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Making Balled Ear Wires

by Oksana Truhan
This is a very fast and simple way to make your own elegant ear wires. You can use 19- or 20- gauge sterling silver wire. Both will be sufficiently strong ear wires. However, you'll find that sterling wire doesn't ball cleanly in the torch due to the copper in its composition. (There are no such problems with fine silver.) But there is a way to get smooth beautiful balls on the sterling silver. Just use powder of borax or flux.
Instructions
Bend the wire at right angles, immerse it into the borax or flux and heat with the butane torch. Be careful – silver melts very quickly.
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Using flux on Silver wire
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Using hand torch to ball wire
Now bend the wire to the shape of a hook and flatten it with a hammer at the curve to strengthen them.
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Using round nose to form wire
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Using round nose to form wire
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Using hammer for form and harden
If the hook is too thick for the ears, use the file to make it thinner and more comfortable.
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Using a file to smooth
Oksana Truhan's Making Balled Ear Wires - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Findings, Clasps, Components, Completed earring with ear wire

Materials

20 Gauge Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-20H
  • Lesson Quantity: 6.00 inches
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $4.08
  • Gold Club Price: $3.06
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Tools

Blazer GB4001 Stingray Torch, Blue
TRCH-4002
  • TRCH-4002
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $49.95
  • Gold Club Price: $37.46
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Aqui Flux, 1/2 Pint Spray Bottle
SOL-932.03
  • SOL-932.03
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $6.95
  • Gold Club Price: $5.21
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Cross Locking Tweezers with Groove for Wire
TWZ-738.00
  • TWZ-738.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $4.97
  • Gold Club Price: $3.73
Out of Stock
Round Nose Wire Pliers
G2-507
  • G2-507
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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Chasing Hammer with Wooden Handle, 1 1/8 Inch Face
G3-27
  • G3-27
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $13.95
  • Gold Club Price: $10.46
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Bench Block Helper with Steel and Nylon Blocks
DAP-500.30
  • DAP-500.30
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $29.95
  • Gold Club Price: $22.46
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Needle File Set Pack of 5
FIL-970.00
  • FIL-970.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $11.57
  • Gold Club Price: $8.68
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  • Category: Findings
  • Technique(s): Making Findings

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