mjflinty
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2011
Posts: 356
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Post by mjflinty on Nov 20, 2018 13:35:59 GMT -5
Hello All, My wife showed me a bracelet on etsy and she asked me what kind of bead is on it. I have no idea what to call it though. The seller calls it a "metal plate" but searching doesn't come up with a match. Anyone know the name for this dragonfly? It's apparent that it is massed produced. www.etsy.com/listing/540058585/turquoise-dragonfly-brown-leatherThank you, Michael
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Post by MsAli on Nov 20, 2018 13:41:06 GMT -5
It says Turquoise although I would be suspicious of that. To me it looks like plastic turquoise colored beads Looks like they stuck them in there maybe with a resin?
Really cute bracelet though
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mjflinty
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2011
Posts: 356
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Post by mjflinty on Nov 20, 2018 13:50:06 GMT -5
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Post by MsAli on Nov 20, 2018 13:51:06 GMT -5
I knew I had seen something like it before. I know the bands they sell there
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Nov 27, 2018 17:18:23 GMT -5
I wonder if it would be hard to dissolve/cut/grind out the cheapie beads and substitute nicer material. I like the design.
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Post by fernwood on Nov 27, 2018 20:47:27 GMT -5
Thin layer of zinc over brass. Silver color finish wears off quickly unless preserved in some way. I did an experiment before including zinc alloy metal bird/critter/insect beads in my necklaces. Some, I applied colored, then clear fingernail polish to. Some I applied colored fingernail polish, then Krylon triple thick clear glaze to. Some just the Glaze. Some left natural. Put all in a 25% salt, 75% water solution overnight to mimic natural sweat. The ones without a coating had lost some of the silver color that quick. It had tarnished greatly.
Dunno about trying to remove the colored resin pieces from these. Since the zinc is so thin it would be tough.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Nov 27, 2018 21:14:59 GMT -5
Yeah. Probably wouldn't work too easily. Thanks. I like the design though. Good for lost wax casting or something.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Dec 1, 2018 2:09:28 GMT -5
A number of smal “real” turquoise cabs could be embedded in steel epoxy - JB Weld or similar, having made an outline in silver. It shouldn’t be too hard to do if you wish to recreate this in a quality setting.
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