kjohn0102
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2006
Posts: 774
|
Post by kjohn0102 on Apr 5, 2006 15:56:46 GMT -5
Hello-new to this board and have found lots of great info here. Does anyone out there (the infamous BANJO, perhaps?) tumble finish their wire wrapped jewelry? If so, what is the process? I've read some very confusing (to me anyway!) things about type of media to use.
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Apr 5, 2006 17:26:38 GMT -5
Hi Kjohn, Welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by tumble finish. Are you talking about tumbling after it's wrapped or do we use tumbled stones in our wraps? All of the stones I've used a tumbled to a fine shine before they are wrapped in wire. Especially if done in the dead soft wire, I doubt that they could handle the tumbling.
Cher
|
|
|
|
Post by akansan on Apr 5, 2006 18:56:57 GMT -5
Cher, I've seen some instructions for wire-wrapping that include tumbling after wrapped to harden the wire - most specifically with dead soft wire. My guess is this is what Kjohn is referring to. It always made me wonder how the dead soft could keep it's shape during the tumbling.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Apr 5, 2006 19:08:20 GMT -5
I can't imagine what it would be tumbled in, I've heard of tumbling jewelry in steel shot to clean it, wonder if that works for hardening too.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tweetiepy on Apr 5, 2006 20:45:56 GMT -5
Cher I heard you can use rice too to clean metal, not sure if that would harden the wire though. Maybe with enough tumbling with rice it would harden the wire?
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Apr 5, 2006 22:27:51 GMT -5
I don't know if rice would be heavy enough and I can't help but think that steel shot would really scuff up the stone and ruin the shine.
|
|
kjohn0102
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2006
Posts: 774
|
Post by kjohn0102 on Apr 6, 2006 11:34:19 GMT -5
Hi everyone-I guess what I'm trying to find out is that I've read that you can tumble to harden a project, and then also to polish it and help remove any scratches or small burrs left over from working . I've heard about using steel shot, and also ceramic media. Do all of you wire-workers out there just dremmel polish your work?
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Apr 6, 2006 11:44:30 GMT -5
Mine are all tumble polished before I wrap them. I've never had to polish the wire or remove burrs from the wire. For scratches or nicks in the wire, you need to fix your pliers, make them smoother by filing so they don't leave marks on the wire. I only use my dremel for shaping, I've never used it to polish anything.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Apr 7, 2006 4:45:29 GMT -5
Hi Kjohn0102 ,
I would think if you tumble polish a wire wrap that a silver coated copper wire Or Brass you would soon have a not a silver wire wrap, BUT a brass or copper wire wrap ?
Better to use a soft faced pliers and be carfull not to scratch the wire in the first place . as Cher says above.
Also In USA there is some stuff that you dip pliers into and other tools to give the " soft touch " and reduce burrs and scratches
Jack
Yorkshire UK
|
|
