Using Epoxy with Cabs and Settings

I have worked with epoxy before and it was a night mare! Would it be possible to use the E-6000 glue instead or not? Just wondering, Thanks to anyone who has done this and knows.

Great tip.

I’ve tried using epoxy to stick two silver discs together (I’m fixing a ring) and the glue has not set in nearly two weeks – maybe I used too much??

im just guessing here but i think this will happen if you didnt have equal parts from each cartridge. try again and then mix well and spread thin on both clean surfaces. good luck !

I want to glue a metal bail to the back of a glass square. I can’t use E6000 .Its smelly and gives me a headache. Will the epoxy work and does it smell?

Epoxy does have a strange smell, but I don’t think it has the strong solvent smell of some other glues, it smells more like stinky feet!

Wow the tip about taping the cab down while it glues. I usually sit and hold it for about 5 minutes, very time consuming! Rhino glue is another great glue that will work for cabs and pearls. It does have a very strong odor. I use it outside so the fumes do not sit in my house.

i only use epoxy when I need to fix a broken piece of jewelry. Otherwise I use E6000 or Amazing Craft Goop. The goop is actually nicer to work with, it doesn’t dry up as fast as E6000 and is easier to manipulate. I also dedicated some big sewing needles from my needle set for use in jewelry making. I use the sharp end to remove any unwanted glue after I press cabs or other stones down, and the thicker end of the needle to press stones down, hold them down or shift their position as I feel necessary.

I’m learning which glue is best for the project I’m working on. I use the E6000 most, I will have to try the Amazing Craft Goop. I am working on a special earring, and rings with cabs., and I will try the epoxy first i hope it works.

Thank You for that.

I also use E6000 for all my cab work. It dries fast so the wait is minimal.

Last night I spent a lot of time reading the hazard info on glues for jewelry-making. I know that E6000 is what professional jewelry-makers use, and I did use mine and noticed I didn’t feel so great after just using a small amount. I was working in a room where windows could not be open. The hazard info for that product advised to have very good ventilation. It seemed to be the only glue that could be carcinogenic if one was overexposed to it. Therefore I am going to be careful about not breathing it and only using it when some other less hazardous glue will do the job.

Very good

I use E6000 too ….use a mask if the fumes bothers you. Thanks for the info.

Oh that E6000 is NASTY!!!!! Made me sick and had trouble with eyesight for days and headache. Was not exposed to it for prolonged time either. What else do you folks suggest instead? Must be something I can use to put end caps in place on Memory Wire. That stuff did not even hold. My bracelets came apart and how awful when I had sold two of them. Also for putting cabochons on bracelets??? Thanks.

I want to affix a brass piece by Kabela to a Vintaj stamping blank. What adhesive would you recommend to produce the most secure bond? Okay with fumes etc. Thanks in advance!

A jewelry artist warned me about E6000 being toxic. I haven’t had good luck with G-S Hypo cement, it gushes out of the needle point and doesn’t hold well. This same artist also told me that if you are gluing shells to a project you should use a two-part epoxy. I’m going to try Lima’s.

im new to jewelery making and just read some good tips thanks everyone briliant ideas .x

I have used several type glues and epoxies. I find if I turn a fan on and position it behind me the fumes don’t get to me at all. Of course, try to open a window at least a little if you can. If not, use the fan to blow the smells away, keep your ceiling fan on as well if you have one. One other alternative, do your gluing in the bathroom with the vent blower on and use the fan behind you and angle it up slightly. Hope this helps someone!

I’m also new to jewelry making, that is if you talk about more than bead-stringing. I plan to use some cabs, but mostly I want to use stones, jewels, that have irregular outlines. Here is where I’m probably going to loose most of you because since I’m not certain how to do what I want to do correctly. I planned to take some large mm, soft, sterling silver wire and hammer it flat. Then wrap it around the outside of the stone so I’d know how long to make it. Then use silver clay, flatten it out and push the band into the clay. Using an exakto knife, cut away the extra clay and wait until it dries, then solder the band to the base and close the two ends of the band together, making my cab holder. I know this must be wrong because I’ve not heard of anyone using solder, just glue and epoxy. I did plan to use glue or epoxy to secure the stone to the inside of the cab holder, before I read all the above comments & how difficult it is to use. Help! I must be way off in my thinking. Just let me have it. If it will take too long to list all my corrections, can you direct me to a source, like a book, etc. where I can find the correct way to accomplish what I’m trying to do. I would greatly appreciate any help you could give me. I am also planning to create my own chain between groups of soldered together cabachons. I do have some books on chain making, but I can’t seem to find anything on using solder to make jewelry. Should this not be done?

Thanks again for any help you could pass my way! It looks as if I really need it!
Leslie

leslie, have you looked at wire-wrapping techniques for your irregular stones? it is similar to your idea of ‘wrapping’ flattened wire around the edge, but does not require solder or adhesive at all.

i bought a very good guide at jewelrywirewrap. you can go to their site to see photos and get tips, and perhaps get an idea if this is something you want to do.

I am always nervous about jump rings holding. What is the best glue and technique for using with jump rings?

About the glues-I use E6000 for all my projects. It is very fast drying and excellent hold. It does have some odor. The Goop is great if you need a thicker glue. (To fill in a small space.)

I use e-6000 for everything and anything…even on my shoe!!! But seriously, I set stones with the E-6000 and never had a failure.

i’d like to hear about securing jump rings closed too.
thank you, debi

Because of the constant abuse they usually get, glue is not an ideal hold for jump rings(although epoxy would be the best choice if you insisted). Any glue tends to wear off from constant rubbing(takes a while).
The preferred method would be to use split rings or jump rings of a heavy enough gauge to avoid opening on their own.

I don’t use epoxy on any of the jewelry I make, plus depending on the temperature it can still leave tiny air bubbles (when I different type of settings and use it on the outer parts of jewelry.

E6000 works great, not messy, dries fast, not much of a small at all. My go-to for almost everything.

I agree — E6000 is the absolute best!