Your Questions About Recycling
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Filed under Recycling Q & A
John asks…
How expensive is it to do either copper or tin crafts?
What kind of tools do I need?
How hard is it to solder metals?
Are there hole punchers for sheet metals? Of many sizes?
What’s the best way to get started?
What can I recycle copper out of, and where would I find that?
The Expert answers:
I don’t use tin or punch metal but I use copper in my jewelry making. You can buy copper at a metal recycle yard, I get scraps of copper flashing and wire. In my area, they charge about $4/lb. For usable copper at the recycle yard. You can also use electrical wire, like romex, if you strip the insulation off.
Copper melts over 1900 degrees so you need a torch to solder it.There are lots of utube videos to watch to see the technique. I use a regular plumbers torch, about $15 at a hardware store. You also need flux and solder. I spray on liquid flux for nonferrous metal, copper wire solder or silver solder (jewelry grade) from Santa Fe Jewelry Supply here:
http://www.sfjssantafe.com/baseitems.php?Gid=MB003&DepId=metals&ItemSet=Copper&r=type
After solder, you need to soak in pickle, which is an acid solution. The best source is PH Down (or PH Minus) from a pool supply. It is sodium bisulfate, which is the same as Sparex pickle from a jewelry supply but cheaper.
Then you will need tools to finish the metal. Various files, hammers, punches, stamps are fun to experiment with but you don’t need them all at once and they can be scavenged at garage sales and flea merkets. Polishing can be done with a dremmel and muslin wheel. I use White Diamond and Zam polishing compounds.
Have Fun! HTH!
Lisa asks…
What are some cool crafts to sell at a craft fair?
I’m 13 and I’m setting up a booth at a craft fair. I’m selling jewelry, magnets, christmas ornaments, and anything else I randomly make. What are some other cool crafts to sell?
I would really like some recycling craft ideas, like crafts made out of things like soda cans, water bottles, water bottle caps, milk cartons, things that you would recycle or throw out.
Thanks a bunch! 🙂
To the first answer: Crafts that would actually sell (no offense but I don’t think people would really want a replica of me lol), and aren’t very hard to make.
The Expert answers:
Hi Julia~
There is a site Craft by Amanda, i think is the name. Found her site a few days ago from Shutterfly. She had all kinds of crafts on her site! Alot were with recycled items. I hope I gave you the right site. If not, e-mail back and I will get the correct web address for you!
-Joan
Chris asks…
What are some good crafts I can make with old calenders?
I have some gorgeous 2008 ones and I hate to just recycle them. Besides using them as posters, what else can I do?
The Expert answers:
You could make puzzels out of them. ( me and my cousins did that )
or if its like a beach calander, we took different pieces of a palm tree from different month pictures and pasted them together to make a collage of different palm trees to make a big one.
Mary asks…
Recycled items sold in Los Angeles?
I am looking for a store in Los Angeles that sells random used/recycled materials for art, crafts, building projects, home decor, etc. like The Rebuilding Center (http://rebuildingcenter.org/) or SCRAP(http://scrapaction.org/) in Portland.
The Expert answers:
Try google
Richard asks…
Good arts & crafts for kids?
My go to source would usually be the Hit Entertainment site for Art Attack but now Disney ruint it and now I’m looking for other websites for crafts for kids.
One of my favorite art attacks was the porthole one and I still kind of remember it so just to give an idea of what kind of crafts.
I’ve looked at some but they’re not all interesting, I’m looking for like, kind of recycle crafts and do it yourself, like using a handkerchief and ping pong ball for a fish or a balloon and cups to make papermache trousers. Something really fun and has the presence of how Art Attack is.
Thanks in advance, help is greatly appreciated.
The Expert answers:
Http://www.craftideas.info/index.html
http://www.makingfriends.com/
both are pretty good, but I like the second one better. Hope this helps***
Sharon asks…
Where can I buy old circuit boards to use in crafts?
When I search online, it just says places for new circuit boards or where to go to recycle them.
The Expert answers:
Check you local thrift store or second hand shop, they usually stock pile old computers and electronics that no one wants anymore for real cheap.
Check your local recycling facilities, since circuit boards are made mostly of silicone most manufactures must dispose of them in specific ways.
Make your own –
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=Esp5SvGUAZWEtgfVlvGWCQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=make+your+own+circuit+boards&spell=1
David asks…
Crafts to kids to sell to kids?
I am looking for crafts that are low cost or made of recycled stuff (no cost) that kids 8+ can make to sell to other kids 8+.
The Expert answers:
Try paper beaded jewelery. Like roll up colored paper around a straw and glue it and cut it into segments to use as beads.
Sandra asks…
Free craft/recycled materials?
I’m looking for free crafting or recyclable material websites. Also, places to find fabric scraps are awesome. Thanks in advance!
The Expert answers:
I think if you tell me where you live I can help a little more.
One quick way to get started is to search your city or state with materials exchange.
Nancy asks…
What are some unique recycling crafts I can do?
Most of the sites I’ve found list things like using egg cartons to store game pieces in, etc. I don’t find most of those things very useful. I was thinking of saving bottle caps and sort of turning them into a bottle cap collage where it spells out words. I’m looking for more unique craft ideas, similar to that concept. Especially idea’s revolving around coffee containers, because I’ve been saving them up and I have about 10 or 11 laying around. (Right now being used as change buckets and ammo storage for my husband’s guns.) Any ideas at all? Links to sites? Thanks!
The Expert answers:
I believe altered art is something that would interest you 🙂 Here’s an article about altered art collage:
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-is-Altered-Art-Collage-Helping-People-to-Be-Greener?&id=2598207
And here’s some sites that may interest you:
http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Techniques/Altered_Art/
http://www.squidoo.com/alteredarttechniques
http://www.altered-art.net/
http://www.papercraftcentral.com/altered-art.html
I hope this helps start you off on your search through an amazing genre!
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