Ear clips

[caroleallen]

I had a go with making clip on earrings about 10 years ago and they were a disaster. I've got a customer wanting me to make a pair with emeralds. Does anyone have any advice please.

[medusa]

Tell her to get her ears pierced? :cool:

[mizgeorge]

I'd always recommend the screw rather than clip fitting. More comfortable to wear (or so they all tell me) and much, much easier to work with. No silly springs to deal with either :)

[medusa]

on a more helpful note, I thing the tim McCreight book on hinges has a thing on how to make clip ons. I could scan and email it to you if you don't have it.

[pearlescence]

Buy a finding. They are a real fiddle.

[caroleallen]

Thanks all. I'll take your advice George. I think I've got that book Liz.

[Dennis]

It depends what metal. Screw fittings come with a straight stem, which after soldering you have to twist a few times to harden them and then form a loop. My experiments with silver screw fittings was that they simply did not get stiff enough and the loop opened when screwed onto the ear.

The silver ear clips, such as Cookson NVK 111 and 112, I found easy to use, and you can buy rubber pads for them as an extra.
The main thing to note is that the bases get soldered on up on end, not flat. This allows for the thickness of the ear lobe.
A quick experiment before soldering tells you which part of the base is the top, because it works with the spring to hold the clip open or to keep it closed.
The length of the clip chosen (not stated in the CookBook) depends on how much room you have on the back of the ear stud.

However if there is a way of making your own, they will obviously be more in keeping with hand made work, because the bought ones are quite thin looking. Dennis.

[caroleallen]

They would be gold Dennis but don't know what carat yet. I'm really hoping he doesn't get back to me on this as I really don't fancy it.

[mizgeorge]

I've never had a problem with the screw fittings Dennis - but I do forge the hoop at the bottom after finishing to stop them from bending out of shape.

[Dennis]

Yes George, that must be the answer. Even so if I had to do it again I would use a matching gold for belt and braces.

Browsing the CookBook, for clips I also liked the look of the omega shape as more compatible with hand made pieces. Luckily my present recipients have all had their ears pieced. I understand you can have that done while you wait now.

[Patstone]

You could hardly go away and leave them could you. Hrmmmmmmm