I got the wire - now what?

[psb34psb]

I just bought 30 guage silver wire and am not sure how to use it. Thanks Pam

[Canyon Echoes]

I heat up the bead I want to apply it to enough for the tip of the silver to stick. I take it out to the side of the flame
and wrap it around however many times I want. Then I reintroduce into the flame and heat - the wire will heat up and form
small droplets. If you put the wire right into the flame it melts in no time and is way hard to control. Let me see how you do with it.
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[psb34psb]

Thanks ... pretty beads!

[Anne Ricketts]

I made little squares (pre-shaped before putting on the bead) in this set and then wrapped the spacers with it. :grin:

[Carolyn M]

This is what I do for the beads pictured below. Get the bead hot all the way around, then melt a tiny droplet at the end of the wire and get it to stick to the bead. Bead out of the flame, wrap the wire around as many times as you want, then re-introduce the bead in the top of the flame and partially melt the wire on. If you want only droplets, melt it all the way. Make sure you keep your bead hot enough throughout this process, I've lost quite a few while learning this technique! These beads are etched, the silver stays nice and shiny

[Midnight Skye]

These beads are lovely.

[wendbill]

Probably a good idea to hold it with tweezers too. If you do put it in the flame, you'll be surprised at how rapidly it gets hot.

[Carolyn M]

I don't use tweezers when I'm working withit, you don't actually put it in the flame, more like under it, then it's out of the flame while it's being wrapped, then back in to melt. I do use tweezers for silver mesh though!

[Limelight]

Beautiful beads ladies.

Has anyone ever have any trouble with the silver coming off the bead weeks later?

[pgaglass]

The beads are beautiful. Where's the best place to order the silver wire? And is 30 gauge the best size to use?

[playswithfire104]

Carolyn Thanks - you answered my question before I posted it! I was wondering about etching beads with silver on them.

[wendbill]

I don't use tweezers when I'm working withit, you don't actually put it in the flame, more like under it, then it's out of the flame while it's being wrapped, then back in to melt. I do use tweezers for silver mesh though!

You're right, but the first few times I used it, I did stick it straight in the flame, and very rapidly worked out why that was a dumb idea. Nothing like watching a ball of molten silver zipping up towards your fingers!:shock:

If you follow Carolyn's instructions you'll have far more control!

[MaryBeth]

I like to use 28 gauge fine silver wire.

Here is a set I made almost 4 years ago. I still have some of these same style beads that I made at the same time and the silver is still firmly attached. You need to reheat the bead so that the glass is at least a medium orange glow in order for the silver to firmly attach. These are etched:

62017

I made these about 2 years ago. I used a different technique to attach the silver. You heat a spot on the bead and the end of the silver, bring the bead above the flame, touch the silver to the bead, bring the bead below the flame and cut the silver. This allows you to place balls of silver right where you want them. These are etched.

62018

This last set has silver wire that is wrapped around the beads and cased. The silver is under the clear casing:

62021

[Limelight]

Thanks Mary Beth. BTW, those beads are lovely.

[art-jewelry-designs]

Great thread

Carolyn on your pink beads that are etched did you use transparent glass or opaque glass? That is a beautiful color.

I'm just drooling over everyones beads.

Thanks Mary Beath for sharing what fun you must of had.

Also who supplies 28ga or 30ga fine silver wire.

I’m so excited I’m setting up a HH on my screened in porch just need to get a torch holder rigged and I’m cooken glass.

Thanks

[KathyDinBC]

If I want very accurate placement of a silver dot, I warm the silver wire (near the flame, not in it!), heat the spot to a soft glow and touch the wire to it. It immediately forms a ball, I remove the wire and gently heat the ball of silver to fuse it properly. I use this for the nipples on goddesses quite a bit. And you can buy silver wire from glassdiversions.com or eBay seller: themetalpeddler (http://myworld.ebay.com/themetalpeddler)http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/s.gifamong many other suppliers I'm sure.

[wendbill]

Does anyone ever have their silver dots pop out of the glass?

And what should be done to remedy this?

[KathyDinBC]

I've had that happen if I didn't fuse the silver to the glass carefully enough. And what I do is put those beads in the box with the rest of the ones that will never see the light of day again :pout:

[Tropical Heat]

Bending the wire like an accordion and stretching out a bit works too! Spreads out the silver dots and makes designs instead of straight lines. Heat the bead, heat the tip of the silver, stick it to the bead and wrap around the bead, letting the silver go where it wants to.

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[Carolyn M]

Sharon, all my beads in this style are white core beads - white with an encasing of transparent. The set shown was encased in a mix of purples and amethyst.

[art-jewelry-designs]

Thanks Carolyn I thought there was a lot of depth for just opaque glass.

Never thought the combination of colors would turn out a raspberry color.

[amyhoust]

i sometimes wire wrap with 22 g silver wire and end up with little bits (sometimes even like... an inch long). seems like this might be a way to not waste them, but is 22 g too thick or what?

[Anne Ricketts]

I think the 22mm is going to be to thick. You'll end up with huge dots of silver that will pit. The thinner stuff is much better, but that is just my opinion! :grin:

[MaryBeth]

i sometimes wire wrap with 22 g silver wire and end up with little bits (sometimes even like... an inch long). seems like this might be a way to not waste them, but is 22 g too thick or what?

If those bits are fine silver you could give it a try. If they are sterling they will turn black in the flame so you can't use them for lampwork anyway.

[amyhoust]

ah no they are sterling. so you need something different for use in lampwork?

[Anne Ricketts]

You need to use fine silver wire, the 99.whatever percent stuff!