I am going to make this a new feature on the fee based "Jewelry Classes"
list. If you do not know what that is email me or visit my site. I am
going to call it "Don's Crazy Money Making Schemes", ideas that I have
or will try that have made me money! Some a lot, some a little, but
always involving some FUN!
I have put up a small on line class about how to do broom
casting. Actually I used pine needles. I live in Estes Park, Colorado,
and we have a lot of old dry pine needles laying every where. I am going
to try a little business adventure this summer. If you live in a tourist
area, you may want to do the same, or at least contact me and I will let
you know if it make me a millionaire! The reason I like it, is because
it will not cost me much to see if I will work. Or may be I better just
marry one! I will spell out this crazy money making scheme below.
You can find the free "Broom Casting On Line Class at:
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/dec99tip.html
Let me know what you think, especially about the 2x4 crucible to melt
your silver in! It makes a great crucible for melting silver and ever
gold for steam casting, bean casting, straw casting, tufa stone casting,
sand casting, and probably any kind of simple casting such as those.
Rocky Mountain Pine Needle Casting Company!
Here is my idea, if you think it will work for you, steal the idea, make
a lot of money, and then help some one else. If it doesn't make a lot of
money, don't tell any one it was my idea! I believe it will work because
tourist are always looking for something to do with their families that
is inexpensive, something to do different, and takes up that last one
hour of day, before the kids want to go to the motel.
Basically I am going to put some cheap, and free when it is available,
i.e., cards at restaurants that we eat at, flyers in motels, for some
examples. The advertising will invite tourists to a location where they
can make their own Sterling Silver Pendent as a keep sake of their visit
to the Rocky Mountains. A Rocky Mountain Pine Needle Casting! I have
several campgrounds that I will also contact to see if I can show up
each night, or once a week, to come in and entertain some of the
campers. Flyers will be complete with the pine needles blazing away as
the silver is cast.
Each tourist can melt their own silver, cast their own pine needle
casting, and look through the needles to discover their very own,
personally cast keepsake! I am going to charge $30.00 for the experience
and the pendant up to 10 grams. $30.00 for tourist is like a trip to the
arcade, or go cart track.
I will let them pour one once, pick out one of the pieces and solder on
a ring, oxidize it, throw it in the tumbler, sell them some of my other
jewelry, take it out of the tumbler, put a chain on it, and they will be
very pleased! A nice experience and an unusual piece of jewelry for a
keepsake of Colorado. Of course yours could be of Alabama, or Tennessee,
or Wisconsin, or you get the idea.
Here is the simple profit breakdown.
$30.00 Cost per each caster
- 2.00 Silver for the 10 grams ($6.00 an ounce)
- 1.00 Chain
- 1.00 Box (I will thrown in a "nice" velvet pendant box.)
- 1.00 Misc.
=25.00 profit.
I truly believe it will not be hard to find 10 tourist per night, more
if I want to but 10 would take me about an hour or so, and thats
enough. Four nights a week would be $1,000.00 a week extra cash. AND, a
lot of fun!
More profit can be made selling them the other pieces made in to
pendants. I will price them by the gram. Some thing as "cheap" as $1.00
a gram if you get the idea!
Any way that's my crazy money making, jewelry crafting, while having fun
idea for this month! I will let you know if it works. Or if your in a
tourist area, try it, and let us know if it worked for you. There is
plenty of pine needles to go around! (Now if you live in Estes Park, we
may want to talk.)
Have fun Silversmithing!
Don
How to Make Simple Earrings for pierced ears, put on Ear Post
These simple, fast, and profitable earrings can be sold through gift shops, beauty shops, and all the places and ways discussed in the regular every two week class on this list: Jewelry Sales.
Photos can be found at:
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ecstatic.html for the Earrings
Silver Needed
Estimated Cost $1.50 per pair.
2 inches of 10 gauge round or square wire for the earrings.
Cost about
$1.00
1 inch of 20 gauge round wire for ear posts. Cost about
Cost about
$00.05
or
2 Sterling Silver ear posts. (I like the posts that have
multiple ridges
in them so that then nut can be adjusted to many
different positions. (Rio Grande #639-928) Cost about $00.16
2 Sterling Silver Ear Nuts that match the ear posts.
(634-818) Cost
about $00.30
2 small pieces of hard solder. Cost about $00.01
Of courser you will need flux, pickle, white diamond and zam
polishing
compound.
Tools Needed
Torch
Charcoal Block or other soldering surface
Pickle bowl
tweezers
8 inch file
copper tongs
Dremel Tool, Flex Shaft, or Large Buffer
Supplies Needed
Flux
Pickle
White Diamond polishing compound
Zam polishing compound
Step 1
Make the earrings.
Before cutting any wire off a roll or large piece, file the
end off so
that it is straight and square.
Photos 1 and 2
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings1.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings2.jpg
Step 2
Cut off a one inch piece and file the end of the wire again.
Photo 3
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings3.jpg
Step 3
Using the first piece that you cut off as a ruler, cut the
second piece
off for the other earring.
Photo 4
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings4.jpg
Step 4
File the cut off ends square.
Photo 5
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings5.jpg
Step 5
Bend the earrings into a nice free form shape.
Grip the wire about 1/4 inch from one end. Notice that I am
using the
flat jawed chain nose pliers. Not the round nose
pliers.
I know this seems unusual! It seems like any time you are
making a
curved bend that the round nose pliers would be
the one to pick up!
I never use the round nose pliers unless I am making a small
circle
exactly the diameter of the jaws of the round nose
pliers. I do this because the round nose pliers in made to
make small
circles the same size as the jaws, not for making
large circles or curves. The flat jaws are better for making
larger
curves and circles.
The reason is that the round nose jaw, of course, is round.
When
gripping a wire the only portion of the jaw that
comes in contact with the silver is a small portion of that
round curved
surface. Combine this the fact that it is only
touching a very small portion of the wire, both in length and
on it's
curved surface, and it will cause a dent in the
wire. A dent or nick that you will have to file or polish
off. Also,
because of this small contact area, you have a
tendency to squeeze down tighter to hold the wire securely,
thus
pinching a deeper, large nick or dent into the wire.
By using the flat smooth jaws of the chain nose pliers, you
will have
more surface area of the jaws contacting the
wire. This will allow you to hold the wire securely with out
nicking or
denting the wire. Please try it on some scrap
wire, I believe you will agree with me. You will come up with
nicer
curves and no nicks or dents to polish off.
Photo 6
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings6.jpg
Step 6
Make a large simple curve in the wire.
Photo 7
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings7.jpg
Step 7
Regrip the wire just past this first curve.
Photo 8
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings8.jpg
Step 8
Make another curve in the opposite direction as the first.
BUT, be
careful to keep the wire straight in the same plane.
Photo 9
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings9.jpg
Step 9
Regrip the wire just past this second curve.
Photo 10
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings10.jpg
Step 10
Make another curve in the opposite direction as the second
curve and the
same as the first curve. BUT, be careful to
keep the wire straight in the same plane.
Photo 11
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings11.jpg
Step 11
Regrip the wire just past this third curve.
Photo 12
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings12.jpg
Step 12
Make another curve in the opposite direction as the second
curve and the
same as the first curve. BUT, be careful to
keep the wire straight in the same plane.
Photo 13
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings13.jpg
Step 13
Bend the second wire the same way and compare the two so that
they will
match. Rebend as necessary.
Photo 14
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings14.jpg
Soldering on Earring Posts
If I am going to solder on earring posts, and have several to
do, I like
to solder them all at once. In this case I have
some sterling silver fossils, that I have molded from the
actual
fossils.
Photo 15
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings15.jpg
Step 14
Lay the earrings down on your charcoal block, face down, with
the backs
up. Remember to keep them as
opposites, facing in different directions so that they
will make a
matched pair. Place them on the charcoal block so
that you will have room to also place the posts.
Photo 16
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings16.jpg
Place your other pair of earrings on the block and then place
two sets
of earring posts on. Also, place four pieces of
hard silver solder on the charcoal block.
Photo 17
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings17.jpg
Note: I only use hard solder to solder on earring posts. The
reason is
the same as I have always taught about hard
solder. It is as close to sterling silver as you can get and
still be
solder. It has less junk metal in that will help
element the possibility of an allergic reaction of the
wearer. It always
amazes me that silversmiths will use sterling
silver or surgical steel posts to make them less allergic,
then use
easy solder, or even worse, soft solders to attach
them. The ear comes in contact with this solder and becomes
irritated
then infected. Do your customer a favor and
use hard solder.
Step 16
After fluxing every thing good. Pick up on of the earring
posts with
your tweezers. Pick them up at about 1/8 on an
inch from the end of the post opposite the solder end.
Photo 18
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings18.jpg
Step 17
This step is a small step, but very important! As you pick up
the post,
take it over to the edge of your charcoal block,
and straighten it in your tweezers so that you can hold it
straight up
and down easily. Just use the side of the block to
gently push the post so that the post can be held 90 degree
angle to
your earrings.
Photo 19
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings19.jpg
Step 18
Place the post end on top of one of the pieces of solder and
melt the
solder on to it. Do not over heat the post by
pointing the torch more at the solder than the post. Just let
the solder
melt around the post, it does not have to flow
on to the post. At this step you really just want the solder
to be
attached to the post and not really soldered on to it.
Photos 20, 21, and 22
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings20.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings21.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings22.jpg
Step 19
On a large long earring place the post on the earring and
begin heating
the earring as far away from the post as you
can. In this as the opposite end of the wire.
Photo 23
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings23.jpg
Step 20
As the flux puddles up in to the brown syrupy puddles, point
your torch
to the solder joint between the earring and
the post. As soon as the solder flows off the post on to the
earring
wire, take the torch off immediately.
Photo 24
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings24.jpg
If you are soldering on a post on to a large or heavy
earring, then a
little more care must be taken so that you do not
anneal the post unnecessarily. To do this follow these steps.
a. Pick up the post and the solder. Straighten on the side of
the
charcoal block as before.
Photo 25
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings25.jpg
b. Do not place the post on to the earring. Instead hold it
above the
earring about 1/4 inch. Begin heating the earring.
By holding the post over the earring, but not touching it you
will be
preheating the post, but not annealing it.
Photo 26
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings26.jpg
c. When the flux puddles and turns brown, place the post on
to the
earring. Then point the torch at the solder joint
between the post and the earring. The solder will quickly
flow. As soon
as it flows down off the post, get the torch
off of the piece. Hold it for a second or two to allow the
heavy
casting to cool and the solder to freeze.
Step 21
Place your earrings in pickle for 15 minutes to two years,
take out and
rinse, and polish them as we discussed in many
of the past lessons.
These wire earrings can easily be sold at retail for about
$15.00 per
pair, or close 1000% mark up. Not bad! In other
words: they cost about $1.50 to make. A 100% mark up would be
$3.00. Any
way very profitable.
Wholesale price could be even $5.00 and you will make money.
I could
easy make 50 to 100 pairs of these in 8 to 10
hours. If I tumble polish them I can easily finish 100 pair
in one day.
By bending they a little different, I can even have
several different styles. Some times I had a 3 or 4 mm snap
tight prong
setting on the ends of the wires and then
increase the selling price and profits.
Place your other pair of earrings on the block and then place
two sets
of earring posts on. Also, place four pieces of
hard silver solder on the charcoal block.
Photo 17
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings17.jpg
Note: I only use hard solder to solder on earring posts. The
reason is
the same as I have always taught about hard
solder. It is as close to sterling silver as you can get and
still be
solder. It has less junk metal in that will help
element the possibility of an allergic reaction of the
wearer. It always
amazes me that silversmiths will use sterling
silver or surgical steel posts to make them less allergic,
then use
easy solder, or even worse, soft solders to attach
them. The ear comes in contact with this solder and becomes
irritated
then infected. Do your customer a favor and
use hard solder.
Step 16
After fluxing every thing good. Pick up on of the earring
posts with
your tweezers. Pick them up at about 1/8 on an
inch from the end of the post opposite the solder end.
Photo 18
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings18.jpg
Step 17
This step is a small step, but very important! As you pick up
the post,
take it over to the edge of your charcoal block,
and straighten it in your tweezers so that you can hold it
straight up
and down easily. Just use the side of the block to
gently push the post so that the post can be held 90 degree
angle to
your earrings.
Photo 19
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings19.jpg
Step 18
Place the post end on top of one of the pieces of solder and
melt the
solder on to it. Do not over heat the post by
pointing the torch more at the solder than the post. Just let
the solder
melt around the post, it does not have to flow
on to the post. At this step you really just want the solder
to be
attached to the post and not really soldered on to it.
Photos 20, 21, and 22
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings20.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings21.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings22.jpg
Step 19
On a large long earring place the post on the earring and
begin heating
the earring as far away from the post as you
can. In this as the opposite end of the wire.
Photo 23
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings23.jpg
Step 20
As the flux puddles up in to the brown syrupy puddles, point
your torch
to the solder joint between the earring and
the post. As soon as the solder flows off the post on to the
earring
wire, take the torch off immediately.
Photo 24
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings24.jpg
If you are soldering on a post on to a large or heavy
earring, then a
little more care must be taken so that you do not
anneal the post unnecessarily. To do this follow these steps.
a. Pick up the post and the solder. Straighten on the side of
the
charcoal block as before.
Photo 25
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings25.jpg
b. Do not place the post on to the earring. Instead hold it
above the
earring about 1/4 inch. Begin heating the earring.
By holding the post over the earring, but not touching it you
will be
preheating the post, but not annealing it.
Photo 26
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings26.jpg
c. When the flux puddles and turns brown, place the post on
to the
earring. Then point the torch at the solder joint
between the post and the earring. The solder will quickly
flow. As soon
as it flows down off the post, get the torch
off of the piece. Hold it for a second or two to allow the
heavy
casting to cool and the solder to freeze.
Step 21
Place your earrings in pickle for 15 minutes to two years,
take out and
rinse, and polish them as we discussed in many
of the past lessons.
These wire earrings can easily be sold at retail for about
$15.00 per
pair, or close 1000% mark up. Not bad! In other
words: they cost about $1.50 to make. A 100% mark up would be
$3.00. Any
way very profitable.
Wholesale price could be even $5.00 and you will make money.
I could
easy make 50 to 100 pairs of these in 8 to 10
hours. If I tumble polish them I can easily finish 100 pair
in one day.
By bending they a little different, I can even have
several different styles. Some times I had a 3 or 4 mm snap
tight prong
setting on the ends of the wires and then
increase the selling price and profits.
Place your other pair of earrings on the block and then place
two sets
of earring posts on. Also, place four pieces of
hard silver solder on the charcoal block.
Photo 17
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings17.jpg
Note: I only use hard solder to solder on earring posts. The
reason is
the same as I have always taught about hard
solder. It is as close to sterling silver as you can get and
still be
solder. It has less junk metal in that will help
element the possibility of an allergic reaction of the
wearer. It always
amazes me that silversmiths will use sterling
silver or surgical steel posts to make them less allergic,
then use
easy solder, or even worse, soft solders to attach
them. The ear comes in contact with this solder and becomes
irritated
then infected. Do your customer a favor and
use hard solder.
Step 16
After fluxing every thing good. Pick up on of the earring
posts with
your tweezers. Pick them up at about 1/8 on an
inch from the end of the post opposite the solder end.
Photo 18
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings18.jpg
Step 17
This step is a small step, but very important! As you pick up
the post,
take it over to the edge of your charcoal block,
and straighten it in your tweezers so that you can hold it
straight up
and down easily. Just use the side of the block to
gently push the post so that the post can be held 90 degree
angle to
your earrings.
Photo 19
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings19.jpg
Step 18
Place the post end on top of one of the pieces of solder and
melt the
solder on to it. Do not over heat the post by
pointing the torch more at the solder than the post. Just let
the solder
melt around the post, it does not have to flow
on to the post. At this step you really just want the solder
to be
attached to the post and not really soldered on to it.
Photos 20, 21, and 22
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings20.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings21.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings22.jpg
Step 19
On a large long earring place the post on the earring and
begin heating
the earring as far away from the post as you
can. In this as the opposite end of the wire.
Photo 23
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings23.jpg
Step 20
As the flux puddles up in to the brown syrupy puddles, point
your torch
to the solder joint between the earring and
the post. As soon as the solder flows off the post on to the
earring
wire, take the torch off immediately.
Photo 24
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings24.jpg
If you are soldering on a post on to a large or heavy
earring, then a
little more care must be taken so that you do not
anneal the post unnecessarily. To do this follow these steps.
a. Pick up the post and the solder. Straighten on the side of
the
charcoal block as before.
Photo 25
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings25.jpg
b. Do not place the post on to the earring. Instead hold it
above the
earring about 1/4 inch. Begin heating the earring.
By holding the post over the earring, but not touching it you
will be
preheating the post, but not annealing it.
Photo 26
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings26.jpg
c. When the flux puddles and turns brown, place the post on
to the
earring. Then point the torch at the solder joint
between the post and the earring. The solder will quickly
flow. As soon
as it flows down off the post, get the torch
off of the piece. Hold it for a second or two to allow the
heavy
casting to cool and the solder to freeze.
Step 21
Place your earrings in pickle for 15 minutes to two years,
take out and
rinse, and polish them as we discussed in many
of the past lessons.
These wire earrings can easily be sold at retail for about
$15.00 per
pair, or close 1000% mark up. Not bad! In other
words: they cost about $1.50 to make. A 100% mark up would be
$3.00. Any
way very profitable.
Wholesale price could be even $5.00 and you will make money.
I could
easy make 50 to 100 pairs of these in 8 to 10
hours. If I tumble polish them I can easily finish 100 pair
in one day.
By bending they a little different, I can even have
several different styles. Some times I had a 3 or 4 mm snap
tight prong
setting on the ends of the wires and then
increase the selling price and profits.
Place your other pair of earrings on the block and then place
two sets
of earring posts on. Also, place four pieces of
hard silver solder on the charcoal block.
Photo 17
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings17.jpg
Note: I only use hard solder to solder on earring posts. The
reason is
the same as I have always taught about hard
solder. It is as close to sterling silver as you can get and
still be
solder. It has less junk metal in that will help
element the possibility of an allergic reaction of the
wearer. It always
amazes me that silversmiths will use sterling
silver or surgical steel posts to make them less allergic,
then use
easy solder, or even worse, soft solders to attach
them. The ear comes in contact with this solder and becomes
irritated
then infected. Do your customer a favor and
use hard solder.
Step 16
After fluxing every thing good. Pick up on of the earring
posts with
your tweezers. Pick them up at about 1/8 on an
inch from the end of the post opposite the solder end.
Photo 18
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings18.jpg
Step 17
This step is a small step, but very important! As you pick up
the post,
take it over to the edge of your charcoal block,
and straighten it in your tweezers so that you can hold it
straight up
and down easily. Just use the side of the block to
gently push the post so that the post can be held 90 degree
angle to
your earrings.
Photo 19
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings19.jpg
Step 18
Place the post end on top of one of the pieces of solder and
melt the
solder on to it. Do not over heat the post by
pointing the torch more at the solder than the post. Just let
the solder
melt around the post, it does not have to flow
on to the post. At this step you really just want the solder
to be
attached to the post and not really soldered on to it.
Photos 20, 21, and 22
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings20.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings21.jpg
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings22.jpg
Step 19
On a large long earring place the post on the earring and
begin heating
the earring as far away from the post as you
can. In this as the opposite end of the wire.
Photo 23
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings23.jpg
Step 20
As the flux puddles up in to the brown syrupy puddles, point
your torch
to the solder joint between the earring and
the post. As soon as the solder flows off the post on to the
earring
wire, take the torch off immediately.
Photo 24
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings24.jpg
If you are soldering on a post on to a large or heavy
earring, then a
little more care must be taken so that you do not
anneal the post unnecessarily. To do this follow these steps.
a. Pick up the post and the solder. Straighten on the side of
the
charcoal block as before.
Photo 25
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings25.jpg
b. Do not place the post on to the earring. Instead hold it
above the
earring about 1/4 inch. Begin heating the earring.
By holding the post over the earring, but not touching it you
will be
preheating the post, but not annealing it.
Photo 26
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris/ectoplasm/earrings26.jpg
c. When the flux puddles and turns brown, place the post on
to the
earring. Then point the torch at the solder joint
between the post and the earring. The solder will quickly
flow. As soon
as it flows down off the post, get the torch
off of the piece. Hold it for a second or two to allow the
heavy
casting to cool and the solder to freeze.
Step 21
Place your earrings in pickle for 15 minutes to two years,
take out and
rinse, and polish them as we discussed in many
of the past lessons.
These wire earrings can easily be sold at retail for about
$15.00 per
pair, or close 1000% mark up. Not bad! In other
words: they cost about $1.50 to make. A 100% mark up would be
$3.00. Any
way very profitable.
Wholesale price could be even $5.00 and you will make money.
I could
easy make 50 to 100 pairs of these in 8 to 10
hours. If I tumble polish them I can easily finish 100 pair
in one day.
By bending they a little different, I can even have
several different styles. Some times I had a 3 or 4 mm snap
tight prong
setting on the ends of the wires and then
increase the selling price and profits.
