Embedding crystals in aluminium?

[blujeenz]

I have some Swarovski crystals, although they have some sort of coating on the back, so I spose they're closer to "embellishments" than crystals, Id like to set them into drilled pockets on a brushed aluminium plate and was wondering what a decent method would be.

Hot melt glue's out of the question and so is CA glue, it might damage the backing and there's always that white smoke from curing, 2 part epoxy maybe? any other ideas?

They are 3mm in dia and 2mm in height.
Heres a pic of experiments on a scrap piece trying to find the right drill depth.

 

[Pixstar]

Those look like hot melt crystals..?

 

[blujeenz]

Those look like hot melt crystals..?

Im guessing you mean hot melt as in cast plastic?
They'd better not be, paid R40 for 20 of them at Beads for Africa.

 

[Pixstar]

Im guessing you mean hot melt as in cast plastic?
They'd better not be, paid R40 for 20 of them at Beads for Africa.

Nah, I meant if you heat them, they will release a glue backing. They use them in clothing decoration. You either use a heat press or iron.

 

[kimbo]

Talk to @hands, That is his job

 

[hands]

Give some more info on your project and i will try my best to help.

 

[blujeenz]

Give some more info on your project and i will try my best to help.

Thanks, there not a whole lot more to say, basically a 3mm thick top plate 75mm long by 30mm wide, held on with magnets to cover up the screws and nuts holding the mod together.
Sort of a trim plate which I thought I might as well jazz it a little, ...so, 12 crystals around the outer rim.

 

[Silver]

Bling mod @blujeenz !
Am keen to see the outcome of this

 

[blujeenz]

Bling mod @blujeenz !
Am keen to see the outcome of this

You and me both.
I was going with black diamonds, brushed aluminium and carbon fiber, but then thought I can also do a denim skin too for the trial run, but the black diamonds might look a bit OTT with the denim, hence the Swarovski crystals, nice little shiny multi color sparkle thingys.
Needless to say I use the term diamonds in the loosest sense, they're diamond sim's created in the lab.

 

[hands]

I am concerned that those stones are not going to be up to the task. They are very soft and would where rather quickly and not look good at all. Looking at the picture it looks like they have a coating on top and a mirror coating at the back. Those stones are normally just glued into place. Looking at your first picture you need to go deeper so that the top of the stone are 0.2mm deeper than the surface, that should help protect them a bit and they would last longer. As to what glue to use you would have to experiment.

The process shown in this video is what i would normally do but that would involve some extra bits and pieces.

 

[DaveH]

I've used Swarovski crystals in the past. There use to be two types, (1) with some 'hot glue' already applied to the back. (2) a silver foil on the back.
The ones with the 'hot glue' are used to iron on fabrics - you don't want them, you want the ones without the 'hot glue'. They use to be called silver backed (or something)
You can use a two part quick set epoxy - any that says suitable for metal.
Dave

 

[Dr Phil]

I won't lie @hands that looks like good fun

 

[DaveH]

Maybe I should just add it is sometimes easier to get them seated nicely if there is a small hole all the way through for the excess adhesive to go, you won't see it on the inside and the excess can be removed.
Dave

 

[blujeenz]

Thanks @DaveH I was concerned that glue would squeeze up past the edge and be a bugger to clean off. A 1mm hole right through should sort that concern out.
I might have to iron one of the "stones" to see if it is the hot melt ones.
I've been burnishing with a scribe that I polished, been thinking of a diy burnishing tool in my vibe engraver, almost certain I'll go that route, but nice to have an epozy plan B.
Hole was too deep and the stone is very loose, slipped a few with a sharp scribe and then bad light stopped play.
Those scratches on the "table" are me checking how soft it is with a fine scouring pad, and like @hands said, very soft and the coating came off.

So far Ive got black diamond (8.5~9 moh scale), Violet Blue Tanzanite’s (6.5~7 moh) and ice white zircons from Cambodia (6~7moh) in my basket, probably add and subtract some more before I eventually checkout.

 

[hands]

I love the fact that you had a go at setting the stones
you might want to get yourself a setting bur in the size of your stones.
http://www.bjoberholzer.co.za/bur-stone-settingq-121558.html
Ruby and sapphire is a good choice for this and i would not go for the tanzanite, its soft.

 

[blujeenz]

I love the fact that you had a go at setting the stones
you might want to get yourself a setting bur in the size of your stones.
http://www.bjoberholzer.co.za/bur-stone-settingq-121558.html
Ruby and sapphire is a good choice for this and i would not go for the tanzanite, its soft.

Thanks for the heads up, inside info is what I needed, I was just measuring and finding a drill bit size that was close.
Much appreciated.

 

[blujeenz]

I tried DIY'ing a Graversmith with the appropiate 3mm broken drill bit that I shaped to look similar to the one in the burnish setting video.
I used my vibro engraver from Machinery Mart but it was way to wild and tried to tone it down with an inductive 400W dimmer, dimmer started smoking from heat so I gave that up.
Turns out 12000rpm with a 3mm stroke is somewhat over the top, like using a jackhammer to spread icing on a small cupcake.



On the 1st and 2nd attempts I thought it was just a matter of tecnique, while I was doing the 3rd one I noticed the metal was getting pushed up like a speed bump, then the 1st "stone" hopped right out and at that point I figured it was back to the drawing board.
On the bright side I picked up some setting burs at BJ Oberholtzer's and while I was there, waded into their stock of R5 CZ's, saved me from having to order online at 4 times the price.

When using my bur tool with power off the bevel comes out looking a lot smoother and shiny instead of the dirty speckled look from pounding the metal. Probably how I'll do it in the future.

 

[hands]

Looking good man. Make sure your tool tip is polished to a mirror finish for a nice shiny finish on the setting
You don't need a power tool to bend the metal on top of the stone. It can be done using hand pressure.

 

[DaveH]

@blujeenz
I agree looking good. What is/are R5 CZ's ?
Dave

 

[blujeenz]

@blujeenz
I agree looking good. What is/are R5 CZ's ?
Dave

Its not the smaller version of the R6 from Czechoslovakia, if thats what you were thinking.

Its 12 white cubic zirconia round 3mm for R75 incl vat, from BJ Oberholtzer, hence the R5 cz. Compare that to 16 x 2.5mm's that I had in my basket for R249 on BidorBuy, like R15 each.

 

[DaveH]

Now they do look sparkly.
Dave