Metal for fusing links

Robyn Alexander · Post by **Robyn Alexander** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 12:12 pm

Dani wrote:
Peg wrote:
daffodildeb wrote:...I was rather surprised to hear about the dark spots from silver that you reported. I hadn't heard of that before. What type of silver are you using? Sterling (.925) or fine (.999)?
I use Sterling - I know 'fine' is better, but I understand it will still stain.
Even when the kiln shelf looks clean there can be contamination - some colours pick it up more than others. Generally the more expensive the glass and the bigger the piece and the longer it took to make - the worse it will be!
Getting silverstain from sterling or fine silver is a normal reaction... on the kiln shelf as a dark splotch (which then can transfer to glass in a subsequent firing) or as a yellow stain in cathedral glass. My question is, has anyone found a way to diminish/control it? Can you dip the silver in overspray to protect the glass from staining? I still presume that everyone is using these with opals where the stain is hidden.

Fine silver? Sterlng? Silver leaf or foil? Makes no difference. All can stain or haze transparents, though some colors of glass stain and others don't. I was told, and my experience confirms, that Bullseye's 1401 Crystal Clear should be used instead of their standard clear 1101. Something about lead or the lack thereof, but I'm not a chemist ... I just know it works for me.

kelly alge · Post by **kelly alge** » Mon Sep 01, 2003 12:30 pm

I've come to love many of the silver stain reactions in my jewelry pieces...
I use black as a base, then a black background for the top piece of a pendant, then a smaller piece of something that will react (red, orange, yellow, french vanilla, gold purple). Even though the reactive glass isn't touching the silver wire, it still reacts on the top edge, then fades to the regular glass color. I think it's cool. I especially love the khaki green color that I get with the gold purple- customers always ask me how I got the colors to fade...(ancient chinese secret

)

ruthpowers · Post by **ruthpowers** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 2:00 pm

I have been using fine silver 20 gauge wire for pendants and for earrings. I make jump rings or round circle wire rings by winding the wire around a screw driver shaft which is 1/4" diameter. When I glue it, it stays in place. When I tried a U-shape, it slid around more. I am trying to decide whether to switch to 18 gauge for more strength. The 20 ga may be a little too soft.

Kitty · Post by **Kitty** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 2:06 pm

i get the one pound spools of nichrome 22 gauge from
http://www.mcmaster.com
it fires dull gray, but polishes up to high-shine silver that matches sterling.

Sonje · Post by **Sonje** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:08 pm

Kitty,
Do you order the nickel chromium from McMaster-Carr?

Thanks, Sonje

Kitty · Post by **Kitty** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:36 pm

yes. 22 AWG Chromel, by ARCOR, McMaster-Carr item #8880K49, one pound spool, $41.18 plus postage.

ruthpowers · Post by **ruthpowers** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 11:46 am

Kitty, earlier you said you used the nichro wire only for earrings. What do you use for pendants?

Kitty · Post by **Kitty** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 2:12 pm

i use a welding rod coated in kilnwash to cast a channel in them, or i glue a sterling pendant bail on them.

Bea · Post by **Bea** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 8:56 am

Hi all

I have been trialling small pieces of glass with wire, mainly fine silver wire 1.0mm diameter.

I find that if you glue the silver wire on to the base piece first and then glue the top piece to the wire (after the wire is firmly attached to the bottom piece) and fuse, it stays firm in the piece.

I use a PVA glue which is sold in hardware shops (Aquadhere) which dries clear and so long as I do not put the pieces in to the kiln before it dries out it seems to work for me.

My problem is figuring out the measurements for the top and bottom pieces so that the clear bit sufficiently "flows" over the base bit.

Some of the pieces have too much clear and others (where I have not let the pieces dry out properly between gluing) have fused lopsided.

I have tried brass wire, copper wire, sterling silver and fine silver. I prefer fine silver as it remains silver and does not tarnish nor react too much with the glass. I use Moretti glass as that is the glass I use for my glass beads and so my rods and other glass 'accessories' for both lampworking and kiln work can be compatible.

I fuse on a base of fibre paper and so far have not had any stains on the paper nor has there been any apparent stain pick up on my glass pieces as I use the paper several times over and place my pieces randomly to suit the space on the shelf.

The problem I have with fine silver is that it is more difficult to harden than sterling silver but if the loops are short it is not a problem and for the earrings, I hammer and twist the wire to harden the wire as much as it can be hardened.

I am only a newbie to this but hope this helps...........

Bea