melting a silver bar into grain for making sterling silver wire.

[@jimbartley9125]

I can see from the comments that it was cost effective but obviously time consuming. Never done more than small amounts and usually to recycle silver waste generated by making other items. I look forward to seeing more videos now you have plenty of wire to work with. Cheers. Jim

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Jim, drawing down wire is time consuming however being a hobbyist time spent in the workshop is pure pleasure. not sure what to make next with my abundance of wire may be a graduated chain … cheers … Nick

[@jmhannnon]

Glad I saw this. I was going to melt the bars in a crucible and pour into the water. This looks much easier.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Jim, I was surprised how well this worked with a large Oxy propane torch … very quick and easy … N

[@zźx-o9y]

Professional work 👌

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks Amon … all good fun … N

[@lukereavley1993]

Love the creative little jigs in your videos

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks for that Luke, to save a few quid by making a tool can be very satisfying sometimes … N

[@joannegeorge3184]

Fascinating, this was my introduction to wire making.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

thanks Joanne, thrilling process growing metres of wire from a blob of silver … N

[@scarlettardis2018]

Nothing like a day drawing and rolling out stock gauge and wire 👌👍

[@Nickscreativestuff]

cheers Scarlet, very satisfying process to reshape silver when it works well … N

[@alicerosa6766]

Awesome video, and very good to see the process. Thank you Nick for share your knowledge 😊.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks Alice, a very gratifying process. Not something I get to do every day … N

[@TheSilverSmithsBench1]

Wonderful video!

[@Nickscreativestuff]

thanks for that Robert … N

[@guidelineuk4876]

GREAT job can't wait to do this for the first time :-)

[@Nickscreativestuff]

thanks guideline, very satisfying drawing down silver to 1mm wire when it works … N

[@lizstrangesavage7948]

Thanks for sharing this process, Nick!

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Liz, it’s nice to try new processes that can be shared … cheers … Nick

[@Kera.S.]

So cool! Great use of materials 👋💙

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks Kera, After melting my precious bar, I now have potentially an endless amount of cheaper wire to play with … N

[@tammiehonican76]

Hey Nick, thanks for the video! I absolutely love the process! You are a true master of wire. And I love your music 🎶 🎵 ❤️ and have a great day! 😀

[@Nickscreativestuff]

thanks Tammie, making my own wire has been a very satisfying process to learn especially with the bit of money that can be saved. glad you like the music, hope it’s not too noticeable that I’ve used it a few times now … N

[@tammiehonican76]

@Nicks creative stuff the music is inspiring and kinda haunting, love it. How much wire, say 16ga, could you make make with that bar? Just curious 🤔 And again another thought provoking video!!!

[@Nickscreativestuff]

hi Tammie, I use the Cooksongold website for cross referencing wire weight diameter and length, a great built in calculating tool. 100g of 1.3mm wire works out to be just over 7m in length and 1mm wire would be nearly 12.5m … N

[@joshbattaglia7471]

That was a great video. Thanks :)

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks Josh, it was a very satisfying process of melting such a big lump at silver … N

[@karimchaouch6888]

Amazing video, How long did it take you to make this wire?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks for that karim, it’s a surprisingly quick process. I could easily produce say 10m of 1mm wire in a couple of hours … N

[@rickyjackson1776]

Thank you I needed this

[@Nickscreativestuff]

oh yes, lots of silver to play with … N

[@tomaszjanuszewski1223]

Super video👍

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks for that Tomasz … N

[@smac3662]

Great video of process. About how long did it take to keep reducing the size till you achieved the 1mm wire? Thank you

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi S Mac, it’s a surprisingly quick process If you have a rolling mill that can reduce it most of the way to start with. Drawing it down from 3mm by pulling through 20 holes may take an hour or so with annealing every two or three pulls. i’m lucky enough to have a long garden outside my workshop door so I can pull six meters easily in one go … N

[@jsl1952]

wonder if the process of melting the silver to repurpose as sterling causes some loss from the original amount.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi JSL, i’m sure there would be some loss. I tried this process after running out of sterling silver wire and seeing it would cost £1.20 a gram to buy more. My fine silver bar cost 0.77p per gram so it made sense to have a go … N

[@kirtandrews1859]

Hi nick. Omg to a man that has a fetish for silver almost this made me cry but so so stupidly pretty to watch as you were dropping it in the ice water. I could easily to this to make my own silver. But I don't have a rolling mill and won't anytime soon too much money. But also I see you added copper to it. So we can melt copper? I thought we couldn't melt copper at home without a forge? I know it was only 7.5grams but still. So If i was to cut up my copper wires into 1cm chunks I should be able to melt it in a large crucible and soft blowy flame?:I have some great looking graphite moulds I could use it with. Hope your well and another great video. Kirt

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Kirt, I had this lump of silver to admire for many years … finally bit the bullet and melted it when I was in need of more wire. Mills are expensive but I was pleasantly surprised with this budget one when I bought it nearly 10 years ago for about £160. Copper is difficult to melt but having oxygen and propane mixed torches makes it much more easily achieved. I think it should be possible with your Mapp gas torch. I would suggest starting with small amounts in small crucibles to see what’s possible. As the whole crucible needs to come up to temperature the smaller it is the quicker the melting process will happen … N

[@kirtandrews1859]

@Nickscreativestuff Hi there yes I was thinking if I cut it up onto tiny little bits then with blowy flame in a small crucible ti get hottest quicker. And yes for rolling Mills. I have seen one for about same price as yours £120-160 . Seams and looks good not sure I'd even have the room for it tbh. But having a mill would definitely set me on my way wouldn't it. I already own about 3kg of silver half of that atleast could be scrapped and renewed. I love watch how a tiny bit can stretch into miles of it. Realistically it would be the final piece to the puzzle if you like. I'd be all set. Thisnis thing I'm all set now really. It's my blooming health all this week and last i have been stuck to my bed almost. I truly and utterly hope my surgeon tomorrow can offer some help I'm hoping she can mayne numb the area for me or something its a area thst I am aware of 24-7 due to the pain level and discomfort its my previous bum site. So think aboit every single time you sit. I can't sit at all at the moment as I have a internal collection thst should of been drained in September last year. So im sure you can imagine. Fingers crossed tomorrow she can offer some advice. I'm truly fed up I can't do anything at all. Just getting out of bed hurts me to a point I shake during and after. It's ridiculous a man of my age in this century 5 years later I am still not healed and there all scratching there head. I had a panproctocolectomy if you want to Google it. But they left the final very last bit open to allow to drain and heal on its own. Suffice to say never healed and the collection has done jsut that. Anyhow I talk too much . Good luck with your partner. I shall update you if I have any updates tomorrow. Take care , kirt

[@Nickscreativestuff]

I do love making my own wire, although I found it very frustrating to start with. However much I annealed regularly and reduced slowly my wire would soon develop cracks making it pointless to proceed with it any further. Eventually I learned it had to be a very clean and non-contaminated material, by mixing in scrap that I had saved up I was introducing a lot of solder that I find hinders the drawing down process. That’s one hell of a procedure you’ve been through and it must be very challenging to stay positive in life especially with all the complications it’s brought. I find creativity a very powerful energy to play with and without it in life I would really struggle. So I can imagine your health issues holding you back must be very frustrating. I find the small snippets of creativity I can achieve add up to the satisfaction i’m always yearning for. I don’t need to spend hours and hours in my workshop anymore to get my creative juices flowing, a few quality moments every day can be just as gratifying … I hope you can get into your studio soon … N

[@kirtandrews1859]

@Nickscreativestuff Hello nick. Yes I agree for me just a hour of designing something can satisfy me. And yes now you understand I have a studio crammed wirh goodies and I can't get out there to enjoy it. Met with surgeon today they are taking me in tomorrow!!! I cried with overjoyed I have suffered way too long and my symtoms are endless my brain cant cope with it all. Apparently 4hr surgery time apparently so fingers crossed. If it relieves me slightly I will be overjoyed truly. Ps cracking ah OK so lots of borax during melting to ensure good clean silver and scooping of any crud that floats before pouring. I definitely have to try this.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Well good luck with that. I hope your procedure goes well and you can start to get back to some sort of stable normality soon. I’m sure there must be a way of refining silver to be able to get all the solder out of it probably lots of chemical so well above my station … all the best for tomorrow … N

[@puresas]

Awesome

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks Chris … N

[@michellelucas1275]

That was really cool. To make your 15 feet of 1mm wire, how much of your silver did you use?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

hi Michelle, I was surprised how well this worked. The 15 foot length of 1mm wire weighed 37g. so I used a bit less than this because there was 7.5% copper mixed in. I estimated if I had turned the whole bar into 1mm wire it would be about 430 feet long … N

[@guidelineuk4876]

@@Nickscreativestuff this is definitely the way forward. Can't wait to own a budget rolling Mill:-)great video

[@Nickscreativestuff]

i’ve been very happy with my budget Rolling Mill, a big expensive Durston would be nice but a bit out of my league so it eventually came down to “a cheap tool is better than no tool” … N

[@guidelineuk4876]

@@Nickscreativestuff yes indeed, every now and then they send me an email of stuff I can't afford LOL

[@Nickscreativestuff]

there must be a lot of money to be made in jewellery production if you get it right … N

[@philipwiles4362]

Just curious why add copper to the melt, thanks

[@Nickscreativestuff]

hi Philip by adding 7.5% copper to pure silver you make sterling silver that is a lot harder and more wear resistant when making jewellery … N

[@philipwiles4362]

@@Nickscreativestuff Thanks Nick

[@28Cryptic743]

is it better to draw wire to make it smaller or to run wire thru the roller to make it smaller?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

hi Kenneth, a roller makes quick easy work of reducing it down in size but won’t make perfect wire. A draw plate turns it into perfectly round wire for a nice finish … N

[@Mr.doordiee]

How did you get the metal thin enough to roll ?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Xreal, by annealing regularly you can cold forged it down to any size suitable for using in a rolling mill … N

[@Mr.doordiee]

@ thank you

[@Nickscreativestuff]

👍😎👍 … N

[@lovein-jeweler]

Wow,. So amazing

[@Nickscreativestuff]

thanks Lovein, very satisfying it melted like butter with a big torch … N

[@AaAa-iz3cp]

Good

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Thanks Aa … N

[@daykangemcutting8679]

wow, the things i would do to that silver bar.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

oh yes, I don’t think I will be running out again any time soon … N

[@farticlesofconflatulation]

Is it better to alloy your own sterling silver or to melt down or work sterling spoons and forks? What are the pros and cons? To me it seems like a bargain to recycle silverware

[@Nickscreativestuff]

I make my own sterling silver because I bought a silver bar many years ago at a bargain price compared to now. it’s always worth keep an eye on the price for silver from somebody like Rio Grande or Cooksongold for a base price of a high standard sterling silver grain. A lot of money can be saved if you can find authentic silverware that can be melted down and recycled. The only problem being it needs to be weighed before purchase to make sure you’re getting a bargain from places like secondhand and antique shops … good luck with it … Nick

[@farticlesofconflatulation]

@@Nickscreativestuff yeah, I’ve got a reputable coin shop nearby that has a scale which is periodically certified by the state. I sometimes buy silverware and Olympic commemorative sterling silver coins and odd medallions from him. I like the coins and medallions because I can easily roll them out into sheet without melting them into ingots. Thanks for the info!

[@Nickscreativestuff]

It sounds like you’ve got it well sorted. I struggle to recycle anything I’ve collected, it ends up staying in the bottom drawer and being admired for its hallmarks … N

[@patrickpreston8424]

Where do find that market?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Patrick, I bought the silver bar in a wholesaler called Costco … N

[@Mryeadon]

What torch setup are you using?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Mryeadon i used a large metal workers mixed propane and oxygen heating torch for melting the silver … N

[@laithrabi4177]

After adding 7.5g copper to 100g 1000 carat silver Does the caliber become 925?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Hi Laith, in this video I added 7.5 g of copper to 92.5 g of fine silver making sterling silver … N

[@beccawilkins7350]

Can you do the same with real silver cutlery?

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Yes definitely, but you’ll be working with Sterling Silver instead of Fine … N

[@beccawilkins7350]

@@Nickscreativestuff it is 92.5 I believe very old and heavy set that was given to my gran that was her mothers

[@Nickscreativestuff]

depending on your level of sentimentality. The set might be worth more than their melting down scrap value so if sold the money could be buying in raw material silver. A lot of people use cutlery to make a unique boho style Jewellery that’s very popular … N

[@annnoyez]

Wauw... that was so nice to watch... but I would never want to make my wore myself... to much expensive tools needed. What I want to know is, what should be the cheapest, workable torch to do copperwire solding, not melting... I would shit my pants. Was burned about 9 years ago and still rather scared of things that are too warm... and starts flaming... so I would keep it with soldering... 😂❤

[@Nickscreativestuff]

sorry to hear that Malika I know how you feel I was badly burnt as a kid due to a gas explosion. There are a few different options for gas torches but they all have their own quirks and inherent dangers. I would guess the most popular used by jewellers are the small refillable butane type torches that are sometimes used in kitchens. These torches are refilled from a small disposable gas canister, the sort used for refilling cigarette lighters. If you’re nervous of such a tool find a friendly handy person to help show you how they work and to get you started using one … N

[@annnoyez]

@@Nickscreativestuff thanks... that was helpful

[@Nickscreativestuff]

👁️❤️🔥 … 👍😎👍 … N

[@annnoyez]

@Nickscreativestuff sorry to hear that you were once inflamed... not a good habit... I was unrecognizable... I was changed into a mummy and the only thing they could recognize me was because of my handbag 😂

[@Nickscreativestuff]

bandaged from head to toe, but still stylish enough to carry a handbag … N

[@martinfigueira8485]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@Nickscreativestuff]

👍😎👍 … N

[@Sandman60077]

That was painful to watch. You lost a lot of value on that silver by ruining a certified bar and turning it into no name jewelry. This is like buying a $600 name brand jacket then cutting it up to make your own jacket.

[@Nickscreativestuff]

Well Sandman you’ve got that completely wrong … i’ve previously sold chains I’ve made at nearly £10 per gram … The equivalent to remaking your branded jacket and selling it for $6000 !!! … N