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Jamjar
01-11-2012, 12:45 PM
Hello! I have made a bracelet out of sterling silver square wire and have threaded on a couple of 3mm sterling silver beads. What is the best way to secure these in place? I can only think of gluing them so if that is the best option can you please advise on best glue to use? Any suggestions welcome. Many thanks.

caroleallen
01-11-2012, 01:05 PM
Ooh glue! Tssk!

It depends on the design of the bracelet and how the beads are attached. If you can take a photo and show us, we can advise you properly.

Jamjar
01-11-2012, 01:19 PM
Hi Carole. Thanks for the reply. I have basically just threaded a piece of square 21 gauge half hard sterling wire through the hole in a 3mm sterling bead. The wire is one of 5 strands of wire with a bigger bead on the centre wire and with the four outside wires bent around it, forming a gentle, curved diamond shape. The silver beads are on the outside wires so are on the "points" of the diamond and will move down the wire if not secured in place. Hope that's clear! If not will post photo later. Many thanks.

caroleallen
01-11-2012, 01:33 PM
I'm still not sure what you mean, but could you ball up the ends of the wires, thread the beads on and then attach the other end to the bracelet?

Jamjar
01-11-2012, 01:43 PM
Will send a photo later! Thanks :o)

Jamjar
01-11-2012, 06:42 PM
Photo attached showing the two silver beads above a central bead. I want to try to secure them in position so they don't slip down the wire. Any help appreciated. Many thanks, Jayne4002

Dennis
01-11-2012, 08:33 PM
Photo attached showing the tingswo silver beads above a central bead. I want to try to secure them in position so they don't slip down the wire. Any help appreciated. Many thanks, Jayne4002

Well yes, they should have been soldered onto the wires before the wires were incorporated into your design. Jewellers hate and despise any suggestion that glue be used in this situation.

Too late now though, so you could move the silver beads aside, notch the wire slightly, apply a little glue with a needle or the end of a saw blade and then move the bead back into place. Any surplus must be removed at once and the best tool for that is a finger. The best glue is a rapid two part epoxy, such as Devcon 5minute epoxy, which they have at Cooksons. It needs to be mixed well to set reliably and I would mix with a plastic coffee stirrer on a square of that stiff clear packaging that some things are sold in.

Please don't say I advised this, as some of the members know where I live. By the way, it is a very handsome bracelet. Dennis.

caroleallen
01-11-2012, 09:08 PM
I agree with Dennis, though it hurts to say so!! And it is a lovely bracelet.

Dennis
01-11-2012, 09:24 PM
Just to cover my shame and prove that I know about cold connections, here are two more acceptable ways to steady the beads, depending on available skills:

1. If the beads fit the wires quite well, raise spurs with a scorper on the inside of the bangle close to each side of the bead to keep it in place. OR
2. Drill the wire each side of the bead and insert a rivet with a neat head already formed, which will be slightly proud to retain the bead.

Dennis.

Jamjar
01-11-2012, 09:36 PM
Thanks so much Dennis and Carole for your help, and apologies Dennis for making you mention the dreaded "g" word!! I am very new to jewellery making (2 months) and this is my very first item of jewellery made with precious metal (50th birthday present for my sister-in-law) so I really appreciate the compliments. I will give the glue a go this weekend but will make sure I avoid all use and mention of glue in the future!! Thanks again.

Babette InProgress
02-11-2012, 02:28 PM
I just wanted to say that if you are making jewellery for 2 months only it's amazing piece of work! I know it will probably sounds unprofessional and it would changed the whole design but instead of gluing it maybe you could wrapped a two little layers of wire on each side of the bead? If you do it tight enough they shouldn't move....

Dennis
02-11-2012, 02:56 PM
Ha, I've been thinking about that since my last post, but as loose wire tends to stretch in use, I thought it would eventually move. Of course I'm thinking of customers and their consumer rights, but if you keep it in the family, you can always have a second shot at it later. Dennis.

Babette InProgress
02-11-2012, 03:15 PM
You might be right Dennis it might go lose, but I am doing it with square wire, after pulling it as hard as I can ( my poor fingers are cut from all of that lol and once I've managed to stab myself with a wire quiet deeply and , didn't felt anything, it's like I would play guitar for years! :D ) and after that I am squeezing the wire with my pilers. I don't know... It is a shame as it is a silver and starting from the begging or gluing it and risking that the glue is going to be visible would be a shame.....

Jamjar
02-11-2012, 07:39 PM
Thanks Babette for your help and ideas. I have been doing a lot of wire weaving too, and I know what you mean about wire injuries! Sometimes you have to suffer for your art! :Y:

Babette InProgress
02-11-2012, 09:27 PM
It is true :) I am hoping that you've managed to sort it out?

Jamjar
03-11-2012, 12:28 AM
Not yet - am waiting for the glue Dennis recommended to arrive. I am then going to try it on some silver plated wire and see how it works before tackling the sterling silver bracelet! Watch this space ... :)

Jamjar
03-11-2012, 03:38 PM
Well I tried the glue on the practice wire and the beads didn't hold that well and didn't want to risk spoiling the bracelet, so I came up with a slightly different solution - moved the beads to the outer part of that section of wire and bent the wire slightly to make a little buffer which holds them in place better. Have attached photo so you can see what I mean. Not perfect but the beads are a lot more secure than they were!

4016

Babette InProgress
03-11-2012, 07:01 PM
I think it does look brill regardless where the beads are placed :)

Dennis
04-11-2012, 09:41 AM
The best thing is that you were able to solve the problem yourself, proving that you're not just a pretty face (not that I thought you were).
Dennis.