Polishing/finishing

When is plating done?

Enchanted Cobwebs — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:37:36 GMT

I'm having one of my designs cast, no problem with the silver version but I can also get it made in brass which I will get gold plated but...its got rub over settings that I will set faceted stones into. If I send for plating before I set the stones then I will damage the plating when I rub over the collet but I dont want to make a fool of myself taking a stone set item for plating if thats not how its done. One of the problems I guess of not having any formal training but I'm sure someone on this forum may be able to help

Unknown Dremel bits/brushes

BobR — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:27:22 GMT

I have a couple of Dremel rotary grinders and lots of bits for them,I use them mostly for woodworking and rough metal working - not jewelry. I'm just going through all my tools to see what I can use and I have a lot of bits/brushes/polishers that have never been used.

What are the following used for?

round wire brushes brass

round wire brushes steel

round wire brushes fibre

different shaped rotary bits - white felt

rubber (my guess - it feels like hard rubber) bits, different shapes, lots of plain cylinders around 1/4" and 3/32", also cylinders with pointy ends, truncated cones, disks, different colors, black, dark brown, orange brown, grey and green - my guess is that the color indicates how hard they are and that they are used for some kind of polishing work

Use HCl acid to remove firescale ?

nicejewelmaker — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:39:01 GMT

Firescale on silver is caused by Cu2O embedded in the polished silver which can only be removed by abrasion. Sometimes a 'bright dip' may help by dipping is repeatedly into HNO3 and water but HNO3 dissolves the silver as well, I tried this a few times with moderate success.

On this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cu2O I read that hydrochloric acid dissolves Cu2O, so I am eager to try this to (boil ?) the work in HCl acid after the Tripoli polishing step tp let dissolve the firescale and then fine polishing the work.

Does somebody have experience with this ?

trying to smooth edges on sterling silver

lifeohope — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:45:38 GMT

Hi, I am very new to jewelry-making. I really like hand-stamping sterling silver, but I don't know anything about how to really work with the silver. The stamping blanks I receive seem to have burs on them and the edges are almost sharp..not smooth and the face of the pieces seem very raw. I don't have a lot of work space or money for machinery and I don't want to store a lot of chemicals. Does anyone know a simple way to make the hand-stamped pieces feel smooth on the edges and look more finished on the surfaces without using machines or too many different chemicals? I would love a response with as much detail (and yet simple...assume I know absolutely nothing!) as possible. thank you!

anyone know what kind of file to use on sterling silver?

lifeohope — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:33:26 GMT

I got some great advice to use a file on the edges of my sterling silver discs that I'm using for hand-stamped jewelry...the edges have some burrs and don't have that smooth feel..they have that direct-from-the-machine-it-was-cut-on feel.

My question...what kind of file do I need to get the job done? If at all possible, I'd love to be able to get something at a home depot or hardware store instead of ordering something on-line and waiting for it to be shipped to me...does anyone know if any of these places carry something that would do the job and if there is a specific grit or kind I need?

thanks for any help!

which grinder - polisher

alfeze — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:32:14 GMT

Does anyone have any advice on purchasing a grinder / polisher. I am not a professional but I want to grind stones (not diamonds;-)) probably ordinary semi precious stones and polish them as well as grind and polish pieces of glass that I have fused that I dont want to have refire. I have been using a dremel to try and polish a piece of caste glass, but it seems a bit risky and time consuming...

All ideas gratefully received.

Thanks

Anne

silver polish

Aspin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:19:50 GMT

No matter how much I polish my silver jewelry it doesn't get as shiny as the jewelry that I see in jewelry shops. Do they apply something to get that shine?

Another silver darkening question

Lynda99 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:47:57 GMT

Hi to all!

I'm trying to use Silver/Black to blacken some sterling findings. I'm basically getting an ugly ash color. It's also producing a very rough finish, not smooth like it says on the bottle. I mean ugggly, retch.

Do I need to boil in vinegar, or something similar, to get any factory finish off the silver? I know some of the ingredients in these products expire, have I lost a component from age? This bottle is about 3 years old.

TIA!

Lynda

Can someone recommend a company where I can find pumice powder for matt finish on silver

sthyt — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:08:41 GMT

Hi,

Can someone recommend a company where I can find pumice powder for matt finish on silver?

Thanks in advance!

Barrel Tumbler - Pitting problem

LilyD — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:12:42 GMT

Oops new here - posted this on general metalshithing and probably should have been here...

Hi Can anyone help? I purchased a Pioneer mini-polisher barrel tumbler - auto reverse and five seeds a few months ago. I recently have found pitting marks on my silver (i tends to use 0.8mm and above sterling silver) after tumbling at the lowest speed in either auto and non reverse action. I use barrel brite and 1kg mixed shot as advised by manufacturer. Has anyone had this preoblem? How do I solve it or could there be something wrong with my tumbler?

Black stuff on jewellery after tumbling

BWirth — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:35:21 GMT

Hi, hoping someone can help...

I have a Lortone rotary tumbler and previously used it with Steel Shot, water and a little bit of dishwashing liquid to polish chain mail and PMC. However after about a year it started to blacken the pieces - which was really hard to get off. I read on the Lortone website that using too much dishwashing liquid breaks down the rubber in the tumbler. So I brought a new barrel and new steel shot and just used it with plain water (no dishwashing liquid). I used it a few times for PMC then put in a gold filled chain mail necklace - and after 1 hour the gold piece was coming up nice & shiny, but after 2 hours tumbling the gold was blackened.

I clean out the tumbler barrel and then steel shot after each major tumbling i.e. I don't leave the water and steel shot to sit in the barrel.

Is this blackening occuring because I am mixing mediums i.e. PMC which may have liver of sulphur on it, then sterling silver or gold filled chain mail in the same tumbler?

Many thanks,

Nice jewelry cleaning article

jpwjewelry.com — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:30:45 GMT

This week in our newsletter we featured an article some of you might find interesting on cleaning turquoise. Enjoy hope it helps someone out.

http://www.ll-0.com/osn-458002590/e_article001427764.cfm?x=bfL6yQW,bfGdWHC7

Tina

www.jpwjewelry.com

Matte brushed silver tarnishing very fast

Poodle1 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:57:11 GMT

Hi, I'm new to this forum, and also relatively new to silversmithing. I have a frustrating problem with silver pieces finished with a matte surface - they go very black within a day if I wear them, or within a few days if they're just sitting around not being worn. I have been finishing the surface by pickling, then brushing with a stiff brush and pumice powder. I've tried coating the surface with Renaissance Wax (as suggested in another thread recently) but it makes absolutely no difference. I'm sure it's not to do with the quality of the silver as I buy it from Australia's main supplier, and I don't have this tarishing problem with pieces made with the same silver that are polished to a high shine - only brushed matte pieces. I live in a very humid climate, which no doubt contributes to it.

Has anyone else experienced this? Do you know any way to prevent it? Can anyone suggest why this would happen with brushed silver but not polished silver?

Thanks!

Spray sealer?

cre8ive1 — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:36:55 GMT

I've been making some brass pieces and I was wondering if anybody ever sprayed their pieces to keep them from tarnishing? I polished them in the tumbler and they're very shiny, I just hate that they tarnish so fast. Has anyone ever sprayed any of your silver, brass or copper? Or is that not done?

How to get grainy-matte surface

robinaronson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:13:35 GMT

I want to get kind of a grainy-matte surface on silver, and I do this on a regular basis with sandpaper in a rolling mill. However, I want to tumble polish some thicker pieces so that the edges are nice and rounded, and get the same surface on the edges. Will bead-blasting do this? I don't want to invest in the equipment if it's not going to do what I want.

thanks!

Robin

Clean/polish bench block

prseaglass — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:55:55 GMT

I'm not sure if this is the right section to be posting this so please excuse me. I have a small(3")round steel block that has become rusted. I live in the tropics so rust is something you have to live with! Anyway, how should I clean it without scratching? I've put some WD-40 on it to take off any loose stuff. I have 000 steel wool, would that work? Any advice would be appreciated.

Polishing pins

henriettewhite — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:18:06 GMT

Hi all metal friends!

Is anybody familiar with the polishing pins Rio Grande is selling ? And can it be recommended?

https://www.riogrande.com/home/MemberArea/ProductPage.aspx?assetName=332700

Henriette

gold filled always so tarnished? why?

christinap — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:53:15 GMT

I work with gold filled metal, and i do the same things i do to my sterling silver to make it shiny in the end, but for some reason the gold filled always tarnishes so fast?!? Is there some technique that anyone knows to keep you gold filled jewelry shiny longer? I make a lot of my things matte, rather than a shiny, could that be it? any advice would be wonderful!!

thanks!

chrissy

Patina Gel

Peachtree — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:21:09 GMT

Has anyone used this patina product from Cool Tools? I've been wanting to learn how to oxidize silver and came across this gel. http://www.cooltools.us/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=POL%2D800Parent&CartID=0

Also, as far as the finished piece, does the black patina transfer to skin and/or clothing?

Any tips or good resources for a beginner?

Thanks so much!

Alice

is there a solder that is easier than easy solder?

Aspin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:22:38 GMT

There is hard solder and easy solder. But I am going to solder a thin sheet of gold onto sterling silver and easy solder seems more than enough strength. Anything easier?

Polishing/Buffing

Tinman — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:50:35 GMT

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Hello Artisans,

Here is my first novice question. It is in reference to my ½ horsepower bench top buffer with 6” wheels. Is it ok to buff/polish sterling silver, Argentium silver, fine silver, 14k and 18k gold all on the same polishing wheels? I look forward to hearing from you.

Firescale

SoulStoneDesigns — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:35:18 GMT

Is it possible to remove firescale from sterling silver by bead blasting / sand blasting?

Situation:
I'm working on a large project with many small pieces and my workflow is being seriously disrupted by firescale issues. Sanding through firescale and polishing each piece works but is so time consuming that it is driving the cost up beyond what my market will tolerate. I feel that eliminating the firescale is preferrable to raising the fine silver because of quality and durability (it's likely the fine silver will wear off on these necklaces). Anti-firescale flux has helped but has not solved the issue.

Basically, I am looking for a production method that quickly removes firescale on many pieces. Bead blasting would be great if it works, because it could possibly combine the finishing step as well. But, does it work? Are there any other possible methods?

Thanks!!

Achieving a matte finish on Silver

SoulStoneDesigns — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 21:14:37 GMT

Dear metalsmiths:

I have a project where I'm trying to a achieve that perfect, soft matte finish on silver. You know, that matte that glows on its own. (see bottom of post for example)

Does anyone have a recommended technique? Tumbling? Buffing? Flex-shaft? I'm currently using a mesh-brush attachment on the flex shaft, and the results are good, but not *quite* what I want.

The objects in question are small, round, hollow-formed silver beads never more than 1" in diameter, so easily can fit in a tumbler.

This is the type of finish I'm hoping to emulate:

Credits: “Spore Shaker” Heather Bayless Seoul, South Korea

Highlighting silver with gold

Tinman — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:19:42 GMT

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Hello Artisans,

Tumbler 101?

dressagewoman — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:26:49 GMT

Hellllp!

Can someone point me to a good website (or book) on the basics of using and maintaining a tumbler? I just ordered one and some stainless steel shot, and I want to know some basic stuff. I would ideally like to be able to use it with metal beads, chains including mixed metal chains, finished art clay pieces and polymer clay. I might tumble patinated pieces (liver of sulfer). I don't know if I need special cleaning procedures or seperate shot or ???. Surely there is a good primer somewhere?

I also have an inherited Dremel and some polishing wheels for it. Mostly I've polished stuff by hand thus far. I'm not doing "basic" metalsmithing. At least not yet. I'm working from wire, commerical beads, polymer clay and precious metal clay.