My escape from the world

thatsmithlady · #1 2009-08-09, 11:17am

My hubby and I built this almost 20 years ago now. It is mainly (70%) salvaged material from a movie set. The east wall has the annealing kiln, 2 crock pots are used for holding beads and silversmith pickle solution... the rest is self explanitory.

The silversmithing bench, is on the west side along with my paintings that are "on the go" and general work area , along with the mandatory hammock on the deck outside to hang out in when the need strikes. The north wall "behind" is set up for pottery...the kiln is outside on the deck.

dancingpines · #2 2009-08-09, 1:00pm

Great Space!

Flonche · #3 2009-08-09, 1:42pm

Super neat!
Good for you for recycling the materials

getdul981 · #4 2009-08-10, 5:43am

Very cool, looks like you have everything close at hand but I have a question. You said you have a crock pot with pickle solution in it for silversmithing. Can you leave the pickle in the pot or do you start with fresh solution each time?

Greg

thatsmithlady · #5 2009-08-10, 7:04am

You can use the pickle over and over, until the solution turns a greenish colour. I use a brand called "Sparex No 2"
(there is more info at this link:http://www.kengem.com/item685.htm) When I'm not in the studio, I turn the crock pot off and the solution cools. For years I didn't have a crock pot for the pickle, stored it in a GLASS jar and used it cool as I needed it. The solution still works when cool, but not as well or as quickly. I never have the need to turn my pickle crock up to "high" because it works quite well just warmed up...Obviously this will change depending on the manufacturer of the pot, the strength of the Sparex solution and the age of the solution as well. Hope this answers your question.
This is an interesting article about using pool chemical instead of Sparex...I haven't tried it though. http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archi...1/msg00044.htm

Moth · #6 2009-08-10, 7:12am

I have used the pH minus/down pool chemical to pickle...works great.

getdul981 · #7 2009-08-14, 1:32pm

Thanks for the info.

Greg

micsmom · #8 2009-08-17, 8:20am

Ok, I am new here. Would you please explain to me what you mean by pickle/crock pot? What do you do it for (bead results??) and how do you do it? I guess what I am asking is, I don't have a clue what or why you do this or how. Can you show me a bead that you say you pickled? thank you for your help. I love to learn something here every day. This is a wonderful place for me!! LOL Linda

Paul Ewing · #9 2009-08-17, 8:49am

Quote:

Originally Posted by micsmom

Ok, I am new here. Would you please explain to me what you mean by pickle/crock pot? What do you do it for (bead results??) and how do you do it? I guess what I am asking is, I don't have a clue what or why you do this or how. Can you show me a bead that you say you pickled? thank you for your help. I love to learn something here every day. This is a wonderful place for me!! LOL Linda

Pickle is a mild acid solution that is used in jewelry making to remove the gunk and firescale from a piece that has been soldered. The most common type is Sparex and similar brands are Sodium bisulfate which is safer than the older sulfuric acid solutions. Some people use muric acid (pool acid). Most work quicker if heated, but not to a boiling stage.

You can also use citric acid (available in the grocery store) which is a much safer alternative, but can take longer to work and it is often not heated.

Heating pickle releases fumes that can rust steel tools and also eat holes in cloth. I have a lot of shits that have dozens of little holes in them from splashes of pickle.

Cheers,