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View Full Version : Screw back mounts for nonpierced ears tutorials, where to find?



SilverBouillon
20-02-2013, 02:18 PM
I'm working with argentium silver only, and could be able to find any manufactured argentium screw back earrings mounts.
Does any one know where I can get some tips for making it?

Dennis
20-02-2013, 06:27 PM
Hi SB,

If you look at illustrations of those for sale, you will see that they have a long arm, one end of which is soldered flat to your ear stud. The other end has a threaded tube and a screw with a safe end. After solderingthe long arm is bent to a U shape to navigate the ear lobe.

When I once bought some sterling ones out of curiosity, I found the wire too thin and soft to resist the tightening of the screw and was not confident that they would hold. So if you were to make some I would recommend a piece of thick round wire, say 1.2mm, twisted after soldering to harden it. You will also need experience with a tap and die kit.

All in all you might go for ready-mades in 9ct white gold, twisted after soldering, which should work for you. You can still use silver solder. Dennis.

SilverBouillon
20-02-2013, 07:18 PM
Thanks Dennis.
I do have a quite collection of sterling silver screbacks, and some gold as well. I know what you mean; when I wear ss ones, I do it with care due to soft silver. I hope that argentium is harder than ss after baking.
The one thing I don't understand is how to attach the end flat caps to the threaded tube which I suppose to insert into tube holder before I attach the second cap. I can solder one end cup to threaded tube, but how to solder the second one from the opposite side without damaging the whole construction?

One of my Native American ss screwback was broken showing that missing cover cap has been attached without soldering. It looked like threaded tube has been hammered like rivet into flat disc, then the cap added to cover that disk.

I hope I explain well, so you can understand what I mean.

The screback mounts available from manufacturers are all the same, which gives me both design and metal limitations.

mizgeorge
20-02-2013, 07:29 PM
I don't find Argentium much harder than sterling, to be honest, even after heat hardening, especially with the thinner wire gauges. The big problem is the inherent softness of the silver, which means the threads inevitably degrade in time. I'd tend to agree with Dennis about using 9ct (or 10k for you!) white as a much stronger alternative. Clips, however, are pretty easy to fabricate, so if you particularly wanted argentium, these might be an option for non-pierced?

SilverBouillon
20-02-2013, 07:42 PM
mizgeorge, clips are not as good as screwbacks, clips give me headache just after 30 minutes of wearing them. I do have vintage ss screbacks, and I can tell that some of them have stronger wire than others. Perhaps it's alloy difference, I don't know. I also own rhodium plated ss, and those are pretty strong.
Gold is not for me yet. I'm just learning.

As for argentium, you broke my heart :) I hoped that baking will make significant difference in hardness. That's what I read. :)

Dennis
20-02-2013, 10:14 PM
Quote [ The one thing I don't understand is how to attach the end flat caps to the threaded tube which I suppose to insert into tube holder before I attach the second cap. I can solder one end cup to threaded tube, but how to solder the second one from the opposite side without damaging the whole construction? ] Quote.

I'm glad George has joined in. I get worried when all I can hear is my own echo. If everything else is hard soldered, you will not damage the whole construction if you solder the second one with easy solder. If you are worried practice with a piece of scrap wire and two disks possibly using something cheap like copper. Dennis.

SilverBouillon
21-02-2013, 12:13 AM
If everything else is hard soldered, you will not damage the whole construction if you solder the second one with easy solder. If you are worried practice with a piece of scrap wire and two disks possibly using something cheap like copper. Dennis.

I think I got it. I can make the whole screwback construction without that final cap, solder it to the earring, then (just in case) secure the earring into insulating compound. Then I lightly screw the flat disk into threaded tube making sure it's 90 degrees to the tube, apply super easy solder on the disk, cover the disk with the cover cap and apply hit to sweat solder them together.
How about that?

As for practicing with copper, I'm afraid to contaminate argentium with it.

Dennis
21-02-2013, 09:24 AM
Quote[As for practicing with copper, I'm afraid to contaminate Argentium with it.] Quote

Under normal conditions copper is quite safe in your workshop, even in your pickle. It's a constituent of silver alloys anyhow. The only way to contaminate your Argentium would be to deliberately melt some filings into it. Dennis.

SilverBouillon
21-02-2013, 10:56 AM
It's a constituent of silver alloys anyhow. The only way to contaminate your Argentium would be to deliberately melt some filings into it. Dennis.

You are right, I did not think about it. Only some copper is replaced with germanium, but not all copper.

I'm afraid to annoy you with all my questions, only the one last for now.

Is it really important to bake argentium in oven (kiln)? I made a pendant, gave it mirror finish, and did not bake it. It's hard, shiny, and did not tarnish after placed in humid spot compare to SS.

mizgeorge
21-02-2013, 11:27 AM
It's not mandatory to heat harden argentium at all (though it can actually be done in a domestic oven rather than kiln if that's easier). I do find that the tarnish resistance is better once pieces have been heated (whether soldered or fused) as I understand the heat brings the germanium layer to the surface, but it's certainly not a requirement.

Is there a particular reason you're using only argentium rather than sterling? Other than for fused pieces, I have to admit I haven't found a great deal to make me pay the (in our case significant) extra for it.

SilverBouillon
21-02-2013, 12:41 PM
Is there a particular reason you're using only argentium rather than sterling? Other than for fused pieces, I have to admit I haven't found a great deal to make me pay the (in our case significant) extra for it.

Originally I started all this jewelry studio to stretch my leather working to jewelry level. Not "crafty" level, but more like serious :) jewelry level. I decided that argentium will be more suitable for my goal since it tarnishes slower, and the tarnish can be removed gently with Windex.

Dennis
21-02-2013, 01:27 PM
Quote[I'm afraid to annoy you with all my questions]Quote

Without questions (and answers) this forum would be dead, feet first, six feet under and pushing daisies. I wish there were more people willing to pound their key board. Dennis.

mizgeorge
21-02-2013, 02:08 PM
Originally I started all this jewelry studio to stretch my leather working to jewelry level. Not "crafty" level, but more like serious :) jewelry level. I decided that argentium will be more suitable for my goal since it tarnishes slower, and the tarnish can be removed gently with Windex.

Tarnish isn't hard to remove from regular Sterling, and can be avoided almost entirely with careful storage but the main reason I asked is with particular reference to the question you've asked in this thread in that Argentium is much more difficult to solder successfully than sterling, for various reasons. It needs a great deal more support during the heating process to stop it from collapsing, can be very brittle at high temperature and needs to be quenched at a lower temperature to avoid cracking or breaking.

It's a useful alloy, and one I use for specific applications, but I have to say I find a decision to work exclusively with it rather than using the best material for the job in hand a very brave one!

SilverBouillon
21-02-2013, 03:25 PM
Tarnish isn't hard to remove from regular Sterling, and can be avoided almost entirely with careful storage

From the leather crafter's and customer's perspective I need to disagree with you on that :)
I live in humid place, and even with care I can forget my jewelry to protect or I can simply misplace it. I did not find that removing patina from ss, which is very close to leather is safe. It's not. Especially if it's piece with delicate snake skin for example. Also, in humid climate SS may tarnish very fast and very dark.
I don't want my future customers may face that issue. I feel responsible for what I sell.

I tested argentium already, it does tarnish way slower and way less compare to ss. I'm pretty satisfied with outcome, and with argentium color as well. I fell in love with it.
I'm aware of all the troubles with agrentium, and pretty big bunch of scrap can prove it :)

Patina on silver can be one of the solutions to make the tarnishing silver/leather combo less painful. From another side, it will give me limitations in design. I can cover SS with clear protective coating, but again, it's limitation.

I used to combine leather with gold filled components, and it worked, but again- limitations in design. The best metal for leather is gold, but I did not win the lottery yet. :)

Another solution may be plating silver. I don't feel I'm ready for that.

Dennis
21-02-2013, 09:49 PM
The best metal for leather is gold, but I did not win the lottery yet. :)Another solution may be plating silver. I don't feel I'm ready for that.

Here are some of mine, one brass and two silver. Dennis.

SilverBouillon
21-02-2013, 09:57 PM
Here are some of mine, one brass and two silver. Dennis.
Oh, Dennis, that's beautiful. I have no clue how to make that tiny lion, casting? Do you work with leather as well?

How about practical perspective? I see the the brass buckle is on veg. tanned leather, not coated. How long it lasts looking new?

All I can show you is the piece I failed. It has been two month I can not finish it. When I add silver, they both, silver and leather, don't compliment each other- look "cheap" together.
It's either lack of skills, or I need to find another way.

4373

Dennis
22-02-2013, 05:32 AM
Your leather earrings look very jolly and if you don't like silver with them I'm sure Rio Grande can supply gold filled.

The brass lion was made of layers of sheet formed in my hydraulic press and the curly bits carved with burrs. I have made quite a few buckles, but I only buy in ready cut straps and punch skive and rivet them. Recently I have learned to bevel and finish the edges.

The un-dyed strap was the wearer's choice, but it is only buttoned on so other colours can be substituted. Dennis.

SilverBouillon
22-02-2013, 09:12 AM
Thanks Dennis.
I need to buy press eventually :), great work!

I used to work with gold filled wire and components for bidding. It's very hard to do some original design with gold filled components, and even one little scratch was a problem. I sold out all my gold filled wire stock and returned all my investment when price on gold skyrocketed. If I only knew before... :)

As for riogrande, metals cost more there compare to buying directly from the manufacturer. I have to admit that riogrande has very good selection on gallery wire and some other things, which is hard to find together from the same supplier.