sinkers

KABERS

KABERS

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Jan 3, 2005
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I wish someone would design a pin with a sinker for the head part. I want to submerge a rose head in a cylinder vase with just those flat marbles. no glue, no wire, no jell. Does anyone know if this is available or what do you use? It would be really handy to sell to the diy brides.
 
What I would recommend is to use what is called a SPLIT-SHOT SINKER. You get it from the fishing supply section of a variety store or a fishing store. It is a lead weight that is partially split.....you squeeze the sinker around a section of fishing line.

In this case, take a standard steel bank pin and put the sinker on that........squeeze it around the head of the pin, just as you would fishing line. Impale your rose and then use whatever technique you want to hide the lead weight.
 
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Ricky I've tried this and what I've found that happens is, because the sinker is round it throws off the level of the flower. I've had better luck using a nut or a heavy washer. They're flat and will lay at the bottom of the vase evenly. You can always add a split shot on top of that if you need more weight.
 
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This is how I do it.
If a fishing weight won't work, which is what I usually use, then try this.
Thread the stem of the rose (or whatever) through a nut ( the kind from a nut and bolt, silly ).
Then cut 2 peices of 18 guage wire. Push the wire through the stem, above the bolt, and just below the bolt, so that the bolt cannot move.
The wires stablize the bolt, and won't let it move anywhere, and also act as stableizers for keeping the rose upright when you add the river stone, or gravel, or whatever.
Works great, and it's cheap.
Good luck with your party.
JP
 
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Thanks everyone. I love the new hat pins and fancy-topped pins by fitz and other companies. If they could design something like that - with weight - and cheap - I really think there is a market for it. I've had at least 3 brides lately wanting the submerged flower cylinder vase with the floating votive. This look is showing up in a lot of publications. If the mechanics could be so simple.
 
Are you looking for them to be sunk to the bottom or are you wanting them floating at different levels? If at different levels in the cylinder then attaching the weight directly to the rose will not work. The mono-filament or vary light weight fishing line at different lengths will.
 
Are you looking for them to be sunk to the bottom or are you wanting them floating at different levels? If at different levels in the cylinder then attaching the weight directly to the rose will not work. The mono-filament or vary light weight fishing line at different lengths will.
 
If the mechanics are going to be covered, this is what we do (much cheaper than a sinker!)

We take bamboo skewers and cut them into 1.5-2" sections. Create an X with two pieces. Take a thin gauge wire and wrap it around to secure the X. Leave a bit to wrap around the stem to secure the flower.

You don't need a weight or a frog if you are using stones. Just something that won't slip through the stones. If you remind me, I'll take a picture of the bamboo pieces on Monday. It's a "busy work" task for employees so they make them in bulk ahead of time. It's very simple and costs 1 piece of wire and .4 piece of a bamboo skewer (probably less than .02 cost + less than 1 min labor).
 
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Why not use a "jig" head from the fishing company? They are available in many sizes. Think of a fishing hook with a lead head built right in.
 
Is this to lay flat on the bottom or suspended in the middle of the vase? If suspended I agree with the fishing line. If on the bottom putting shot or sinkers in the flower head is the easiest. The other thing with these designs is they seem to last FOREVER. I had a broken head one day and I was bored so I did this and it was an awesome talking point for almost a month on the front counter.
 
BOSS said:
Sinkers are made of lead... easily flattened with a hammer...
Click to expand...

most sinkers are now steel.....very little lead weighting anymore, same as shot shells, almost exclusively steel!
 
Personally, I am glad that there is not an obvious, easy solution to this challenge. Otherwise it would be too easy for the DIY to have the solution for a design effect that the public is looking to us to answer.
I am all for teaching the public how to make great florals, however, in this case, it is stumping professionals, so it is too early for the market to give away all of our knowledge.
All of these ideas will work to create a seemingly impossible solution, and I think we should keep it a secret for as long as possible. As soon as an easy answer is made public, every one will be making these centerpeices using the "magic weighted pins from Michaels or Costco or what ever.
Sometimes the difficult answers are the best. And, in this case the answer isn't difficult at all, it simply requires some "outside the vase" thinking.
JP
 
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Wanted them to sink to the bottom. I still think it would be cool if one of you talented guys (Cory, Boss, Mikey) could design a pretty sinker.
 
here's a link to Bass Pro Shops....they have 105 different types. One even has a flat top to it (buckeye the spot remover). There's another one that has inter-changable head colors (Lindy X-change).

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&CMID=TOP_SEARCH_GO

Check out the cool sinkers and weights too. Many colors and styles. This one screws in and comes in 3 colors and weights.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_90022____SearchResults
 
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