Nail Polish?

[ukiacat]

Hi;

I just bought the heart shaped mandrel from Inspiration Tools. I used it today and really enjoyed playing with it. I didn't add any sort of bale to it; I'm waiting to see how the heart looks when hung with the cord through the hole. In the directions and on the website there is a note that says that nail polish can be applied to the inside of the heart [where the mandrel was]. I know that Larry Scott does this [or used to, maybe he doesn't anymore]. I worry that the nail polish would wear off and look spotty eventually. The hole of the heart is big enough that I can imagine how having it shiny might look better.

I do have a bead release that leaves a very clean hole [Kragg, I think] but man was it hard to get beads off the mandrel when I used it.

I need opinions on using nail polish. Yes? No?

Thanks
Jennifer

[GinnyHampton]

I've never tried it, but I took a class w/ Larry last year (or maybe 2 years ago?) and he mentioned putting nail polish in the beadholes of his beads. I think it was only for transparent beads and that it was important to get rid of ALL bead release out of the hole.

Maybe just try it on one heart that you'd like to keep for yourself as a wear test (??)

[Mr. Smiley]

You can always try it and remove it with nail polish remover if you don't like it. ;)

[ukiacat]

Thanks very much Ginny and Mr Smiley. I had hoped to put some of the hearts I just made into a shop that's only open during the christmas season [nice homemade crafts, no commission, the shop is run by friends of ours who sell christmas trees on their farm and open this shop as a way to attract customers]. Some feedback from someone who has has used nailpolish was what I was looking for but I really appreciate your suggestions.

I've decided that I will put some other beads in the shop and take more time to experiment with the hearts before I sell them. I need to know for sure if nailpolish will hold up and I've found that I need to experiment more with how to hang them. I don't really like hanging them by just running a cord through the center hole. They end up upside down too easily. I've started experimenting with putting a hole in the shoulder of one side of the heart so I can use a head pin and beads to hang it from. This is turning out to be a more complicated project than the simple pendant I'd thought I'd make.

[*MAR*]

Smoothing and polishing with a fine grate Dremel tool is the best way to get the shine back permanently. Nail polish in that big of an area, where it is exposed, will eventually weaken and decay and get almost rubbery and flake off. I use it on beads when I am etching them, and you can easily remove the nail polish with your thumbnail. So, I don't think it is an enduring option. What might be a solution, would be to check and see if there is any clear glass paint at the art store, that would "seal" the glass in that interior area, and remain more hard and permanent for your use. I think the only way to use nail polish on beads in a satisfactory way, for me, is inside the hole, on a transparent bead, to eliminate seeing the nubbie-ness on the hole.

Good luck. I hope you find the right solution and sell lots of your hearts this holiday season!

[ukiacat]

Smoothing and polishing with a fine grate Dremel tool is the best way to get the shine back permanently.

Good luck. I hope you find the right solution and sell lots of your hearts this holiday season!

I like the idea of polishing the glass so it is a permanent change. What is a "fine grate Dremel tool"? Do you mean fine grit? I do have a Foredom Flex shaft which I use for my gold work. I don't think I have any tool on hand that would polish the glass....at least not in a reasonable amount of time. Have you done this and can you tell me which tool you use?

Are there pastes which polish glass when applied to a felt wheel? What do people who facet their beads use to polish them? Do the progressively finers flat laps do all the polishing or is there a final paste that is used....anyone know?

Thanks for your help.
Jennifer

[penny5658]

Hi
What about painting the inside with a overglaze paint (as in china paint). Then you could pop them back in the kiln and the glaze would be permanent. You could paint with matching colors. Just an idea :-k ? Hope that helps.
Bye for now.
Penny :wave:

[Bacchae]

I used clear nail polish on the inside of the hole on some transparent light amber beads and I have been satisfied with the results. I figure even if it wears off eventually, it is still better than what you started with.

I just used an old 1/16th mandrel, dipped it in the polish and inserted it in the hole. I tried to make sure none got around the ends of the beads though.


- Sandy