A Muse Zing

My Daughter Took This PHOTO - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennyland/

Has anyone seen my muse?

I turned around, and she had left me. I think it's temporary, though. She left her shoes behind, I can tell they're hers because they're so small and sparkly.

I think the cure for MUSE-LOSS is new equipment.

So I went to Harbor Freight, searching for Muse Bait.

Sure enough, I found a belt sander, it's so cool! Actually, it gets quite warm when I use it, I have to put finger protectors on my hands, to keep from burning my fingertips.

And if I had a manicure ever, this thing would be the most efficient way to remove it.

But it's great at speeding up the cleanup from casting the pewter. I can get way down in the details and crevices, sweet!

And it has a vacuum hose attachment, see it there at the bottom on the side -- so the dust is handled and doesn't go everywhere. I still wear my eye protection and my face mask, but I don't end up completely head-to-toe dusted with metal when I use it. AND it was ON SALE! Woo Hoo ... Santa came early.

I LOVE TOOLS! and especially ones that make me more efficient.

Okay, Muse - time to come back and play now!

Today's Special Discount and A Chance To See Me in Silly Glasses

Happy Labor Day! I'm Having a Sale in the Etsy Shop ...
For a lot of folks, it's the last sign of the end of the seemingly endless summer. And a chance to shop and save some money on the holiday. Yay!

Those photos are from my workbench at the studio. That's a pile of unfinished cast pewter pieces, with the scrubber and cleaning setup that I use on the left.


And that's my new flex shaft tool for the dremel, and a small buffing wheel accessory I bought at Harbor Freight on sale, in the photo on the right. The flex shaft is better than my old one, quieter and faster. So I'm glad I replaced the old one.

The sweeping brush is because everything I do on that side of the workbench is very dusty and messy. I have to sweep the desk, the floor and myself very often while I'm working. And I still seem to get covered with messy dust anyway.

That's me behind the close up prescription glasses, safety glasses, and respirator dust mask.

Sometime maybe I'll show a photo of one of my old dust masks covered in dust and you'll see why I wear the uncomfortable and annoying things. It's truly better for me to have both eyes and both lungs working than to worry about how crazy I look!
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So, if you go to the Etsy shop TODAY and buy something or several things, I'll adjust your total invoice for 50% off and free shipping!

Is that a DEAL or what? If you've had your eye on something special, zip on over there and take advantage of the discount for Labor Day Monday Special!

Just put "SAFETYFIRST" in your notes on checkout so I know you're taking advantage of this.
And don't laugh at my silly glasses ... too much.

Charlotte Angel Was Worth It

Well, the hands are cleaner today. However, I did manage to burn myself -- twice.

A while back, you may remember, when I got a new soldering iron, I burned my left hand middle finger by accidently touching the business part of the soldering iron. It healed up, I just have a little scar. Hurt like crazy, though.

Yesterday, while melting some pewter, I accidently touched the hot metal at that same place on the same hand. It didn't blister, maybe because I put ice on it right away.

Then later in the day, I did it again with the other hand.

So I have matching middle fingers.

I leave burns open, no bandaid or bandage on them, so they can heal cleanly.



So what was I doing to earn all this damage to my hands? I was putting the finishing touches on this Angel Charlotte.

After all, if Charlotte froze as it says in the story, surely she became a celestial angel?

This one is going in a special goodie package to a friend, I hope she goes over well.

She has holes in her legs for jump rings or wire wrapping. And long wires out of her angel wings, to be used for beads or wire wrapping for connectors.



She may be too large for jewelry, she is quite a good sized angel, but I can see her as a holiday ornament or used in some way around the house.

Myself, I'd make a giant pendant and wear her as jewelry, but that's just me being my usual silly self.

So off I go to the regular routine, I need to find time to make holiday greeting cards soon.

And Angel Charlotte is going to her new home.

Adieu, Charlotte, Angel!

Tuesday Tips - Pearls of Wisdom, Be Prepared

Working with words lately, I've been putting some into resin to create cabochons to add to the jewelry designs.

I wanted something fresh and clean-looking that would be consistently readable, as I've had some problems in the past with obscuring the words in the resin.

And I didn't want the words to become translucent, I wanted them to stay opaque.


It has warmed up just enough to do some resin casting, so I had a session over the weekend. These rough versions haven't been cleaned up, sanded or colored yet, but I'm pleased with the legibility of the words in them. I found some pearlescent glass seed beads that I think would look great combined with these, they have a glassy, milky look to them.


The interesting part is creating the words and combining them, sometimes they suggest the jewelry piece they may become, other times the other beads call out for certain words. It reflects my mood, too, and what I'm pondering as I work, the words that find their way into the resin.

Sometimes the words rearrange themselves to tell a story on their own. I'm thinking these might be fun to put into magnets, sort of like the poetry magnets you see around. For refrigerator poetry.

And I have an idea kicking around to create stickpins. Not everyone wears necklaces or bracelets, it might be good to have something you can just add to your lapel on your coat, put on your ball cap. With a favorite phrase or word, to generate conversation.


Here are some tips for working with resin that I was reminded of by the recent session creating these word gems.

Prepare everything ahead of time, your work surface, any masking tape, inclusions and things you will need. Once you mix the two-part resin the clock is ticking and you want to be ready to pour when it's ready. It won't wait for you.

Don't forget to wear your gloves. I put on a double pair, so if the outside glove gets sticky or messy, I can just strip it off and my hands are still covered.

Do all your leveling before you start to pour. The resin will slant and settle if your pieces aren't level, and it's much trickier to fix when the bezel is full of sticky, gooey resin.

Make some extras, you can use them for experimentation. If your favorites come out well and you want to try something new with them, try it out on one of the blanks or extras first, to avoid spoiling your most favorite one, so you can adjust whatever you're doing as needed.

Follow the directions of your particular resin and don't mess with the percentages. You want your finished casting to be hard and not sticky. Measure carefully and use the right proportions. Mix a little less than you think you'll need to avoid a lot of waste, you can't save the resin for later use once it's been mixed up. And be sure you really mix well, it's important.

Finally, do your resin pour at a time when you can continue to check the surface for emerging bubbles for at least fifteen minutes, and thirty minutes is even better. Once you're sure no more bubbles are coming to be dealt with, leave the pieces alone. Let them cure with something over them to avoid dust or particles getting into the resin, but don't move, touch or bother them.

Twenty-four hours is not too long to leave them before messing around with them.

Got any words or pearls of wisdom to add?

Tuesday Tips Cutting to the Bottom Line

SCISSORS


The simple cutting tools that we take for granted, likely have around the house in large numbers and for various different sizes and purposes were once handmade and forged tools, treasured and passed down through the generations.

Scissors date from before the first century A.D. They can be seen in various forms in Egyptian art and have been the tools for tailors and barbers for at least 2,000 years.

In Greek mythology, when Atropos of the Three Fates cut the thread of a life, she did it with "shears" or scissors.

In general, shears have blades longer than 6" and scissor blades are less than 6". The finger holes on scissors will only accommodate one finger in the hole for thumb and finger, while shears will have holes in the handle that fit two or more fingers for applying more force.

The earliest scissors appeared in the middle east about 4,000 years ago and were spring scissors, two bronze blades connected at the handles by a curved, very thin strip of bronze that caused the blades to come together when squeezed and go apart when released. This style of shears is still used to shear sheep wool. Spring scissors were used in Europe until the 16th century, although pivoted scissors of iron or bronze were used in Rome, China, Japan and Korea.

Pivoted steel scissors like the ones we know today weren't manufactured in large numbers until 1761 in Sheffield, England when cast steel was used to make them by melting steel in clay crucibles and pouring into molds, making a uniform strong steel with few impurities.




Now that you know a little of the history of scissors, here are some tips and hints for keeping scissors safe and sharp:

1. Dust, fluff and the remains of cutting material should be wiped off the cutting edges and blades. The scissors should be stored in a dry place. This applies particularly to nickel-plated, carbon steel scissors and shears because the unprotected areas of the surface can be prone to corrosion.

2. Now and then the screw slot and the joint area between should be oiled with a drop of fine oil. Thus the easy closing force of the scissors will be maintained.

3. To make them last longer and stay sharper, store scissors in a closed position to prevent dulling the blades.

4. Run a small bead of oil up each blade, open and close the scissors several times. Wipe any excess oil off the scissors with a soft, dry cotton cloth. This allows your scissors ride to be free of any debris, thus keeping your scissors sharper longer!

5. Fabric scissors are extremely sharp and should not be used for anything but cutting cloth, since cutting paper will quickly dull a pair of fabric scissors.

6. Use tin snips to cut sheet metal, pulling the bottom blade up instead of pushing the top blade down and keeping the top blade aligned over the metal sheet. If you are using a thin gauge of copper or brass such as 30 and 36 gauge, use a dedicated set of standard scissors that you don't use for cutting fabric or paper. And remember that cut metal edges can be very sharp - protect your skin so you don't get cut!

(Believe me, it happens, I did it myself over the weekend - much worse than a paper cut)

If you are interested in more history and mystery about shears and scissors, how are scissors made? - What is their history through time? be sure to check it out, it's facinating.

I usually don't think about it, but now when I pick up a pair, I'll think about their long journey.

Unlocking Time and The Grind Goes On

Down in Studio B (Basement) it's messy but productive. All the glass cutting, chemicals, etching and torch work goes on down there, plus the kiln and the soldering station.

And the grinder for the glass. Noisy, wet, messy - but lots of fun. To watch solid glass shaped right in front of you. Very exciting.

Today the glass for the next group of clasps is being shaped and ground and the hole drilled for the toggle to go through. That is nerve-wracking, and there is a deep breath taken before plunging into the hole drilling process. And whoosh - a big exhale when it works out okay.

This photo show the fronts of the glass clasp pieces after grinding and beveling. See the scuff-marks and rough edges? That's why they go back into the kiln for a fire polish, to smooth them out and make them all glossy again. They have three firings, in all, to make the finished glass clasp.

You can see the back of the key design clasp here, and the front of the clock glass clasp. The backs have very faint writing designs on them, very subtle. These are substantial pieces of glass even after I shaped and ground down the edges, 2 7/8" x 1" wide.

The grinder I use has a beveling station on top of it, so I can put an angled edge on the glass.

When the glass comes out of the kiln from the second firing (capping the enameled image with clear glass) it's not very square on the edges and sometimes the clear cap slides around a little. That's one reason why I fuse the enamel design on the glass in the first firing, so it won't smudge if the clear glass slips or flows in firing to a full fuse at 1500 degree F.

When I use the grinder the glass has to be kept wet, to protect the diamond carbide grinding bit, and to keep the heat from building up in the glass. The glass might crack if it gets too hot during grinding. And it creates a kind of soupy glass particle spray that can't help but go everywhere. I always put on a heavy vinyl wrap-around apron to keep from getting soaked, and to keep the glass particles off my clothes.

Most important of all - I wear these glasses. To protect my eyes from little shards of glass getting anywhere near them. I can feel the grinder spray on my face sometimes, so I know it's getting up that high. The safety glasses aren't good looking and I look like a geek wearing them, but they are ultra-super-important!

Safety first! Always wear any safety gear you need when you are creating. There are links on the side of the blog for my posts on different equipment safety posts, if you need a refresher.

So, off I go to pop these two pieces in the kiln for their fire polish, to spiff them all up. But I thought you might like to see them in their 'before' state.

What do you think of them?

Wire and Fire - Part 1

Fusing Fine Silver - Safety and Setup

FUSING STATION PREPARATION:

It's important to have a safe, prepared area to do the fine silver fusing.

During a recent spring cleaning in Studio B (basement) the area set aside for using the torch was cleaned and re-organized.

The firebrick and heat protective mat is from Delphi Glass, which is a good source for metal and glass fusing and warm glass supplies.

There are sites offering the idea that a regular brick or concrete block is good enough to use with the torch, but two things make that a bad choice. One, sometimes a brick that's heated too much will explode - not a good idea to have fiery hot brick shards flying in your work area. The other is that the firebrick acts as a heat sink, collecting heat in the area near the links and enhancing the fusing, and a regular brick won't do this. While it's possible to ball the ends of silver wire holding the wire in the air, it's very, very hard to get a link up to temperature while holding it in air.

The lighting should be task lighting that can be easily adjusted up or down - while fusing links the glowing color of the heated metal is a clue about the stage of fusing, bright lighting makes it harder to see the subtle color changes.

It's an urge to jump right into the creative fun of fusing, BUT safety is always first - have a post on the blog about fusing safety, but here's a quick re-cap with specifics about fusing fine silver.

SAFETY INFORMATION:

Having recently had a finger get a small burn from the new soldering iron, the first thing coming to mind is a caution about high temperatures. The firebrick will get very hot, as well as the nozzle of the torch and the links themselves. Keep it in the front of the awareness - DO NOT TOUCH them and be cautious of their location at all times. Burns are painful and take a while to heal, it's worth a few minutes of care to avoid a burn from accidently picking up a hot link with your fingers, or bumping the nozzle of the torch and getting a blister or burn.

Wear a heavy leather or vinyl apron and closed toe shoes when fusing. Early in the process while learning there may be times when a molten ball of silver drops off unexpectedly or a link is overheated and balls up. If it falls in your lap or on your foot, it may still be hot enough to cause a burn.

Keep a small container of water with ice in it near the fusing station. If you get a little burn, apply ice immediately to reduce the burn and the likelihood of a blister forming. Keep this water clean and hope you never need to use it, it's insurance just in case.

Always point the lighted torch away from yourself. One way to insure this is to put the open ends of the links you are fusing at the 12 o'clock position on the firebrick, so you are pointing the flame away from yourself. Store torch fuel and other flammables far away from the fusing station area.

The torch burns oxygen, keep a window slightly open to allow in fresh air, allow for good ventilation.

Pull long hair back, wear a short sleeved or sleeveless shirt, and cotton rather than a synthetic fabric. Safety glasses are always a good idea to protect your eyes. Make sure the surface is stable, not wobbly, and fire resistant. And have the fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.

Also recommend keeping pets and children out of the area during actual torching times, to avoid distractions and accidental knockovers.

Because fine silver doesn't form firescale during fusing, there's no need for hot pickle (a mild acid that removes the firescale) or solder and flux. If you fuse sterling silver, you will need those chemicals and acids also, and there are safety precautions to keep in mind when using those that won't be necessary with fusing fine (.999) silver.

Fusing fine silver is fun, magical and the results are wonderful once it is learned. Just a little safety and focus on protection is worth enjoying the experience to the maximum.

Next topic ... just what is all that equipment and how is it used - Interested?

Tidal Moon

Dapper Moon

Finally got a chance to use the new dapping block. Still have lots of plans for other things to do with it.

Took metal sheet and cut a circular hole, then cut the larger circle around it, dapped the circle to make the concave semi-circle, set it aside and moved on to other projects.

On the last trip to the home state after moving to the midwest, picked up a carved ivory moon face as a memento, very peaceful looking with great detail. Had used the original to make a mold and created a natural bone-colored replica with nice color variations.

The two pieces stayed on the workbench for a while. Couldn't quite decide how to use the moon face, wanted to do something special with it. It sat on the workbench until on a whim it was randomly placed inside the dapped copper piece. It fit! And gave an interesting look to the moon face.

This is the result, very pleased with the accidental pairing of the two pieces. Even though it would seem to be more flattering to say it was carefully planned, designed, sketched and executed, sometimes the inadvertent combinations are the most interesting and fun.

It took the urgency off doing something fancy, special or premeditated with the little face. And it was kind of fun that the two pieces fit together like a puzzle.

She has her elongated wire pagoda hanger that allows for swinging on a neckwire or chain, and a loop at the bottom attaching a tiny real seashell collected on the Galveston beach years ago. Then it occured to me that she is the emblem of the tidal moon, that pulls the waters of the oceans.

The cupped back feels like the piece is an orb with a face, the rounded metal back giving it a different physical feeling than if the face was flat on a setting or embedded in a handmade brass box. All in all, like the results very much.

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Also got the first burn in two years, reached across the workbench and accidently touched the new soldering iron. Even though the burn was small- about the size of a pea - immediately put the hand into ice water to minimize the hurt and hopefully lessen the blistering later. Lesson learned yet again, be aware of all areas where heat is being used whether it is kiln, torch, soldering iron, toaster oven or even hot liquids like pickle solution. Will leave the burn open to the air today, then put a bandaid on to protect it. Will have to wear a latex glove on that hand to keep it out of flux cleaning solution and keep water from the glass grinder off the burn.

Reminder to self -
Be careful with hot tools
Practice the safety rules.

Twilight Blue

In addition to the etching going on outdoors, in the studio the pearls were swimming in the deep blue.

Darker than robin's egg, lighter than midnight - somewhere around twilight blue.

Many sizes of costume pearls, acrylic bicones and a few faceted round acrylic beads. Will do some more with a lighter shade of blue. These vary slightly in the depth of color, will be great wire wrapped into a strand of costume pearls.

Working on patina for the etched brass, want to keep the honey-yellow shiny brass color but still have the etched designs show up well.

The photo at right shows the work in progress on the sheet brass patina. Might try a greenish or blueish patina on some of the etched pieces, might get something compatible with the blue costume pearls.

This is a large piece of brass (2 1/4" wide x 6" tall) and might be oversized for jewelry but could definitely see it in collage, bookbinding or altered book projects. Has the date 4-10-99 on it, could be April 10 or October 4, depending on how dates are written. Personally prefer to think it is a reference to April in Paris.

The reverse says 'Belle Jardinere Rue du Pont-Neuf Hotel Jun 1901'. Can also see this used as a luggage tag or the lid to a glass box. Have to explore some ideas of combining the etched brass with the etched glass, could be very interesting to put the two together.
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Safety in Storage of Metal Etching Supplies - took a large plastic storage tub, the big one-piece ones with snap on lids, and am storing the etching solutions, potions and supplies in it with the lid on tightly. If anything gets knocked over or accidently spills it will be contained inside the plastic tub. Also those tubs have holes through the handles so a lock can be put on them, may not go that far but if the tub goes to the garage or shed later might do that, with a big sign on the lid describing the contents clearly.
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Need to fuse and enamel glass, color costume pearls, solder, patina brass, torch earwires and polish polymer in several sessions throughout the day. Not sure how much of all of that can get done. The fusing is a lot of prep and then, once in the kiln, lots of downtime. The patina on the brass is setup time, then waiting; same with the pearl color.

The torching, soldering and polishing are all very hands-on. Amazing how long things take sometimes, twice or three times as long as hoped or expected.

This calls for a caffeine super-boost, maybe espresso or even a double!

Venus Four Ways

Backlit the glass really shows the enameled image embedded inside, the translucent fused and beveled glass looks a lot like old gemstones. The heavy chain adds weight, as the four glass gems make a large focal pendant. Like the way this came together.

While making it, was thinking of a story of a sailor out on the sea for months, going to exotic places and gathering souvenirs and putting them together into a necklace for his sweetheart back in his hometown, picturing the day he would give it to her and explain all the charms, beads and gems picked up during his time away.

Might not be for everyone, a standout piece, but very unique and special. Have been planning for quite a long time how to use the enameled fused beveled glass pieces, wanted to keep them together in one visual combination.
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Later will mix up the metal etching solution if the weather is nice, all the research reading says to do that outdoors and wear lots of protection for hands, eyes and clothing. Would be good to write up the safety rules for metal etching.

Eye protection - goggles
Clothing protection - leather or vinyl apron
Skin protection - latex gloves, long sleeved shirt, no open toed shoes
No metal containers, plastic only

No metal tongs or tweezers, plastic or bamboo only
Cover work surface with plastic
Have baking soda (neutralizer) mixture handy at all times
Don't breathe fumes, only use outdoors
Don't pour residue in drains, will eat plumbing and septic tanks
Always add acid to water! Avoid splashing
Keep away from pets and children - label clearly and keep locked away

Teeny Tiny Hearts

Studio Day

Going to use the thin new sheet of clear 90 COE glass to make some teeny tiny heart earrings. Also want to punch out some words with steel letter stamps and embed in glass. Love to have sayings between glass sheets.

Forgot to ask about the diamond carbide hollow bits when the frit and glass enamels were bought yesterday. May have to get those online or mail order, need to drill holes in glass.

Fusing, soldering and punching day.

Here's a photo of the studio with the grinder and the soldering station showing. The messy end of the room.

Need to test the new dichroic to see what it does. Shiny!

Here's the kiln, venting and about to open and unload the new pieces.

The kiln is about 300 degrees F, so gloves are needed to pull the kiln shelf out.

So hard to wait until it's room temperature.

The pieces are sitting on thin fire shelf paper. Can't get more than one firing out of it, since it's going up to 1500 degrees F for fusing.

The colors of the cabochons don't show very well in the webcam photos, but there are dichroic shiny pieces in this group.

This is the new dichroic that was fired first time today. Very softly reddish dichroic sparkles, behind the bright red heart shapes.

Made one cabochon with a 'broken heart' design in it. Sitting on top of yellow glass with the dichroic on top.

Need to create the bezels and wrap in silver, attach the sterling silver loops and make the earwires for earrings. Fun! Might get one more firing in today, after grinding, shaping and fire polishing these pieces.

Studio A Safety

Getting A Shine On - Safely

Since the hot studio rules were mentioned, it's good to also discuss the other area. Jewelry tools do require care.

Buffer Safety Rules

• No sleeves longer than elbow
• No jewelry, rings, bracelets or dangly items on hands or wrists
• No necklaces around neck - choking danger
• No long tailed shirts or strings on clothing necklines or pants waistbands
• Safety glasses required
• Empty box located behind the buffer to catch flying objects
• Good lighting in buffing area
• Turn buffer wheel off when turning away or bending down to pick up dropped items
• Hold onto items with both hands very tightly to prevent flyaways and flingings
• Get up every hour and stretch and walk around the studio for five minutes
• Never walk away from a running buffer wheel, always turn off
• When fatigued, do something else for a while
• Take time, don't rush
• ENJOY the process, seeing the results is the payoff of all the work that went before

The buffer used on front, back and sides gives a beautiful flawless finish. Very graphic and striking.

Studio Safety

Playing Safely with Fire
A few rules reign supreme in the hot studio, Studio B (Basement).

• Safety glasses required
• Pull back hair and bangs
• No sleeves below the elbow
• No long dangly necklaces or other jewelry to get caught on something
• Fire extinguisher nearby and ready to go
• No food or drink in the hot studio ever (no one ever died of hunger or thirst while working)
• If the kiln or hot pot are turned on, the small lamp is also on, as a reminder to turn them off
• Keep the heavy gloves near the kiln, as a reminder to put them on before venting the kiln
• Never leave the room with the soldering iron turned on
• Always use both hands when venting the kiln and opening the kiln door
• Turn on the exhaust fans when creating fumes with solder or burnout in the kiln
• Keep bowls of cold clean ice water nearby. In case of small burns, stick affected part in cold water immediately. Reduces the pain and likelihood of blisters
• Pay attention to locations of anatomy when holding a hot soldering iron
• Don't bend over to pick up dropped items without checking that head clears the table with hot items on it
• Use brush to remove glass shards from cutting table frequently
• Wear latex gloves when working with patina chemicals and pickle solution
• Wear leather or vinyl apron and protective layers to minimize skin exposure to heat and chemicals
• Practice active awareness when handling or working with hot tools
• #1 Rule - ENJOY the time and the process. Don't rush.

Rules aren't written down or posted anywhere. Run through them internally each time, to reinforce the habits.

Heat and Toast

Webcamera glances into Studio B in the Basement

Activities that generate fumes, shards, chemicals and wet or messy activities are set up in the basement, far away from the living area, the kiln, just popped in some cabochons of glass for pairs of earrings. Best place is in the basement for it. The kiln is firing, takes about an hour to gently bring the temperature up for the fusing and flash vent after firing, to bring the temperature down to 900 degrees F, then allow them to anneal and cool slowly down from there. There is a lot of time preparing the glass to go into the kiln on the prepared shelf, then time spent firing and waiting for cooling.

That time was spent using the torch. getting the new firing station set up. Ceramic tiles under the torch and under the hot wire balled ends. The copper and bamboo tongs are to pull things out of the pickle. Don't use anything with iron or other metal besides copper in the acidic pickle pot. Glass cutters, chasing hammer, rawhide hammer. Bench block, brass brush. Tools all lined up.

The round hammered links on the black rubber cube were fused closed using the torch also.

Pickled and polished, and shined with the brass brush. Going to use in a chain necklace, planned for tomorrow.

Like tools. Good tools make things go better. Glass cutting tools.
Toyo cutter (without oil, to use for cutting glass for fusing for jewelry) and grozing pliers. The red handled breaking pliers.
Keeping all these tools away from the soldering station, with the flux.
Flux is hard on tools. These are the good tools, keeping them oiled and wiped very clean.

Heat Is On The Front Burner

Playing with Fire

Making a wire that has a balled end, with lengths of 20 gauge sterling silver wire, four cut 1 1/2 inches long and four at 2 1/2 inches long. Had mixed up the pickle solution first, hadn't done that before. Used a coffee warmer burner to keep the cup or so of pickle hot, testing with a photography solution thermometer. Then read and re-read all the butane torch instructions, had the fire extinguisher available. Pulled up the sleeves, put ceramic tiles down on the table top to protect it. Fired up the torch. Used hemostats to hold the wire in the flame, just past the small point of conical blue stream from the butane torch.

The wire balled at the end, got good sized nice round balls. Then dropped the wire in the hot pickle. Did the same to all eight pieces of wire. Didn't have any fine silver, so the pickle was necessary to remove the firescale and return the shiny finish. After five minutes in the pickle, the remaining soot was polished off by hand.

It worked beautifully! Love the organic look of the balled wire end. Did the longer wires first, re-did them afterward to get a larger sized ball to form. Getting brave. Couldn't wait to make something with them. Made two pair of earrings. Shaped the ear wires with the balled wire, hammered points to strengthen and enhance the look.


Aren't they quaint? Very simple and so pretty. This pair used the longer wires. The bead dangles come off and can be changed. The bend at the top is hammered gently, and the ends of the wires filed to a round smooth point. Very light and delicate.

These dangles are silver beads and crystal beads on sterling wire wrap. Don't the balls at the end of the wires give just that finished touch? Very pleased with the results.

Can use the same method to make ball ends on wire for headpins. Want to try some 24 gauge and some 18 gauge wire, to see the difference. The 24 gauge will be good with pearls and stones with very small bead holes. Have two more pairs, one long and one short length, to try out also.

FUN!