is it cheating...

[medusa]

... to glue pearls into position?

I've finally got around to setting the pearls in one of my egg wrack bangles and whilst my intention was to rub over the edges of the silver to hold the pearls into place, fitting one natural shape into another natural but different shape has proved tricky. I tried filing the walls down to make them thinner, but even so, it's not right. I resorted to using a clear epoxy and it does look pretty good, but I'm worried about how secure it will be and given I intend charging quite a lot, it's important that it looks right and is also made right.

thoughts?

[Tabby66]

Epoxy should be good (not that I've had much success with it - I think that's me!!). But I can't really see from your piccie, can you get anything slightly closer/ clearer??

[Dennis]

Hi Liz,
Ideally you use one hole pearls, with a short silver wire as a spike, going just over half way into it. Then epoxy will make them hyper secure.

In fact I recently had to remove one of these to repair an earring made by me a few years back and by heating the metal with a mini torch, gripping the post with pliers and the pearl with a cloth, I was only just about able to part the two again with no damage to either.

The only Problem with cementing a pearl onto a post in this way is that trapped air forces the pearl off again. In self-defence I now use the five minute version So that I can hold the pearl in place until the epoxy is hard enough. The epoxy is applied with the end if a saw blade.

It strikes me that if adding posts to a large casting is too intimidating, I might ream the pearls to good wide holes in relation to their size and then use the stronger, slow epoxy so that in effect I would have stout epoxy posts. Also the silver seats would have to be roughened and undercut to grip.

For the future you might provide the seats for pearls with resin posts at the wax stage. Sorry about the long winded answer, Dennis.

[medusa]

no, that's really helptful Dennis, I did try to get the glue into the holes (I only have beads at the moment, but they seem to have fitted in ok apart from one where you can just see the hole from one side), but I couldn't really make the spaces for the pearls because the spaces are made by the voids of the egg wrack bubbles and also because the pearls are all different shapes. I'm going to try and get some undrilled pearls for the next one and make the holes to suit the shape. I've spent the last couple of hours or so burnishing the bangle because I'm not sure about polishing it with the pearls in place.

[Joe]

Pearls and epoxy scare me a bit. I let a pair of earrings go recently with pink pearls and I just worry about them, though I checked them in every way I could...

I don't believe there will be a problem for either of us. James recommended an excellent clear epoxy on the forum a while back and it really is very good - retains a bit of flex too.

It isn't cheating. It is the right solution. I don't think pearls are right for rub-over. Be brave.

[Goldsmith]

As Joe said, I always use epoxy resin when setting pearls onto my pieces. I use two makes they are Devcon Clear which will take about five minutes to start setting and for faster work I use Araldite Instant Clear which starts setting in 90 seconds. Both of these glues are sold in double syringes so you do not have the problem of an incorrect mix. Buy your pearls as half drilled and then you can add a wire to your setting for added security.
Here is one of my lifesize, lily of the valley flowers set with pearls;
James

[medusa]

Pearls and epoxy scare me a bit. I let a pair of earrings go recently with pink pearls and I just worry about them, though I checked them in every way I could...

I don't believe there will be a problem for either of us. James recommended an excellent clear epoxy on the forum a while back and it really is very good - retains a bit of flex too.

It isn't cheating. It is the right solution. I don't think pearls are right for rub-over. Be brave.

I'm going to upload a snap of them as they are. I'm really not happy about the kind of rub over, because the castings of the pod cases came out pretty bashed up, which I kind of like, but I am not sure anyone else will. I will be brave!

As Joe said, I always use epoxy resin when setting pearls onto my pieces. I use two makes they are Devcon Clear which will take about five minutes to start setting and for faster work I use Araldite Instant Clear which starts setting in 90 seconds. Both of these glues are sold in double syringes so you do not have the problem of an incorrect mix. Buy your pearls as half drilled and then you can add a wire to your setting for added security.
Here is one of my lifesize, lily of the valley flowers set with pearls;
James

I'm just searching for half drilled pearls and also some mabe pearls as well. I'm going to file the walls down on the other bangle and glue the pearls in next time.

and James, your lilly of the valley is beautiful. can you do it as earrings for me please?

[Goldsmith]

I have obtained some great Mabe pearls from this supplier; http://www.shop.ilonabiggins.co.uk/index.asp
I have also purchased pearls from Harriet Whinney; http://www.harriet-whinney.co.uk/index.htm
I shall be visiting Cornwall in June, are there any galleries that show your jewellery that you can recommend?
James

[medusa]

Hey, James, no I don't sell through any local galleries, only online. well, more correctly put, I only ~show~ my stuff online. If you are here in Cornwall, we should meet for a pasty and a pint (of tea should you prefer!)

[Goldsmith]

Hi Medusa, what part of Cornwall is your area? I havn't had a decent pasty in years, my wife and I usually just like to relax and just walk along the the cliffs at our favourite spots and gaze out to sea. We also like to visit galleries and museums, but in recent years the galleries have diminished, back in the old days we could visit potteries and jewelers workshops and chat to the crafts people. I am a collector and my house has many original Cornish paintings and handmade items around the walls.
James