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Thread: Disaster! What am I doing wrong

  1. #1
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    Question Disaster! What am I doing wrong

    I've promised a customer that I will do a chaos wrap of her small briolette earrings she gave me. I had a few practice goes with some other glass beads to try and perfect the technique (pics encl.) and thought I'd done it ok. Then disaster struck. I've broken the briolette I feel bloody awful, as its the first thing I've ever broken. Here's a pic of the broken one, bottom left and the other ones that I've already done. I wrapped it by keeping my round nose pliers in the loop at the top and continue wrapping round to the bottom and then back up to the top.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Am I doing this completely wrong, does this way of wrapping put the piece of wire going through the briolette under too much pressure, or was I just unlucky with the briolette??



    Any honest helpful hints/tips would be greatly appreciated guys, as I've bought lots more of these to make up before Saturday.
    Jules

  2. #2
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    Oh bugger Jules. To be honest, I can't see any other way to wrap - whether its chaos wrapping or not! I think there may have been a fault line where the bead was drilled. George or somebody might be more useful to you in the advice stakes.

    All I want to say is that I think the rest look beautiful. (and you know I am scrupulously honest in these things!)
    Di x

  3. #3
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    Aw thanks for the compliments Di. I was absolutely devastated when I heard it brake and there was a lot of swearing going on, I can tell you. God knows what the women will say when I tell her... I don't think they were expensive, but that's not the point...

    oops gotta go. back later on....
    Last edited by Petal; 16-11-2009 at 04:29 PM.
    Jules

  4. #4
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    OOOOh!! that's one of the worst feelings in the world - damaging a piece that someone has given you to work with. I had to laser engrave a gold locket that a customer sent in when I first had my machine. Without realising just how thin the sucker was I blasted straight through it! Personally I thought the 'stencil' effect looked quite funky - but I was the only one that thought that for some reason

  5. #5
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    Can you not glue the briolette and then chaos wrap over the damage? I know it's not ideal but the customer will be none the wiser.
    Jason please - where are your morals?

  6. #6
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    Jules - you're not doing anything wrong. Some beads just break I've had the same thing happen to me, and I have to confess that one one occasion I did just as Jason suggests. Set your wire in place, glue (this is one of the rare times when superglue works just fine), include the broken off piece if it's intact, and hide it all with the wrap once it's set.

    Looking at the picture, I'd say they were only glass to start with, so your option is to be completely up front with the customer and explain that one broke. I'm sure she'll understand.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by mizgeorge View Post
    Jules - you're not doing anything wrong. Some beads just break I've had the same thing happen to me, and I have to confess that one one occasion I did just as Jason suggests. Set your wire in place, glue (this is one of the rare times when superglue works just fine), include the broken off piece if it's intact, and hide it all with the wrap once it's set.

    Looking at the picture, I'd say they were only glass to start with, so your option is to be completely up front with the customer and explain that one broke. I'm sure she'll understand.
    Many thanks for your replies guys.

    I'm so glad I haven't got my technique wrong, as that would have been an expensive mistake to make. I've glued it and will see what it looks like in the morning, but will probably go with the honesty option in the end. I'd much rather do that, than lie.... anyone know where I can get some peridot swaro briolettes

    xx
    Jules

  8. #8
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    Hi Jules,

    Fingers crossed the glue works I work a lot with swarovski, and find that sometimes this happens to me, just think its one of those things, as Di said it could have just had a fault line through the loop. I have overtightened wire through the loop in the past and have completely shattered the hole

    Have just had a look for through my bead boxes for you, but unfortunately I don't have one in Peridot sorry.

    Mich xxx

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tigerlily View Post

    Have just had a look for through my bead boxes for you, but unfortunately I don't have one in Peridot sorry.

    Mich xxx
    Aw Thanks for looking for me Tigerlily . I ordered loads, but peridot was the one colour that my normal supplier doesn't have. I've looked elsewhere, but all I can find is the real peridot. I might have to offer her some topaz instead.

    thanks very much tho.

    xx
    Jules

  10. #10
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    I've had the shattering bead issue when working with wire too - last time it happened was on a piece of amber. I wasn't happy.
    Anne

    Feel the fear, and do it anyway!
    Blog: http://www.whiteoakjewellery.blogspot.com/
    Website: http://www.whiteoakjewellery.co.uk

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