Magnet, glue and resin question - three in one!!

[Betsy Yocum]

Ok - I have three questions - which I'm sure is pushing the limits of one post - but hey - I'm all about being outside that fictious envelope!:D

1. I want to use magnets as a "pivot hinge" instead of a rod - the rods I've used seem to break and/or bend - they shouldn't but they do. So I thought of magnets. They work very well. This is my problem - I can't find the right glue to keep the magnet in the very precisely sized hole. I've tried CA glue and I've tried 5 minute epoxy. Neither one seems to do the trick. Now one problem may be that I am using very strong magnets and not your ordinary craft magnets. Any advise would be appreciated.

2. I've taken to using titebond II for my preferred glue for most projects. I've just purchased a new bottle and it seems to be very runny and the couple of joints I've glued with it are weak enough that I can break them apart with my two very small hands. I'm guessing I've gotten a rotten batch of glue and plan to take it back to the store. Has anyone else had this problem?

3. As some of you know, I've really gotten hooked on making jewlery boxes. I've seen some boxes that have, for the lack of a better word, an "insert" of stone or stonelike material. I'm assuming its something along the line of inlace. I'm curious of the procedure you would use to make such an insert into a wood piece. I have several pieces of nice oak with divets that I think would look very cool with some color - but not exactly sure how its done. I'm not to good with the experimenting so if someone can give me a start up on the process I'd appreciate the help.

thanks in advance for your worlds of knowledge.:)

Betsy

[Dennis Peacock]

Howdy Betsy,

1. I use Rare Earth Magnets on boxes and such and all I use is 5 minute epoxy and have had great success with it. I alway "rough up" the outside of the magnets with some 180 grit sandpaper, wipe clean and then epoxy into the holes. Haven't had one come out yet. :D One thing I'm wondering though is why your rods are breaking or bending. Can you 'splain this a little more? :confused:

2. Your Titebond II may have been on the shelf for a while and needs a very good shaking up. If it's still "watery" after that and won't hold a good joint, it's time to take it back to the store. Give the Franklin Liquid Hide Glue a try. I believe you will be surprised at how well it holds up, cleans up and glue lines are seemingly invisible and glue spots are much easier to deal with than the standard PVA glue spots. It takes LESS of the LHG so a small bottle goes a very long way. Just remember that it doesn't like water very well nor extreme heat. I used it on a CD cabinet I built and it was great.

I can't help you on #3, but I'm interested to find out.! ;)

[Betsy Yocum]

Howdy Betsy,

1. I use Rare Earth Magnets on boxes and such and all I use is 5 minute epoxy and have had great success with it. I alway "rough up" the outside of the magnets with some 180 grit sandpaper, wipe clean and then epoxy into the holes. Haven't had one come out yet. :D One thing I'm wondering though is why your rods are breaking or bending. Can you 'splain this a little more? :confused:


Thanks Dennis - I'm using the rare earth magnets as well. Have not thought of roughing up the outsides though. Will give that a try.

The rods I'm using are very small as the boxes I'm making are quite small - some less than 3" x 3" so I was using 1/8" rods - could not find any solid rods so used hollow rods I found at the craft store. I did "fill" the rods with rock hard putty to stiffen them up a bit. (yes getting the putty in the tiny little hole did test my patience a bit.:rolleyes: ) I used the same type rod on the box I posted on the site not long ago and had no problem. I'm not sure why these are breaking other than the lady I made them for is being less than gentile. I figured if I went with magnets no one could break those.

Thanks for the info. I'll let you know how that works out.

Hopefully someone will post about the resin/color question so we can both know that one.

Betsy

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Betsy.....for solid rods....try a welding supply store.......In my line of work I used to have a need for 1/8" aluminum rods to perform an alignment on a CT scanner. It had to be 1/8" diameter and it had to be aluminum. I found that I could get those and other 1/8" rods at welding supply stores.

[Dennis Peacock]

Why not try a local Lowes or HD for some 1/8" brass solid rod? If that doesn't pan out, then a local Hobby shop will for sure have it. I used to do radio controlled air craft and used them all the time. You can even use various guages of "music wire" that can sometimes be had at a local music store. Music wire is stiff and will stand up to almost anything.!!! :eek: :D

[Wes Bischel]

Betsy,

Another source for rod is Enco (www.use-enco.com) they have drill rod (steel rod) - very precise, strong and very nice to work with. 1/8"dia. by 3' length is on sale for $0.59 right now. (part #BZ409-0005)

They did have a free shipping code, but I have misplaced it somewhere. I'll have a look around and post it if I can find it.

Wes

Found it: 94FSNR It should still be valid - it came around the 14th of this month.

[Betsy Yocum]

thanks guys - I've never heard of drill rod - sounds like sturdier stuff.

Betsy

[Michael Stafford]

Betsy, I wonder if somehow you may be gluing the rods at both ends resulting in "something's gotta give syndrome". I use solid brass rod in various diameters from 1/8 - 1/4. Never had a problem unless I glued in both ends by accident. If the pivots are going to be invisible you can use steel pivot rod although I don't recommend it with oak as I have seen black stains occur near the pin holes.

Positively and absolutely glue does go bad. Sounds like yours maybe went through too many freeze/thaw cycles.

I find my brass rods and steel rods in the metal bins at the major home centers, hardware stores and hobby stores.

[Betsy Yocum]

Betsy, I wonder if somehow you may be gluing the rods at both ends resulting in "something's gotta give syndrome". I use solid brass rod in various diameters from 1/8 - 1/4. Never had a problem unless I glued in both ends by accident. If the pivots are going to be invisible you can use steel pivot rod although I don't recommend it with oak as I have seen black stains occur near the pin holes.

Positively and absolutely glue does go bad. Sounds like yours maybe went through too many freeze/thaw cycles.

I find my brass rods and steel rods in the metal bins at the major home centers, hardware stores and hobby stores.
Mike - I'm pretty sure I've only glued the rods into the box body and not the top - but Lord only knows that sometimes we do get carried away with the glue. So it could be that that's the problem. I can't figure out why they would break - does not seem plausible - but maybe I did get over zealous with the glue.

I've decided to take my titebond II back to the store - figure I do enough business there they should understand and perhaps they can then check their stock - if my bottle was bad who's to say the rest of the shipment wasn't bad also.

Thanks for the help.