TIPS AND TRICKS

by Warren Feld
blog.landofodds.com

Occasional insights into beading, jewelry making, and business…

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WHAT GLUE DO I USE?

I often get many questions about what glue to use with rhinestones and other beading and jewelry-making projects. Nothing is perfect, but based on our experiences, here are some good tips:

(1) Always experiment with your adhesives first, before you use an adhesive on your final project. No one glue works with every project.

(2) Glues vary widely in terms of which materials they stick to, how well they form a bond between two smooth surfaces, and how the glue bond ages, both in terms of durability and color.

(3) Clean the excess glue off your piece before you display or sell it.

(4) You will probably have to rely on more than one type of glue to accommodate all your types of projects.

E6000

My favorite glue is referred to as a 1-part epoxy (but it’s not really an epoxy). “1-part” means that you don’t have to mix anything to make the glue – it just comes out of a tube. One brand is called E6000, and this version of the glue is thick in consistency. Another version of the glue is called Bond527. This glue is runny. Some people prefer one or the other. E6000 is the first one I used, and I prefer that one.

Perfect for attaching findings to base metal and costume jewelry pieces. Also, use E-6000 on bead strands to seal end knots and to provide a strong, flexible seal that won't become brittle or damage the bead cord. E-6000 is safe for use with virtually every type of gemstone and works on wood, leather, vinyl, and canvas.

Non-corrosive and self-leveling, E-6000 adheres in 5 to 10 minutes, and hardens to a clear, waterproof cure in 24 hours. This means you have about 10 minutes to position and reposition whatever you are gluing. After about 20 minutes, you can take your finger and rub off any glue that has oozed out from any edges or around any pieces. If you are making jewelry, you should let the piece dry "hard" overnight, before you wear it.

E-6000 dries like rubber, so the glue acts like a shock absorber, as your jewelry moves.

One drawback: it doesn’t bond well between two smooth pieces of glass.

GLUING RHINESTONES

When we use E6000 with rhinestones, we put a little drop of glue on the end of a pin. Then we touch the glue to the back of the rhinestone. We maneuver the pin-glue-rhinestone over the place where we want the stone to be. Then we push the rhinestone in place, and simultaneously pull the pin away from the stone. We rub the stone and around the stone with our finger or the pin to get any excess glue off. Before it dries, E6000 rubs off like rubber cement.

Superglue

Superglue is not our favorite! It often ruins rhinestones (it discolors them and makes them cloudy) and other pieces we use in jewelry-making. It's bond is tough, but it breaks easily. Superglue dries like glass, and the bond shatters like glass. Moreover, the shattered bond looks like a piece of broken glass, so if any stringing material is nearby, the bond can cut it.

We do, however, use superglue occasionally. We prefer a stronger brand of this glue called G-S HypoCement or Watch Crystal Cement. We often use it to seal end knots, or coat a frayed strand of cord. We sometimes use it on crimp beads to enhance the closure.

Hot Glue Guns

Hot glue guns are fun to use. When the materials you are using are large and bulky, hot glue guns make the projects go faster.

The glue's bond will not last forever. The glue will yellow with age. The bond weakens at body temperature. If you made a dangly pair of earrings, and hot-glued a rhinestone to the piece that touches the ear, the rhinestone will likely pop off when the earring is worn. If you hot-glued stuff on the dangle, you won’t have the same problem.

Some additional suggestions about glues

A great book to buy is The Crafter’s Guide To Glues by Tammy Young. In it she discusses all the types of glues, including the following:

White glues, such as Elmer's Glue All
- bond is not strong, so useful for lightweight objects only
- bond is not flexible, so not useful for things where there is movement
- may not dry clear
- materials used must be porous

Tacky glues, like hot glue gun
- usually dry clear and are flexible, but can wash out
- body temperature can weaken bond

Clear Craft Glues
- wash out easily
- for lightweight projects

Super Glue
- instant adhesive, that works with many smooth surfaces, but not well with smooth glass surfaces
- will cloud rhinestones
- especially good with plastic pieces
- water resistant, but not best choice for washable projects
- inflexible; does not work well where there is movement

High Tech Adhesives, like E6000 and Bond 527
- not water soluable
- bonds to both porous and non-porous materials
- does not bond well to rubber
- sets slowly, so you can reposition things
- dries clear

Fabric Glues, like No-Sew
- holds up through several dry cleaning cycles
- formulated to glue fabric to fabric
- make also work well to glue various embellishments to fabric

Fusibles, where you melt the glue with an iron or another heat source, such as a transfer
- for applying appliques or transfers
- prewash all materials before fusing

Aquarium Glue (glass cements)
- great for bonding two smooth surfaces of glass

Clear Cements, like G-S Hypo Tube or Watch Crystal Cement
- Doesn't dry as fast as super glue, so can do some repositioning, but bonds strong like super glue
- Good to use for sealing knots in jewelry projects
- Not as strong as epoxies or high tech adhesives
- water resistant and not affected by temperature