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Thread: Theme Competition January 2018 - Winter

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
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    2,067

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Preston, Lancashire.
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    150

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    Thank you Cooksons, Dennis, Sheen and Enigma - I'm well chuffed!

    Quote Originally Posted by Sheen View Post
    Congratulations Sally, well deserved. Out of curiosity why did you use pewter for the chain?
    This is probably going to be a longer answer than you bargained for...

    I love the colour of base metals like copper and brass and the easy weldability of bronze, but I can't wear them because I seem to make them smell really horrid on me - an unbearable stink.

    Silver doesn't smell, but it tarnishes.

    I like titanium and niobium - I like the darker silver colour of them and the lighter weight but that means having to connect the argon and as I daftly set up my system to use those little disposable argon bottles which I only get one and a half large-link neck chains per bottle out of - it's really expensive.

    Stainless steel is cheap and welds nicely - but it's too hard for me to form and hammer.

    Also, I made the necklace to fit the theme and as I don't wear jewellery very often - I though it would be a waste of money to do the whole thing in silver. So I figured I'd try the pewter - easy to weld and form, doesn't tarnish, doesn't smell and although soft is fine for an occassional wear item.

    I know that this shouldn't happen - because pewter isn't supposed to work harden (which is a lovely property when raising bowls), but once it's been through the tumbler it's definitely harder, even the sound of it changes pre and post tumbling - from sounding dull and soft on it's way in to sounding tinkly and hard when I pull it out.

    Are there any other metals that weld, don't tarnish, don't smell, don't cost a fortune, don't need argon, don't cause skin reactions and can be hammered and formed easily?

    Sally

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

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    Argentium Silver fulfills all those requirements.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    45

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    Well done Sally

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Preston, Lancashire.
    Posts
    150

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    Thanks Maria!

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    946

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    Hi Sally, i just noticed your reply to my question. I have titanium and niobium in my stockpile too, as i can't wear silver in my ears without getting sensitive to it. Niobium's more expensive than silver, but hey ho. I've never tried welding either of those metal due to the specialist equipment, wire wrapping only. All i knew about pewter was that it's soft and over time starts to sag. I recently bought myself some jewellers brass which i really like the look of. But i've yet to make anything out of it. Brass is one of my favourites.

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