Daily Wire Tip Aug. 5: Foil Back Acrylic Stones
Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
August 5, 2010
Question:
I have some lower priced acrylic stones that have silver backs to them that I use for jewelry for the really young girls to wear. The parents like buying these pieces of jewelry because they are inexpensive and make great play jewelry for kids. However, some of the silver is scratched or peeled off. What can I use to paint the silver back on these damaged acrylic stones, or is there something else that I can do to salvage these stones?
-Rayma in Rogers, Arkansas
Answer:
What a great product idea! Sadly, from the extensive research I have done, I have found no guaranteed way to repair the foil or mirror back on stones or acrylic pieces. You might try using mirror paint from Krylon, which is recommended for use on glass. Krylon also has a leafing pen with a small marker like tip that can be used on plastics. Please let me know the results of your experiments on acrylic, as you’ve piqued everyone’s curiosity now!
Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong
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You could use a metallic fingernail polish for that. I have been told that it works really well and with the ever changing fashion world, metallic polish is in style.
I would take the silver foil (like the thin foil in a pack of cigarette pack) remove the paper backing and apply the foil to the back of cab, rub with a dull instrument.
Hi. I worked in the plastic industry for many years selling acrylic sheets….the important thing about painting acrylic was to use an acrylic based paint. I believe a lot of the hobby type paints are acrylic based. You might call a local sign company as well and ask them what they do to ensure the paint doesn’t come off of their acrylic signs after they paint them. (I’m sure they seal it with something) It has to last a long time, outdoors, in the elements, so it may outlast kids too! Hope this helps.
Actually, I’ve been known to replace the backs of acrylic cabs with the following: 1 coat of acrylic sealer that can also be used as glue, then a layer of wrinkled aluminum foil, then another layer of the acrylic sealer, usually in the form of several thin layers for durability. Or, I use “silver” foil, since the real thing is usually too expensive and tarnish happy for a good substitute.
The only exception is if I’m refurbishing doing vintage wear, where they really did use thin silver backings on glass paste jewels. That’s why so many of those old jewels become kinda dusty-black looking, or get black corrosion on the rim of the jewel.
I use regular aluminum foil for big cabs, and the “silver” leaf for smaller cabs because the bigger ones benefit from a thicker metallic layer, both in wear and in appearance. Though if you are looking for an interesting look for a *special* girl, you can use multi-color leaf and layer it on… taking a plastic cab to a whole new level.
Wow V – thanks once again for your expert suggestions!
You could use metal foil tape that stain glass window makers use on glass when they want a reflective surface.
A way to prevent this or protect your fix is coat it with clear nail polish. That is what we use on mirror when we do stained glass.
Mary is right, a metallic nail polish can work wonders and a top coat of clear polish can help protect it as well.
I have used the pens in copper on my kitchen cabinets. I know that’s wood but they worked beautifully. I bet they would work on these beads as well. They come in silver, gold, copper and maybe some other colors too. I ordered online but I later found they have them at local craft and fabric stores too.