So I pulled out my sterling wire, my wonderful Grobet pliers and my wire cutters. That's when I realized I couldn't find my flush cuts. They sucked anyway and the ones I REALLY want are these: Lindstrom Sidecutter,Flush Pliers
because they REALLY ARE flush cutters. Most pliers squeeze the wire too much while cutting, leaving you with an angled and very sharp edge that you have to then file down. These don't. How do I know this? Cuz my silver smithing instructor had them at the studio. They're marvelous. But I digress - this isn't a post about pliers. Anyway, I've got the agate nicely framed, but my dilemma is how to get the frame to stay on the agate. It positively won't act like a bezel and I'm beginning to think I need this: Wire Wrapping: The Basics And Beyond
because I'm just NOT coming up with a great idea regarding how to keep this stupid frame/bezel, whatever you want to call it, on the agate. Here are some photos. I'm thinking I need to criss-cross wire across the back, wrap once around each corner of the frame and then end with little wire spiral "prongs" - one in each corner of the stone. The stone is gorgeous, and I'd like not to have anything on the front of it, but I don't think I can get away from it, not with cold connections.
Here are four photos of what I've done so far. Anyone with ideas, please post comments!
You could do it with cold connections (gosh, how could I not respond to a problem?) if you were willing to use prongs. Cut an oval slightly larger than the stone (which is gorgeous) and mark for or more places to insert rivets. Drill rivet holes. Trim back all but the rivet sections so it is flush with the stone. Insert your rivets from behind, trim to good length, bend over edge of stone. As I write I think of a couple other ideas, too. MAYBE is need to write a post with solutions and drawings! Anyway, that's my idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a GORGEOUS stone!! How about something like this, to enhance your "frame"?? > http://www.creationsbarabe.com/ww_lavarkite_6aug.jpg
ReplyDeleteErin, as always, you ARE the problem-solver. I could do that, but it would require ordering sheet silver. All mine got left in SC and Walter hasn't shipped it to me. At this point, I'm guessing I'll never get it. I do have a small sheet of white base metal, but I was hoping to make this all sterling.
ReplyDeleteKarel, I need to see the back of it. I've got the frame done, it's the fastening of it to the stone that's the issue.
To both, I think I've solved the problem. I just need to try it out. I'm thinking of using four pieces of 28 ga wire, two vertical and two horizontally across the back. Each piece of wire will have approximately 3 extra inches that I can use to wrap unobtrusively around the coil once, slide on a 2mm sterling bead, and do it again, and again, all the way around the stone, using each of the 4 wires for wiring beads to a quarter of the stone. the beads are tiny and won't take up much room, but will act as a bezel to hold the stone in. It's a theory at any rate.
I'll start it tonight and see if it works and photo what I get done.
Oh yeah - Erin - post photos here of anything new you're working on!
ReplyDeleteand of course i always tend to think in sheet and not wire ;)
ReplyDeleteof course you do. there's a reason for that. LOL. I'd be thinking in sheet, too, if I had the resources and ALL the equipment I need.
ReplyDelete