Wire and Sheet Metal

Contents

Overview

Nancy LT Hamilton

Last updated: 4/6/24, 3/28/24, 3/16/19, 06/21/17

This page is incomplete.  I’ll be adding more content as time (and body) allows!

Note: Please let me know if you know of any additional US or International Metal Suppliers!

***Please see my spreadsheet on Annealing Temperatures of Common Jewelry Metals. It includes information on what color your metal should be when annealed, whether you should quench it, the melting points of metals, and other related information. Know your metal! The information covers metals from Aluminum to Tin. Annealing temperatures vary depending on the alloy.

 Wire and Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal and Wire are divided into two basic classifications:  Ferrous and Non-ferrous.  Ferrous is a metal or alloy that contains iron and is magnetic. Non-ferrous doesn’t contain iron and is NOT magnetic.  Simple really.  A (complete?) list of non-ferrous metals/alloys are Copper, Brass, Bronze, Aluminum, Silver, Gold, Zinc, Nickel, Lead, Mercury, Titanium, Magnesium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cadmium, Chromium, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Palladium, Platinum, Rhodium, Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten, Uranium, and Vanadium.  PHEW!

So, what metals do jewelers generally use?  (Another list, geez!)  Copper, Brass, Bronze, Aluminum, Silver, Gold, Tin, Platinum, Rhodium, Nickel, Zinc and Lead. Jewelers also use Ferrous metals like steel, iron, and stainless steel.
In the United States, the B&S (Brown and Sharpe) gauge is used. The British use the British Standard Wire Gauge, which is also known as the Imperial Wire Gauge or British Standard Gauge. Currently, the standard for measurement is BS (British Standard) 6722. Please see my B&S Gauge conversion chart: B&S Gauge in MM’s and Decimals. It lists gauge sizes in millimeters and decimal inches. A recommended corresponding drill bit size is also listed.

wire-gauge2

How to use the B&S Gauge:  Slide the metal or wire into the slots around the edge.  The first slot that the wire or sheet metal DOES NOT fit into is the gauge.  There are measurements on both sides.

Hallmarking

Ring & Things’: Sterling Silver: Defining Quality.

See Measuring Metal

Work Hardening and Annealing Silver and Base Metals (Copper, Brass, Bronze)

The majority of techniques that we, as jewelers, employ involve changing the shape of our metal via some form of force.  Using a dapping punch, hammer, or chasing and repousse tools are just a few examples of how we abuse our metal.  This process of altering the metal’s shape is called Deformation.  Deformation occurs when we hammer, bend, coil, cut, fold, etc. The application of stresses or a load will deform the metal. If the force is minimal, the metal may only change shape temporarily and then spring back to its original shape after the stress is removed.  This type of alteration is called Elastic Deformation. Conversely, if a stronger force is applied and the metal becomes permanently deformed, the metal will be said to have plastically deformed.

The process of deformation causes work hardening or a rearrangement of the metal’s grains (the small crystals that constitute solid metal).  Work hardening strengthens the metal, but this is not always what we want.  Often, we want our metal pliable so that we can alter its shape even more. Work hardening can also make our metal stiff and brittle.

To remedy the situation, annealing swoops into the rescue.  With its high heat, annealing causes the atoms in the metal’s crystalline structure to rapidly redistribute themselves, filling voids in the crystalline lattice’s structure as they go.  The heat of annealing and the subsequent cooling of the metal speed up the redistribution process.  If left to happen independently, it would take buckets of time.  The processes and rules governing them are way too complex for me to explain!  So, let’s briefly summarize the entire process – skipping all mention of chemistry!!!  Here goes:  Work hardening -is a process where the metal gets worked and becomes stiffer and stiffer.  Eventually, it can get so stiff that it cracks and fails.  Annealing – the stiff, brittle metal is heated up and then cooled, resulting in a piece with lovely, pliable metal grains.

You can anneal metal over and over again, so anneal away!

BTW, don’t quench hot brass or bronze!  It can cause cracking.

Don’t forget to check out my Annealing Temperatures and Melting Points and watch my Annealing Sheet Metal and Wire videos on YouTube.

If you are interested in the chemical processes involved in metallurgy, please check out these sources (for a start!).

Individual Metals

Aluminum

can

  • Aluminum is an element whose atomic symbol is Al, and its atomic number is 13. “…it is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust” (Wikipedia). Aluminum is a non-ferrous metal highly resistant to corrosion and considered a “reactive metal.”
  • To anneal Aluminum, coat it with bar soap. Heat with a torch until the soap turns black – or burns. The black crud just brushes off with a brass brush.  Don’t pickle in sodium bisulfate pickle.
  • After annealing, allow to air cool.
  • The melting point: 1220°F/660°C
  • This information from the Alzheimer’s Association: “…During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids, and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role of aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.”

Aluminum can be colored by, among other methods, alcohol inks (use a heat gun to set the colors and then seal with a sealer) and by a process called anodization. Here’s a YouTube video from Caswell on the process (using their kit).  Anodization is a rather toxic chemical process wherein the aluminum is anodized, in a process similar to rust, the anodized film grows from the aluminum and this film is then dyed. Sulfuric acid is used in this process (FYI – battery acid is composed of 30 – 50% sulfuric acid).

anodized-metalAnodized Aluminum – Image from HSU Studios.com

Personally, I like the malleability of aluminum. It’s great for cuff bracelets because it doesn’t seem to work harden like silver and springs back into shape. It’s easy to roller print and shape, and it’s easy to saw, too. Aluminum bracelet blanks make great supports for polymer clay bracelets.

Places to buy aluminum blanks:  

 One method to attach polymer clay to metal blanks:  Polymer Clay Etc.  Blanks can also be used to fire the clay on and then removed if desired.

Watch my video on making an aluminum (and other metals) cuff!  Check the video description for the link to part two!

Brass

See my separate page on Bronze.  A lot of this information and more is presented there.

      • Brass is generally yellower than bronze. NuGold (read on) is very close in color to 14k gold.
      • Brass differs from bronze in that copper is alloyed with zinc, while bronze is alloyed with tin.  The amounts of each metal affect the properties of the brass. That said, the lines between modern brass and bronze are often blurred.
      • Lead (up to 2%) can be added to increase malleability.  Therefore, the jeweler should know what type of brass they use.  Lead does not absorb through the skin, but there is a danger that someone, especially a child, will put it into their mouth.  See this article on Lead from Public Health for Seattle and King Counties, Washington State: Lead and its Human Effects.
      • Brass has excellent acoustical properties, which is why it is used for instruments.
      • Brass is more malleable than Bronze or Zinc but less malleable than silver or gold.
      • 90% of all brass alloys are recycled. *1 (see resources below for source)
      • Brass is considered a “base” metal.
      • Brass is fairly resistant to tarnish, so Liver of Sulfur doesn’t work very well on it.
      • Brass is a non-ferrous metal and is not magnetic.
      • The higher Brass’s copper (CU) content, the greater the malleability (softness).
      • Brass with a high zinc content is also less malleable. Brass with more than 30% zinc (ZN) is rarely used in jewelry making because it is very brittle and hard and tends to collapse if overheated.
      • Commercial Brass is a good choice for the jeweler, with a 90% copper to 10% zinc ratio.
        • Nu-Gold is another form of brass with a yellow color (aka: 230 alloy). It is sometimes 85 – 88% copper and 15 – 12% zinc, compared to standard brass (aka 260 alloy), which is 68-70% copper.
      • It is also known as red brass, Jeweler’s Brass, Merlin’s gold and jeweler’s bronze
      • Commercial Brass and Nu-Gold are good for chasing and repousse work and other constructions.
      • “Copper and brass are playing a leading role in the fight against hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile. It has been shown that these pathogens, which can be spread by touch, will die on copper/brass surfaces in a few hours. This does not happen on stainless steel or plastic.” *2 (see resources below for source).
    • Zinc fumes are toxic.  Don’t melt brass or bronze unless you have approved fume ventilation and know what your alloy is composed of.

Bronze

Please see my new page on Bronze.  I have recommendations as to what type of bronze to use for jewelers, charts, and some annealing working recommendations

  • Personally, I like the warmer color of bronze than the yellow of brass.
  • Bronze was the first metal humans alloyed. In 4,000 BC, It was alloyed with arsenic, but eventually, that recipe was abandoned.
  • Bronze is, at its most basic, an alloy of copper and tin. However, the alloy of these two metals produces brittle material. In the past, lead was added. The lead made the product easier to cast. Architectural bronze (57% copper, 3% lead, 40% zinc) contains lead, as do many historical bronzes. The exact alloys are usually unknown but were often alloyed with lead.
  • Adding tin to bronze increases the metal’s corrosion resistance and hardness.
  • Alloys of copper and tin that contain 78% or more copper are considered bronze.  But watch the terminology!  Many bronzes are not bronze but brass, like NuGold and Commercial bronze!

Copper

Copper is one of my favorite metals to work with.  If soft (annealed), it moves “like butta”!  It is inexpensive, has a higher melting point than silver, and takes patinas well.  It’s great for enameling, wirework, forming, chasing repousse, etc.  I think copper is undervalued culturally.  As a jeweler, it’s my favorite metal to work with.

That said, copper is super soft! Use thicker material than usual, as even work-hardened copper is still very flexible.  Copper is also a “dirty” metal.  Oxygen loves to react with it, building up tons of oxidation (i.e., dirt) when soldering.  It also oxidizes in the air readily, often creating unwanted darkening.  Colors achieved through heat-treating copper, while gorgeous, are usually temporary – sometimes lasting months – but they will eventually oxidize and lose their brilliance.  Sealers alter the colors, drowning out the more subtle color variances.

  •  Copper is a pure metal.  Its atomic number is 29, and its symbol is Cu.

Gold

Please see my webpage,  About Solder for information and links regarding gold solder.

Gold and silver have a 2 1/2 hardness rating on the Mohs scale. So, in their pure forms, they scratch, dent, and mar at the same level.

A good but expensive book on gold (over $200.00 US): Gold: Science and Applications, edited by Christopher Corti and Richard Holliday, is available at CRC Press and Amazon.  You can read excerpts of the book at Google Books.

Mokume´Gane

Niobium

Shakudo

Shibuichi

Silver – Covering Argentium, Britannia, Fine, German, Nickel, Sterling and Thai and Other Types

  • Humans have been using silver since around 3000 B.C., a little before I was born.
  • Both silver and gold are 2 1/2 on the Mohs scale in their pure, non-alloyed forms.
  • Silver is considered a precious metal. Its chemical symbol is Ag, and its atomic number is 47, for those who need to know. By the way, the AG is taken from the Latin word for silver: Argentum.
  • Silver has some pretty impressive credentials: It has the highest electrical and heat conductivity of any element.

Tarnish and Silver

All types of silver tarnish, as do other metals. Some, more so than others. Argentium Silver tarnishes the slowest, then fine silver and, lastly, sterling silver. Tarnish is a discoloring of the metal caused by the interaction of various agents.  I found this great explanation of tarnishing at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  The article is from the V&A Conservation Journal, January 1996, Issue 18. Titled: Tarnishing of Silver, A Short Review by Masamitsu Inaba.**** (see resources below for source)
In a nutshell, or 1/2 a grapefruit, if you wish (silly sayings), this is what it says:  Tarnishing starts when a thin film of water covers the piece (tarnishing does not occur in a dry environment). In the second stage, oxygen comes in and starts consuming electrons through some sort of electrical process (PLEASE, please, don’t ask me to explain this!   I don’t understand it at all!).  Hydrogen sulfide and organic sulfides speed up the formation of tarnish.  The tarnish itself is a chemical called silver sulfide.  Other agents involved in messing up our silver are nitrogen and chlorine (ever taken a hot tub with silver jewelry on?), sodium chloride (salt from our sweat), and UV radiation (light).
Ways to protect your silver jewelry from tarnish are varied but usually involve storing them either in anti-tarnish bags or placing an anti-tarnish material in the bag or box with the jewelry, like anti-Tarnish strips.  The world is a dangerous place for your silver! The Victoria and Albert Museum uses these products to protect their silver – although how effective they are on jewelry is not discussed:
“Depending on the degree of corrosion, silver objects at the V&A are cleaned using a combination of:

    • Goddard’s Hotel Silver Dip TM, Johnson Wax (a proprietary mix of minerals, acids, surfactants, sanitizers, and organic complexing agent);

Lacquers can be applied to silver to prevent tarnish from forming, but they tend to wear with use and then need to be reapplied. See my page on Finishing Jewelry for information on polishing cloths and other polishing methods.
See this video by Ronda Coryell on removing tarnish on Argentium  Tarnish Removal for Argentium Silver on the Jewelrystudiesinternational.com site.
More information can be found in this article from Hoover and Strong’s site. Why Jewelry Sometimes Blackens the Skin, by D.E. Gardam and Dr. Alexander A. Fisher.

I just read that spraying a little Windex on a piece of yellowed Argentium and wiping it off will clean it up quickly. For her observations on argentium tarnish, see Nancy Howland’s thread at Ganoksin.

Argentium Silver

Germanium

Argentium Silver is a new alloy created and patented by  Peter Johnson in 1996. This article from Middlesex University London – Art and Design Research division tells the story of Argentium.  Believe it or not, it is an interesting tale!   Argentium is composed of 92.5% to 96%Fine Silver plus trace amounts of the metals Germanium and Copper.  The addition of Germanium (.5 to 3%) altered the Sterling Silver mix of 92.5% Silver and 7.5% copper and created a new alloy that is VERY resistant to tarnish and is Firescale (or Firestain) free.  The Germanium in Argentium (say that ten times fast!) produces an oxide-resistant layer when heated – protecting the silver from firescale.
Germanium (Symbol: GE, atomic number 32 – you needed to know this, right?) is obtained by smelting Zinc ores combined with the byproducts of burning particular coals. It was discovered in 1886 by Clemens Winkler, a German chemist.  Germanium has the same crystal structure as Diamond and is very brittle. Today, Germanium is utilized primarily by the semiconductor industry, but it is also employed in the production of night vision products, fiber optics, and many other industries.

Per Jewelry Studies International: use Windex to remove tarnish from Argentium.  Scroll to the end of the post to find the entry. Post dated:  January 30, 2012.

You SHOULD read these PDFs by Cynthia Eid BEFORE working with Argentium.  I learned a lot!  

If you want more information on Argentium, please visit the sites below:

    • Ronda Coryell’s many videos on Argentium, including how it’s made

Comparison of the colors of Argentium and Sterling Silver (on the right). Image from ArtFire’s Argentium Tips for New Users by Marty Anderson.

Annealing and Soldering with Argentium 

    • Traditional sterling has a solidus melting temperature of 1475°F (802°C) and a liquidus flow point of 1650°F (899°C).
    • The solidus melting point of Argentium® Silver is 1410°F (766°C); the liquidus flow point is 1610°F (877°C).
    • Please Note: Solidus is the temperature at which a metal starts to melt; Liquidus is the temperature at which it is fully melted.)” ** (see resources below for source)
    • Use lower temperature solders, such as medium, easy, and extra-easy, or purchase Argentium solders. Since Argentium doesn’t conduct heat in the same way that silver or sterling do, the use of different solder types is less important.
    • Recommended pickling solutions: Sodium Bisulphate, Weak Sparex, Phosphoric Acid, Sulphuric Acid.
    • As the Argentium will hold heat longer, waiting until all redness leaves the metal before quenching is important.
    • From the Argentium help desk: “The germanium content in Argentium changes the visual color of the alloy when it is red hot… i.e., Argentium silver glows a paler red color than traditional sterling silver when it is at annealing and soldering temperatures.”
    • Oxides from soldering or annealing copper, brass, sterling, etc., can stain Argentium.  Dedicate soldering blocks/charcoal to Argentium only.
    • Argentium is very fragile when it is red hot.  Flat sheet metal will sag unless supported.

Other Notes on Argentium

  • Argentium © silver is manufactured using only recycled silver from the refining process. (from Rhonda Coryell’s video: How Argentium is Manufactured).
  • Argentium is great for fusing.
  • Please read this thread at Ganoksin by Nancy M. Howland on a tarnish comparison for Argentium silver. Very interesting.
  • In this thread at Ganoksin, Cynthia Eid writes of her method for fusing Argentium.

There are a few other types of tarnish-resistant silver.  Sterilite, Sterlium, and TruSilver are new to the metals market.  Please see the individual listings for these metals.

Britannia Silver

Britannia silver is 95.84% silver, with the rest generally copper. This type of silver became the standard for silver objects in England. An act of Parliament decreed in 1697 that it should replace sterling silver as the standard. Sterling silver was re-approved in 1720 for metalsmithing. The hallmark is 958, as set by January 1, 1999, hallmarking changes in England. 

Cookson Gold has an online Technical Information Booklet (pdf).  Pg. 7, top right corner, talks about the difference between sterling and Britannia.  Because of the higher silver content, Britannia is easier to work with and less prone to firescale/stain. These factors make it a good choice for enameling, spinning, and other techniques.

I’m looking for US suppliers of this alloy.

Another source of information on Britannia Silver is at Britannica.com.

Continuum

Continuum is a silver alloy developed by Stuller.  It is oxidation and tarnish-resistant, and its working properties are between 14k gold and sterling silver.  That means that it is stronger than sterling.  It is used for casting, used with dies, and production. It can be spot soldered, like gold, and because it is stronger than sterling, it is great for areas that need extra strength, like bracelet clasps. It fuses well.

For further research

Updated: 2/10/17

Fine Silver

Silver Ore from Ontario, Canada.  Image borrowed from RockHorseMinerals.com.

    • Fine silver is the pure state of silver.  There are no other elements combined with it.  It is very malleable and soft compared to sterling silver. It is great for chasing and repousse´ because of its malleable nature.
    • Fine silver’s hallmark is 999.
    • The melting point of silver is 1763.474°F/961.93°C.  If you want to watch silver boil, you need to bring its temperature up to 4013.6°F/2212°C – but, why would you?  Think about it!
    • The next time you are bored, take an ounce of silver and see how far you can stretch it out.  If you end up with a wire 8000′ long, then you’ve reached the limit of its ductility and are officially crazy (and need something to do).
    • Silver is harder than Gold.  What does hardness mean?  To explain it, I asked Wikipedia to help (and they came through!): “The hardness of a material is directly related to its incompressibility, elasticity, and resistance to change in shape.”  Basically, that’s what the scratching demonstrates.  So, in this case, fine silver (2 1/2 on the Moh’s scale) can scratch 24k gold (also 2 1/2 on the Moh’s test BUT not on the Vickers Hardness Test.), but 24k gold doesn’t scratch fine silver.  Sort of a competition about who’s the toughest – which would be Senora Diamond with a Moh’s Scale of Mineral Hardness rating of  >10, BTW!
    • Silver is not considered toxic, but its salts are.
    • Silver is antibacterial. Small amounts of silver cause bacteria’s cell walls to break down. However, it is not a replacement for antibiotics! Oh, you knew that. Sorry.
    • There are 20 billion ounces of silver above ground compared to 9.2 billion ounces of gold.
    • Two hundred million years after the earth’s formation, it was bombarded by meteorites. These meteorites deposited all of our accessible precious metals in the earth’s mantle. But wait, there are more precious metals to be found on earth!  During the earth’s formation, molten iron sank to its core, dragging tons of precious metals with it. According to Science News, there are enough precious metals in the earth’s core to cover it in a thirteen-foot-deep layer!  Pretty!

German Silver/Nickel Silver

    • Nickel silver is used as a base for plated silverware, zippers, keys, costume jewelry, and other items.
    • When working with Nickel silver, anneal often as it tends to get hard fast.
    • Its working properties are similar to brass.
    • Many people have allergic skin reactions to Nickel.  Pieces should be clearly marked as containing nickel.
    • Also known as Alpaca, Alpacca

Susan Lenart Kazmer of ObjectsandElements.com discusses using nickel silver in her blog, Using Nickel Silver…a Frugal Alternative to Sterling.

Sterilite

Made by Allura Metals Inc.  This is a tarnish-resistant silver. The patent was applied for in February 2004. Sterilite is a silver-colored, tarnish-resistant, corrosion-resistant alloy. The alloy is composed of 92.5-95% silver combined with a master alloy of 24-34% zinc, 60-74% copper, 0.5-1.8% silicon, 0.0-8.0% tin, or 0.0-1.5% indium.

For further research:

Updated: 2/10/17

Sterling Silver

    • Sterling silver is an alloy of silver and, generally,  copper.  The standard percentage of silver is 92.5%, with copper comprising the remaining 7.5%. Its hallmark stamp is 925. Other acceptable marks are sterling, .925, ster, and sterling silver.
    • Copper adds a great deal of strength to silver.  Making it considerably stronger than silver alone.
    • Sterling tarnishes more quickly than fine silver.
    • Solidus or melting point is 1434°F/779° C – note:  since sterling is an alloy, the interactions between the metals can alter the temperatures at which they melt or flow.  So, there is not one specific temperature. See this response at MadSci Network,  Why Melting Temp of Sterling Silver is Given as Range & Not Exact? by Joseph Weeks, for a better explanation.
  • Liquidus or flow point is 1655°F/902°C (has a range of temps.; see link at Solidus).

Sterlium

Made by United Precious Metal Refining, Inc., Sterlium is a relatively new silver alloy. It is tarnish-resistant and, like Argentium, contains germanium. It is fire scale-free (according to Stuller’s Data Sheet). According to Jewelry Studies Intl., Argentium and Sterlium are more oxidation-resistant than Continuum. They also noted that, unlike Argentium and Continuum, Sterlium does not fuse well. The metal is yellower than Argentium but whiter than Continuum. (See images at Jewelry Studies International.)

For Further Research

Updated 2/10/17

Thai Silver/Bali Silver

    • Silver worked in Thailand or Bali

Stainless Steel

Removing Dross from Stainless Steel After Laser Cutting, a video by Glen Jones.

Steel

Titanium

Resources used in research

Metal Suppliers – Sheet Metal and Wire

  • Rio Grande – ­ Silver, Sterling, Argentium, Gold, Platinum, Copper, Brass, Gold Filled (New Mexico, USA)
  •  Metalliferous –  ­ Silver, Copper, Brass, Bronze, Nickel Silver, Niobium, Titanium, Stainless Steel, Rich Low Brass, Iron and Steel (New York, USA)
  • Reactive Metals Studio – ­ Niobium, Titanium, Mokume Gane, Shakudo, bi­metals, reticulated metal. (Arizona, USA)
  • Otto Frei ­- Silver, Copper, Nickel, Nu­gold, Brass, Bronze, Gold (California, USA)
  • Contenti ­- Brass, Nu­gold, Nickel, Pewter only (Rhode Island, USA)
  • Santa Fe Jeweler’s Supply – Sterling, 14K Gold, Red Brass, Nickel, Copper, Tin Alloy, Yellow Brass (New Mexico, USA)
  • Stuller –  Gold, Platinum, Silver  (Louisiana, USA)
  • Hoover and Strong ­- all karat golds, Sterling Silver, Fine Silver, Argentium Sterling Silver, 900 Plat/Iridium, and 950 Plat/Ruthenium (wholesale only) (Virginia, USA) 
  • FDJ Tools ­- 14k Gold, Brass, Copper, Nickel Silver, Sterling (Florida, USA)
  • C.C. Silver & Gold Inc. – Gold, Silver and Platinum (Arizona, USA)
  • David H. Fell & Company – Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, Iridium, alloys (California, USA)
  • Halstead – Copper, Silver, Brass, Gold Filled – Wholesale (Arizona, USA)
  • United Precious Metals Refining – Alloys, Casting Grains, Tubing Sheet Metal, Refining, Solder, Bullion.

Recyclers – Sonoma County

  • Bataeff Salvage – Metal recyclers and sellers of “distressed merchandise” in Santa Rosa, CA.  Located at 244 Mountain View Ave., Santa Rosa, CA.   Mountain View is across from Friedman Brothers on Santa Rosa Avenue.  Phone:  707- 584-8401.  Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8:30 – 5:30.  Closed Sunday.
  • Sonoma County Waste Management Agency.  Central dump location and Recycle Town:  500 Mecham Road, Petaluma, CA.  Phone:  (707) 795-3660.  Hours:  Monday – Saturday, 7 – 2:30.

European/Australian/Non-USA Metal Suppliers

UK

Australia

Canada

Other

2 thoughts on “Wire and Sheet Metal”

  1. Meg Branzetti

    Nancy: Love your videos. Have started using 16 gauge steel wire for making my jewelry but am having trouble finding it in local stores. Is there any online sites that you can recommened

    Thanks Meg

  2. Jan Ebling

    Hi Nancy,
    I’ve just started working with red brass, copper and aluminum. Presently, using a disc cutter and dapping set to dome my components (no torching yet…I just bought a Blazer, but still need solder, etc. and all of the safety stuff so I won’t burn down the house!).

    I’m having trouble with the brass and copper almost immediately tarnishing. I polish everything in my tumbler with stainless steel shot, then apply 2-3 coats of Renaissance Wax. This just doesn’t seem to be doing the trick to prohibit tarnishing. I’ve also tried dipping the metal in Finish Seal Lacquer (#335-123) that I purchased from Rio Grande (I didn’t like the results of this either, because if the lacquer doesn’t stick to the entire surface, tarnish will appear in those spots. My question: do you have any suggestions as to what to use to protect the metal? I’m curious to hear…Thanks!!

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