[Jewelry making - Article 00039] - Re: [Orchid] Drawing wire, getting burrs

[James Miller' <JMDesignFIPG AT aol.com>]

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    I wrote to Trevor directly and explained my method and ideas about
    his burr problem, but after reading the orchid suggestions I thought
    I would share my thoughts with everyone. When I was an apprentice I
    was told to use a hammer, when shaping square wire to round, before
    using the drawbench. Using a hammer and a flat steel plate to shape
    the wire.It is easy and most satisfying to shape short lengths of
    square wire into round, when the wire is almost perfectly hammered
    round, then it is the time to use the drawplate. I agree with others
    who have said that the burrs are caused by the corners of the square
    wire being folded and creating slight second layers of metal, that
    will tear off forming a burr when pulled through the drawplate. Metal
    performs different when squeezed in a roller or drawbench, than when
    hammered. When hammered metal compresses rather than spreading, which
    is why hammered metal becomes harder quicker and needs constant
    annealling. I love using hammers to shape metals! 

    I am suprised how little importance the use of hammers is given in
    many modern teaching methods. I think my trade is becoming obsessed
    with the use of machinery, don't get me wrong, I use modern machinery
    to make my life easier, but I think when being trained it is
    important to be taught the traditional ways of manufacture also. I
    also love saw piercing, but over here in the UK, manufactureres are
    buying machines that lazer cut metals, so my skills as a saw piercer
    are not required. Luckily I have earned my living over the past
    thirty years making unique items, single items are not profitable to
    be made by machines at the moment. 

    Last week over here in the UK, we had an auction of Faberge goods at
    Christies. The sale prices reached record levels, oh how I wish
    these purchasers would commission new goods from current craftsmen, I
    know of many goldsmiths like myself who would love the opertunity to
    be commissioned to make items like the Faberge' Easter Egg that sold
    for eight million pounds. The experts on our media suggested that
    this type of work could not be matched by todays craftsmen, but I
    know of at least six goldsmiths who could surpass the quality of the
    Faberge workshops. Believe me as I have worked on hundreds of
    Faberge pieces in my career as a London goldsmith and I have seen
    pieces, made by English goldsmiths, that would make Faberge Eggs look
    amatuerish by comparison. 

Peace and good health to all
James Miller FIPG
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/jmdesign.htm
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