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cezerpringle
04-09-2009, 08:23 AM
Hi, sorry I've been quiet, real life is of the not fun and the being busy :(
I was hoping for some advice, I've made a silver cross from 1.2mm sterling sheet (1 continuous vertical with the two sides soldered on) but the solder lines are quite visible however much I sand... it's a present so it doesn't need to be perfect but I was hoping to salvage it.
I was wondering if I could cover it in PMC slip (like PMC plating) and fire the top, maybe add a design...
Could I have used a little too little solder as it's firmly soldered but it's not raised where it's soldered?
Any other ideas would be great

Thanks
Ceri :)

mizgeorge
04-09-2009, 08:43 AM
I've had that happen when my joints weren't quite as perfectly straight as I thought they were!

I think I'd just saw the sides off, file off all traces of solder, and re-attach them.

Alternatively, saw off the top and bottom and solder them too to make a 'square' in the middle - perhaps with a bezel set cab mounted in the centre?

I presume you didn't have the right size of sheet to pierce it as a single piece.

Oh, one extra thought - how about adding a design in wire (soldered on) to disguise the joints?

MuranoSilver
04-09-2009, 09:04 AM
The PMC "fix" wont work unless you get rid of all the solder....sorry

cezerpringle
04-09-2009, 09:11 AM
Thanks, yes I think that's the problem, not quite straight!
I didn't have enough to cut it from one piece, now I do but piercing is hardly my strong point, you gave me an interesting idea... think I'm going to cut off the top and bottom resolder and then wrap it with wire in the centre, maybe copper? kind of milk that handmade look :)

If it doesn't look right I'll attempt to cut it from one piece but I'm loathed to "waste" it if I don't have to.

Ceri :)

mizgeorge
04-09-2009, 09:29 AM
I think that could look great - either copper or oxidised silver for contrast - a sort of bound together look could be particularly nice.

lesley
04-09-2009, 09:45 AM
I think the wire wrapping would look fab!

cezerpringle
04-09-2009, 09:50 AM
ok, I'm liking this idea... never ever oxidised before though, if I do the hard boiled egg thing I just read about do I do that before wrapping, would the oxidisation get abraded by pickling then? what about polishing, soldering etc?
Help please but I luuuurrve the idea of oxidised silver now!
Thanks
Ceri :)

mizgeorge
04-09-2009, 10:18 AM
You'd need to oxidise last if it's going to be soldered. A little bottle of Liver of Sulphur is only a couple of pounds from most Art Clay suppliers - and lasts a surprisingly long time. You can paint it on selectively with a paintbrush and then polish back with 0000 wire wool. It can look lovely on just small areas.

cezerpringle
04-09-2009, 10:24 AM
thanks, that's cool but I was hoping to finish it today, anything I can use instead? I mean I bought safety pickle before I found out you could use stuff like Citric Acid (which I have laying around), just wondering what effects could be produced with household chemicals, I read that antidandruff shampoo might work but I don't have that... might have to do some digging :)

Emerald
04-09-2009, 10:35 AM
I posted about the dandruff stuff on another thread its selsun one of my colleagues found out it worked when she washed her hair with it and her necklace went black lol we used it because at that time liver of sulphur was hard to come by and expensive if i rememeber rightly:) might be easy to find in a local chemist.

Di Sandland
04-09-2009, 10:36 AM
I posted about the dandruff stuff on another thread its selsun one of my colleagues found out it worked when she washed her hair with it and her necklace went black lol we used it because at that time liver of sulphur was hard to come by and expensive if i rememeber rightly:)

I should start hiring my OH out - he turns silver black within minutes.

mizgeorge
04-09-2009, 11:01 AM
if you mask off the rest of the silver (with a masking fluid or nail polish, just make sure it's something that can be peeled rather that scrubbed off later) you can do the hard boiled egg thing with no trouble. If any unwanted bits do oxidise a little, it's easy enough to polish them back, or remove carefully with silver dip.

mizgeorge
04-09-2009, 11:45 AM
I forgot to mention, I wondered why anyone was asking about prams here when I first saw the tread title. I must be showing my age!

Emerald
04-09-2009, 11:46 AM
ha ha your as bad as me George x

cezerpringle
04-09-2009, 12:48 PM
Thanks, this is making sense, I have heard you can tumble without removing the oxidation, so that would presumably remove any stubourn flakes of nail polish for example, I'm quite happy with the exposed bits of wire loosing some of the oxidation anyways but I just wanted to solder it to make it a little more er.. sturdy.
IS this making sense or do I sound insane?
I had thought about using bleach, would that work or is it too different-a-reaction?
Thanks
Ceri :)
(PS, no your not the only one)
(PPS Thanks Nic, I wasn't trying to ignore your answer, just got lost with everything else)

cezerpringle
06-09-2009, 09:33 AM
Sorry again, useless phone cam pics but here it is
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/Cezerpringle/2009-09-05111145.jpg
Really hope that works
Anyways, it worked out different to how I thought, I ended up hammering it, then using the opposite side as it had developed a nice texture...
I should really have used the 0.6mm wire and actually wrapped it but I used the 1mm and cut it into bits to try and achieve the same effect and soldered it.
I sanded it, then used the egg method (without masking it) and then wirewooled it to take off the tarnish on the exposed bits, it hasn't worked fantasticly well but it's all about experimentation.
Comments?
Thanks
Ceri :)

cezerpringle
06-09-2009, 09:36 AM
Oops, thought I was putting in a link! Sorry for the huge pic! Oh and lack of spelling
Ceri :)

Di Sandland
06-09-2009, 09:44 AM
Ceri, can you remove big pic and change for thumbnail - I'm off out and don't have time to do it!

To include thumbnail you need to save the big pic to your pc (rather than llinking straight to photobucket) then use the little paper clip icon on the top row of the tool bar.

xxx

cezerpringle
06-09-2009, 09:53 AM
Done, sorry about that, I had always meant for it to be a link anyways

caroleallen
06-09-2009, 10:26 AM
I think as a piece of rustic jewellery that works very well. I'd be inclined to file and buff the edges (or burnish them) so that you get some shiny silver showing through just to give a contrast.

caroleallen
06-09-2009, 10:28 AM
I forgot to mention, I wondered why anyone was asking about prams here when I first saw the tread title. I must be showing my age!

I must admit I had the same thought! Do they even still make Silver Cross prams?

mizgeorge
06-09-2009, 10:33 AM
Good save! It's ended up having a nice primitive quality that I think works well. I tend to agree about a bit of selective polishing.

Emerald
06-09-2009, 10:34 AM
I think as a piece of rustic jewellery that works very well. I'd be inclined to file and buff the edges (or burnish them) so that you get some shiny silver showing through just to give a contrast.

yes deffinately square it up as Carol suggested and perhaps just bring some shine to the wire:)

Emerald
06-09-2009, 10:36 AM
I must admit I had the same thought! Do they even still make Silver Cross prams?

they do, you can still buy the big coach ones somewhere but the only ones i have seen are usually with grandma, and they still make up to date ones .