How to Make Ear Plugs out of Polymer Clay
- Step 1 Pull of a 2-inch segment of polymer clay and form it into a ball. ...
- Step 2 Compare the size of the clay to your model plugs. ...
- Step 3 Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to create the second plug. ...
- Step 4 Sand the surface of the gauges lightly with a piece of steel wool. ...
Full Answer
How do you put earplugs in?
Press the foam into your ears. After the materials are well-combined, press one piece of the earplug material into each of your ears. Press the material into your ear enough to block the sound, similar to how you would wear other types of earplugs. The plugs should feel comfortable and not too tight or loose. Leave the earplugs in for 10 minutes.
How do I know if my earplugs are effective?
This will let you know how effective the earplugs are at reducing noise. If you plan to sleep in the ear plugs, take a nap to test them out. If you sleep on your side, you might need to adjust the size of the plug for the ear that you keep pressed to the pillow. Replace the earplugs on a weekly basis.
Can you sleep with earplugs in?
If you plan to sleep in the ear plugs, take a nap to test them out. If you sleep on your side, you might need to adjust the size of the plug for the ear that you keep pressed to the pillow. Replace the earplugs on a weekly basis. Because the material of the ear plugs is cotton, it will not hold up against a thorough cleaning.
How do ear plugs work?
They work by blocking out loud noises that can be harmful to our ears while also preventing dust, dirt, and foreign bodies from entering our ear canal. But ear plugs can also be used for other purposes as well.
How to make a ball out of polymer clay?
What is polymer clay?
How to sand gauges?
About this website
Step 1: Marking Out You're Circumference
You might have realized i said YOU'RE the reason i say that is because the plug will be made to you're specific size, E.G, my ear is 36mm but i make the plug 38mm, the reason of that being is i allow 2mm for my flares, but by this time you're ear should be that size (E.G 36mm), as you should be aware, you should not stretch with hardwood plugs, so back onto this subject, allow at least 1mm for the flares you will be cutting into the plug, so grab you're marking tools, compass, calipers, and draw it out if you're making a 10mm plug then measure out 6mm on you're ruler then draw straight around, i went with 36mm so i mesured out 19mm a drew around and marked out the circle..
Step 2: Cutting Out
Now were past the boring part of marking up we can finally get suited and booted meaning, PUT YOU'RE DAM PPE ON!!!, done that, good, now we can move on, so as show in the picture on here and on the video i decided to take this approach on the Band-saw, but you can use what ever you have, Hand saw, Jigsaw, can even use a file or rasp if you're persistent enough, i cut just around my lines not exactly to them, leave some extra waste on their to sand off later..
Step 3: Sanding
So you left some waste to sand off? good, so at this stage it would be good to have a belt sander but, like i said if you are persistent enough you can use a file or a rasp i can't be certain that it will be round tho, or you could just not make these by hand and use a lathe, but that defies the point of hand made, so back to sanding i'm going to explain it with a belt sander, so set you're belt to the table 90 degrees this (i can not stress enough is crucial) and get sanding.
Step 4: Starting the Flares
Alright, the fun step, "did you hear the sarcasm screaming" so what we are doing in this step is filing in the recess i want to call it for the flares, if you see the picture and watch the video you will understand it's a channel for just creating the slope then i'll come in with a used (120 grit sanding belt rip of piece) so i'm using a 6mm round file single edge, also if you do have a good vice, that would be a good upper-hand, i use a cast iron "ye-olde" 1800's blacksmiths vice, but anything is better than nothing, i begin by positioning the file in the middle off the plug, supported by my finger's on each side, then counting my strokes, E.G.
Step 5: Finish Sanding
At this stage you shouldn't have any high spot's, you should just have you're flares and nice flat surfaces, so now if you have what at i call flat sides, if you have made it slightly thicker then a this point you should start rounding them over by rubbing the sandpaper, this time using (120 fine hand wet & dry sandpaper not belt), is rounding motion, i shown it on the video, and round over all the corners, and lay the sand paper on a flat surface once again and sand the surfaces (front and back) at this stage the should look like proper flares if you rounded them over properly.
Step 2
Purchase hardwood dowels from an online supplier or lumber company. Look for coconut, ebony, olivewood, birch or granadillo. Make sure the dowels are the same diameter as the plugs you measured.
Step 3
Cut off two 1-inch sections of wood from the ends of the dowel using the saw of your choice. A miter saw will give you the cleanest cut, but you can also use a band or scroll saw.
Step 4
Sand the plugs with fine-grain sandpaper until they are smooth and polished.
Step 5
Rub the plugs with a rag saturated with linseed or tung oil to protect the wood and bring out its deepest color.
How to make a ball out of polymer clay?
Pull of a 2-inch segment of polymer clay and form it into a ball. Place a hand on the top and bottom of the ball. Press down while using your fingers to rotate the clay. Note that the ball should work down into a somewhat flattened circle.
What is polymer clay?
Polymer clay is a material made of polymer compound. It is easy to work with for crafting projects due to its malleability and ability to be fired in a home oven at low temperatures. Ear plugs, also called ear gauges, are jewelry used to stretch the skin around a piercing to a larger size. You can create your own ear plugs using polymer clay. Because the sizing of plugs is so specific, it is best to use a pair of already made plugs that you already own as a sizing guide for the clay creation.
How to sand gauges?
Sand the surface of the gauges lightly with a piece of steel wool. Wipe off any debris with a lightly dampened cloth. Use a paintbrush to apply a polymer clay glaze. Allow to dry overnight before wearing.
