[Jewelry making - Article 00979] - Re: [Orchid] Balls at the ends

[Karen Christians]

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Annie,

    Writing to this forum was the smart thing to do. 

    There are several methods, but here is mine. 

    You will need a very hot and tiny flame, butane won't work.  Use
    fine silver not sterling.  The copper content in sterling will make
    an uneven ball. High karat gold will work fine, 18K and above.  Stay
    away from 14K as it has the same issues as sterling. 

    Cut a disk of thin grey cardboard, to a little bigger than your
    gemstone. Make a small hole in the center and a slit. Soak it in
    water. 

    Ball one end of the fine silver wire and thread it through. Take the
    other end of the wire, thread it through the disk and ball the wire. 

    I came up this idea watching glassblowers use only wet newspaper to
    shape hot glass. 

    You mention that you are not a jeweler or metalsmith. I suggest
    that you outsource this part of the process to a jeweler. It will be
    well worth your time rather than trying to put together a jewelers
    propane torch and oxygen. However, if you incorporate this technique
    frequently in your work, it would be worth it to you to take a
    jewelry class. 

Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA  02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857
http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio

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