked really cool. All those eyeball pushpins. LOL

So, I started making push pins on purpose just for fun. They've been a big hit with myself and my family. I just give them away. I know these are more artistic than regular old cheapo pushpins, but they are still an item that isn't an heirloom quality thing. Basically they are an office supply. People expect them to get lost or bent from trying to poke them into something too hard.

The sequin pins are stainless steel (mine are vintage I bought at an estate sale in a crap ton box of OLD sequins) and they haven't rusted as far as I've seen. If it takes 5 years for them to rust--so what. They're pushpins. LOL They're fun and then they're gone.

~~Mary

[Ari'elle]

Mary, is the thickness of the sequin pins the same thickness of regular pushpins or thinner? I found some on ebay but it doesn't say what the thickness is.

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Gram-Box-Silver-Sequin-Pins-1-2-inch-/390220857779?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5adaf9c1b3

[Ari'elle]

Darn, the box says steel but they're nickel plated. :( Gotta keep looking.

[Moth]

Ari'elle, mine are thinner, but they are really stiff. They feel completely different than the sewing pins I have...which are bendy. Please keep in mind that mine are at least 30 years old as best as I can tell. They were in a 'rough around the edges' cardboard box that said stainless sequin pins in old victorian looking print. I'm sure they are way older than 30 years but I can't prove it. The box was in a trunk and wrapped in felt. The whole box of pins and the sequins were in a big plastic bag in a trunk. There isn't any rust on the pins, but I still believe they are steel.

After I posted my last message I did a search on where to buy stainless sequin pins now and I can't find any suppliers I would trust. Most of the ones I have found come up in a search for stainless steel sequin pins, but when you read the description they are actually nickel plated, like what you found.

If I had known how difficult it would be to find stainless sequin pins NOW, I probably would have kept my mouth shut about them because what I'm using is useless if you can't find them to purchase. LOL

Sorry if I've led you on a wild goose chase.
~~Mary

[Ari'elle]

No goose chase, just another avenue to check out. :) I've actually gotten a couple of ideas for another project other than push pins while doing my search, lol.

[Moth]

Check these out, they are a little long, but you could nip off however much of the unsharpened end that you want to make them any size. Not sure how stiff they are, but I do believe they are real stainless steel since they come from a lab work category.

http://www.benmeadows.com/BIOQUIP-Insect-Pins_31222431/

You can choose from 4 different sizes, but the description says they are all about 1.5" long, which leads me to believe the size difference is in the gauge of the wire itself. So that is good...just pick the thickest one. These are what I will buy when I run out anyway. In about 12 years. LOL

[Ari'elle]

Thanks Mary, I'll check it out!

[Carolyn Hipskind]

FactoryDirectCraft.com
They have 1/2" Silver Sequin Pins (500 pcs. for $1.29) #38041
I emailed them about a month ago & asked what metal they were made of; didn't ask the gauge of wire. They replied within 24hrs. & said they were stainless steel.
I didn't order as I'm using push pins I bought at the dollar store that stated they're stainless. They have a clear plastic head I cut off with my side cutters in about two cuts. They are 5/8", do not melt in the torch if I don't overheat, they don't give off smoke but discolor in the flame & when they are annealed. Soaking in Pickle removed some but not all of discoloration. I made decorative heads on the end of a 1/16th mandrel, cleaned out bead release, dried, mixed 2 part epoxy, insert above pin, tried to stand them up to dry.....I'll check them out in the morning. Taking a more relaxed view and giving them away or selling them priced as fancy "office supplies" seems a lot less complicated than either of the above two ways. Dispite all of that, I enjoy both making, looking and using them.

[Joyce T]

Don't remember who suggested it (I'm sure it was here, though; and it works). Just buy the cheapo plastic push pins, grab a hammer, and work out a bit of anger 'making' your own. (You have to hold the pin in some pliers, and brace it against something you can't smash -- like an anvil or something -- and be sure to wear safety glasses.) If you're as challenged as I am, I suggest doing it well away from anyone or anything you hold dear (unless of course, you're one of those organized people who can work in a small, enclosed space like a box), because the plastic tends to fly hard and fast when it gets shattered, and if you're a bit off kilter and loose your grip on the pin, it does too. It takes a bit of practice, but it works.

[artsyuno]

If you hold them in a pin vise, instead of pliers, you'll eliminate the risk of flying pins.

[lindacw]

I did two boxes of 300 pins in a relatively short time smashing the clear plastic tops off. I also just bought some thumb tacks and was able to heat them up and apply the glass to the entire top of the tack. Worked like a dream and NO smashing plastic !!!

[jaci]

I did two boxes of 300 pins in a relatively short time smashing the clear plastic tops off. I also just bought some thumb tacks and was able to heat them up and apply the glass to the entire top of the tack. Worked like a dream and NO smashing plastic !!!

Just cut the top off a "T" pin. N smashing.. no fuss, you can make it the length you want. You can either glue them in, or hold them in a pin vise and make them right on the end. The great part is they are cheep, and available anywhere you can get office supplies. No ordering, no shipping, no smashing, filing, grinding. No flat top to cover, cheep enough to play around with them. I have said it before, personally I glue them, (no polishing) I do not know if they are stainless or of you can get them in stainless, but if you are getting regular push pins, or some kind of victoria needles that are not stainless and have had success, you should have the same similar success. I know there has also been cometary about fumes on non-stainless and coated metals in this thread a long time ago, again I will revert back to why I make them on 1/16th mandrels and glue them. :) I have made hundreds this way. Happy Push Pin making!

http://cdn.dickblick.com/items/669/01/66901-0000-3ww-l.jpg

[Carolyn Hipskind]

Jaci: Would you mind sharing tips on how to clean the bead release out of the head of a push pin when you make them on a 1/16 rod. Also, how do you get them to stand up straight to dry when you glue whatever pin you use. Thank you, Carolyn

[jaci]

I just take a dremel and grind out the innards. It really does not matter if there is some release in in places (unless you have a clear top) There will be enough glue to glass connection to make it stick forever. The easier solution to using a clear glass is to use a tiny pastel base, of any color, and build the clear on top. You will hide any traces of release this way.

When you glue them in, just stick them in a piece of foam, poly-clay, or a cork board :)

[Carolyn Hipskind]

Thanks for the reply! I did the dremel trick but I have a tapered head on my diamond drill which left a lot of bead release. Maybe I'm being too fussy. I'll try again to get the little stinkers to stand up. Maybe if I let the glue/expoxy dry a little before I stick them together. I appreciate your help. Carolyn

[hannahbeads]

I just got some t-pins and made some toppers. I can't wait to try this!!

[Moth]

I bought a pack of cheap push pins at the drug store today, the ones with the clear plastic tops. I'm gonna smash 'em off and try it out.

I couldn't resist. They were right there at the register as I was checking out and they were $1.69 for 100 of them.

[artsyuno]

I've been playing with store-bought push pins, too. It's fun to smash them and more of a challenge to make 'em directly on the metal.

[Eileen]

Now that I'm finally set up, I think this might be a great way to figure out how to set my flame without just making a bunch of odd beads, maybe I'll stop by the store when I go out (before I forget again, sigh)

[Moth]

I've been playing with store-bought push pins, too. It's fun to smash them and more of a challenge to make 'em directly on the metal.

Yeah, post-torch finish work isn't my favorite thing. I like to take stuff out of the kiln finished. LOL That's why I'm moving more and more into offhand work. No bead cleaning, no mandrel dipping. LOL I just wanna melt stuff.

Anyway, yeah--I'm happy with the push pins so far. They are cheap and easy--something I've aspired to my whole life. LOL

[jaci]

Mary you are too funny!! :lol:

[CSimi115]

Here are some I did the other day. I love doing them. Haven't quite figured how to get the definition in the relief and still have the glass stay on the bead and not pop off.

Chris S. (Newbie)

[junko]

Those are great, Chris! I'm a newbie too, and I think I read somewhere that anything in relief can't have any undercuts or it will pop off... like I think one of those transparent purple dots might pop off, but the others should be fine since they don't have undercuts...

[jaci]

Chris I think they look great!

[mewkittie]

I was inspired by this thread to make some push pins. Great ideas!! They are so much fun!! Here's a few that I took out of the kiln last night:

http://mewkittie.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/pushpins-pigcow.jpg

It's kind of challenging to work on such a small piece.

[junko]

Susan- those are adorable!

[Eileen]

Those are so cute! Can I ask how big they are?

[mewkittie]

Thanks junko and Eileen.

They are around 3/8" wide. Some are smaller.

[Eileen]

You packed a lot of cute onto a small canvas :)

[misspiggy]

This might be a stupid question but what do you use to hold the pin while you put the glass on? I was interested in cutting off the top of plastic pushpins and using the pins but what or how can I hold it? Is there some kinda of special tool?

Thanks!

[mewkittie]

Not a stupid question at all. It took me a while to figure it out. I got one of these:
235091
It's stainless steel and 9 1/2" long. It is just big enough to fit the plastic push pin pins. After I make my topper, I use pliers to unloosen the vise and pull the push pin out with my pliers and toss it into the kiln. I got it from here: http://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/picks.htm#_1350_5 Shipping was a little steep for one little item.

I tried a regular sized (4") pin vise and those work too for longer pins. Since the push pins are so short, my fingers were getting kind of burnt after I made two push pins. I did find another long pin vise on E-Bay and I just bought it so I haven't tried it yet. It's made out of steel and probably coated with nickel silver. Not sure how much heat it will hold. I have to dunk the stainless steel one into water between push pins to cool it off enough so I can put another pin in.

Hemostats will work too but it's harder to spin them.

This might be a stupid question but what do you use to hold the pin while you put the glass on? I was interested in cutting off the top of plastic pushpins and using the pins but what or how can I hold it? Is there some kinda of special tool?

Thanks!

[Ro]

http://www.micromark.com/Cross-Locking-Heat-Resistant-Angled-Tweezer,6720.html?sc=WGB&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=GoogleBase

i use these. i got them at a hobby store years ago. before i start i set pin in tweezers so they are ready on the bench, then i work on a punti and when piece is finished I super heat where im plunging pin into and barely heat metal pin a bit, stick pin in , hold my breath while it sets so i dont move, remove punti and place in hot kiln.

[PiP]

Susan - I LOVE the looks of that needle holder. I think I might have to get one of those.

I use a bundle of steel stem wires bundled together. The points of the pin push into the voids between the wires. After I'm happy with the glass I just pull it out with my needle nose and cool it.

[mewkittie]

Nance - I would never have thought about using wires to hold my pin in place. It's a cheaper solution and more creative than what I came up with.

[junko]

Susan - I LOVE the looks of that needle holder. I think I might have to get one of those.

I use a bundle of steel stem wires bundled together. The points of the pin push into the voids between the wires. After I'm happy with the glass I just pull it out with my needle nose and cool it.

What are steel stem wires?

[PiP]

Go to the floral section of your craft store, Hobby Lobby, Micheals...etc. There will be packaged stem wire, it's straight and I think there's about 20 of them in the package. I don't have a package here to look at the label for you.

I actually got the idea from a post here on LWE. Here's a picture of mine.

235344

[junko]

Ah, thank you!

[darkroomdweller6]

Thanks for the idea guys, I went with the victrola needles and was very happy with what I got. It felt like making marbles, but without the hassle of needing perfect spheres.

http://jeffshermanglass.webs.com/photos/Thumb-Tacks/4-11-021.JPG

http://jeffshermanglass.webs.com/photos/Thumb-Tacks/4-11-017.JPG

[Glassbeadlady]

Walmart here in the Toronto area now sells packages of push pins with wooden tops.
The tops were so loose that I just pulled them off very easily with my fingers leaving a clean, straight pin.
Hope this helps someone.

[Lyssa]

I think one could use quilting/sewing pins. Just cut to length.

[patienthand]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... a bit off the subject, but brass is compatible with 104 soft glass. I use brass wire all the time when making leaves and petals. I have also used small pure brass screws and made drawer pulls with them, they are now about 15 years old and still fine. for the screws.. I used a pin vice to hold them and heated the screw and added glas to the screw head, just make sure you have the screw head embedded so it doesnt pull out

[jaci]

oh good this thread popped up :)
Good idea on the brass.


Just wanted to say that I have sold out of the sets I made this year! So HOT item :) I got $15 for 5 pins and a small cheep cork board :) nice profit! ( I use the glue in method btw-not a lot of work!)

[phishstuff]

Just found this thread and dig it! I just bought some beadable push pins from Karen Thomas, but sure would like to make my own. I am going to have to try this.

It is always so nice to find a new way to incorporate glass in everyday items to make them prettier!

[whodatwoman]

I found this thread back in Sept and followed the link Dave posted for the Needle Doctor. I thought those needles were a bit pricy at .24 cents each. I had a pack of plastic top push pins and broke those off to use the pin parts. Pain in the butt and messy. So I searched on eBay and found a guy, bought a pack of 300 Steel Victrola Needles for $12.50, at .04 cents each, a much better deal. They are awesome and work perfectly for the push pins! I just use a pair of needle nose pliers to hold them while I work. The eBay site is http://stores.ebay.com/Gettysburg-Antique-Phonographs?_trksid=p4340.l2568. He also has a website, but you can't order from it, www.victrolaguy.com, though you can email him.