Little Ideas

Whilst working on my Pollen Series earrings...

...I kept breaking sawblades when trying to cut the looped wire.

Being a jeweller means:

-:- Constantly finding solutions to problems,

-:- Committing the solutions to memory

(I should really use that leather-bound notebook for this)

-:- And jumping for joy when experimenting

and it all goes to plan

(and adding to your silver scraps box

when it all goes horribly wrong)

On this particular day...

(which was hot and sunny, then hot and rainy, then hot and sunny again)

...the problem aforementioned was solved once and for all.

You see, when sterling wire is wrapped in large loops on a mandrel,and especially when it is quite thin,it doesn't hold its shape very well when one decides to saw-pierce them into separate little circles.

Thus, sawblades are broken, other loops below the one being cut are gouged by the sawblade, and Mariann gets very upset.

So the solution was to hold the looped silver in place,

and hold it there with masking tape at opposite sides.

With the sterling silver loops held in place...

... saw-piercing them was a breeze!

I hope this helps you too!

What tips have you learned along the way?

- Mariann -

xoxo