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playswithfire104
2007-08-04, 8:16am
I'm not sure if I should post this here or in the PMC silver room. So if it needs to be moved mods please move it.

Anyhow, in the May issue of Art Jewelry magazine there is a project called "Easy torch fired enamel necklace" The basic idea here is to cut fine silver into small lengths and ball up each end in a torch. Then while the end is hot dip the ball into enamel, heat and repeat as often as needed to get the size ball you want. I really liked this idea and gave it a try. Well on each piece I did this to the enamel always breaks. While it is sitting and cooling a piece of enamel pops off - not the whole ball, just a piece. Maybe I should try cooling them in a fiber blanket? Will they need to be annealed? Anyone have any experience with anything like this? The artical was written by Jill Erickson. I didn't want to make the exact necklace shown in the project but I can think of many ways to use something like this - if only as pretty headpins.

playswithfire104
2007-08-04, 6:42pm
Wow nobody has any idea?

Tink
2007-08-04, 7:01pm
I'll try it the next time I torch. How many enamel dips are you doing?

playswithfire104
2007-08-04, 8:32pm
I didn't count. Hmmmmm. I dipped first in either clear fyre or enamel flux. Then dipped in a color.

The magizine says "...Dip the balled end in colored enamel powder while it is still hot, and heat till you see the orange glow. Continue heating and dipping until the balled end is approx 1/8 in."

This is what I tried to do. So how ever many dips it takes to get to my estimation of 1/8 in is how many times I dipped it.

How many licks does it take to get to the middle of a toostie pop? :fnwl:

playswithfire104
2007-08-07, 6:53am
Anyone else have any ideas?

sculptorgirl
2007-08-07, 10:51am
I think a couple of years ago Mary (Moth) posted at Wet Canvas a tutorial about using fine silver and coe 104 glass to make headpins. I know that old straightpins (for sewing) were made with glass heads; those are stainless steel.

I'm not sure why you would have issues with part of the glass popping off, other than coe issues. Maybe it has to do with some sort of coe issue between the clearfyre and the enamels that you are using? Did the person who wrote the article use clearfyre as a base coat, or did they just apply the enamel?

In a few days (after our visitors have left) I can try it, too, and report back!