I have a large collection of wine corks and I'm not sure what the best way is to pierce one. I would like to be able to string 4 ft. long, vertical rows of cork, instead of gypsy beads, directly in front of the stairs and across the top of the foyer. Is there an efficient tool someone could recommend, or, could someone provide some relevant information on this? Also, is there some underlying process that I should know about staining wine corks? My last question is; what strength and what kind of wire should I use? Sorry, I've never started a craft like this and need help! Peace.
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Hi,
A leatherworking awl or an old-fashioned ice pick would work for piercing cork lengthwise. The length of the awl or ice pick should be at least 4 inches, so it can pierce the cork in one motion.
To string the corks to form a 'curtain', you can use clear monofilament heavier strength fishing line (greater than 30lb. test- look at the thickness before you buy to see if it has the look you want. The greater the test= the thicker the line is, and more visible). When you string the corks, you can put a spot of glue into the top and bottom of the cork to secure it in place. Use a heavier gel glue like E6000, it is more durable than super glue.
To stain the corks, try alcohol based ink. You can use the stamp pad inks (go to Harbor Freight for good, cheap Nitrile gloves, please use gloves that aren't porous when handling ink, cleanup is much easier). If you don't want to use a stamp pad, use the refill bottles of alcohol ink and a paint brush to brush the ink on. The cork is absorbent enough to leave a stain like appearance. Watercolor paint may also work, because of the absorbency. However you color, always test on a 'junk' cork. Make sure you like the results before you potentially waste a lot of whatever you are working on. Also, remember to cover your working area with several layers of newspaper to protect your work surface, and wear an old, long sleeved work shirt/apron to protect clothing. Old rags and/or paper towels nearby helps with cleanup in case you need to step away from your project. Good luck with your project, and please post pictures when you are finished!
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