On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 08:12:15 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry mbstevens
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:40:42 +0000, Snaggeltooth wrote:

What is the best glue to use to join an organic material like pearls to a
sterling silver post?

Epoxies usually require mixing which is something I really don't want to do
unless there is not an alternative adhesive.

Any brand name adhesives you like better than others for the same
application?

The quick drying epoxies usually do not form as strong a bond, and I
would stay away from them. The strongest epoxy I've found is JB Weld.
Both surfaces to be joined need to have a bit of tooth and must be very
clean.

BTW, don't do it with anything valuable -- use a mechanical
mount that can be removed.

I'll second the comment on the five minute/quick epoxies. Among other things,
they're not waterproof (think perspiration) over time. My own favorite with
epoxy for jewelry is Hughes "epoxy 330" if you want the cleanest look, with a
transparent epoxy, or "epoxy 220", which is slightly stronger, but has an amber
color, not clear. Both set up in about an hour, but can be speeded up by
placing very close to an incandescent light bulb to heat them as they cure. Then
it's ten minutes. Fine with pearls (don't do this to amber, I suspect...)

As to the not doing this with valuables, well, I'll beg to differ a bit, at
least as it comes to pearls. Epoxies ARE removable. "Attack" solvent takes the
bonds apart with no damage to parts or gems, SO LONG AS THE GEM CAN WITHSTAND
THE SOLVENT. Cultured pearls are fine with this. Mabe or other assembled
pearls or things like doublet and triplet gems, are not. Resin gems like amber
probably are not OK with it either, though I'm not sure.

The other class of glues that are commonly used with pearl posts, by the way,
are the cyanoacrylates (super glues) Most perform about the same once cured.
Harder to disassemble, though you usually can do it with accurate application of
heat to the metal. Super glues require a very close fit between the peg and the
pearl, or other parts being jointed, to work well. They're not good gap fillers
(and the gel types that DO fill gaps, are not that strong). Epoxies are better
with gap filling. And, though you have to mess with mixing, they're neater to
apply. Super glues have some nasty traps, such as the propensity to leave a
whiteish foggy coating on things if, after you glue the pearl on your finished
masterpiece, you make the mistake of cleaning it, steaming it, or putting it in
a ziplock bag too soon after the glue sets.

cheers

Peter