hey all! Im new and just saying hello.

[donna]

hey

im donna and very new to jewellery making using metals!! I usually work with glass and lampworking but after attending a silversmithing course to try and combine the two i became hooked. ive just got a little starter kit and soldering kit which arrived yesterday!! Im know sat looking at it all a little nervous to be honest!! (no teacher to answer all my questions hehe)

anyway, have a good day all.

donna x

[ps_bond]

Hi Donna -

Dennis has written a good tutorial on soldering; I'll add the link in as soon as I locate it (unless anyone beats me to it).
If you're working in silver, I'd start by just melting some to see what stages it goes through before ending up as a small puddle, then look at soldering.

[donna]

thanks peter!

ill definitely do that. it will be silver to start. just setting it all up at min. just trying to figure out the best way to heat the pickle? thanks for your advice, ill look forward to reading the tutorial!!

thankyou

[Kwant]

Hello Donna, welcome to the world of bashing, burning and cutting (preferably not your fingers, but be prepared :0) ) As for heating your pickle, in the absence of anything else, just placing your pickle jar into another container of hot water will warm it sufficiently for the time being. I know a lot of people use cup warmers or hmmm slow cookers I think. I use sulphuric acid, which to date has not needed warming to achieve good results.

[donna]

hey there. the burns bit is something im use to!! lol im sure ill get use to the rest. ill try the hot water thing then, that means i can start playing a little tomorrow!!
thanks for your advice. appreciated

donna

[Wallace]

Hi Donna,

:~:
hope you learn loads - there are plenty of peeps here so you should get some great ideas and support as well as lots of laughs

Wallace :D

[sonia]

Hi Donna

Welcome to the forum. It's very addictive isn't it?.........

Sonia

xx

[ps_bond]

Found it...

http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3127

[Tabby66]

Welcome Donna!!
.......at least you won't be afraid of the torch like I'm sure many of us were to start with!! Have fun!!

[donna]

thankyou all for your welcome!! and yeah im not so worried about the torch, just all the other stuff lol x

and cheers peter for finding that link. i found it very helpful and im pretty sure ill keep refering to it!!

sonia - yep!! very addictive, im finding it very useful.

thanks all x

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

Welcome from me too! I use the cheapest slow cooker I could find for pickle, it was about seven quid on Amazon. When I worked in the kitchen in my pre-shed days I kept an old saucepan with water in on the lowest gas flame and sat a bowl of pickle in that. Worked well enough! Or you could use one of those nightlight powered plate warming things to stand it on.


Melanie

http://www.spinysharklythings.com

[louisella76]

Hi Donna

Firstly welcome - coming from a fellow newbie, you'll find this forum a great source of hints and tips. I really value the opinion of experienced members and it's also good to hear how newcomers are getting along too.

Re the pickle, if I know I only need a small amount, I heat it in a small glass dish sat on an oil burner (the kind which are used tea light candles)

Sarah

[donna]

thankyou all for your advice and welcomes!! really appreciated x

donna x

[wheely]

Welcome aboard Donna. I hope we'll be seeing great things from you soon :-)