Fancy bezel strip - where can you get it?

[Dennis]

Page 44 of the current Cookbook (2008/2009) has ten examples of patterned wire and gallery strip.That's a bit nearer home. There are also five different ones in the Fischer catalogue on p386 (Galerien). www .FISCHER-FORZHEIM.DE.They send stuff by return if you can order by fax and give your credit card details. Kind regards from your shophound.

[Shimon]

You can find a big variety of gallery bezels at 'Bellore' shop in 39 greville st. london EC1N 8PJ.

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

I love the look of some of the things that clever people are making with gallery strip - but how do you use it? Make a collet from it and solder it to some sheet, cut it out and do it like a bezel setting? Or is there a specific technique? Thanks... Mel

[mizgeorge]

You use it in just the same way as bezel strip - just be careful about where you make the join. You need to keep the pattern continuous and stretch to fit rather than randomly joining (as was done in one of the pictures at the beginning of this thread) which looks dreadful.

I get most of my gallery strip from Rashbel, and fancy bezel strip from etsy.

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

Thanks George, I've just ordered a little bit from Rashbel :-) To stretch it, should I hammer it on a metal mandrel? As a relative (total) novice, I'm not terribly well equipped with either kit or knowledge! I have a habit of making things up as I go along, but I can save a lot of silver if I ask first... Although I'm getting a nice collection of beads made from melted down scrap which will make a lovely bracelet in the not too distant future :-)

[mizgeorge]

Yes Melanie - I just solder up to the nearest size down that keeps the integrity of the pattern and gently enlarge using a rawhide mallet and ring mandrel.

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

Brilliant, George, thanks so much! I managed to make a bezel today using 0.3mm sheet that was ever so slightly too small, and enlarged it using that technique, so have now had a bit of practice for when the strip arrives! I used a nylon hammer (not got a rawhide one yet) on a wooden ring mandrel, which worked ok, with a few breaks to anneal the silver. But I have a nice ring that I'm more than happy with :-)