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mosaic pins ?
- Thread starter T. J.
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 4, 1999
- Messages
- 5,786
Here's how I did it, which isn't 100% as far as quAlity, but good enough, and if there are spaces in your epoxy you can always fill it in before finishing up your handles. First step is obviously to pick out the rods and tubes you want to use and dry fit everything to make sure it fits. After that, but some Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy (the slow cure kind, not the 5 minute stuff). You'll also need a throw-away container to mix the epoxy, some dye, a stirring utensil, and a length of thick walled, preferably clear, vacuum tubing that will form a tight seal over the largest diameter tube you are using.
So, mix up plenty of epoxy and add your dye. There are actual colored dyes made especially for epoxy, and there are also premixed colored epoxies, too. I have heard that India ink works well for black, and I used regular Testor's model paint. Add just a few drops at first, as a little goes a long way and I think the more you use the softer the final epoxy is (with a lower melting point, it seems). Anyway, mix it up is a container that is fairly deep (i.e. something relatively deep and narrow). I used those little plastic containers that come in various sizes that you can find in camping stores, like what you would put cooking spices, pills, etc in. They sell for like 50 cents a piece.
Once the epoxy is mixed, have everything else ready to go, meaning have the vacuum tubing slipped over your pin and have everything dry-fitted together already. Now simply suck the epoxy up like a straw. It is thick, so it's like pulling on a milkshake, and it takes a while. When you get to the top then seal the tubing and let it sit. It takes 24 hours or so to cure, then hack odd pieces with a hacksaw and you're ready to go! It's easy, like I said. I was making 12 inch pins which is really stupid. 4-5 inches is PLENTY for a knife project if you are using several pins with thick scales. I wouldn't make the pins in lengths of over 6", plus if you buy the stock in 12" lengths you can make identical pins with different colors of epoxy.
All of the pins I show in my kit knife page are made this way, and you can see pics at the link below...
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My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
So, mix up plenty of epoxy and add your dye. There are actual colored dyes made especially for epoxy, and there are also premixed colored epoxies, too. I have heard that India ink works well for black, and I used regular Testor's model paint. Add just a few drops at first, as a little goes a long way and I think the more you use the softer the final epoxy is (with a lower melting point, it seems). Anyway, mix it up is a container that is fairly deep (i.e. something relatively deep and narrow). I used those little plastic containers that come in various sizes that you can find in camping stores, like what you would put cooking spices, pills, etc in. They sell for like 50 cents a piece.
Once the epoxy is mixed, have everything else ready to go, meaning have the vacuum tubing slipped over your pin and have everything dry-fitted together already. Now simply suck the epoxy up like a straw. It is thick, so it's like pulling on a milkshake, and it takes a while. When you get to the top then seal the tubing and let it sit. It takes 24 hours or so to cure, then hack odd pieces with a hacksaw and you're ready to go! It's easy, like I said. I was making 12 inch pins which is really stupid. 4-5 inches is PLENTY for a knife project if you are using several pins with thick scales. I wouldn't make the pins in lengths of over 6", plus if you buy the stock in 12" lengths you can make identical pins with different colors of epoxy.
All of the pins I show in my kit knife page are made this way, and you can see pics at the link below...
------------------
My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
- Joined
- Jan 29, 1999
- Messages
- 48
I started making my own mosaic pins after I saw the price of them, upwards of $25 a foot...
I live in Arizona and do most of my shopping through K & G Finishing Supplies, their Web address is: http://www.knifeandgun.com/
Get one of their catalogs, it gives well written instructions on how to make the pins.
I get most of my pins, tubes, rods, in round, square, and hexigon at my local ACE hardware or at one of the local hobby shops.
They both carry a large assortment in brass, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.
Go to your choice place during non-prime time and you'll have a lot more fun selecting the exact combination.
Try all combinations, just inserting a rod into a tube, in to a square, into a hexigon, etc...
Or just buy a lot of the various sizes and shapes, but that is a waste of money. My ACE never hassels me since they know I'll return the parts to their respective containers...
Try to mix the colors, don't put a brass rod into a brass tube.
One final bit of advice, just because you can cram a tube full of rods, this may not be the best way to go... Remember, the dark area of the epoxy is the highlight that sets it off. Leave a little space for the epoxy to just shine through.
If your imagination is lacking, the K & G catalog gives a lot of examples but they are really small. Try looking at the Texas Knifemakers Supply at www.siteblazer.net/texasknife
Their catalog is online and you can view it through the Acrobat reader. They have some fine "ENLARGED" examples to copy...
I always dry fit and assemble mine and then using a suitable rod, I push my innerds out about 9 inches and epoxy the nearest tubs, rods, etc for about 3 inchs and push it together some, then epoxy up some more and again push it together some more, and I keep this up until I've epoxied one whole side.
Then I push the epoxyed part guts out the other (unepoxied) side about 6 inches and do this all over again until I've epoxied all of it.
You may have to do the assembly in stages on some of these. For example, if you are inserting a .020 S.S rod into a 1/16 brass tube and this will in turn go inside another tube, do this in stages. Once the S.S. rod is epoxied in the brass tube, then go on to the finished assembly.
In case you can't guess, I also use 1-hour epoxy... I like the highlight of black but I've never had to use dye and can't say how well it works. I use the regular uncolored type and it always looks black since there is no back lighting.
I also always make up a foot at a time, I cut off 1/2 inch off each end since the rods, tubes, etc are never perfectly 12 inches and then cut the remaining pieces in 1 inch segments with a jewelers saw, especially if there is S.S. rod inside. A hack saw, tin snips, wire cutters, etc will ruin every thing.
I have no idea how well using a vacuum cleaner to suck epoxy up the tube will work but I will give it a try because I've wanted to make a pin that is black (hollow) in the center (just black).
One final piece of advice, decide how you want the pins to be oriented before you insert them into the knife handle and then make sure all face the same way.
Good luck...
Bruce
I live in Arizona and do most of my shopping through K & G Finishing Supplies, their Web address is: http://www.knifeandgun.com/
Get one of their catalogs, it gives well written instructions on how to make the pins.
I get most of my pins, tubes, rods, in round, square, and hexigon at my local ACE hardware or at one of the local hobby shops.
They both carry a large assortment in brass, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.
Go to your choice place during non-prime time and you'll have a lot more fun selecting the exact combination.
Try all combinations, just inserting a rod into a tube, in to a square, into a hexigon, etc...
Or just buy a lot of the various sizes and shapes, but that is a waste of money. My ACE never hassels me since they know I'll return the parts to their respective containers...
Try to mix the colors, don't put a brass rod into a brass tube.
One final bit of advice, just because you can cram a tube full of rods, this may not be the best way to go... Remember, the dark area of the epoxy is the highlight that sets it off. Leave a little space for the epoxy to just shine through.
If your imagination is lacking, the K & G catalog gives a lot of examples but they are really small. Try looking at the Texas Knifemakers Supply at www.siteblazer.net/texasknife
Their catalog is online and you can view it through the Acrobat reader. They have some fine "ENLARGED" examples to copy...
I always dry fit and assemble mine and then using a suitable rod, I push my innerds out about 9 inches and epoxy the nearest tubs, rods, etc for about 3 inchs and push it together some, then epoxy up some more and again push it together some more, and I keep this up until I've epoxied one whole side.
Then I push the epoxyed part guts out the other (unepoxied) side about 6 inches and do this all over again until I've epoxied all of it.
You may have to do the assembly in stages on some of these. For example, if you are inserting a .020 S.S rod into a 1/16 brass tube and this will in turn go inside another tube, do this in stages. Once the S.S. rod is epoxied in the brass tube, then go on to the finished assembly.
In case you can't guess, I also use 1-hour epoxy... I like the highlight of black but I've never had to use dye and can't say how well it works. I use the regular uncolored type and it always looks black since there is no back lighting.
I also always make up a foot at a time, I cut off 1/2 inch off each end since the rods, tubes, etc are never perfectly 12 inches and then cut the remaining pieces in 1 inch segments with a jewelers saw, especially if there is S.S. rod inside. A hack saw, tin snips, wire cutters, etc will ruin every thing.
I have no idea how well using a vacuum cleaner to suck epoxy up the tube will work but I will give it a try because I've wanted to make a pin that is black (hollow) in the center (just black).
One final piece of advice, decide how you want the pins to be oriented before you insert them into the knife handle and then make sure all face the same way.
Good luck...
Bruce
- Joined
- Feb 4, 1999
- Messages
- 5,786
Thanks for the different perspective. I've never done it your way, but the people who came up with the way I suggested did so to minimize the amount aof air inside, which is more of a problem when you pack the epoxy in like you stated. Neither way is perfect, however, so expect to fill in a few bubbles here and there on the finished product. My method would work great for what you want to do, I guarantee it!
------------------
My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
------------------
My Custom Kydex Sheath pagehttp://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
Thanks, Chiro and Bruce. Very informative..... However, today I went out to buy some parts for making mosaic pins. I went to Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, Michael's Craft Superstore, and even Walmart. Nobody had brass or stainless tubing. Other than one lone 1/8 inch brass rod at Home Depot, nobody had any kind of small brass or stainless rods, either round or square. I did find a roll of brass wire at Home Depot.
Does anyone know a good place to buy mosaic pin parts? (Other than the knife supply dealers, who tend to be a bit pricy?)
Does anyone know a good place to buy mosaic pin parts? (Other than the knife supply dealers, who tend to be a bit pricy?)
I get mine from a hobby shop. Try going to a hobby shop that sells RC Airplanes and Boats. They usually have the bunches of the stuff in tubes. Just try everything out while you are in the shop before you buy it. If anyone asks just tell them what you are doing, they usually think it's neat
Bruce has the right idea though, make sure you put everything back that you are not going to buy (It keeps them thinking its neat
) That's all I have for now. Enjoy your search.
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