Flat Back Cabs

Love this website? Give us a "like"

Flat Back Cabs

by Susan
(St. Louis)

I purchased a whole bag of cats eye cabs. But lo and behold, I didn't pay attention when ordering and they all are undrilled.

They range in size from 5mm to 10mm.....

What in the world can I do with them?

I am learning wireworking......is there some way I could wire work these into a design....

they don't have holes ............HELP!

Comments for
Flat Back Cabs

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Rating

Cabs, cabs, cabs
by: Christine

What to do with cabs?

Some options:

-Free form wire wrapping (wrap them with wire, add a loop to the top and use them as pendants or charms/ dangles)

-Drill holes in them (use a specialty diamond encrusted drill bit, a drill press, and a water filled container, and a piece of wood so you don't puncture the container and drip water everywhere)

-Make soldered pendants (tape with copper foil, solder using a stained glass soldering technique - if you think they can take some heat)

-Glue on bails (glue on bails are probably easiest- they look like little leaves with a hook on them. Use E-6000 to glue them on)

Free Form Wire Wrapping Tips

Here are some quick tips for wrapping wire around them:

-Cut a length of wire at least a foot long, or even 2

-Position the wire so that the cab sits in the middle of the length, and TAPE IT DOWN with painter's tape.

(Sorry for yelling - more to myself- when I was starting out I never taped anything down and the wire always slipped and slid all over the place. It never even occurred to me to tape it down. I can't even think how many hours of frustration that would've saved me.)

-Wrap the cab any way you choose. Make sure you add a wrapped loop at the top with length still left, then you can wrap a few more times and secure the ends around the wrap of the wrapped loop.

-To tighten the wrapped, take your pliers and give the wraps a twist (just a quick 1/4 or half turn) on the back of the cab.

Cheers,
Christine ~how-to-make-jewelry

Rating

Answers From Twitter-ers...
by: Christine ~how-to-make-jewelry.com

Via Twitter:

Tammy Powley:

You can bead around them.

livngoodjewelry: "sell them to your favorite silversmith - that's what we use to make pendants & such - or more fun, learn to set your own"

Rating

Flat Back Cabs
by: Anonymous

You could always make a necklace down the front of a t-shirt, or make the shirt look like it has a purse on the shoulder :)

Debra Head

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Questions About Jewelry Making

Did you enjoy this article? Please give it a "like" to let us know ~Christine

Return to the How to Make Jewelry Home Page