[Jewelry making - Article 00019] - Re: [Orchid] Making my own head pins

[Karen Bryan]

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Tracy,

    When I make my head pins I use 22 ga silver and  I usually hold the
    wire (the end I am going to ball up) almost upside down,  this way I
    can easily see the size of the ball I am achieving. Hold your wire
    with tweezers and torch the end you want to ball. I use the Bernz o
    Matic butane torch and it works well for me. I will usually wash the
    wire off with soap and water and then lightly sand with fine
    sandpaper. I don't think you really want to spend forever trying to
    solder shot onto the ends of wire, (even if you can accomplish this
    it will take you a great amount of time) nor do you want to put the
    wire into the tumbler. If I am reading your post correctly you are
    wanting to place a ball at each end of the wire. I don't know that
    you can ball the opposite end after placing pearls on the wire.  I am
    doubting pearls can take the heat without harming them. Could you
    finish that end with a small loop instead? Maybe some of the more
    experienced jewelers can help out here. 

 Hope this helps, Karen

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