Insect Jewlery

[Stylopidae]

I found a really cool looking scarab today in my parking lot. Perfectly intact. The elytra are in flawless condition and even the tarsal hooks are intact!

I'd like to preserve it in epoxy and make it into a necklace, like the egyptian version, or as close to it as I can get.

http://www.silverspotstudio.com/images/scarab.jpg

I don't think my college has a jewlery class and I don't have the materials to do any sort of work with epoxy. Is there a place that I could send this to and have it made for me?

I have to leave it in my car all day. Hopefully it doesn't dry out too much. If it does, could I soften it somehow, like with glycerin?

 

[nightbreed]

Cool, try this place>here< I've never used them but their stuff is pretty cool.
If you scroll about half way down they say they enjoy custom work and there is an email link

Hope that helps
Take care

 

[Wade]

The easiest way to sofen a dead insect is to store it overnight in a sealed container with a moist paper towl in it. The next day, it should be pliable enough to pose the way you want it for pemanant drying.

Not sure who you would send it to to have it made, but it might not be a difficult to do yourself as you think. Here's a link to a great article on resin casting from the ATS site. It's about casting tarantulas specifically, but no reason it wouldn't work for you:

http://www.atshq.org/articles/rhysresin.pdf

You may even be able to buy a kit at the art store with everything you need.

Wade

 

[Stylopidae]

Ok...I've asked a local jewelry shop (who gave me a sideways glance and asked me to keep the bug in my paintball pod, despite the fact it was dead)

And I emailed the place nightbreed mentioned (thanks, by the way). I'll keep everyone posted

 

[Aquanut]

You can get resin kits at your local craft store for casting things in resin. You would just need a mold and an eyelet to hook a chain on. I'm sure you could easily find what you need, but if you ask a salesperson you might not mention what you are casting.

 

[Mad Hatter]

I've seen several such pieces of real bug jewelry on eBay. Good luck with your jewelry making venture. It would be nice to see some pictures when you have it finished.

 

[Aquanut]

To bad its not a cockroach, then you could make a "roach brooche"

 

[CustomNature]

Acrylic resin is the way to go. At your local craft stores they sell stuff called "Cast N' Craft" and I'd say thats the best thing to use. I have encased many insects with it myself. Below is a picture of a necklace I made. In side is a head of the first mantis I ever kept. The mantis did die of natural causes by the way.

 

[Malkavian]

My dad once made a lost wax mold out of a small scarab beetle (likely a "june bug") that had amazing detail once the metal was cast into the mold (sterling silver i think is what he used)

 

[Longbord1]

yeah u want resin not epoxy i use the plastic cover that action firgues come in because after you cast it you can just peel the plasic off

 

[NiGHTS]

Polyester casting resin seems to do the best job...but make sure to get something that's labelled "water-clear," otherwise it won't be totally transparent when hardened. You'll also need to use a hardening catalyst called Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide (MEKP). Whatever you do, be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging precisely, or you could end up with a cube of goop. I had trouble finding this stuff in craft stores, but my local plastics shop had the right stuff. Here's links to the stuff I use:

Resin - http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=75&
MEKP Hardener - http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=40&

 

[Stylopidae]

Ok...I thought I'd give everyone an update.

Some of the tarsal hooks accidentally got snapped off :wall:

I decided to use the place nightbreed suggested, but I'm waiting until I have some other parts of my life under control.

IE My algebra grade.

I'll give everyone an update when I can.