Sand Casting Sterling Silver Tutorial

[@andrewsteen7994]

I just wanted to let you know how happy I am to have you on KZbin, someone who is just like me with not just jewelry, but ALL AROUND CRAFTER/Artist. I at 7 years am still new to Silver Smithing and Self taught with the help of Artists such as yourself/ Nancy LT Hamilton and the only videos I can find is Curated Bead Boxes, which is NOT MY THING. NOT FOR ME, NO DISRESPECT, I LOVE BEADING TOO, METAL IS IN MY BLOOD!!!. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU . I look forward to seeing MANY MANY MORE OF YOUR VIDEOS ON KZbin........I DON'T DO FACEBOOK

[@TracyGrossDesign]

Thank you for such a supportive comment! Best wishes on your smithing journey!

[@betsyhuggins6108]

So incredibly helpful Tracy, thanks so much for all your (double!) efforts here!! I’m going to have to wait until I level up and get a proper torch, but it looks much less daunting than I thought having watched this… and lots of fun! 🙏👌❤️

[@aumi.jewels]

You know, I just found your channel and I am actually a professional Metal Smith. And I’m also a self-taught Metal Smith. Now I have taken some classes. What I like about your channel or what I liked about this video, people who are wanting to learn need to know how long it takes And it didn’t bother me one bit watching you for the entire 45 minutes. And I love your do’s & don’ts.. I do not know why your flux is mixing in with your metal, but it could be from using the store-bought borax detergent, instead of using the pure borax acid. Now I need to go back and see what you’re going to do with your little skulls that you made, I’m also going to show your video to my students when we start sandcasting I thought you’d like to know this. Also, I will make sure all 20 of my students follow you. There are only a handful of instructors that I let my students watch. And the ones I will not let them watch our, the teachers that say pick soldering is not necessary!!! Pick soldering is vital when it comes to learning how to become a Silversmith. So I really liked you mentioning your comments and your opinion about pick soldering. I know my name comes up as autumn but I like to be called Michelle that’s my middle name. I’m going to be starting a KZbin channel. I have two Instagram accounts, one teaching silversmithing, and the other one I teach Metal Clay. Mostly I use .999 silver… and I love the red bronze metal clay that we have to use. I wish you would do more videos instead of all of your shorts. But that’s OK because like I said, I do use other channels for my students to watch. Also, I will go through Instagram and look at pictures and purposely look for someone who is not using the correct methods for making their jewelry. And I have my students look for what is wrong with this Jewelry that this designer is trying to sell???? Anyway, I do love your personality and your sincerity. I love your honesty, so big hugs to you girl. I hope you can make lots of lots of money. It was really great when I got my first check from Instagram. I am very behind on my own personal Instagram right now, because like you said in a video editing takes longer than making a Jewelry piece. But did you know it’s really cheap to have someone edit your own videos? If you’re interested, I will give you the information from one of the people I follow every single video of theirs throughout the week anyway once again big hugs, Michelle ❤❤❤

[@TracyGrossDesign]

Thank you Michelle for your kind and thorough review and for sharing my channel, I truly appreciate all of your kind words. I did figure out why I had the problem with the rusty goo , I was using too much borax. And I still use the store bought stuff, but much less if any at all and my ingots are really clean. Seems to happen more with the sand then the ingot molds so I’m thinking maybe I’m actually getting the silver too hot and actually liquifying the sand. 😮 lol. I started making these videos for a beginner smithing Facebook group I belong to and I was also somewhat of a beginner. I never in a million years thought that my videos would be discovered by the rest of KZbin. So now that I really have a grasp on this I should make some new ones. I have one tossing around in my head to help people organize the business end of jewelry, namely keeping track of your expenses for tax season. Artists tend to fall short in that area. Again, thanks so much for your kind words. I’ll go look for your channel now and subscribe! Thank you!

[@TracyGrossDesign]

And what is your Instagram?

[@aumi.jewels]

@@TracyGrossDesign I have not started my KZbin channel yet… my best friend just pasted away January 25,2023 She was going to help me with the videoing part. It’s really sad, she had her whole life ahead of her, she had childhood diabetes, which is the worst type of the diabetes anyone can have, and that Tuesday without going into details. The ambulance arrived at her home about 7 PM, and she had gone into a diabetic coma. To make a long story short, her boyfriend is a suspect in her death. So I’m just really super behind on everything. I have so many videos that I need to edit. And Instagram hasn’t been a priority for me at the moment. But I do have to teach classes and I do have private clients that buy one-of-a-kind jewelry from me. I do not post my one-of-a-kind jewelry. My clients asked me not to, especially when they’re paying the bill. She also helped me with my Facebook blogging group and I accidentally turned that group to private show starting something up all over again. but if you will continue to make weekly videos, KZbin will start recommending your channel to people who like to watch a Jewelry making. But you have to stay consistent every week. Full videos will get you more followers fast. I think you’ll do really well with KZbin if you stay consistent. And talk don’t keep it a silent video. I personally could tell the sincerity in your voice and the way you communicate in your videos. Maybe once I get my KZbin channel up you and I can go live with each other and do a video together.????? Big hugs to you, sweetheart 🤗Michelle

[@aumi.jewels]

@@TracyGrossDesign I don’t know why, but my comments are not popping up in your short videos… you need to check on that and see what’s going on…. 🤗Michelle

[@TracyGrossDesign]

@@aumi.jewels so sorry to hear about your friend. You can do your own video editing. Get yourself a set up to hold your camera or phone and a good light. You’ll do fine and doing your own editing is a breeze once you get the hang of it!

[@lprice4601]

I think it’s a good thing in this instance that you slowed things down. At times when I think something is taking longer or less time than it should, I’m wrong or at the very least uncertain. Knowing how long it takes will be h3lpful. Thanks so much. 34:38 m

[@Nancy4133nope]

A great video, may I ask what is the board you have all your equipment on. Have you ever poured an ingot doing it the sandcast way?

[@coolvideostuff1]

Great tutorial, enjoyed watching.

[@woodndrum303]

March 2023 I saw your video and wanted to share a laugh. I was a a lucky one whose first attempt at casting was - well quite honestly perfect! Unfortunately after that it went rapidly downhill. It was very disheartening. Got back to it and the biggest help was like you cut down on the borax in the melt. The other was to never try to use all “used” silver. I mix at least 25% new melt silver to the melt. Most of all never include any solder in the scrap. Good luck

[@Behereandlove]

Thank you so much for taking the time to teach what you know

[@letmemakeausernameyoutube]

Amazing and so so helpful!!!!

[@Vintagebluehouse]

Thank you for all your tips 🤩

[@elvinhaak]

How high do you have the oxigen-generator (litres/min)? And how much gas in the mixture? It looks really nice.

[@TracyGrossDesign]

Hi and thanks for watching. I keep the oxy gen fairly low it’s a 10LTR. My propane gauge is set to about 3-5 depending on the pressure that’s in the tank when it’s filled. As for how much gas in actually in the mix… I couldn’t tell ya! Lol

[@woodndrum303]

At about 30mins. In you see a white flash, there I think is your demo you need more oxygen in the flame a good bit hotter or hissy that is wher you get better temperature.

[@arichardofalltrades6770]

Very informative - Thanks for the great video. Just getting started myself with casting, but I'm able to get my silver melted much faster and easier using oxy acetylene. Maybe slightly hotter metal will improve detail? Really appreciate the details you cover that everyone else just leaves out.

[@SzymonOracz-i3r]

I have a question. Due to my country policies I legally can not use big gas tanks nor oxygen, only thing I can use are those handheld torches (I cant use MAPP gas as well) only propane or butane cardrigdes. Is it possible to sand cast silver using butrane as a fuel (the flame temp. is 1800C or 3200F). I want to cast neclace pendants (1 piese at a time), that will weigh about 5-10grams (0,18-0.35Oz)

[@TracyGrossDesign]

@@SzymonOracz-i3r I was never able to melt silver with a butane torch. You might be able to use a bigger propane torch, but I’ve never tried.

[@jonpierce8342]

I use a large propane torch with an output of 140,000 BTUs, and a stack of insulating firebricks to hold the heat in, and I am able to melt up to 10 ozt without too much trouble...

[@PhilipRosner]

I am enjoying your tutorial, and I noticed that your crucible is taking a very long time to heat up. Don’t take this the wrong way, but if you insulate the bottom of the crucible, your mouth will go much more quickly.

[@TracyGrossDesign]

Thanks… but “my mouth?” Lol

[@jeskahaley9616]

What pope do You use to protect yourself from the talc??

[@BeccaBecca71]

❤❤❤❤

[@davidrayjamesoncarr4308]

😊

[@5VOLTG]

Hitting the sand hard is not good

[@zeljkodejanovic8786]

the work was successful