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16 votes

What can I do to smooth and polish hand cut glass edges?

I think I can help you. To make a living, I carve glass. Tabletops, door fronts, serving platters, and almost anything else made of glass has seen my efforts. By far the best tool to use would be ...
Iron Skye's user avatar
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10 votes

Low cost alternatives to resin for creating the illusion of there being an opaque fluid in a bottle or jar

You can make a firm gel using agar mixed with hot water. It's clear, colorless, nontoxic and is actually edible. It looks like Jello after it sets, but it doesn't melt at warm room temperatures. You ...
MTA's user avatar
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10 votes

Low cost alternatives to resin for creating the illusion of there being an opaque fluid in a bottle or jar

A fairly easy solution would be to use candle wax. This can be melted and coloured then you can either fully fill the vessel or apply as a thinnish layer to the inside of the glass to create the look ...
Tragamor's user avatar
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9 votes

How can I secure stiff fabric to wood without risking ripping and without adhesives?

Instead of securing the fabric with the scews, I'd let the fabric secure itself on the outer edge of the wood. The less holes you poke into a fabric, the stronger it is to withstand tearing or wearing ...
Elmy's user avatar
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8 votes
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Glue for sides of cross stitch work

You could try fray check. These glues tend to be thinner, which would give you a less noticeable and stiff edge. They are usually clear, but may yellow over time. If that isn't strong enough, you ...
user812786's user avatar
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8 votes
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Why is wearing a mask recommended when carving antler?

I think @matt's response is exactly correct, but I wanted to add a bit more to it. There are two concerns about inhaling dust--the size of the dust particle and the chemical composition of the ...
magerber's user avatar
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8 votes
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What can I do to reduce pain while crocheting?

So I'm a big knitter and crocheter and a musician with tendinitis for the past 20 years. Aside from the standard advice (NSAIDs, massage, etc) there are a few things that you can do to mitigate the ...
Tam Hartman's user avatar
8 votes

Low cost alternatives to resin for creating the illusion of there being an opaque fluid in a bottle or jar

Paint that's fairly compatible with the material of the bottle can be applied evenly by pouring it into the container, swirling round and tipping out. You may need to do this 2 or 3 times. This ...
Chris H's user avatar
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8 votes

Low cost alternatives to resin for creating the illusion of there being an opaque fluid in a bottle or jar

Would it be possible to do this with sugar? If you boil a heavy sugar syrup enough it will set hard and clear, almost like glass. I accidentally filled a bowl with brown "glass" and bits of ...
Isikyus's user avatar
  • 81
7 votes

What can I do to smooth and polish hand cut glass edges?

A tile cutter with a diamond blade works to smooth the edges of glass. I bought one at a garage sale to cut slate tiles and found it also works to finish glass edges. Mine has a way to tilt the blade ...
Bob's user avatar
  • 71
7 votes

What can I do to smooth and polish hand cut glass edges?

By the sounds of your application, a table-top glass grinder is the right answer. I'm saying this from a couple assumptions: It sounds like you're making many of these and just want a nice edge to ...
New Alexandria's user avatar
7 votes

How can I remove CA glues (e.g. Super Glue) from a material?

While superglue is strong enough to seal many things, it does have an enemy: acetone. Acetone is able to break down superglue bonds. To get the superglue off of your shoe, try and use nail polish ...
Zizouz212's user avatar
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7 votes
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Information regarding skin friendly wax candle additives

As far as I'm aware for BDSM purposes you want to get the melting point low enough to not burn the skin, but high enough for the recipient to have intense sensations. Paraffin and soy wax are common ...
Elmy's user avatar
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6 votes

Why is wearing a mask recommended when carving antler?

I will make a comparison with wood. Ever have a splinter before? They can hurt and bleed and become infected in some cases. Now imagine small microns of bone dust in your lungs. They can cause minute ...
Matt's user avatar
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6 votes
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How can I remove CA glues (e.g. Super Glue) from a material?

Acetone is the well-rounded budget conscious option. Zizouz212's answer generally covers this. It is hardly the only option though. It largely depends on the material the glue is on well. When it ...
Matt's user avatar
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6 votes
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I am looking to melt some leftover acrylic into a mould, at home. Are there fumes that I should be worried about?

There are lots of links that describe toxic fumes from burning or laser-cutting acrylic. Apparently, the risk also applies to the molten plastic, as you would encounter with 3D printing or molding. ...
fixer1234's user avatar
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6 votes

Low cost alternatives to resin for creating the illusion of there being an opaque fluid in a bottle or jar

An alternative to the agar gel in MTA's answer is a gelatin and glycerin mix. The basic recipe is food safe and often used to make molds for food items. You can store it in a freezer for months (...
Elmy's user avatar
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6 votes
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Is it safe to use outdoor upholstery fabric for apparel?

I'm afraid it's impossible for anyone to tell you if this fabric contains harmful chemicals if you don't know what exactly this fabric contains. But AFAIK simple outdoor fabric usually doesn't contain ...
Elmy's user avatar
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5 votes

I have a model with a latex allergy: what are my other options?

The "go-to" material for a lot of people is something that is inexpensive and easy to make using gelatin and glycerin (and sometimes additional ingredients). It can be used directly or ...
fixer1234's user avatar
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5 votes

What can I do to reduce pain while crocheting?

As with any repetitive strain injury (RSI), rest, moist-heat-then-ice, massage, compression, NSAIDs and, of course, physical therapy can all help. For me, I've generally found that plenty of aerobic ...
inkista's user avatar
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5 votes
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Are there toxic concerns with using a heatgun/torch on plastic/acrylic?

Yes, if you overheat it, most thermo-plastics will give off dangerous gases when heated above a certain temperature. For bending, you need somewhere between 100C - 170C (212°F - 338°F). Cast ...
Robert Cartaino's user avatar
5 votes
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Is there anything wrong with mixing incompatible paints?

So, from my experience... Wrong? No. Basically, looking at the major art paint options I can't see any that, when combined, would result in a dangerous mix. Some, however, will mix a bit better ...
Joanne C's user avatar
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5 votes
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What safety precautions should I take when working with 316L/A4 steel?

Main precaution ; Do not touch it while it is hot. No vapors will come off the steel . What does A4 mean ? Your heating would be about right for forging. But for bending , try room temperature. It ...
blacksmith37's user avatar
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5 votes
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How to sand food safe glass by hand

You would use a hand held diamond file. They are sold specifically for the purpose you are describing (fixing chipped articles). There are a number of articles and videos online which detail the ...
Matt Balent's user avatar
5 votes

How to get germs off of paper?

Your best bet would be to laminate the picture at a local print shop. That would seal whatever has gotten onto the paper behind an impermeable barrier of clean plastic. Barring that, you can ...
Henry Taylor's user avatar
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5 votes
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Proper disposal: Can oil colors spontaneously combust?

Yes, there is still a risk, as the hazard is in the oil; as the oil dries, it emits heat (an exothermic reaction) which, if it's in a pile of other flammable objects--such as other oily rags, papers, ...
Allison C's user avatar
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5 votes

Adhering felt to felt

Another option is to needle felt the two together. You’ll need loose wool fiber (cat hair and dog hair also work great) and felting needles (very sharp, use with caution!). There’s lots of great ...
Autumn Gray Eakin's user avatar
5 votes

Low cost alternatives to resin for creating the illusion of there being an opaque fluid in a bottle or jar

PVA glue is available in white, yellow and clear varieties. I've had the white and yellow stuff set up (cure) in bottles and remain liquid appearance, but have not used the clear stuff to know what ...
fred_dot_u's user avatar
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5 votes
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Are alcohol inks safe to use in a public makerspace?

When you say "alcohol inks", do you mean those small dropper bottles, that are sold in packs of a dozen different colors in craft stores? The short answer is, yes, they are perfectly safe. ...
Aaargh Zombies's user avatar
4 votes
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How toxic is baking polymer clay?

I am not an expert on this subject, by any means, but I can share the information that is available so that you can at least make a more informed decision yourself. Polymer clay, just like most other ...
nancystodd's user avatar

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