Tuesday, June 12, 2012

DIY Crystal Knobs

Last week I let on that there was more to tell about the crystal knobs that adorned this vanity makeover.  I was looking for something extra special would feel feminine and glamorous.  I thought crystals fit the bill and went about trying to figure out how I would DIY some of these knobs I envisioned.

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I ended up using these sea salt crystals from Pottery Barn.  They were sold as vase filler but I felt confident they could be much more than that!

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I gathered my supplies which included:

- the PB crystals
- a diamond tile drill bit
- a masonry bit
-old knobs with removable bolts

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I took the knobs apart like this. . .

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I used the bolt and the spacer, and put the red bead aside for a future project.

The main step in this project was drilling the hole through the crystal. . .  which is much easier said than done.  I bought the diamond bit thinking it would work really well.  I've drilled through glass before with this type of bit and had no problems, but for some reason things didn't go as smoothly with this project.  We went back and forth between the diamond bit and masonry bit and eventually made it through four crystals.  We did break a few crystals in the process but the good news is those pieces can still be used as vase filler. :)

Overall, the project was more time consuming than I had planned (2 hours for 4 knobs) but I did get some beautiful unique pieces for about $15.  And I do really love the way they look!

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I've got some more unique knob ideas up my sleeve that I'm excited to try at some point.  I'd love to hear about any noteworthy knobs you guys have seen or made!

7 comments:

  1. What a clever idea! I've been loving the look of crystals lately, but figured the price would be too outrageous. This is perfect!

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  2. I love how the knobs turned out! I've been thinking of trying to use river rock as knobs but wasn't sure if I could drill through it or not. What sort of drill do you have? Do you think a masonry drill bit is best for the rock as well?

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  3. I LOVE this project. You guys do some really fun stuff but this one really sparkles for me (pun completely intended).

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  4. Super cute - even if it did take awhile - it was worth it!

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  5. Interesting! Do the knobs get tacky at all during the more humid months, since they're rock salt?

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!! It means the world to me!