Machine Shop

Smashed Glass Earrings: Sample Set

The POC earrings had a pair of 1.5 mm acrylic disks epoxied around the glass fragment, with the “gold” ring captured in a rebate around the rims. That process was both tedious and messy, so I tried laser-engraving a deeper rebate into a 3 mm sheet, then epoxying the fragment and the ring in place:

Earrings - epoxy curing
Earrings – epoxy curing

They’re stuck to a strip of Kapton tape to keep the epoxy off the bottom surface of the glass, while aligning it with the surrounding disk.

Peeling the protective film / plastic off reveals the acrylic disk:

Earrings - 25 20 16 12 mm first look
Earrings – 25 20 16 12 mm first look

They all required more effort to remove the epoxy remaining around the ring, but it worked out better than I expected.

A lighter background shows off their internal structure:

Earrings - 25 20 16 12 mm set
Earrings – 25 20 16 12 mm set

A closer look at the pairs:

  • Earrings - 25 mm pair
  • Earrings - 20 mm pair
  • Earrings - 16 mm pair
  • Earrings - 12 mm pair

As always, glooping clear epoxy around the edges fills many of the internal cracks and reduces the glittery aspect of all those glass-to-air-to-glass interfaces, but I don’t see another good way to keep the fragments under control.

The results may not be up to a “fine jewelry” standard, whatever that may be, but a slipcase box definitely improves the presentation:

Earrings - presentation case
Earrings – presentation case

If I had the courage of my convictions, I’d go for the Mr Clean look myself, but …

6 thoughts on “Smashed Glass Earrings: Sample Set”

  1. All these coasters, and now you’re doing ear rings out of broken windshields. It suddenly dawns on me:
    You are planning to start a new business named “Totally totaled”, where young drivers can buy custom made mementos from their first car crash. Coasters, ear rings, and necklaces as well as key chains coming soon.

    1. Sort of like having baby’s first shoes bronzed for posterity. I’m pretty sure my folks did that, although where my shoes might have gotten to escapes me at the moment.

      I’ll take on the smashed-glass memento market after consolidating my control of the global new-production slide rule market … [grin]

  2. I think you should call them pendants. A bit too clunky for earrings imo.

    1. Admittedly, I don’t get out much, but some of the bangles / jewelry / hardware I see on ears out there make my glass chunks look downright dainty!

      An actual necklace pendant would probably weigh half a pound when the machining was done … [grin]

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