Glue: My final thoughts at least for now

The last time I talked about glue I mentioned I was going to explore two part epoxy.  Well I’ve been to the mountain so to speak.

I’ve tried this.

Bzzzt! was able to pop the bails right off with very little force.

I tried this based on a review in an article I read.

Same old same old here; the bails popped right off.

So I finally relented and tried E-6000 again.  This time I applied it the way other websites and forum posts recommended.

• I used only fresh glue.  I avoided glue that had skinned over or started to become gelatinous (which means discarding at least a quarter to one third of the glue I dispensed) .
• I let the glued pieces set undisturbed for at least 48 (if not 72) hours.
• I made sure that the bail and the cabochon where “Roughed up” (which is pretty much standard procedure for any type of metal to glass bond)

If indulge E-6000 with all this fussiness (good grief I’m anthropomorphizing a glue) then I get a bond that is much stronger and two part epoxy.  It’s still not “impossible” to tear the bail off but I definitely need to use more force.

This pisses me off.  I wanted the epoxy to work because it allows me a longer working life so there is little to no waste.  It also (due to surface tension and it’s more fluid state) creates neater slope if it oozes from underneath the bail.  Finally I don’t have to let the glued pieces sit for three days. Grrrrr.  I’ll still experiment with the epoxy.  Perhaps I didn’t have the correct proportions or didn’t mix it well enough.

Oh well.

Blogger Labels: Glue,bail,glass,epoxy

The glue saga…Continued

Ya know…I think I left off with the last blog post leaving you with the impression that I was going to use 2 part epoxy resin and kick some butt. Well, as a great philosopher/acquaintance once told me: “ Laugh at yourself or others will do it for you…”

Yeah.

Well the epoxy stuck to the cabs of but wouldn’t stick to the bail. It didn’t matter if the bail was scooped or flat; both tore off with a minimal amount of effort.

 

I found this article on the sobering reality of glues.  It’s an interesting read.

What Glues to Use for Jewelry Making?

I’m taking a stab at using the Huntsman's Araldite glue which is supposedly one of the most reliable.  I had to order it from England off of EBay.  I keep you posted on how that goes.