Hello, why don't you make your own tubing. It is easy.....Vivek Das

Hmm, I didn't think of that.  I would make a tube and draw it down, but what about fusing the seam?  Maybe I don't need to fuse the seam, since I am going to fuse it onto the silver, the seam would probably fuse at that time...  I don't have a draw-horse, but I might be able to find one.  With short lengths, can I draw it by hand?

Thanks for the idea. I will try it.

Lillian

As you are using fine silver, it is very soft and you won't need a draw-horse. If you have a small bench vise just fix the draw plate in it and draw the the tube. The unique way you fuse silver seam also will get fused, I believe..... Vivek Das

Hi

You can draw wire and then use rolling mill and make bezel strip for settings.Try more variations of dimensions and find the best for you.Also the IT solder for enameling and Flouren(not sure if it have same name in USA)or borax work well for soldering the seam.Use reverse action tweezers to hold the strip in air not on soldering block(prevent melting).

Good luck

Rudolf

I solder fine silver bezel always with 925/1000er (sterling silver). Sterling Silver has a melting point of about 850 degrees Celsius. The advantage is that the seam don't open so easy, with later soldering. How Rudolf describes, I too solder bezel "in air". With two magnetic tweezers, (Otto Frey, Part No. 154 090) the two ends of the silver-band are  securely and accurate fixed. I heat up the seam from below. This guarantees a very clean, nearly invisible exterior seam.

Edmund

Thanks for the picture!  I've done rings like this, but never bezels.  And obviously I will get some magnetic tweezer holder, how have I lived for so long without them...

Edmund but you need put the seam to H2SO4? because the sterling will oxidize later?

Sulfuric acid?  Is that the same as pickle, or sodium bisulfate?  We use for removing flux?

here are some pics for you.........

Hello Rudolf,
Sterling Silver do not more oxidize than any silver solder. If you solder the bezel so as I do, the seam is so small, that one, after polishing,  nearly can't see it.
I never use sulfuric acid as a pickle. I use a solution of 10 gram Alum-salt (KAl(SO4)2·12 H2O)  in 100 ml water. If I use this pickle, I warm it up to about 50 degree Celsius. This solution is more harmeless than all acid-solutions. Alum you get mostly in drugstores or pharmacy.

Hallo Lilian,
No it is not the same. Sulfuric acid is a very dangerous acid, and should never used in the hobby-workshop. Sodium bisulfate and also Alum-salt are  salts of the sulfuric acid. Both are much more harmless  for the skin and the respiratory tract than the acids. Nevertheless you should handle it carefully.

Edmund

I have experience with acid-solutions,is it safe but you need to be careful.Many jewellers put hot seam in acid and breathe the dangerous fumes.For silver you can use pure alcohol is it more safe.On problematic areas you can use sulfuric acid,but you need wait until the object(solder) is cold,then put it in acid and wait cca 15 minutes.

You always need good ventilation and all the safety stuff.

R.

Hello Rudolf,
for the professional Goldsmith it is o. k. using  dangerous chemicals in his workshop. But here in the forum are many hobby jewelery maker and realy newbies. And we should be here in the forum be very careful, if we using of chemicals recommend.

I'm a chemical engineer and in my profession I've seen some stupid accidents. We have a saying in Germany. Translated it says  roughly speaking: "You never can think so stupid, as it comes".

Even the dilution of sulfuric acid and some other acids is already dangerous. If one make a mistake here, the acid becomes  so hot that it boils and splashes. This can lead to a really unpleasant accident involving personal injury.
But also diluted to 10%, sulfuric acid is still dangerous. Splashes on the skin can lead to painful chemical burn. And a splash in the eye can lead to loss of the eye.
As before, I strongly advise not to use any acids in the hobby workshop, if you have no experience with acids,
Working with  alum and other salts makes pickling slower but safer. And time is in the hobby workshop not realy a important factor.
Edmund

Yes you are right.I do not recommend to use acids.Few of my friends are also chemical engineers and they told me lots of scary stories about injuries.In fact I don´t really like soldering and I try avoid this when is it possible.Thank you Edmund for your explanation how to make raised edge frame,really helpful for meI will ask my friends to find the chemicals you mentioned above.

Thank you

R.

Hi All,

I want to try and add little brilliants to my enamels, and thought maybe I could try fine silver tubing for the settings.  Rio has some sizes, but I was wondering if anyone has another source?  Thanks,

Lillian Jones

NC