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Thread: I'm not in love...but I am excited!!

  1. #1
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    Default I'm not in love...but I am excited!!

    I have spent some time today having a serious play with Argentium. They say it is the way forward and a revolution and all that so you have to give it a go don't you...

    Well as soon as Carole said that it fuses really well I started to get quite excited and today I have been making jumprings of various sizes and practicing fusing them. I only have borax for a flux but it seems to be quite happy to fuse using that. I have to unlearn an awful lot first. I have been fusing fine silver rings to make chains for so long now that I could probably do it in my sleep but it is all just a bit different with Argentium. It seems to take a little longer to get up to fusing temperature - I suppose I ought to check what temperature it fuses at as I suppose it will be higher than fine silver and therefore would take longer!! Derr! And it is a bit less reactive when it gets to fusing temperature. With fine silver you almost have to time it to the instant or you melt the ring - Argentium seems to be a little more laid back...it's almost like slow motion fusing compared to fine silver! But that is good...less 'accidents'!!

    I have tried to replicate one of my fine silver chain designs in Argentium - but I am only using 0.7 Argentium instead of 0.9 fine silver - so it looks a bit thin and wimpy by comparison (I shall probably have to drop to smaller mandrels) but it is working out OK! It is considerably tougher to wind the wire - even when it has been annealed - so getting guaranteed consistent size rings could be more challenging. Likewise, it is harder to shape and twist the rings once they are fused but that is no real problem either.

    I have also been playing around with that bit of Argentium weave I did on Thursday (using 0.5 wire) and have made 3 rings...and learned a lot. I am getting to grips with soldering again. It has been a long time but it seems to be a lot easier than I ever remember it being with sterling. I am using medium Argentium solder and the borax...and so far it is a case of a couple of seconds to heat up and 'ping' - it's gone! So I'm quite happy with that too!

    So - what is the problem??

    I'm just not in love!! Fine silver is just so beautiful. It looks gorgeous when it is fusing and it still looks gorgeous when it is quenched. Even if it does turn a little white - it is still beautiful - like a covering of frost!!

    Argentium is clever - and my head likes that! I can see all sorts of things that I can do with it now - and that excites me! But it doesn't delight me in the way fine silver does. It seems to be more of a job - going through the processes handling dull, grey/black metal, endlessly waiting for the darn things to pickle clean!! When I had work to do with fine silver I used to find myself grinning foolishly with the delight of it all...I just can't see myself doing that with the Argentium...although the finished effect will probably be a lot more stunning.

    Is it a good trade off?

    I'm totally sure that Argentium is staying in my repertoir now - although it will take ages to learn how to handle it well. I'm just not sure how the work/pleasure balance is going to work out!!

    I will post some pictures later on...or possibly tomorrow. I want to make use of the daylight that is left playing in the 'studio'! I just thought I would add a thread to the dwindling number this afternoon!!

  2. #2
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    Aww perhaps when you are more comfortable in its handling you will find that you will fall in love without realising it? I am sure it will all turn out good
    Su' xx

    My FB fanpage -https://www.facebook.com/CintaHandCraftedJewellery
    My Website www.cintahandcraftedjewellery.co.uk

    I want to learn so much, and i want to know it all NOW!!!:p

    One day i will arrive

    A huggle a day makes the bad stuff go away

  3. #3
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    Yeh, maybe Su'...It just reminds me of making jewellery with paperclips!!

    Anyway - here is my days production...lousy photos as usual but none of it has been finished of with a tumble or a polish as yet. I need to find out if I can tumble in the same shot as I use with fine silver. The Argentium blurb says that you should use dedicated tools for Argentium to avoid contamination...but I don't really understand the reasoning behind that one yet. More research needed!! I've not done a catch of any kind with the bracelet. I might just try an S shaped one to test out the Argentium's strength when it has been heat hardened. Lots to learn - lots of experimenting to do!

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The first 2 rings I did didn't work very well as the sawing to size dislodged a couple of the wires and made the soldering a bit of a trial. I finally sussed out a technique for the third one which I am fairly proud of! You can hardly see the join with magnifiers on - but you can see the line across the top with this super enormous photo!! Not bad though!!

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I am totally amazed with the strength of these rings though...considering it is only 0.5 wire! And they haven't been heat hardened yet!

  4. #4
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    I think it all looks fantastic hun, and i am sure you will soon be flying with it and loving every minute
    Su' xx

    My FB fanpage -https://www.facebook.com/CintaHandCraftedJewellery
    My Website www.cintahandcraftedjewellery.co.uk

    I want to learn so much, and i want to know it all NOW!!!:p

    One day i will arrive

    A huggle a day makes the bad stuff go away

  5. #5
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    Well done Barbara, they're looking good. I don't know whether I mentioned that you don't need to heat the whole piece like you do with sterling to get it to fuse or solder. Just play the flame on the join. Like you, I quite like Argentium but it will take a bit more getting used to. I have to try to remember not to move it until it's cooled a little as it's fragile. Another tip is not to use locking tweezers on it while heating it as they will cause it to buckle.

  6. #6
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    OOOh Bee, your work is lovely and even though I have never done anything like that, its interesting to read what you have learnt from the process and how it compares to your other ways of working with metals. I've been avidly reading my beginners jewellery book by Jinks McGrath for the last few days to help me, before I go on my first course in a couple of weeks time and I can't wait Lets hope Cookies has a freepost coming up in about 2 1/2 weeks time, just in time for my next large order

    xxx

    BTW, I saw Robert Plant today, while we were out and about (Shame I couldn't have whipped out my Raising Sand CD and asked him to sign it before he whizzed off in his car )... )
    Jules

  7. #7
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    BTW, I saw Robert Plant today, while we were out and about (Shame I couldn't have whipped out my Raising Sand CD and asked him to sign it before he whizzed off in his car )... )
    You should have asked him if he wanted a titanium and diamond pick, cos a friend of yours has one with his name on it!

    In my mispent youth I used to have rude dreams about Robert Plant and I love the sound of him with the Krauss woman.
    Di x

  8. #8
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    Bee - as usual your work is beautifully delicate and detailed. Your comment about paper clips makes me wonder if its more the gauge you find disappointing rather than the metal?
    Di x

  9. #9
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    Nope - I've been working with all gauges from 0.5 to 1.0...and I have some D wire and some 3mm bangle wire to have a play with too. It is the dull colour that you work with. I know that it does polish up beautifully because I do use it for earwires and I make a sort of necklace connector thingy that doubles up as a focal bead hanging device as well which looks lovely after it is hardened and then tumbled...it's just not 'a delight' to work with...which even after 2 years of working with fine silver I still feel every time I make anything....even fusing a batch of 100 6mm jumprings. It's really depressing that everything I am working with is suddenly dull grey.

  10. #10
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    I think I do understand. I used some fine silver for some headpins the other day and it is different to work with.

    I love working with sterling silver too though - that flowing of clouds across the surface thing as it melts is magical.
    Di x

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