KathyG
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since February 2015
Posts: 85 
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Post by KathyG on Mar 30, 2015 8:23:27 GMT -5
This is rough selenite and it had a pretty even shape so I used it for practice. It is maybe about 1/4 inch thick and even all around, so it was much easier to wrap than the stuff I've been tackling so far. [and I just noticed a mistake with the binding on the right hand side, grrr]  Here is a piece of rough amethyst. It is kind of round and blocky (I should have taken a pic of the stone before I wrapped it, dang it) so I just brought the wires down and around the front to soften the look. This one I really like because it almost looks like a faceted amethyst. This is one that I just might pull out of the parawire it's in now and re-do it in good wire (which is coming this week).  Here is a small rough citrine piece I did in that stupid 'gold' parawire. I only had a little bit of it left and I hate wasting anything so I used it to see what I could do with this small citrine. So it's just a simple wrap, only taking me about 1/2 hour. My shortest time for a wrap so far.  At least for this one I remembered to take a pic of the side to show the whole shape:  Thanks for checking this out (still on cell phone picture taking, though.) Kathy |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Mar 30, 2015 12:38:52 GMT -5
Nice job. I really like the first two. Are you starting to burnish your wraps when they are done yet?
Chuck
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Post by drocknut on Mar 30, 2015 15:43:43 GMT -5
Nice job on all the wraps. I wouldn't have seen the mistake except that you pointed it out. The second one is my favorite. Don't know that I'd pull it out of the wrap just to redo it with better wire. It looks great as is, very elegant, clean wrap.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723 
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 30, 2015 16:47:11 GMT -5
Really liking those wraps!!! Thumbs up
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riverrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2010
Posts: 1,395
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Post by riverrock on Mar 30, 2015 19:00:54 GMT -5
Looking good.
I would leave it the way they are.
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Post by snowmom on Mar 31, 2015 5:33:32 GMT -5
they look real good! that little citrine re-wrap is great and the gold compliments it nicely. Keep 'em coming!
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Post by mohs on Mar 31, 2015 9:23:21 GMT -5
your wrapping some fine pendants
I like the gold on the citrine
although it may take away from the stone
but not much
the amethyst is framed nicely
Ed
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KathyG
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since February 2015
Posts: 85
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Post by KathyG on Mar 31, 2015 15:32:06 GMT -5
Nice job. I really like the first two. Are you starting to burnish your wraps when they are done yet? Chuck I don't do a thing to them when I'm done  I just put them on a table for the kids to pick one they want to wear to school. All of my wraps have been with Parawire. Once I start working with better wire and cabs/stones, etc, I will definitely polish-tumble them and store them appropriately. I forgot to check Rio Grande to see if they carry anti-tarnish strips. Are they any good, do any of you know? And thank you all for your comments. I really can't wait to see how I do with 'real' stones or cabs or even faceted glass (cheaper than gemstones). And with better wire. i've some money I set aside for my first order of Good Wire. |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Mar 31, 2015 16:14:20 GMT -5
I forgot you were using parawire. Rio sells 3M anti tarnish strips and intercept brand. I use the intercept brand but could not really tell you how well they work. I guess I should stick some scrap wire in a bag with a strip and put some scrap wire just outside of the bag then look after a few months to see the difference.
When you get your real silver wire make sure you save all the scraps. I just turned in over $100 in wire scraps at the pawn shop last week. Rio will buy it back too at a little higher price but I dont like the hassle of sending it in.
Chuck
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KathyG
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since February 2015
Posts: 85
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Post by KathyG on Mar 31, 2015 18:18:24 GMT -5
Wow, $100! I am definitely sending mine back to Rio Grande (no local pawn shops). That will really help with costs in buying more wire. Plus I LOVE recycling stuff and not wasting anything so it will be kind of fun to save all my scraps and collect it up and send it out.
Can you give me an idea of how much scrap wire I'd need to send in to get about $100 (do you weight it, or just send it in a small box? ) I guess what I'm asking is - how much scraps do you accumulate before sending it in?
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Post by drocknut on Mar 31, 2015 21:23:16 GMT -5
I send in my scrap too. It's hard to tell how much would yield $100. It depends on the silver prices and how much actual silver is in the scrap. I usually wait until I have a medicine bottle full of scrap or I need the cash to buy more wire, which ever comes first.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 1, 2015 6:58:41 GMT -5
Wow, $100! I am definitely sending mine back to Rio Grande (no local pawn shops). That will really help with costs in buying more wire. Plus I LOVE recycling stuff and not wasting anything so it will be kind of fun to save all my scraps and collect it up and send it out. Can you give me an idea of how much scrap wire I'd need to send in to get about $100 (do you weight it, or just send it in a small box? ) I guess what I'm asking is - how much scraps do you accumulate before sending it in? I am lazy so I only turn in my scrap a few times a year. Silver prices are low right now. My last cash in was on a little over 8 ounces which was a snack size ziploc bag stuffed full plus some extras. Rio has a very easy calculator. just type how many ounces you are sending and it gives you an estimate. www.riogrande.com/Home/ScrapChuck |
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 1, 2015 13:33:10 GMT -5
Somewhere in the catalog or website there is a kit that rio will send you for sending in scrap. It's free. I always get a ton of money cause I only send it in like once a year. I usually send in a sfrb stuffed. That's a lot of silver! LOL! But, then I get a nice big credit on my account to go wild with.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 1, 2015 17:56:03 GMT -5
The picture below shows 1/2 pound of my sterling scrap that would fetch $100 when returned at current rates. A few years ago it would be triple that.  Chuck |
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 1, 2015 18:13:47 GMT -5
The picture below shows 1/2 pound of my sterling scrap that would fetch $100 when returned at current rates. A few years ago it would be triple that. Chuck Chuck, I see a lot of wanna be beaded head pins in there!  |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 1, 2015 18:23:56 GMT -5
The picture below shows 1/2 pound of my sterling scrap that would fetch $100 when returned at current rates. A few years ago it would be triple that. Chuck Chuck, I see a lot of wanna be beaded head pins in there! I do not do headpins but there are enough scraps in that pile to do hundreds of these little wraps. Only need about 4-5 inches of 20 gauge square to do one of these.  Chuck |
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 1, 2015 18:29:05 GMT -5
Chuck, I see a lot of wanna be beaded head pins in there! I do not do headpins but there are enough scraps in that pile to do hundreds of these little wraps. Only need about 4-5 inches of 20 gauge square to do one of these. Chuck There ya go! Hey, I have had some scraps big enough to do small border wraps! LOL! I actually make a lot of earrings for friends and family so I use a lot of beaded head pins. I'm surprised that you don't do quick bead earrings for your sales. They sell good at shows. |
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KathyG
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since February 2015
Posts: 85
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Post by KathyG on Apr 1, 2015 18:57:45 GMT -5
The picture below shows 1/2 pound of my sterling scrap that would fetch $100 when returned at current rates. A few years ago it would be triple that. Chuck Chuck, thank you for that pic! One of you on this thread gave me an example of how much to send - a medicine bottle; or a snack size zip loc. And now this pic helps me to figure out when to send enough wire to really get some good credit (depending on silver prices, I guess.) I will wait until silver is higher to cash in my scraps. Definitely. Either that or like rockjunquie said, use it for small border wraps or something… I'm seeing lots of long pieces of silver in your picture..oh yes, something can be done with them.. |
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Apr 1, 2015 20:03:31 GMT -5
I do not do headpins but there are enough scraps in that pile to do hundreds of these little wraps. Only need about 4-5 inches of 20 gauge square to do one of these. Chuck There ya go! Hey, I have had some scraps big enough to do small border wraps! LOL! I actually make a lot of earrings for friends and family so I use a lot of beaded head pins. I'm surprised that you don't do quick bead earrings for your sales. They sell good at shows. I do get requests for earrings but I just have too many darn irons in the fire already to stop and take the time to learn how to do them. I REALLY want to try some simple metal work too but there are not enough hours in the day. Chuck |
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I just put them on a table for the kids to pick one they want to wear to school. All of my wraps have been with Parawire. 
