[Jewelry making - Article 00028] - Re: [Orchid] First Argentium Sterling Adventure

[Cynthia Eid]

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Hi Joanna,

    Here is a piece of my most recent article in Art Jewelry magazine. I
    hope it helps! 

    The ball that is created by melting an end of Argentium[tm] Sterling
    is usually smoother than a typical ball melted on the end of a
    regular sterling wire. Most people have no difficulty transferring
    their technique of melting a ball on the end of a wire to
    Argentium[tm] Sterling. However, when I first tried, I had
    difficulties: sometimes the ball fell off, and sometimes the wire
    next to the ball got thin and scrawny-looking. Here are a few tips: 

    * Clean the wire with a scotchbrite pad to remove any oil. 

    * Remember to use as small and hot a flame as possible, as quickly
    as possible, so that the heat does not have time to travel up the
    wire. 

    * For large wires, and/or large balls, try holding the torch flame
    below the end of the wire, so that it does not affect the wire next
    to the ball so much, causing it to also melt, which can make it thin. 

    * Try holding the wire vertically, above a heat-reflective soldering
    surface, and melt the lower end of the wire. This set-up intensifies
    the heat at the end of the wire. 

    * Flux is helpful, though it is not always necessary. 

Cynthia Eid
http://www.cynthiaeid.com
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