Creating An Amazing Texture Using Silver Reticulation Techniques
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2017
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In this video, Professor John Ahr of the Online Jewelry Academy demonstrates how to reticulate silver.
The secrets to a good reticulation result are to start with a silver alloy that contains a bit more copper and to warm the surface that you will be performing the reticulation process.
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This is a great tutorial. Thank you for talking about why you're heating the metal in different ways and talking about what is happening with the structure of the metal as it is heated.
Hi Christen, Glad you liked the video. I hope you'll give reticulation a try.
Thanks for your support! : )
adding this to what I have already read and done makes me know my next results will be even better. Thanks for pointing out what I missed previously!
Hey Randy, I'm glad that you found the video to be informative. Good luck with your projects.
Thanks for your support! : )
Very interesting technique--very detailed and informative video--yours are the best I've found on youtube.
Thanks for the high praise Kurt. I'm glad that you liked the video.
Thanks for your support! : )
Oá John there is nobody so nice and cool in this youtube as you are always helpful and teaching these and other tips with mastery and simplicity, regarding I am from Brazil.
I'm glad that you are enjoying my teaching style.
Thanks for your support! : )
I loved your video and am looking forward to watching all your other videos, this is a great way to learn new ways to make jewelry your explanations are very good thank you so much for sharing
Hi Marie, Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad that you find the videos helpful in your exploration of the jewelry arts.
Thanks for your support! : )
You make the best videos. Thank you!
You have the best screen name sparklylittlechicken! Glad you're enjoying the videos.
Thanks for your support! : )
As always, very good instructions. I like that process it looks very cute John 👍👍😊.
Hi Alice, I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. Remember, you'll get the best results if you use a silver alloy with a bit more copper in it. Jewelry suppliers sometimes sell it as 80/20 silver.
Thanks for your support! : )
@@OnlineJewelryAcademy
Thank you. John I have learned
Something new, thank you for your help 😊😊.
Very good video.
Well done! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching! 😀
Thank you!!!! You are the Best!!!
Hi Edna, Glad you enjoyed the video.
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Exelente clase. Please show how to cast and mold organic elements and shells thanks so much
love this Prof. John and I see you have your crock pot pickle bath on the bench....I should have known that you would have known about crock pots for a long time lol! I am just really happy that I actually have an old one that still works....its got the removable bowl so all I really need is to find some other bowls that fit so I can keep my different pickles separate. I have started making my own bench peg and I have made the hammer and tool holder (sick of having to buy new pliers after them falling and not being properly aligned afterwards. (I would suggest that all would be jewellery makers follow your videos on the hammers etc...not only does it keep your tools safe but also your toes/pets/flooring whatever! )
Glad you are enjoying the videos Foxiepaws. You really only need one pickle bath for cleaning gold, silver, brass and copper. So there's no need to find other crocks to fit in your heating unit.
Thanks for your support! : )
OnlineJewelryAcademy Glad you told me that I was under the impression that it would somehow contaminate the other metals. ..You know what TH-cam is like I must have got that idea somewhere. ..I'm Scottish so I tend to be naturally eh, thrifty, yes we'll stick with that. I have the (mis) fortune of coming from Aberdeen and I know that the Scottish have a reputation for being stingy, well in Scotland they all joke about Aberdonians being mean so I can't win lol!
amazing!!
Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching! 😀
Excellent tutorial! I learned how to do the reticulation process from a book, years ago. I fell in love with it! I didn't know you could take a soldering pick and use it to control the flow of the silver over the copper, I can't wait to try it. I typically use sterling for my pieces, it gives you a softer "wrinkle". I've tried the 80/20 silver, but just don't like it as much. Thanks for touching on this lost art!
Hi Badkitteh, Glad you enjoyed the video. The solder pick should only be lightly moved over the fine silver surface. Otherwise, it could cause the fine silver surface to open up and let the copper out onto the surface. Try it and see what you think.
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That is awesome.. going to try that. Just gave me a bunch of ideas with that wrinkles, lol
Hey Buddy, I'll bet you're going to make something amazing.
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Great video would it be possible for you to say more about the clear acrylic colored coating that you mentioned or maybe make another video on that? Thanks!
The red coating used on the ring set with a piece of reticulation is epoxy resin. Here's a link to an OJA video that covers the basics: th-cam.com/video/zYfozMImWss/w-d-xo.html We also have a beginning jewelry course that included information about using epoxy resin on jewelry. You can find the link to the "Colorful Silver Jewelry" course in the description of any of the OJA's videos.
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Great!!!!!!👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you Francisca.
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Loved this so much. This is the type of metal look I've wanted to learn. As a scientist/engineer, understanding the WHY and not only the HOW is part of my enjoyment.
Is there a way to develop reticulation on copper? Hammering will mark the copper but I love the topographic, almost snake skin look, given by the purposely created large crystals which doesn't happen with hammering.
Hi Rochelle, Glad you enjoyed the video. Copper will reticulate. It just has to get really close to its melting temperature. And, I don't really like the results. I find it to look sandy and not scaly. Plus, it might start to just melt on you. Give it a try and see what you come up with. Have fun making cool stuff.
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@@OnlineJewelryAcademy "Reticulation" of copper in this way is really fusing or melting as copper is 100% copper and there is no difference in melting point across the metal, and you cannot enrich the surface. In any case, the mechanism is not the same, although creating ripples may seem the same. (Ph.D. Chemistry)
Thank you again Big John!!!
I still would like to give you a few choice stones from my collection please?
Hi Cory, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I like the way reticulation looks a lot. To get results like the one in the video, be sure to use an 80/20 silver/copper alloy. I appreciate your generous offer. But, it's not necessary. Make something beautiful with those stones.
Thanks for your support! : )
Thank you Professor Ahr, it's a great tutorial. I wonder if copper can produce winkle pattern as well?
Hi Aria, I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. Copper can produce a reticulated looking surface if you put a hot enough flame to it. But, that surface will be highly oxidized. The reason why the silver reticulation works is because the silver is an alloy that contains a lot of copper (about 20%).
Thanks for your support! : )
@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Thanks a lot for your answer~
Again a very educational video of you. Thanks for all the time and effort. Although it is 6 years old I hope you can explain one thing that is not clear to me. You say that after the anealing you let the piece cool by air. so far I understand it and grasp the logic of the metal sturcture. But I wonder if you rinse the piece in the pickle pot after each aneal or just aneal it again right after it has cooled down? Thanks.
You must leave the piece of reticulation silver in the pickle pot long enough for it to get clean and release copper atom it’s surface. It is not a rinsing process. The last few times that the silver comes out of the pickle pot, its surface should be white. 😀
@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Thanks for your answer. 🤭Rinse is just a word I knew being Dutch. I know it has to stay in there a while to solve the copper.
Спасибо большое!!!
Рад, что вам понравилось видео.
thanks so much!
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!😀
Great video!!!! I learned a bunch and thank you!!!!
So, does 80/20 mean that it is 800% silver and can it be marked that way ?????????
Hi Cory, Yes, the 80/20 refers to 80% silver/20% copper. Items made from this alloy cannot be marked as "sterling silver". Most people refer to it as reticulation silver when describing the contents of an object that contains this material as part of its design.
Thanks for your support! : )
Awesome tutorial. Thank you. I do have a question. If the goal from heating and pickling multiple times is to get to fine silver, could one just start with a piece of fine silver instead of sterling and just dive into reticulation, or is there something about sterling that is required for proper reticulation?
It’s the copper content of the sterling silver that makes reticulation possible. 😀
@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Thank you so much. I can't wait to try! :)
Great video. One question: Do you have to anneal the same side of the piece to get the fine silver on top (one side ) or do both sides? I've always wondered about this and marking which side is the one is a problem sometimes.
Great question Kathleen. You only have to heat one side of the piece to anneal it. And, it doesn't have to be the same side every time you do it. Just remember to only heat the metal until it goes from shiny to dull. Have fun.
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do you teach stone setting? I mean small settings like wedding rings and such..
I teach stone setting in person. I've avoided making any stone setting videos thus far because I believe that those skills are best learned in person. But, I'll consider making some more stone setting videos.
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Wow, that is so freaking cool!
Now tell me about using the charcoal block vs a solderite board, if you would. I remember my jewelry professor saying it creates, I think, a reducing environment that allows more efficient heating? Or have I got it mixed up? And a charcoal block on the solderite like you have here vs using an annealing pan with pumice, with or without the charcoal block?
I was always getting my reducing and oxidizing thoroughly mixed up, along with what mix of gasses and type of flame to use for what, and on what surface, and I'm sure he thought I was going to burn the building down :-)
In the video, I place my charcoal block on a piece of kiln shelf not soderite. I do this to protect the top of the bench. You're correct that the charcoal creates a reducing atmosphere. You can always Google what does what.
Thanks for your support! : )
Just to be clear, quenching super fast (immediately) makes smaller crystals? Thus, making the metal even MORE malleable than if we quenched later (slower)? If so, then quenching faster is better if you want very soft bendable (annealed) metal, correct? This is cool physics, yay! How does that affect Argentium sterling silver (which is subject to cracking/slumping when quenched too quickly- so I've heard...); is there a happy medium....?
You got it. Quick quenching makes smaller crystals and improves malleability. I don't work with Argentium silver. So, I really can't answer your question. Perhaps there is a website that can help you with that material.
Thanks for your support! : )
hi and thanks☺ re burnishing; do you brush the metal between every heat/ pickle moment or just after the last time?
Hi Toby, Yes, I brass brush my metal every time I remove it from the pickle pot. The metal goes into the pickle pot after every time it comes into contact with the heat from my torch. It's important to remove oxides and keep the metal clean while you are working. Good luck with your projects.
Thanks for your support! : )
OnlineJewelryAcademy got it. thanks again. Toby spiritmetaldesigns
Hello
yes very interesting. do you think using a large sheet of 100 pure copper silver filled with a 100% of fine silver will give perfect result? let's say a laminated sheet of 0.8mm of copper and 0 .3 of fine silver?
thks for your insight
best ,nicolas
Hi Nicolas, I have only made reticulated silver the way that I demonstrated in the video. Your idea sounds interesting, but I don't know if it would work. I believe that you'd probably end up with the copper and silver melting together. If you do an experiment, please let me know how it works out. : )
Can you sweat solder the reticulated piece onto another without ruining the reticulation?
In my experience, if I try to solder a reticulated piece to another piece of silver I will change the reticulated element. I believe it's best to set reticulated elements as if they were gemstones. Good luck with your projects.
Thanks for your support! : )
DJ M šqq
Helo, my name is vishal i have problem during when i am going to etching on iron carbon metal but doesn't etching on this metal plz help me i am tired of this problem plz help me
Hi Vishal, You might want to check out the OJA's website at: www.onlinejewelryacademy.com On the website we have a number of salt water etching videos. Perhaps they will answer your questions and solve your problem.
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How fun. I can hardly wait. My cat doesn't want me thinking about anything but her. She is not making this easy.
Hey Margie, Just put some food in some food in kitty's bowl. I'm sure that will get her out of your way so you can make some reticulated silver. Glad you liked the video.
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😂 I was in bed. No kitty food in bed 🙀
Do you measure the silver and copper on a scale or is there some weird way to do it because they have different mass or something? This question may not make any sense.
Hi Kim, I understood what you were asking. You can definitely do some math if you want to. Usually, I just throw a piece of copper that has the same weight as a U.S. penny into an ounce of sterling silver when I melt down the metal to make my alloy. Have fun making wrinkles in your metal.
Thanks for your continued support! : )
Bright, clean and wrinkly: you just described me ;-) Thank you for another great video.
What's in a Pickle Solution,??
Hi Geoff, The OJA has several video that detail the pickling process. You can use one of the two solutions that we recommend. Or, you might find a different solution formula with a little internet research. In any event, the easiest way to find the OJA's pickling videos is on our website at: www.onlinejewelryacademy.com There you'll find the videos conveniently grouped by category. The pickling videos are under the "Bench Tips & Tricks" heading. Good luck with your creative pursuits.
Thanks for your support! : )
Te întreb ceva 975 grame argint și 75 grame cupru cu amestecat, oare?
Sunt folosind Google Translate pentru a răspunde la întrebarea dumneavoastră. Am folosit o uncie de argint și doar o cantitate foarte mică de cupru pentru a face din aliaj meu reticulatia. Vă sugerez să te uiți în sus alierea instrucțiuni în limba dvs. pentru cel mai bun rezultat. Bine Lucke cu proiectul dumneavoastră.
😍😍😍😍😍
Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching! 😀
purer silver has a higher melting point than sterling? Hmmm, I guess I could look that up....
Yes, fine silver has a higher melting temperature than sterling which is generally alloyed with zinc and copper. That's why you don't melt little bezel cups or bezel wires when you solder them into place.
Thanks for your support! : )