There are so many glues out there for jewelry-making, how do you pick the right adhesive for the job? View properties, uses and additional facts for more than 45 types of glues and adhesives.
Learn about the different glues used in jewelry making including E6000®, epoxy and Gorilla™ Glue, and how to pick the right one for your jewelry-making projects. Discover the best glues for six different jewelry-making applications including gluing fabrics to metals and foil backs to metal settings.
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Adhesive | Dries: | Time: | Works with: | Did you know? | Shipping Restrictions | |
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Aleene's Jewel-It | Clear |
• Fully Cured: 24 hours
• Washable: 7 to 10 days |
Fabric, rhinestones, metal, glass, plastics, beads, pearls, sequins, glitter and appliques. | Your embellished fabrics will still be machine washable if you use this adhesive. | No |
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Aleene's® Jewelry and Metal Glue | Clear | • Almost instant | Beads, metal, stone, ceramic, plastic. | This adhesive is both water and impact-resistant. | No |
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Aleene's® Mixed Media Adhesive | Clear | • 7 to 8 minutes | Almost any material, including metal, stone and paper. | This glue is acid and lignin free, making it safe for use on photos. | No |
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Aleene's Original Tacky | Cloudy |
• Tacky Hold: instantly
• Sets: 20 to 40 minutes depending on thickness • Fully Cured: 12 hours |
Felt, foam, wood, paper and ceramics. | This can be diluted with water and used as a brush-on glue or as a sealant. | No |
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Apoxie® Paste |
Slightly translucent |
• Working time: 1 to 3 hours
• Sets: 6 hours • Fully Cured: 24 hours |
Foam, fabric, plastic, glass, wood, stone, ceramics, metal, rhinestones and cabochons. | This waterproof paste can be tinted to match your designs. | No |
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Apoxie® Sculpt |
Opaque |
• Working time: 2 to 3 hours
• Fully Cured: 24 hours |
Wood, plastic, stone, glass, metal, rhinestones and cabochons. | This moldable adhesive is great for use in pavé designs. | No |
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Crafter's Pick™ Jewel Bond™ Glue | Crystal clear |
• Sets: 24 hours
• Hand washable: 5 days |
Fabric, stone, rhinestones, glass and cabochons. | This is made specifically for embellishing fabric. | No |
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Dazzle Tac Jewelry Glue™ |
Clear |
• Grabs: within seconds
• Cured: 24 hours • Bond strength continues to increase over time |
Metal, gemstones, glass, plastics, bone, horn, fabrics and leather. | This glue will always be flexible and never brittle when dry. | Yes |
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Devcon® 5 Minute® 2-part Epoxy | Clear |
• Working time: 5 minutes
• Sets: 10 to 15 minutes • Fully cured: 12 hours |
Wood, stone, glass, ceramics, metal, rhinestones and cabochons. | Mixing the equal parts is easier because of the syringe packaging. | No |
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Devcon® 2 Ton® Clear, 30-minute, 2-part Epoxy | Clear |
• Working time: 8 to 12 minutes
• Sets: 30 minutes • Fully cured: 12 hours |
Wood, stone, glass, ceramics, metal, rhinestones and cabochons. | This is as strong as the 5-minute version, but allows more working time. | Yes |
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E6000® Extreme Tack™ | Clear |
• Fully cured: 8 hours
• Washable: 72 hours |
Fabric, paper and wood. | This glue lets you create repositionable dots of adhesive. | No |
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E6000 Fabri-Fuse™ | Clear |
• Working time: 3 to 4 hours
• Fully dried: 8 hours • Washable: 72 hours |
Fabric | This glue is very stretchable even when dry! | No |
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E6000 Fray Lock™ | Crystal clear |
• Working time: 3 hours
• Sets: 3.5 to 4 hours • Fully cured: 8 hours • Washable: 72 hours |
Fabric | This is great for locking in knots, quilting and more. | No |
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E6000 Jewelry and Bead™ | Clear |
• Working time: 4 minutes
• Sets: 20 minutes • Fully cured: 24 to 72 hours |
Fabric, stone, glass and metal. | Because this glue is flexible once dry, it makes a great choice for securing knots. | Yes |
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E6000 Jewelry and Craft Adhesive | Cloudy |
• Working time: 4 minutes
• Sets: 20 minutes • Fully cured: 24 to 72 hours |
Fabric, wood, stone, glass, ceramics, metal and rhinestones without foil backing. | Flexibility when this glue dries helps to make sure it won't crack with movement. Available in clear, black, white and odorless. | Yes |
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E6000 Spray Adhesive | Translucent white |
• Sets: 1 to 3 minutes
• Fully cured: 1 to 5 hours |
Leather, fabric, rubber, foam, vinyl, paper, wood, plastic and metal. | This is odor free and cleans up with warm water. | No |
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Epoxy 220 | Transparent amber | 12 hours at room temperature or 20 minutes under a heat lamp. | Stone, ceramics, metal and cabochons. | This is one of the strongest holds in jewelry adhesives. | No |
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Epoxy 330 | Clear with a blue tint | 1 hour at room temperature or 10 minutes under a heat lamp. | Stone, ceramics, metal and cabochons. | This epoxy is a good choice for bonding gemstones to metal findings. | Yes |
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Gem-Tac™ | Clear |
• Sets: 1 hour
• Fully dried: 24 hours |
Fabric, Wood, stone, pearls, plastic, rhinestones, leather and vinyl. | This adhesive is a unique formula that strengthens when exposed to heat from a dryer. | No |
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GORILLA™ Epoxy Impact-Tough™ Formula | Clear |
• Working time: 5 minutes
• Set for light handling: 30 minutes • Fully cured: 24 hours |
Foam, wood, plastic (except polyethylene, polypropylene and Teflon), stone, glass, ceramics and metal. | This water-resistant epoxy has a slight gap-filling quality that can be helpful when working with slightly uneven surfaces. | No |
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GORILLA Glue Precision Pen | Soft white |
• Working time: 5 to 10 minutes
• Sets: 30 to 60 minutes • Light handling: 1 to 5 minutes • Fully cured: 24 hours |
Foam, wood, stone, glass, ceramics and metal. | This glue expands to 3 to 4 times the surface area you apply--a little goes a long way. | No |
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GORILLA Super Glue Gel | Translucent |
• Sets: 10 to 30 seconds
• Light handling: 1 to 5 minutes • Fully cured: 24 hours |
Plastic (not polyethylene or polypropylene), wood, metal, ceramic, rubber, leather, paper, gemstones and glass. | This thicker formula is great for vertical applications. | No |
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GORILLA Super Glue Impact-Tough Formula | Translucent |
• Sets: 10 to 30 second
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Wood, metal, stone, ceramics and plastic (except polyethylene, polypropylene and Teflon). | Once you apply your pieces they can't be repositioned, but the fully dried glue can be sanded. | No |
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G-S Hypo Cement | Crystal clear |
• Sets: 10 minutes
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Wood if painted or sealed, plastic, glass, ceramics, metal, rhinestones and cabochons. | This was originally created for watch makers, but the durability of the adhesive and the precision tip make it perfect for jewelry designers too. | Yes |
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Henrietta's® Gum Arabic | Clear | Depends on thickness and climate. | Fabric | Use this to make ''needles'' on the end of your silk thread. | No |
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Hot Glue Stick | Clear | 35 to 40 seconds | Leather, fabric, foam, paper, plastics and wood. | This glue will stay clear, as opposed to yellowing. | No |
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JudiKins Diamond Glaze™ | Clear and glass-like | Minutes to hours, depending on thickness and humidity. | Heavier paper, wood, glass, metal and rhinestones. | Use this as an adhesive or as a resin top coat for a dimensional look. | Yes |
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Loctite® 409 Gel | Crystal clear |
• Sets: 10 to 30 seconds
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Wood, plastic, stone, glass, ceramics, metal and cabochons. | Gap-filling qualities and extended life by refrigeration make this a go-to adhesive. | Yes |
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Loctite 454 Gel | Crystal clear |
• Sets: 10 to 30 seconds
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Wood, plastic, stone, glass, ceramics, metal and opaque cabochons. | This adhesive pairs a gel-like consistency with a fine tip applicator and gap filling qualities, letting cord ends and vertical surfaces be easily bonded. | Yes |
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Loctite Prism® 406 | Crystal clear |
• Sets: 10 to 30 seconds
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Fabric, plastic, glass, metal and cabochons. | The gap-filling properties and the fine-tip applicator are a perfect match for cord ends. | Yes |
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Mod Podge® Gloss-Lustré glue sealer | Clear with a high gloss | Depends on thickness and material applied to. | Paper and fabric. | Is perfect for scrapbooking and can also be used as a sealer. | No |
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Mona Lisa™ Metal Leaf™ Adhesive | Clear |
• Tacky: 15 - 60 minutes
• Set: 48 hours |
Heavier paper, metal, wood, canvas, leather, glass, porcelain and fabric. | Easy to apply and clean up - just soap and water. | No |
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Poly Paste™ | White | In 10 to 30 mins depending on clay instructions. | Cured and uncured polymer clay. | The thickness means this won’t run no matter the angle of application. | No |
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Quick Hold® | Clear |
• Sets: 2 to 3 minutes
• Fully cured: 2 to 6 hours |
Metal, glass, wood, ceramics, stone and plastic. | This is an acid-free water-resistant adhesive. | Yes |
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Super Glue® | Clear | Instant | Rubber, wood, plastics (except for polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon), stone, glass, ceramics and metal. | It doesn't take much; only use about one drop per square inch. | Yes |
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Super Glue® 5-Minute Epoxy | Light yellow |
• Sets: 5 minutes
• Handling: 30 minutes • Fully cured: 24 hours |
Wood, fabric, gemstones, glass, ceramics, metal and cabochons. | For the best adhesion, roughen smooth surfaces with sand paper before applying the mixed epoxy. | No |
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Super Glue Future Glue® | Clear |
• Sets: 10 to 30 seconds
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Plastics (except for polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon), rubber (except certain silicone types), metal, leather, wood and ceramics. | While the best results are on clean and dry surfaces, this glue can bond through dirt and oil. | Yes |
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Super Glue Future Glue Brush-On | Clear | Sets in less than 30 seconds. Fully cured in 24 hours. | Metal, leather, ceramics, plastics (except for polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon), rubber, gemstones, cabochons and wood. | The brush gives control of application--something that's important when working with fast-drying adhesives. | No |
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Super Glue Future Glue Gel | Clear | Sets in less than 30 seconds. Fully cured in 24 hours. | Metal, glass, vinyl, rubber (except for some silicone types), plastics, (except for polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon), ceramics, wood and leather. | This gel formula doesn't run or sag, so it works really well on vertical applications. | Yes |
Use Instructions: |
Note: For best results, surfaces should be clean and dry and items should fit together well.
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Safety and Handling Precautions: |
Contains cyanoacrylate. CAUTION: Eye Irritant. Bonds skin and eyes in seconds. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid contact with clothing as can cause burn. In case of eye contact, flush with water for 15 minutes; get medical attention for eye or internal contact. To remove from skin, soak in acetone nail polish remover and gently peel adhesive off with fingernail; water exposure will wear off residual adhesive in a few days (do not use polish remover around eye area.) KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
In case of emergency, call CHEMTREC at (800) 424-9300 or call Pacer Technology (800) 538-3091 (outside CA only) or (909) 987-0550. |
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Super New Glue | Clear |
• Sets: A few seconds
• Fully cured: 24 hours |
Leather, metal, glass, ceramic, rubber and plastic. | This glue is made in the USA. | Yes |
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SUPERTite® Extra Strong Mounting Tape | Clear when applied | Instant | Ceramic, metal, wood, plastics, rubber, stone, fabric, foam and latex. | This tape can hold up to 25 pounds. | No |
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SUPERTite Fusion Tack | Clear |
• Cure: 48 hours
• For washing: 5 days |
Fabric, glass, plastic, leather, rhinestones and wood. | This glue has passed the 50-washes test! | No |
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SUPERTite Fusion Tack | |||||
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SUPERTite Multi-Grab 360 | Clear | 2 to 5 minutes depending on room temperature. | Metal, glass, ceramic, gemstones, flexible and rigid plastics, fabric, wood, paper and rhinestones. | This flexible, waterproof contact cement has no cancer, birth defect or California Prop 65 warnings. | Yes |
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SUPERTite Ninja SuperFlex | Clear |
•Working time: 1 minute
•Cure: 5 minutes |
Rubber, metal, rhinestones, plastic, leather and wood. | This non-toxic epoxy absorbs impacts and vibrations. | No |
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SUPERTite Ninja SuperGrip | Clear | 15 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the materials. | Metal, gemstones, rhinestones, plastic, leather, wood and fingernails. | This non-toxic, non-irritant adhesive goes a long way ... less is more! | No |
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SUPERTite Universal Eco Glue | Clear |
•Dry time: 6 hours
•Cure time: 24 hours |
Fabric, cardboard, rhinestones, wood, cork, ceramics and unpolished metal. | This glue has been used in Lego building competitions because it's strong on large areas and can be easily removed by submerging in water. | No |
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Tulip® Crystal Bond Adhesive | Clear |
• Dries: 2 to 6 hours
• Fully cured: 72 hours |
Fabric and rhinestones. | This glue is both flexible and washable, making it perfect for costumes, dance outfits and more! | No |
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The Ultimate! Adhesive | Crystal clear | 24 hours | Leather, fabric, paper, wood, plastic, glass, ceramics and metal. | The flexibility makes it great to use when using fabrics. | No |
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Vigor® Super Glue | Clear | 15 to 20 seconds | Rubber, plastics, stone, glass, ceramics and metal. | The tiny applicator is very helpful, especially when gluing knots. | No |
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