Roberta had a good idea! I'd try that. I'll tell you how I do mine, but I don't recommend it.
I've been doing this since I bought my first house in 1995 and couldn't afford to go to the salon anymore. And I always get compliments on my nails. Right now I have mine off because my daughter and I are going out to plant in a bit but as soon as I get them back on, I'll post pics.
I buy Kiss nails. kissusa.com
Kiss (tips, but use them on the entire nail) They are the strongest, as I DO use my nails for everything. I even worked at a factory for 14 1/2 years with them) The ONLY glue to use is 5 second. 5secondnail.com
Salon Nail Glue | Walgreens Wal Mart stopped carrying it and I had to buy it online. Then I noticed that Walgreens carries it. But they only put one or two out at a time, so I always keep extra. OK.... Always work with clean nails, but not wet or soft. Start out by choosing your nails. I put them on the whole nail, as I said, set it on the nail and push it to the cuticle. See how it needs to be shaped to fit at the base and file accordingly. Do this for each nail. (I do my toes, too) Now you should have ten fingers and ten toes lined up in front of you. I line them up in order from pinkie to pinkie.
Now you need a GOOD file. I use Beauty secrets from Sally's. Coarse 100/100 grit. Lightly file your entire nail bed, just to scratch it up a bit. This will help to hold them down. Rinse the dust off. Next I spray each nail with antiseptic spray. And then one more spray again. Next I use a prep and clean dehydrant. Both A*S*P bought from Sally's. Again, I do each nail once and then go over them again. Now we're ready. Pick up your first nail and place it on the bed to which it will go, making sure to have a grip on it that won't interfere with placement. Keeping that hold, turn it over and put a bit of glue at the cuticle end, slightly tilting the nail so it stays there. (you will want to work with a towel under you. I have glue drops on MANY articles of clothing, lol) Place the nail from cuticle out, and hold just for a bit. If you haven't used too much glue, it will adhere, literally, in 5 seconds. Be sure you put it on straight. There's no going back now! Do this on each nail. Now we have all ten fingers and all ten toes looking quite funny. But we aren't finished gluing yet! Hold your hand up, get it to a lighting where you can see where the glue is and isn't. You should have a U shape of no glue. In other words, when you placed the nail, the glue spread out to the edges but didn't fill in. Holding your hand up, fill each nail and hold til it dries. This takes longer, since it isn't a 'flat' glue. You can tell it's dry by tilting your hand to one side and if the glue moves, you aren't finished yet.
Do this on every nail. After we're all dry, now it's time to shape. I cut the excess off my nails, then file. Cut the 'tip' off the toes and file smooth. And you're ready to polish! After polish, when your nails are dry, it helps to put some Vitamin E on them to keep from messing up the polish. (by now I'm ready to get up and go and frequently mess them up. Irritating!)
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_14_6.gif I just bought a bottle of Vit E oil and poured it into an empty nail polish bottle. Depending on your level of activity, these will last at least two weeks. These nails WILL HOLD to your nails. When you hit one, it will hurt and could tear your nail. I have torn so many into the quick over the years,
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_6_1.gif but I LOVE having my nails! Now the bad part. By now, some of them are ready to come off. Some are not. I pry them off, carefully. At times, it can be quite painful and your nail beds will never be the same. lol This is why I don't recommend. But I'd rather do my own nails. I let my daughter get hers done at the salon. I wouldn't subject her to this. I will post before, during and after pics as I'm putting them back on.
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_19_1.gif 
