Top 5 tips on Glue

Adhesive, who knew there was enough to talk about, let alone put it in a newsletter. Well, in 2018 this subject has come up in several discussions so I thought it would be good to share what I know about this topic. 

In the world of glue there are a plethora of choices from Super Glue to Elmer’s to Flex Glue (as seen on TV). And there are glues for EVERY job imaginable. So lets just narrow down the field to adhesives used for jewelry making, because I could talk about this until 2020 and still not be done. I, who has an entire drawer dedicated and labeled, “Glue”. (Don’t judge me.)

But wait! You thought gluing was a bad thing. There is much argument in the jewelry world against gluing. I would like to make the argument FOR glue. There are many times when there is no way around it structurally. I would also like to point out that the likes of David Yurman, Sephora, Brighton, etc… all use GLUE for many of their pieces.  If they can make millions using it, who are we to dispute it? In the end, you need to make a choice the right for your design. And if you need to feel better about using it, call it “chemical bonding”.  So what’s the hang-up? I call the naysayers snobs. Somewhere in there they got the idea that it makes them "better" than you if they don't use glue. Well, as far as I am concerned, they are wrong. As long as you disclose what you are doing when someone asks, there shouldn't be a problem. Moving on.

The tips:

1. Something you should know before you get frustrated, all adhesive products (as far as I know) have a shelf life; this learned the hard way. What this means is that over time, even if they are still liquid, the glue will lose its effectiveness and will not have the integrity that it once did when it was “fresh”. Yes, there is such a thing as “fresh” glue. Thus, how do you know where you stand with the tube of glue in your hand? Unfortunately, you don’t. Though, I am sure it is out there somewhere, no glue I have ever handled has had a “best if used by” date.

It is hard to know how long the retailer had it on the shelf before you bought it or even how long the manufacturer had it before the retailer bought it. So if you were using one type of glue and it worked well the first time, but then used the same type again a year later (new tube) and it didn’t work as well, it could be that it sat on someone’s shelf a long time before you purchased it.

 At this point there is really not much you can do about it. My best advice is throw it away and try again. With this knowledge, I no longer buy large quantities of any glue. All packages are purchased in the smallest increment, unless of course I am making slime. (A story for another day.)

2.     A tip on application. Instead of using the tip of the tube/bottle, I squeeze some onto a scrap piece of cardstock (like a business card) and use either a toothpick or a straight pin to apply the glue onto my piece. This usually allow me to control the volume.

Apply it to the smaller piece then attach. This will also help control the mess. If there is a void that needs to be filled, I would apply it to the void to ensure that there is enough glue to fill it, there is less guessing this way. Then apply the piece to the glue.

3.     Let it cure overnight. Not all glue needs overnight, but most do. Many adhesive state a setting time 5minutes and up. But most have a longer “curing” time. Which means it needs more time to rest before it is considered 100% effective. My rule of thumb is 24hours/overnight. This will build in some insurance.

4.     Stop checking it! Every time you check it while it us setting you are detaching the pieces and not allowing the glue to work. This will rear its ugly head later down the road.

5.     As permanent as some adhesives are, they are not. If you have incorrectly attached something, you can always use a solvent to dissolve it. Rubbing alcohol or acetone are commonly used. If there are no stones involved, I just heat it with a lighter. Makes a mess but very quick removal. Always test the solvent in an innocuous place if there is a stone involved. Sometimes stones are stabalized and the solvent may dissolve that too. 

The next question is, which glue is right for my job? As a matter of common sense we all know that not all glues are meant for all jobs, yet somehow it all goes wrong. Here are the things I consider when I need to do a little chemical bonding.

1.     Is the part I am trying to glue structural? If it is, I need something strong.

2.     What is the material I am trying to bond? Glass, metal, stone, textile. This helps me determine how goopy I need it to be and whether or not the glue needs to be flexible when it is dry.

3.     How much surface do I need to cover? Do I need to “fill” a space or just tack it together?  This too will determine the viscosity I need in the product.

Based on the answers to these questions I choose my product. Usually the most important question for me is number 1. Because when if it is structural you will need the strongest glue you can get. For those projects I use 2 part Epoxy. I really don’t care which one, because even the quickest drying one has a test weight of several hundred pounds, and really, we make jewelry not building a car.

Though there are many options to choose from and everyone has their preference, here is a list of what I keep in my studio on any given day.

E6000 – I like E6000 because of the volume, it is goopy. When there is a void I can use E6000 and don’t have to work at filling the gap. Great general use. Buy the small tubes because once you open the large tube it starts to dry up and you will likely be wasting your money.

2 part-epoxy – I am not particular about brand nor setting time. When I feel like I need more strength I use epoxy. The downside is that you have to mix it, and if you get the ratio wrong, it will not work correctly.

New Glue – literally named “New Glue”. I use this in place of Super Glue because it is stronger. But this is a watery consistency so I only use it for things like flatback rhinestones.

Loctite Super Glue – Much like New Glue, but can be purchased with a brush applicator. It also comes in a gel form, so it doesn’t run everywhere.

GS Hypo Cement – This is the most common adhesive in the jewelry world. BUT what people most people don’t know is that there is a sister product that is in the Purple tube. The Red tube is listed for watch repair, whereas the Purple is for fabric. So if you are using glue for your knots, you really want the GS Hypo Cement in the Purple tube. It will dry flexible, making it more appropriate for thread and textile.

Henrietta's® Gum Arabic– huh? What is that? This product has been around for a very long time. People like to use to affix things on fabric. In my world, you can use it to keep granules (silver, gold, etc) in place while soldering.

Lasagna Soup Recipe

Lemon Garlic Dressing

• 1 1/4cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4cups canola oil (you may use olive oil but it changes the taste completely)
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash® Original Blend 
• 1 tsp sugar adjust to taste
• 1 tsp salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper finely ground 
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh crushed garlic
  

Banana Bread Recipe, The Story

This recipe was given to me 20 years ago from my then boyfriend’s sister in law. If you know me you will know that I don’t eat bananas, ever. But I will from time to time make and eat banana bread. (I do realize this is a little weird.) But after having tasted her BB I had to have the recipe. Upon receiving the recipe my then boyfriend said, “That was way too easy, she doesn’t share that easily. I am pretty sure that will not be the right recipe.” So I took it a friend of mine who is a food science major and asked him to review the recipe. And so there it was, she left the baking powder off the list of ingredients. With the fix in hand I now owned the world’s best banana bread recipe.

I would like to be clear, I am in no way saying that I am the only person to have such recipe. So if your recipe looks like this one, you too have the world’s best banana bread recipe.

To date everyone who have contended this fact has lost and gracefully asked for the recipe. And after an event I had last week I decided it was time to just put it at a central place for everyone, as I have become tired of having to remember who all I promised the recipe to.

For years I have made this as just straight up banana bread. But earlier this month I saw a recipe on Facebook where they added a layer of cheesecake on top. Upon reviewing the recipe I decided to use my banana bread recipe with their cheesecake recipe and it was a hit.

Here is the banana cake recipe and at the bottom you will find the cheesecake recipe.

Banana Bread Recipe

Cream together

1 stick butter
1 1/4 cup sugar

Add the following ingredients

2eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 ripe bananas
4 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour

Pure into a loaf pan. Bake 1 hour 350F

If you want to remove the bread from the pan the easiest way to make it release is to line the bottom with a piece of wax paper.

Banana Bread Cheesecake

Start with the recipe above, but instead, pour the batter into a 9” round cake pan lined with wax paper on the bottom. Bake for about 45min or until you can pull out a clean bamboo skewer. Allow to cool about 30 minutes. Flip out onto the bottom of a 9” spring form pan and remove the wax paper. Place back into spring form and lock in place.

Cheesecake Recipe

 32 oz (900 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240 mL) milk
1 tablespoon gelatin powder

In a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.

Microwave the milk until hot for about 2 minutes, and add in the gelatin powder.

Quickly stir until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Pour the gelatin mixture over the cream cheese and whisk again until smooth.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked banana bread.

Cool for 3 hours or overnight.

Thanks to a student for not only sharing these delicious cookies in class but also the recipe. Yeah, she actually came prepared with the recipe in hand. This was in her mother's recipe box going back to the 60's and enjoyed it throughout her childhood. She recently discovered that it was GF and wanted to share it. How cool for us!

I have since made it about a dozen times and everyone has enjoyed it and asked for the recipe. Sharing it here makes it much easier for everyone to always have it.

Cream together:

1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
½ c. butter

Whisk:

3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla add butter/sugar mixture add
1 ½ c. creamy peanut butter

Mix:

4 ½ c. oatmeal
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Add wet ingredients and stir well

Stir in:

½ c. chocolate chips
½ c. mini M&M’s

Chill overnight before baking for a more chewy texture.

Spray cookie sheets, scoop by the tablespoon and lightly flatten dough before baking. Bake at 350˚F, 10-12 minutes until edges begin to brown. Let set for 1-2 minutes, cool on racks. 

Patina, The Dark Side of Metal

Ask 10 people about patina and you will get 10 different answers on how to patina metal. For me there a lot of considerations before I choose a process. I have my favorites but that does not they are the best choices for everyone. I find that patina is a personal preference.

Chemical patinas DO have a shelf life. My assumption was that acids do not have a shelf life. But apparently, they do. Now for me, the rule of thumb is one year. I do not keep a liquid patina for more than a year. But this is sort of a sticky wicket because you do not know how long it has been on the distributor’s shelf. So, the safest thing to do is to buy the product from a supplier that has a high-volume turnover (meaning a high rate of sales), because it is less likely to sit on their shelf for very long. Unless you are working in high volume production, buy the smallest quantity of patina available. This will ensure that it can be used before the shelf life renders it ineffective.

Listed in order of what I use most commonly:

*Midas Black Max™ Oxidizer, available at Rio Grande exclusively.

*Black Max™ Oxidizer produces an intense black color and is my favorite to use on silver. It may also be used on copper, but it is quite aggressive.

Ensure that the surface of your piece is clean and free of steel wool residue before applying. Apply it directly onto the metal with a Q-tip® or small brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Store it at room temperature in a dark place. I recommend placing the bottle inside of another plastic container to help retain the off gas which may corrode any nearby metal. The shelf life is approximately one year.

*Liver of Sulfur (LOS)

On silver, liver of sulfur produces a dull color. If used after pickling, it may produce blues and purples. I prefer to use LOS on copper. The longer you leave it in the solution, the darker it gets. To produce funky colors, I have been told that you can use well water or add Styrofoam to the solution. The biggest problem is the smell; consider doing this outdoors.

Apply by making enough solution to submerge your entire piece. I would use a plastic pair of tweezers or create a hook from copper wire to dunk the pieces. Trust me, you don’t want your fingers to smell like LOS. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Store at room temperature in a light-proof, air-tight container. Shelf life will vary. I have had dry nuggets for more than three years that still work. But the shelf life on liquid LOS is less. You can tell that LOS has gone bad simply by looking at the color. If the nuggets are white, it is done. I prefer dry LOS because it lasts longer and I don’t have to worry about spillage when traveling. Additionally, when I liquefy dry LOS, I can store it for a month in a closed jar, in a dark place, before it goes bad. Diluted liquid LOS will only last two days.

*Jax

There are is a wide variety of colors that you can purchase in this line to create colors from brown, to black, to green patina. The only solution I really like is the green patina as it produces an intense green color on copper.

This is a water-based product, ships non-hazardous.

Apply using a Q-tip® or brush. You will need several applications for a good result. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

*Topical products like a Sharpie® marker, alcohol inks and Gilder’s Paste®

All of these products have a proprietary formula and are typically considered non-hazardous. My challenge with using these products and the like, is that they are only semi-permanent. Thus, given enough time and environmental changes, they will wear off. There are many ways to “seal” them, but this too, is questionable. If using Gilder’s Paste® that has dried out, apply a few drops of mineral spirits to re-hydrate.

Products that you can find in your kitchen

Salt and vinegar potato chips, a hard-boiled egg, fresh cat urine (no kidding it has to be fresh), bleach, etc., all work, but clearly, you can see the problem with them. Usually, they are messy and smelly. The only time I would use any of these is out of desperation.  Additionally, they are not as effective as I would like.

Tip: Place your metal in a Ziploc® bag with the patina of choice, seal and wait. I would probably work with the urine, outside, and not in my kitchen or studio. Just a suggestion.

Sara's Biscuit Recipe

Pho Ga (Chicken Soup)

Pho is the national dish of Vietnam, and growing up this was a staple in our home. A traditional breakfast throughout Asia soup was the perfect way to start our day. I have always loved how this dish made me feel whole again. For me, this is the epitome of comfort food.

The following recipe was taught to me as a young adult by my mother. I am pretty proud that over time, my father (the biggest critic of them all) said that my Pho was better than mother's. I hope you enjoy this recipy as we have in our family. 

The Broth:

1/2 - Whole chicken (I like roasting chickens) approximately 3 lbs
2tsp Salt
3tbsp Fish sauce 
1 small hand of ginger, roasted and washed
1 whole onion, roasted and washed
3t sp whole cloves (This may vary depending on how strong your cloves are.)
2-3 florettes of star anise
4-5 sticks of dried galangal OR licorice root (optional)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Garnish:
Cilantro
Green onion
White onion
Bean sprouts
Thai Basil
Lime wedges

Bring pot of water to a boil (5 quarts), add all ingredients including chicken. It is important to allow the water to come to a boil before adding any ingredients. Simmer 40minutes – 1 hour. Skim the scum as it forms about every 15minutes. (TIP: If you are too lazy for this step, wait until after your remove all of the ingredients and allow to cool in the refridgerator before skimming. This will allow the fat to solidify.) Remove all ingredients once the chicken is cooked. Skim any remaining fat and strain the broth through a cheese cloth or mesh strainer.

While the broth is cooking soak flat rice noodles in water until the noodles are soft at least an hour. If you are short on time, soak in warm water.

For the toppings

Coarsely chop a handful of cilantro. Chop green onions, chopping the white bulb thinner than the green leaves. Slice onions paper thin. When cool, separate chicken meat from bones and slice. 

Assemble your bowl

When ready to eat, bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the soft noodles 30 seconds to 1 minute until tender. Place cooked noodle on the bottom of your bowl, place sliced chicken on top of your noodle, garnish with cilantro, green onion and sliced white onions. Cover with boiling broth and serve.

Serve with, thai basil, bean sprouts and lime wedges. For a little spice, serve with Siracha.