nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on Apr 30, 2007 13:33:31 GMT -5
Well thankee! If I ever finish the piece I am working on...I'll post it.  |
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blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
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Post by blarneystone on Apr 30, 2007 14:01:47 GMT -5
More great wraps!! Really incredible Nancy! Thanks for the tips on tumbling them when finished.  |
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Post by Cher on Apr 30, 2007 14:08:23 GMT -5
WOW! Thanks all! I feel like I just entered Heaven...lol.... Anywho, you will be amazed at your pieces when you get them out of that tumbler...sooooo shiny and clean! I use 2 lbs of Stainless steel shot (make sure it is stainless!), fill with water till 2/3 full, add a little squirt of Dawn dish soap(easy now, don't over do)...then tumble. When using plastic pellets, I use 1 lb. of stainless steel shot and fill with plastic pellets till 1/2 full...then add water till 2/3 full, squirt a tad of Dawn dish soap and tumble. Ha! Yep...just a cowgirl...lol....and NO I didn't lie to ya'll...I AM old and proud of all my 52 years! haaa haaaa haaaaa and in that pic, you can't see the wrinkles either...or age spots...or...well, ya get the picture. However, it is said that I do not act my age...and I'm proud of that too! Again, thanks for all the kuddos on my work...oh yeah...someone asked how long I've been making wire jewelry...since about 2002.  Wow you certainly left me with more questions. ;D Two pounds of stainless shot sounds like a lot, how big is your tumbler? Are you going to tell me that the one pictured here, that beautiful elegant wrap was tossed in a tumbler with steel shot? Do you cover the stones with tape or anything? I am in total awe!! |
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 1, 2007 4:51:17 GMT -5
Thanks bunches Blarney! Cher...it is not a big one...Lortone 3lb drum I think. 1 lb. of shot isn't all that much...sounds like it though. I haven't ruined anything yet and like I said, if the stone is really soft or fragile, I use the plastic pellets also...I even tumble pearls! If you use soft wire a lot, and I do...specially for cameos and such...tumbling is a must for hardening the wire. I want to get a double barrel tumbler from Harbor Freight...that way I can have the drums set up for either soft stones or harder stones...I'm lazy. lol... |
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Post by Cher on May 1, 2007 11:04:33 GMT -5
Double barrel from harbor freight .. you'll be talking about getting a CE then and I wouldn't recommend it. Go to www.jatayu.com and get a Lortone 33B or check on ebay for one. The Chicago Electric's have a horrible reputation about lasting more than a couple months without something happening to them. Sometimes they can be fixed up so they work a long time but most anyone who has had one ends up getting a Lortone or Thumler. Might as well spend the $$ on the right one first. PS. I do use soft wire, generally most of mine ends up being hardened some by me straightening it out with the nylon pliers. I still can't believe that first one with the script stone could have been through a tumbler, even with plastic pellets. Do you only put one piece in at a time? How often do you end up having to straighten pieces out? PSS. Holy POO that stainless steel shot is expensive!!! |
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Post by akansan on May 1, 2007 11:22:20 GMT -5
Cher - I've heard the people who use the CEs to polish and harden the pieces have great luck with them. I think it's just us poor fools who actually want to polish rocks with the rock tumblers that have problems.  |
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 1, 2007 11:30:08 GMT -5
nancy on the soft stones are you saying you use the stainless steel and plastic pellets or just plastic pellets? i read somewhere where some people use the ceramic pellets for burnishing the metal but would it harden the wrap too?
i've also read to have separate barrels and steel shot for the argentium. what happens if you don't? i've got some more questions on the argentium but i won't bombard you all at once lol.
kim
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 1, 2007 11:38:35 GMT -5
Hmmm....me thinks I'll just buy an extra drum! lol.... OK...yes, the Script Jasper did have plastic pellets...yet, I think it could have withstood all steel shot...just not as long and checked every 30 min. Yes, you do get work hardening going on...I put in around 4 pendants at a time depending on size ( I have put 6 small ones)...you can mix Silver with gold filled too. I've never had to straighten anything out. It is great to tumble earrings. I will use plastic covered wire (twisties too) and tie the pairs together. Even though I use half hard for my ear findings, the tumbling really makes em sing. I will say, that I've had earrings get tangled up together if they have a lot of curlies ...but they are fairly easy to part. They usually come apart when washing off the soap. Oh...I got my last batch of stainless steel shot from Mosterslayer.com. It lasts forever.  |
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 1, 2007 20:10:43 GMT -5
Oh Kim...I'm so sorry, I missed some of your questions! ack! Anywho, I use lb. stainless steel shot AND plastic pellets till 1/2 full...fill with water till 2/3 full...add soap...and tumble. Argentium should have seperate everything...so I've heard. That's why I decided to quit buying it. I can't keep up with all that. IMHO...I will go to .999 silver and plan on doing so one of these days. Heck, it is easier to solder (will learn how to) and it doesn't tarnish as easy as sterling silver...so why argentium. Yeah, I know, the longer the argentium sterling silver is around, the more tarnish resisitant it becomes...well, I don't know about that. Maybe so, but honestly, I'm not sure it is worth ditching everything for it. ok...I'm lazy and maybe someday I might...but I DOUBT it. Still...I never say never. |
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Post by rocklicker on May 2, 2007 2:29:00 GMT -5
Nice wraps. They look very elegant and flowing. The first one really catches my eye. I like the binding-wraps (look, made up some wire-wrapping lingo there) on it and how they are symetrical. I like your style.
Steve
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 2, 2007 8:29:50 GMT -5
Thanks Steve!
I like your cat licking your tumbler! lol...too cute
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Post by Tweetiepy on May 2, 2007 19:23:24 GMT -5
That's just amazingly beautiful - but you now must show the back of that! I need to see the back (I'm anal like that! - sorry!) + I like pictures... |
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 3, 2007 8:16:10 GMT -5
Thanks for the kuddos!
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Post by creativeminded on May 7, 2007 8:58:29 GMT -5
Those are definitely works of art, you did a beautiful job on them.
Tami
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 8, 2007 13:58:51 GMT -5
Thank you so much Tami.
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Post by LCARS on May 10, 2007 22:31:13 GMT -5
Nancy, those are just TOO NICE! |
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 11, 2007 18:20:32 GMT -5
Well...THANKEE! I appreciate it. |
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chinook203
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since February 2006
Posts: 849
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Post by chinook203 on May 13, 2007 22:17:27 GMT -5
Nancy, you're like me. Most of my jewelry is more elegant.....but you'll never see me wearing it unless its with the t shirt and jeans. I love your horse! I got 2, the dogs, the cats, a bird.....chickens.....and whatever ends up here. Your wrapping is gorgeous, I'm still a rookie with the wraps, not posting any pics yet! Post some more pics of yoru work........and the horses |
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nancyf
has rocks in the head
Wired Cowgirl
Member since April 2007
Posts: 629
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Post by nancyf on May 16, 2007 6:01:55 GMT -5
haaa haaa....yeah, the elegant pieces are more fun becuase of the challenge...but I still love to just wrap a cab. Yep. T-shirt, jeans and tenny shoes....that's me! lol I just got a new camera and I'm still learning to use it. When I have new pics, I'll show ya. oops...thanks for the kuddos on my jewelry. |
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Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
