Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.co
I need your help. I would like to make my own “typewriter key necklace”. I have an old typewriter and I need to know where I can get the piece that the key is held in for the necklace? Thank you for your assistance,
Kelly
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Try the bracelet blanks available at http://www.skybluepink.com
Good luck!
Addendum- sorry, I thought you wanted to make a bracelet. In any case, skybluepink is a very good resource- you might be able to use their cabochons or email them for suggestions.
I made a brooch out of a computer piece, it’s actually in my blog if you want to see it! And what I did was using the glue gun to attach everything needed to the back of the piece! It was a lot easier than I thought!!
Kelly –
I bought a necklace made with a typewriter key and they used a flat metal bead (pewter I think) with a loop on top and epoxy-ed it to the back of the key – voila you’ve got a nice “hole” for threading your necklace through…you can e-mail me if you would like a picture – I thought it quite clever actually!
geriatgajettesdotcom
Ok, I make these to sell so I know where to send you (this post is going to be long-uninterested parties may want to bow out now!).
Accessoriessusan.com-she is also a seller on ebay, same name-can tell you which bezel (the little cup type setting you frame it with) to use. It depends on whether you are making a necklace out of the small, letter or number keys or the larger function keys (my favorite ‘SHIFT’ or ‘BACKSPACE’). She has both sizes. Her bezels are great because she carries them in a pewter colored finish that blends beautifully with the metal color of the keys. You need to grind off the key stem from the back of the key until it is flat; any amount of nub left will cause the key to not set right in the bezel and the adhesive you use may not hold. The bezel has a lace type wall that fits around the key; your first step is you bend one of these scallops straight with a jewelry plier-that forms the loop that you can put a bail on so you can eventually attach a chain to. Polish the key with Maas polish, clean both the key back and the inside of the bezel with alcohol and glue with E-6000. Glue her in and let set 24 hours. Attach your bail and chain and enjoy!
Hope this has helped. The biggest deterent to making the jewelry is the difficulty of cutting the keys off of the machine-they are built like tanks- and the pain of grinding the backs flat. A dremel works best using the cut off wheels; holding the key stable while grinding also takes creativity! Enjoy your necklace!
You also might want to try:
Westrim Paper Bliss 3-Dimensional Letter Tiles. These are reproductions of typewriter keys, and the bonus is that they have holes drilled in the side. No cutting required.
I think they sell for around $12 US. There are 40 to a pack.
hi
i want to make my own typewriter bracelets what glue is the best? i tried gorilla glue and it foams up and makes a mess. i want something clear and epoxy i guess, what is this e-6000 i hear about?
stop chopping up typewriters for your jewelry. these are magnificent machines that are no longer manufactured and there are legions of people who still use them for their original function. this is not recycling, this is destruction. please read up on keychopping and educate yourselves.
renegade, exactly, this is destruction of beautiful old pieces of machinery, please stop so the next generation can still enjoy them.