There are two popular types of adhesive used in jewellery making: cyanoacrylate which air dries, and a two-part epoxy which chemically sets when mixed.

CYANOACRYLATE

10 SECOND ADHESIVE

Cyanoacrylate adhesive, usually called SuperGlue, comes in a small tube, bottle, or drop-dispenser, as a liquid or a gel. Generally, the amount varies from 3gm to 10gm.

You can bond wood, glass, china, metals, rubber, leather, and plastics in a few seconds. However, you can also bond your skin. If you do stick your fingers together, soak them in hot water and gently prise them apart with a blunt edge.

Most people have a common experience of using SuperGlue: the cap or nozzle is blocked or stuck on, and the glue has dried and gone, or set hard. As the data sheets, not the retail packs, say that the shelf life is only six months at room temperature, buying a large size or a 'special offer' on a market stall is usually a waste.

At Kitiki, we use and sell the smallest size: a 3gm tube of gel. Squeeze a drop onto a bit of aluminium foil or plastic, refit the tube cap immediately, apply a little adhesive to one surface with a cocktail stick, and press the surfaces together for about 10 seconds. Applying it with the tube nozzle is unpredictable and, usually, messy.

If you've never used SuperGlue before, you should practise with a few buttons, beads, and bits of glass, to learn how much glue you need, how best to apply it, how long the surfaces need pressing together, and how strong the bond is. If a little glue has squeezed out and set, you can remove it with a modeling knife.

Fitting tiny gemstones needs extra care, so you might want to experiment with tweezers or sellotape. And, if the shape is uneven, press it into some modelling clay to support it whilst you position the stone.

Superglue is very effective but it doesn't fix everything. For example, if you mend an egg cup or a plastic saucepan handle, they will fall apart after a few washes. Don't mend anything that could be dangerous if it breaks.

TWEEZERS

EZEE TWEEZERS

At Kitiki, we use and sell tweezers with a built-in magnifier to check that the gemstones are aligned properly. They're 84mm long, so an easy size to work with.

Even if you have good eyesight, it's easy to rush because the glue is drying, and notice later that the stone is at an angle or off-centre.

EPOXY GLUE

5 MINUTE ADHESIVE

Epoxy glue, often called Araldite, comes in two tubes, two bottles, or a twin dispenser, as a thick liquid. Generally, the amount in each container varies from 15gm to 71gm.

The adhesive consists of two parts: adhesive and hardener. When mixed, they generate heat which helps the mix to go hard. Generally, mixing more than 20gm will create too much heat and the mix will go brittle.

You can bond wood, glass, china, metals, rubber, leather, and most plastics in a few minutes. The joint is waterproof, heatproof, oilproof, and won't corrode. You can remove any excess with a sharp knife. However, you need slightly more of it than cyanoacrylate, so it's not suitable for fixing very small gemstones.

Most people have a common experience of using Epoxy: the cap or nozzle is blocked or stuck on and surrounded by dried bits, and the glue has set hard. However, the shelf life is much longer than cyanoacrylate, so buying a large size is usually economic.

At Kitiki, we use and sell 71gm bottles of fast-set: which begins to harden in about five minutes. Most retail epoxys come in 15gm tubes.

We don't use the nozzles but open the bottles and, using separate cocktail sticks, put equal drops on a bit of aluminium foil or plastic, mix them for about 30 seconds, and apply it with a new cocktail stick. You need very little, but have to use it within about four minutes, before it begins to harden and loses its stickiness.

If you've never used Epoxy before, you should practise with a few buttons, beads, and bits of glass, to learn how much glue you need, how best to apply it, how long the surfaces need pressing together, and how strong the bond is.

It's not suitable for fitting tiny clear gemstones because the epoxy colour, a straw yellow, will show through and affect the sparkle.