Is there a way to do simple texturing on sterling tubing?
Would a wire-wrapped tube or sandpaper-wrapped tube between metal plates and hammered work? What keeps the inner diameter round or oval, but is still removable?
I have lapidary wax “wire” and have read about pitch-filled larger tubes, which probably would be hard to insert and remove on small diameter tubing.
Pitch is easy to remove by putting your tube in an ultrasonic (that is nice and hot) or just boiling it out in a pan on a hot plate filled with water. Not sure what sort of texture you want on your tubing,but I’ve done it with my flex shaft and carefull use of various carving tools. You can make a hammered look buy using a ball burr.
How did you get the pitch inside?
I haven’t tried this, but how about filling the inside of the tube with sand and closing up the ends of the tube with plumbers cement (or solder, whatever will hold up under the texturing). The sand supports the tube, and you just open the end and pour out the sand when you’re done. No messy pitch to clean up. HTH,
Makena
I will try that–sounds like a good start!
I have done exactly the method described by Makena. I plugged one end with thermoplastic that I use for stone setting, and filled with sand, then plugged the other end. It worked a treat.
Helen
UK
You might consider that the smaller the tube and the finer the design, the finer sand you will want to use and to pack it in well. thermoplastic is a good idea…
love the sand packed tube idea…i think some casting sand i purchased from Craig Dabler demo’d on FB on Let’s Make Jewelry would work really well because it packs so firmly…