Tag Archives: Metal

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Friday Fifteen Fun Links For Jewelers and Crafters

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Happy Friday to all of you!
 
The weekend is here, and just in time for lazing on a Sunday afternoon is a list of fifteen (15) fun and informative links for jewelers and crafters.  Some link to easy projects, others to supply stores and there is a surprise or two in store for those that complete the list.
 
SUPPLIES: (Looking at these sites could get a girl into trouble!)
 
Jewelry Findings, Gemstones, Metals and Tools, I drool just thinking about it.
I like this supplier and order many of my beads from them.  Wide selection, nice variety, great customer service, and “Everything is Assortable” for discount prices on all orders!  Catalog is also available.  Express Ordering, Tips, Contests.  Check them out!
Just wow.  Lapidary Equipment, Jewelers tools and more.  A bit pricy on things, but really nice equipment.
Again a bit pricy, but well worth the peruse for the selection of item alone.  With an A to Z list and pdf / interactive flip through catalogs, there is a lot to look at and desire.
Beautiful Gemstones at affordable pries.  Wonderful selection and variety to choose from.
SELL OR BUY SITES
 
Many of you are aware of these, some of you may not be, below are a couple of links to some neat sites, where you can sell your items, or buy those wonderful handmade goodies!
 
This site is for sellers of handmade and vintage items.  You can find, Fine Art, Photopraphy, Arts and Crafts, and of course jewelery.  If you haven’t check it out give a look see.  Accounts are free.  Just be sure to set up the appropriate account for you, either as a Buyer or a Seller.
This site is strictly for handmade items.  Jewelry is the bulk of the site, but look around and you can find cool knits, great toys for the kids, handmade books and a lot of other neat stuff.
Or you can check out:
Recently purchased by the good folks of Handmade Artsist (above) this neat site featuring more handmade items to look at and choose from.
DIY PROJECTS
 
Looking for a diversion on a sunny day?  Maybe you’d like to try your hand at one of these.
 
Cute, and super simple.  You can make one in an afternoon.
So simple a Caveman could do it!
They ain’t kidding! Now it really is OK to play with your food!
Super simple fun project for any age.  More knot tying.  These instructions will teach you to make this pattern.
Want to try your hand at weaving Chainmaille?  This site lists free downloadable pdf instructions.
Surprise Link.  Oh go on, click it!  You know you want to…
This link will take you to a blog that gives clear and concise instructions on making these very pretty decorations.
Thank you for stopping and having a look and hurray, you made it to the end of the blog!  Hope that you found something to inspire or interest you!
 

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant weekend.

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In My Studio – Sterling Silver Ring

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Happy Thursday,

It’s Studio time again, but when isn’t it around here.

Today I thought I would show a project that I completed as part of the classes I am taking to upgrade and refresh my skills.  It has been a long time since I soldered anything.  For the past couple if days I have been annealing metal and playing with fire.

I had not intended on sharing this particular project, as it was meant as a practice piece, so I did not take progress pictures.  I should probably do that.  Any way, I thought to it would be good to show what is good, and what is not so good about the ring.  It will not be put up for sale, as I do not feel good about listing this anywhere, but it will work as example for now.

Twisted Celtic Knot Style Sterling Silver Ring
Original Design by The Alchemists Vessel
This ring is made of Sterling Silver sizing stock, I think it was meant as a bezel strip, but I liked it and it felt like it would be easy to work with, I believe it was 18 gauge stock.
Rings are made using sheets or strips of metal.  The metal is cut, shaped, hammered, heated, and repeat around the mandrel until you have a circle.  The joint or seam where the ends meet is then soldered.  The metal is cleaned and polished.  Viola!  You have a ring.

Due to heating, and pickling during the process of forming the ring, sometimes not all the fire scale or other agents that are hard to get off the ring will be removed entirely.  In the case of the twisted-braid like design, some areas are difficult to reach, as seen here.  More polishing and / or a Q-Tip is required.
Soldering a ring is not easy, I do not know what I was thinking when I soldered the inside of the ring, over flow spills into the twist pattern of the stock, in an effort to make it smooth, I over polished and wore some the unaffected stock flat.  Oops!  This needs another cleaning as well.  I see spots!

The last photo shows the back of the ring where it has been joined, this is the toughest part about soldering, guessing the correct amount of solder needed to seal the seam.  I used a paste type solder instead of wire type solder.  That was a mistake, as working with the unfamiliar paste type lead to “bad” jewelry finishing.  The problems I encountered with the stock were due to my choice of design.  The rounded edge does not meet flush, and therefore does not create a good joint for the solder to fill.  The stock itself is twisted around itself, making two pieces into one, this also does not work well, as some of the solder has pitted and / or pooled in the spaces of the stock.  Pitting, the holes that you see, can come from over heating the metal, not using enough flux, or simply too much solder, as was the case here I think.  It is possible in my attempt to smooth out the join while polishing that I over polished the spot causing a hole to form in the solder itself.

The only way to correct this is to saw the ring apart, removing the soldered area and sizing the ring smaller, re-soldering the joint (seam) and trying not to make another mess in the process.  This is why they call it practice, and it most definitely makes perfect, in this situation anyway.
Thank you for stopping by and having a read.  In hope this was informative or at least interesting.

The Alchemists Vessel would like to wish you a pleasant Thursday.