Chained Love

[mizgeorge]

Dave, my apologies, I thought the two-way double was a viking knit (continuous wire) - I'm very impressed now - mine never look that neat!

Beautiful endcaps and clasps - really beautiful

[Petal]

Dave,

"The Endcaps were fused from a fine silver coil (no solder) with a fine silver cap, finished with a sterling (for strength) jump ring soldered to the cap."

Attachment 756

Is this the endcaps you are referring to?? Fusing looks like an interesting way of making jewellery. Is it a technique you particularly like, or is it a pain to do?

[agent_44]

Lovely stuff, nice chunky byzantine always makes me happy and I really liek the square looking one aswell.

[AlexandraBuckle]

Really great chains!
There is so much stuff I have never even tried to do. I'd like to have a go at some of these... maybe I'll get round ot it one day!

[Bigwol]

Dave,

"The Endcaps were fused from a fine silver coil (no solder) with a fine silver cap, finished with a sterling (for strength) jump ring soldered to the cap."

Is this the endcaps you are referring to?? Fusing looks like an interesting way of making jewellery. Is it a technique you particularly like, or is it a pain to do?

Yes those are the fused endcaps.

Fusing gives a neat result because you don't have to use any solder or flux, but you have to be spot on with the torch, raising the temperature evenly until the whole piece fuses at the same time, it looks sort of extra silvery and slightly 'wet' - if wet makes sense on a red hot silver coil!! - fluid might be better). As soon as you see it fuse remove the flame immediately, an extra blast 'just for luck' has no place in fusing fine silver.

If you overheat it, you are the proud owner of a brand new puddle of fine silver.

Like everything else it's just practice - get stuck in, you'll never know whether it's for you until you try it.


Dave

[Sunnybank]

To my great shame I’m afraid I hadn’t appreciated chains in their own right until I started to see some of the examples on the forum.

There are so many aspects of jewellery that I would like to try, but I know that I would never have the patience to cut the rings, never mind join them together in a regular pattern. Instead I’ll admire beautiful work like these.

[The Dragon]

Lovely work BigWol.

I've just started looking at fusing as a form of decorative finish for pendants etc, now you've given me something else to think about (oooo my poor brain).

Did you say you'd written a book on the subject? Is it suitable for complete idiot beginners like me?

Sorry keep thinking about all the things I want to learn - have no idea where I'm going to find the time to learn them all though!

[WitchfordSilver]

I do like the loop in loop chains, I've had problems pulling the chain through holes drilled in wooden blocks to even out the links.

Need to find a larger draw plate.

[mizgeorge]

I don't draw loop in loop at all - I just gently tamp it with a rawhide mallet to even everything out.

I think you'd need to square off the drawplate if you wanted to draw it?

[Gemma]

Amazing stuff. I want to have a go at fusing now. Better buy some fine silver...roll on pay day...