Sometimes a Great Idea/Sometimes Not:B'sue Queen of Glue

What do you mean, Brass OX?

Let me give you a quick run down on our plating finishes at http://www.bsueboutiques.com

Our focus is on antique finishes, so we don't have alot of goldplated and silverplated products.   I do have alot of OX finishes such as

brass ox or brox

pewter ox or pwox

copper ox or copox

silver ox or silox

OX means 'oxidized'.    So brass ox is an antiqued brass plate, and so forth.  Our ox finishes are deep and rich because we have a black antique layer added with the plating, to bring out detail.   The look is striking.

Also, our ox finishes are permanent.  You don't have to seal them or do anything to them.  They are ready to go.   Our silver ox finish has a lacquer coat, as well.

Gunmetal is the color of hematite, deep charcoal grey-black, glossy, pretty.   This finish is more brittle than the ox finishes and does not manipulate as well.   We carry all the findings to go with our gunmetal finish at http://www.bsueboutiques.com

Russian goldplate is made like the wonderful finish you find in vintage Miriam Haskell jewelry, and our Russian goldplate is so close to that old finish that you can hardly tell the difference.  It has the glow of Victorian rolled gold.   Our Russian goldplate actually has a drop of real gold in the finish and the antique applied brings out detail.   If you are in the market for Russian goldplated findings,  we've got the best finish out there!

You'll find unplated stampings and filigree at http://www.bsueboutiques.com also!   These are great if you like the look of plain brass.  It can be shined, polished, antiqued with paints, with tripoli on a buffer, or colorized with chemical agents (aged).

Don't hesitate to write me at bsue1441@aol.com if you have questions about the finishes we offer!

Brass Stampings vs. Castings

For the most part, we carry American-made STAMPINGS at http://www.bsueboutiques.com.

A stamping is made from a die that strikes sheet brass.   Think of it this way, if you take a big hammer and hit a piece of metal, now the metal has an impression.  It's not the same on both sides, however.

A casting is made from a mold.    A mold is cut or impressed, then filled with molten metal and processed.   Many cast pieces have two sides, or a flat back, and are heavier.

Stampings can also be made from very heavy sheet and have flatbacks, depending on the process.   Usually this sort of stamping is made from what we call 'guilding' metal, or brass.   Many of the guilding-weight brass stampings are perfect for colorization or epoxy enamels like Colores.

You can get the 'Colores' look by simple acrylic paint (paint your piece as you wish) and topping with Envirotex Resin, which we carry on the website at http://www.bsueboutiques.com

I do carry a little bit of cast product from time to time, but I shy away from cast product not made the US as many times it has too high a lead content.   As much as possible, I like to bring in American made brass stampings.   They are not appreciated nearly enough for their flexibility in jewelry making.   

Brass stampings can be manipulated, caged (basicly embroidered with beads and wire) soldered, glued, colorized---so many ways to go.   Also the detail on a stamping is very fine, much more so than something cast that is popped out of a mold and tends to lose detail the more the mold is used.

ALSO:  brass stampings can be USED as a mold, many times, for polymer clay----even candy and soap making!

It bears mentioning however:   the brass stampings we sell are free to be used in work that is bought and sold, basicly all your designs.  You can really use them however you like.

While it's fine to use them as molds to make candy and soap,  it is not  permissable for you to purchase the pieces to rubber mold them and make castings from them, so you can reproduce them and re-sell the pieces that way.

Brass stampings are also great used in altered art and scrapbooking projects.  Cast pieces are too heavy to use in journals and items based on paper, but stampings, while sturdy, are still lightweight enough to apply to hand-made cards, journals and invitations.

What Sort of Glue Should I Use To Make Jewelry?

That's a question that's oft debated.

If you are REPAIRING jewelry, such as re-setting rhinestones, then you want to use HYPOTUBE cement.   There is nothing better.  It won't eat the foil on your stones, and the hold is great.

We do sell it on the website at http://www.bsueboutiques.com.

Some complain that they do not like the tube on this sort of glue.  I will freely admit, you need to keep the tip clean and you need to develop a bit of a 'hand' in using it.    It's worth the trouble, because again, this is THE glue product you want for this application.

When using hypotube cement, less is more.   Don't fill the cup with glue, just apply it to the back of the stone and set.   If you fill the cup with glue, it will take a long time to set up.

IF YOU ARE MAKING JEWELRY:  For the best hold that will stand the test of time, E6000 glue is the glue of choice every time.  We carry it on the site at http://www.bsueboutiques.com, as well.   You will need to develop a bit of a technique to use it, but basicly it's very simple---I sort of like the chip and dip method, just get a little on one side of the item you are gluing and then slide it.

You do need to be careful when using these two glues, they do have noxious fumes.   Work with adequate ventilation, keep it off your hands and skin, and don't eat while you are using it.   Wash up well when you are done using it or if you have to take a bathroom break.  If you are a production artisan and use glues alot, this is more important than ever.

Another glue that works okay for some sorts of collage is Crafter's Pick Ultimate Glue, and we carry that one as well at http://www.bsueboutiques.com  This is a NON TOXIC glue and has the best hold of any non-toxic glue I have ever tried.  It takes about twice as long as E6000 to set up, however.

Other glues that work are Devcon two-part epoxies (you have to mix this one up and use it fast) and Elmer's Stix-All.   I like the Elmer's product as it is less noxious than many glues, and the hold is very tight.   But, it does not dry clear, so it will not work for every application.

A GLUE YOU SHOULD NEVER USE FOR MAKING JEWELRY is hot glue, not even the industrial-strength ones.  Hot glue expands and contracts with heat and cold, so you can imagine what might happen to your jewelry, given the test of time.    It just won't hold up.

SO.....What do you do with an Up Eye?

I get asked that alot. 

Up eyes are little findings that you bond onto the backs of something else to make it hang.   Here you will find a photo of one of my personal favorite styles, that we offer on my site at http://www.bsueboutiques.com.   

Sometimes an upeye can be a simple little tab, almost like a chain end.  Usually that sort is best soldered rather than glued, especially if you are going to use it to attach chain to a finding to make it into a centerpiece, for say, a necklace. 

I like to use these larger, fluted up eyes to bond onto the back of a flat stamping, or button top, to make it into a button or charm.   Then you can sew it onto apparel, or better yet, make a button bracelet or charm bracelet from things that originally weren't drilled or had no hanging hole.

I use E6000 glue to bond them to the backs of appropriate stamped materials.   What's appropriate?  Hey, that's up to you.  I feel you should try anything.....you might come up with something wonderful.

ALWAYS THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

Check out this link for more ideas:

http://imageevent.com/bsue/buttonjewelryprojectsfrombsue