Silver wire leftovers

[Patch]

What do you do with your little bits and pieces that get cut from your wrapping? Do you melt them, if yes, how?

I also have a bag with broken silver chains, rings, single earrings etc...and was wondering if it worth having all that melted?

Denise

[Fana]

You can return it to the companies you got your wire from (for credit as far as I know, don't have enough scrap yet to send it in). Rio and Hagstoz come to mind, I'm sure there are more.
Haven't tried melting it. You should ask in the Jewelry room, I'm sure someone there could help you with that.
_____
Sheila

[Kevan]

If you have a coin shop near buy they will usually buy it from you.

[misfit]

you can melt silver in a crucible in theory. Unless you have something to cast, at least 50% clean casting grain, and someone exsperianced to show you I wouldn't suggest doing so. After all its much easier to avoid disaster if one doesn't go hunting it. It is also possible to cast it into a small rod like "bar" which can be annealed and pulled into a wire. Doing so is only cost effective however if you never have anything better to do with your time, and already have all the needed equipment. I'd say off hand if you have the torch and solder, make some filigree from your scrap wire. ;) The pattern possibilities are endless, then you are getting some additional personal use from it. You can even in a pinch use paste solder and any torch that gets up to temp. ;) lacking that sell it as scrap. You get very little for scrap but lets face it a tiny return is better than no return.

A.

p.s when we pull wire its NOTHING like pulling a stringer. Its done with a draw plate and done cold. Do not try anything with molten silver you are not completely sure how to do. Thats the only way to be truely safe.

[wildwire]

Hello,

Look for a class that does cuttlefish casting...it is so much fun...you carve a design into the cuttlefish bone and basically pour the silver into your mold...(more to it than that) but it is a lot of fun....

SHauna

[Patch]

I wish there was a class nearby for silversmithing of any kind! I would run there right now. THanks for the ideas.

Denise