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Sources of Supplies and Equipment for Giant Clam Shellcrafting VENDOR = Betty's Import and Export, Inc.<R>Waikiki
Shopping Plaza, 2250 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 508, Honolulu, HI 96815 Betty's is one of our favorite shops in Honolulu. Located on the fifth floor of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza in the heart of Waikiki, Betty's is bursting with a truly mind-boggling variety of jewelry and craftware made in the Philippines. Expect to pay wholesale prices for quantity purchases; bartering is allowed here just like in Cebu or Manila. A great place to pick up ordinarily hard-to-find components for shellcraft jewelry. Examples include bead necklaces, earring components, magnetic memo holders of every description and macramé. VENDOR = Bluewater Displays and Packaging Bluewater is a member, along with River Gems and Rio Grande Albuquerque, of the Bell Group of Companies that specializes in every aspect of the jewelry industry. Bluewater offers an innovative line of display, packaging and salesman's sample merchandise. This is the source for earring cards and display stands, polyethylene bags, jewelry boxes and shipping boxes, and even screen-printing supplies for making custom display cards. VENDOR = Hydro-Gardens, Inc. Hydro-Gardens makes customized stickers that are great for adding a classy touch to your shellcraft products. MMDC used thousands of Hydro-Gardens' oval “Tomato Labels” on our giant clam shellcraft. The gold foil label was imprinted with fancy black lettering that read “Palau Giant Clam Captive-Bred MMDC.” We also used the company's light pink fluorescent “Cucumber Label” with the same message for large ornamental shells. The labels cost very little, and they, no doubt, increased the value of the shellcraft products. VENDOR = Loctite Corporation Loctite makes hot-melt glue guns and glue sticks. The glue sticks come in at least 13 different varieties. An acceptable glue stick is their item number 81933, which is a 4-inch, general purpose, clear glue stick that bonds in 30 to 60 seconds. Buy the sticks in packs of 30 or cases of 720 to cut costs. The retail price of the glue sticks should be about $0.25 or less per piece, while the glue guns will retail for about $20.00. Note that many other companies besides Loctite make hot glue guns and glue sticks, but this is one of the largest and has a good reputation. VENDOR = Ohio Ceramic Supply, Inc. Ohio Ceramic is the place to buy circular magnets for magnetic memo holders. Write for their catalog and price list. We purchased 800 of their ¾-inch circular magnets for about $0.10 each. VENDOR = Rio Grande Albuquerque Rio Grande Albuquerque is a full-line supplier for tools, equipment and supplies for manufacturing jewelry. Equipment of interest to giant clam shell crafters includes Dremel electric drills for making tiny holes in earrings and necklaces, jewelry pliers for making French wire earrings, Cyanoacrylate (which is also sold under the brand name Super Glue) sold in bulk quantities, and manuals and videos on electroplating methods. VENDOR = River Gems & Findings River Gems and Findings publishes a marvelous catalog that is THE definitive source for gemstones, jewelry findings and precious metals. Whether you want to buy authentic South Sea pearls at wholesale prices, earring components, hand-painted Peruvian ceramic fetishes, Indian glass beads, rhinestones, diamonds, rubies, sapphires or gold and silver by the ounce, this is the source. Be prepared to be absolutely blown away by this catalog, which, if you are serious, just might launch you into a career (or a least a lucrative hobby) in jewelry making. VENDOR = Tideline VENDOR INFO = Tideline is a wholesaler of dried coral, shells and other marine specimens. We do not suggest attempting to market your giant clam shells to this company. But their catalog will give you a good idea of current wholesale prices for shells and shellcraft items in the United States. If you operate a seaside gift shop, you will find that Tideline stocks many items that could be useful for your inventory of marine-related items or for decorating to create a nautical ambiance. VENDOR = Venus Displays Venus makes a neat selection of acrylic shell stands, including the acrylic lamp bases for giant clam shell night lights. The #150 “Urchin” light with cord-set, can be ordered in quantities of a gross (144) or more for about $4.50 each. Be sure to check out their display stands, many of which can be used for presenting giant clams. Alan Levy is the owner-operator of Venus.
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