icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 12, 2012 15:27:59 GMT -5
Hi, I'm Staci in Arizona. Been rock hounding for over 20 years but just started making jewelry around 9 months ago. Tumbling (how come only agate and garnets sparkle for me?) and wire-wrapping my own stuff and store/online-bought stones and glass. What I really need are 3-prong bell caps for non-drilled stones. I did a google search and saw a post from 2006 on this board about them. I am going crazy trying to find them, and forgot where I found my last packet locally. They are extremely useful. I got the 4-prongs (what stones do those fit?) and the expandable ones, but I tend to use them for quite small stones and the expandable caps cover too much material. That one place (Kingsley something?) has them, gold tone, for $4 EACH. I just wanted base metal or silver plate as I keep my jewelry very affordable. A packet I bought here cost around $2 for 12. Can anyone help with a link or supply? I've attached photos of a few my favorite wraps: one of my hand-collected and polished agate wraps (from Saddle Mountain) and another of a favorite piece of tourmalated quartz. The other is Brazilian Agate. I'm still learning, so be kind. Thank you. "]
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Sept 12, 2012 16:09:43 GMT -5
Can't help you on the prongs, but the wraps look nice. I like your big loops.
I've only heard the second stone called rutilated quartz but I'm pretty new too so I could be wrong.
One thing you might want to try instead of wrapping the square wire with small round wire is to get half-round wire to bind the square wire. You can compact it nicely, it can look pretty neat (as in tidy) and it stays put easier. You will see a lot of that around here.
Welcome and good luck finding your caps!
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Sept 12, 2012 16:10:55 GMT -5
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Post by catmandewe on Sept 12, 2012 17:25:17 GMT -5
Welcome Staci! Try this link, I think you will find it there www.eloxite.com/store/Have a great day..................Tony
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Post by Pat on Sept 12, 2012 19:59:21 GMT -5
Welcome! I think the second is black tourmaline in quartz. I think rutile is always gold, but could be wrong.
For your prongs, try firemountaingems.com. They sell a lot of base metal findings.
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Post by johnjsgems on Sept 13, 2012 7:33:55 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Kingsley is Kingsly North. Eloxite, Tripps, Indian Jeweler Supply, Fire Mountain, Rio Grande are all pretty popular online sources. Some of the larger craft stores carry plated findings too.
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 13, 2012 8:36:37 GMT -5
Can't help you on the prongs, but the wraps look nice. I like your big loops. I've only heard the second stone called rutilated quartz but I'm pretty new too so I could be wrong. One thing you might want to try instead of wrapping the square wire with small round wire is to get half-round wire to bind the square wire. You can compact it nicely, it can look pretty neat (as in tidy) and it stays put easier. You will see a lot of that around here. Welcome and good luck finding your caps! Hi! The loops aren't big, the photo is The pieces are pretty small. And it is tourmalated quartz, which specifically has crystals of tourmaline only, as opposed to rutilated quartz, which may contain any number of other minerals. I have used half round before, but forgot about it. I will def try to use it again. Thanks for your comment.
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 13, 2012 8:49:47 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. Kingsley is Kingsly North. Eloxite, Tripps, Indian Jeweler Supply, Fire Mountain, Rio Grande are all pretty popular online sources. Some of the larger craft stores carry plated findings too. Thanks so much to everyone for their suggestions. However, none of the online shops mentioned have what I want. They have 2-prong and 4-prong (and up), but no 3-prong. I've spent many hours online trying to find them, you guys were my last hope. I'll just have to go to every bead store I've tried here and see which one was the one that had them. They're spread out all over the city! Thanks again and I love this board. There is so much great information and sharing of tips and tricks. Glad to have found you. Staci
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Post by Pat on Sept 13, 2012 9:39:49 GMT -5
Would it work to file off one of the four prongs?
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Sept 13, 2012 9:42:14 GMT -5
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 13, 2012 13:06:45 GMT -5
Thanks, but I don't want leaves, just the small prongs. I'd I've tried 4-prong and took off one side but it looked so ridiculous I tossed it. How many stones have 4 sides? Plus, 4-prong won't work on a square stone, so it's pretty pointless IMO. I am using the 7-prongs right now, but they're pretty large and cover too much material. I have some small unfaceted emeralds I just tumbled and wanted to make delicate earrings and a necklace. The hunt continues. I managed to find a photo of a quick and dirty necklace I made for myself with quartz points a friend brought back from Fat Jack. You can see the prong caps. (And I jettisoned that aluminum chain for silver.) May I just say how blown away I am by the quality of the wrappings by you guys? May I ask, are you using 20 or 21 ga sq? And what size half round for holding the wire together?
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 13, 2012 13:08:34 GMT -5
The Kingsley stuff is hideously overpriced. $4 EACH? They're not even solid gold or silver. Unless I'm missing something, for that price i could buy 24 of what I had previously. Thanks tho.
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Sept 13, 2012 13:21:03 GMT -5
I use mostly 21 or 22 gage square with 20 gage half round for general wrapping
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 14, 2012 0:20:43 GMT -5
I use mostly 21 or 22 gage square with 20 gage half round for general wrapping Thank you, that is quite helpful.
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 19, 2012 9:10:48 GMT -5
Just to let you know I found the caps I needed, at a shop only a few miles away. The silver ones have 3 prongs, the gold ones have 2. I'm so happy I found them! Apparently they are "old school" and that's why they're not that popular anymore. Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Attachments:
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Post by paulshiroma on Sept 29, 2012 20:00:19 GMT -5
You do some really nice work, Staci. Welcome aboard. Paul
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The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
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Post by The Dad_Ohs on Sept 29, 2012 20:14:30 GMT -5
welcome to the fun zone.... grab a drink, pull up a chair and relax!!
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icatzaz1
starting to shine!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 25
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Post by icatzaz1 on Sept 30, 2012 10:26:38 GMT -5
You do some really nice work, Staci. Welcome aboard. Paul Thank you, Paul. Glad to be here.
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