[Jewelry making - Article 00398] - Re: [Orchid] Possible to make balled headpins as a hinge?

[Peter W . Rowe]

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>        , is it possible to make headpins with balls on either end --
>     such as on a hinge pin? 

    Debra, wire ends can be balled up very quickly, as the wire heats
    quickly.  If the item you're ballin the wire up next to is heavier
    weight, then often you can just hit the end of that wire with a tight
    hot flame (natural gas or propane with oxygen,  works best, not just
    a fuel / air torch, though often that works too)  Point the flame
    across the side of the wire, so it's not pointing at the hinge
    itself.  The wire will ball up, and the ball wiill travel almost all
    the way to the hinge.  Sometimes it will travel right to the hinge,
    other times it will stop just short, depending on how careful you
    need to be about heating the rest of the piece.  If there's still a
    little looseness to the fit, then you can support one ball, and
    hammer (lightly!) the other one in.  The wire inside the hinge will
    upset a little, and the balls can be tighted up.  Try this on a
    scrap first, as if you overdo the hammering, you can mess it all up. 

Peter

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