"Installing" TEs

[Ren-Ren]

I'd like to transition from just gluing my rhinestones onto the eyes of my TE customs to actually insetting them into the eye, but my attempts so far have been failures. Does anyone have tips on how to do it?

What kind of hole do you cut into the eye? Anyone not using a dremel? Because, unfortunately, I don't have one and am using an exacto knife ; The holes aren't the smoothest, but I'm trying to use apoxie sculpt to round things out.

Also, after cutting the hole, how do you keep the eye from falling through into the head?

[SDstang]

you dont have to use a dremel if you have a drill with a small enought bit.  I have never done this for in stalling TE eyes but have used a drill with a small bit on a pony.

to keep the eyes in you could put apoxie sculpt on the inside of the head where the TE eye will go, and then puch the cyrstal into the apoxie sculpt.

thats how I would do it. hope that helps!

[Roogna]

I use my exacto knife. I push it in the center of teh eye, then make an X through the pupil and iris
then I cut out those pieces carefully. the circle doen't have to be 100% smooth, but as close as you can.

Before I do the I've measured the millimeters of the eye, and selected the right size rhinestones. the hole needs to be juuuuuust big enough for it to squeeze in. Then, I use apoxie sculpt inside the head behind each eye to hold it in place
and lastly, be careful painting!
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[Diamond]

Very cool Roogna.

You could attach a wire to the back of you jewel before installing, make the wire long enough to reach either the bottom of the head or the other side, this allows you to push a little and not lose the eye.  Similar to how glass eyes come.