Tying pieces together to tumble
Hi Stacy-
I just started making my own silver filled ear wires, and I want to tumble them both to work-harden and to clean them before I oxidize them. Each pair of ear wires are made at the same time to match perfectly, so I have looped each pair together with a little copper wire so that the wires don't lose their mates. Would it be okay to tumble the ear wires while hooked together? Would the tumbling have the same effect? Thanks!
Emily
Stacy's Answer:
Hi Emily!
I think perhaps a jumpring through the eyepins of the ear wires would work. You could also tumble the earrings after the wires have been put on assuming that all the parts are OK in the tumbler. Whether the wires are attached in pairs or just singles, the results should be the same.
Make sure to test-tumble a piece of that wire to make sure that the thin layer of silver over the base metal (usually brass) does not come off. With better quality silver-fill, you should be OK. Have fun creating!
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