balling the end of copper wire

[spiralcraft]

Hi there,

I have been trying for some time unsuccessfully to ball up the end of copper wire. I can do it with thin wire but when I get above 1mm I find it doesn't work even with a very hot torch and when I flux the end.
I have seen other jewellers work using this technique but I haven't managed it yet.
Can anybody help me with this?

[WitchfordSilver]

All I can think off is that the wire is not getting hot enough to ball?

The thicker the wire the more heat it will soak away from the end, what torch are you using.

[mizgeorge]

I'd also ask what you're using to hold the wire. If you use pliers (for example) they act as a pretty big heat sink and it takes a lot longer to heat the wire. A pair of smallish crosslock tweezers (with safety handles of course!) works faster and better.

[Gemma]

Read your post this afternoon and went to have a look for some thick copper wire to have a play!! The thickest I could find was 1mm and it balled up ok. I used tweezers like George suggests, held the wire vertically and the flame from my cooks blowtorch straight up.

[spiralcraft]

I am trying to ball up thicknessess of 1.2mm -1.5mm.
I am using a big torch at my jewellery class not sure exactly what it is. I will try using the thinner cross tweezers next time.