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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2010-02-16, 3:04pm
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Digital refugee
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Join Date: Sep 03, 2006
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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.
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!
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2010-02-16, 3:25pm
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Micromosaic and Lampwork
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Location: San Diego, Ca.
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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.
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2010-02-16, 3:39pm
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Senior Member
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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
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2010-02-16, 3:56pm
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oops, i just realized i posted this before, memory of a sieve!
ro
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2010-02-16, 4:00pm
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Senior Member
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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/solderingcast...etackpost.aspx
will brass work? anyone tried?
they have the surgical steel earring posts for a lot less than rio
http://crystaltool.com/surgicalstain...rringpost.aspx
ro
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2010-02-16, 4:29pm
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Digital refugee
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Join Date: Sep 03, 2006
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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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.
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2010-02-16, 4:32pm
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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
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2010-02-16, 5:26pm
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passionate about pets
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Join Date: Oct 26, 2007
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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 ***
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 :
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2010-02-16, 9:00pm
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passionate about pets
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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.
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2010-02-17, 2:38am
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Digital refugee
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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.
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2010-02-17, 9:47am
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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
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2010-02-17, 9:49am
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passionate about pets
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Ro - Thats kind of what i thought... I prefer the silver color over a brass or gold
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2010-02-17, 10:00am
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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
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2010-02-17, 10:12am
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GlassDocNC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jenyip
And here is a pair of stud earrings. Each earring is about 12 mm in diameter. The earring posts are sterling silver.
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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
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2010-02-17, 10:20am
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Growing Edge Glass
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Join Date: Jul 05, 2008
Posts: 2,539
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beadbug
I made some pushpins and though I would share, they were fun and easy with the instructions here.
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These are so cool!!!
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2010-02-17, 3:14pm
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Digital refugee
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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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imaglassgal
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
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2010-02-17, 3:38pm
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Digital refugee
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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?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ro
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2010-02-17, 3:43pm
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Digital refugee
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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!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 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
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2010-02-17, 3:45pm
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Digital refugee
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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!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beadbug
I made some pushpins and though I would share, they were fun and easy with the instructions here.
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2010-02-17, 4:32pm
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Ass-kicking Cephalopod
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 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.
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I don't think the 3/16" is correct? 3/64" perhaps?
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2010-02-17, 4:58pm
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Digital refugee
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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
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2010-02-17, 5:01pm
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GlassDocNC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jenyip
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.
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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
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2010-02-17, 5:09pm
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Ass-kicking Cephalopod
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Join Date: Jun 19, 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 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
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I found this
http://mdmetric.com/tech/cvtcht.htm
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2010-02-17, 5:18pm
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Digital refugee
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Join Date: Sep 03, 2006
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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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imaglassgal
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
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2010-06-08, 9:29am
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Enjoying Life!
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Join Date: Nov 18, 2007
Location: West Michigan
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My push pins made with help from LE
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:
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2010-06-08, 12:34pm
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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/solderingcast...ackpost-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
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2010-06-08, 1:28pm
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passionate about pets
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Great work....Those look awesome.
Love the canvas work too!!!
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Nortel Minor- Natural gas & Oxycon
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2010-06-08, 1:38pm
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Enjoying Life!
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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!
Quote:
Originally Posted by 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/solderingcast...ackpost-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
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2010-08-09, 2:03pm
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Pincel de Fuego
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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?
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Pincel de Fuego
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2010-08-09, 2:42pm
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Formerly FishBulb
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Neat thread! Just when I think it's all been done. Now I see Christmas presents looming!
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