# Homemade mosaic pins



## milkbaby (Oct 30, 2016)

Thanks to all you enablers, I mean helpful folks :doublethumbsup:, now I'm deep in the rabbit hole... want to try making my own mosaic pins on the cheap. 

What easily found material can I use for coloring the epoxy that will interfere the least with the bonding? Anything as good as but easier to source locally than the epoxy dyes from various knife supply stores?

Also wondering about air bubbles in the epoxy. If I wind up with an air bubble on the pin surface when finishing the handle, will this look good filled in with cyanoacrylate like filling in a void in wood? Think it will look ok with clear CA in there without adding dye? 

Thanks!


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## merlijny2k (Nov 12, 2016)

Shops with clothing repair stuff are typically the most closeby source of dyes. Those are pretty strong as they are supposed to be put in water and then you soak clothes in them to fix faded colors. Usually not expensive at all. I havent tried it with epoxy yet so i can't tell you anything regarding holding strength. Wouldnt worry about it either since it is inside the pin so forces are minimal to nonexistant. Id say just find a glue that is clear and affordable and mixes with the dye well and youre good. Running a little experiment myself to see which clear glue or varnish holds up well against a dishwasher.


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## milkbaby (Nov 17, 2016)

Thanks for the heads up on clothing dye. I already broke down and ordered dye "formulated for epoxy" from a knife making supply, not sure it was any more expensive than the fabric dyes? I'll probably pick up some cheaper epoxy for mosaic pin construction to save my slow curing stuff for putting the handles on the knife thang. Edited to add: actually looked up prices and epoxy at the store is more expensive than the nice stuff I have already.

I did a mockup of a design based on whatever tubes, rods, and wire I had on hand. Not something I was thinking of to begin with, but it actually looks kinda nice. Trying to leave work in time to get this glued up tonight...


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## merlijny2k (Nov 24, 2016)

I like it! Im usually into assymmetry so...


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## milkbaby (Nov 27, 2016)

Thanks, I glued it up a while back with black dyed epoxy but haven't cut into it yet to use. Probably has a lot of epoxy bubbles in there that I'll have to fix somehow. I used some soft beading wire that was a huge pain to squeeze into the tube because it was so tight.


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## merlijny2k (Nov 27, 2016)

You dont need to get rid of all bubbles. You just need to get lucky and strike a polishable bubble free cross scection on either side of your knife.


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