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Make Your Own Gold and Silver Jewellery

To begin, it is probably best to outline the traditional way of making an item of jewellery.

There are hundreds of designers around and hundreds more very skilled artisans whose workmanship is so good that it would take you and I many years to acquire their knowledge and techniques.

They use precision tools and laboriously work the metal to create their masterpieces. You can do that too, using sheet metal and wire. Many local communities run jewellery courses where you can learn all the basics.

You would learn to cut sheet, use needle files to refine the surface and edges, planish surfaces with a hammer, solder components together and a variety of other techniques. In essence, you would become a silversmith or goldsmith over a period of time.

Many of these items would be one-offs but others would become MASTER patterns from which subsequent reproductions would be cast.

In order to make replicas one first needs to make a mould of the master. This is normally a two part rubber sandwich, which is vulcanised around the master.

Wax is then injected into the rubber mould to create wax replicas of the master. The purpose, of course, is that you can make as many reproductions of your original piece as you want.

The waxes are then mounted onto a wax core using a miniature soldering iron. This forms a "tree". The tree is then placed inside a metal flask and sealed, apart from the top. Investment slurry poured into the flask and allowed to "set". The rubber base that sealed the bottom of the flask is removed and it is put into an oven where the wax is melted out.

Over a period of around 12 hours the flask heated to about 1400 degrees centigrade, cooled a little, and then transferred from the oven to the casting machine. The gold or silver is then melted and cast into the flask. This is often done under a vacuum to ensure complete filling of the mould cavities.

After cooling for a few minutes the flask is then "quenched" in water and most of the investment around the cast metal items falls away, leaving a tree of metal that was once the wax tree. This investment mould can only be used once, hence the derived term "lost wax process".

The metal items on the tree are then snipped off, fettled to remove surplus metal and polished to produce a beautiful piece of jewellery.

BUT, there is another way to make one-off pieces of your own.

It still involves using the lost wax process above but, instead of making a metal master and then a mould, you would create your masterpiece in WAX.

The great thing about this is that jewellers wax is flexible, malleable, carvable and easy to work with. If you make a mistake you can fill it or you can carve away more wax. The possibilities are endless.

Having made your wax model all you now need to do is get someone to cast it for you. That is unless you want to invest many thousands of pounds or dollars in casting equipment.

There are many firms that will do casting for you in most metals. You will have to pay a casting charge and the value of the metal used. This would provide you with a "raw" casting that would still look pretty ugly in its unfinished state. So you would then decide if you wanted to fettle and polish the item or get the caster to do it for you at extra cost.

Whatever you do there is a good chance that your unique piece of jewellery will have cost you a bit less than you might have paid in the high street.

Jeremy Gilbert http://www.stjustin.co.uk [http://www.stjustin.co.uk/cornish-handmade-jewellery/shopdisplaycategories.as...]http://www.stjustin.co.uk/cornish-handmade-jewellery/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=2&cat=Silver+Jewellery

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Make-Your-Own-Gold-and-Silver-Jewellery&id=6184727] Make Your Own Gold and Silver Jewellery

Candle Making Tips: From Hobby to Home Business

For many years I had worked "day jobs".� But at night, when I came home and wanted to unwind, and step into my own world, I worked on homemade candles.� It's a hobby that I began at a very young age with my Grandmother, so it remained with me throughout my adult years as a way to get to being myself, so to speak.� Year after year, friends would comment on my candles, then one by one they began to ask me if I would consider making candles for them.� Now, I had given them as gifts quite frequently, but they began to ask if I could make some for them to buy, not only for themselves, but so that they too could give them as gifts.� It was at this time, that I started to consider quitting the day job once and for all, and going into business myself.� Making...you guessed it, homemade candles.
�
My Grandmother had the same home business many years ago, and not only did I draw upon and use her candle making tips over the years of my hobby, when I decided to make it my business...I drew upon her wisdom as well.� Hobbies, are all about the fun and the learning through trial and error.� But if I was going to go into business for myself, I wanted there to be as little of that as possible.� Here are some the things I learned along the when making my candles at home infused with what I did to make certain that once into business, things and plans and candle making would not go awry.
�
When I started my first candle with my Grandmother, I wanted to do it all...just as she was doing.� She made me start small.� With one candle that I focused on.� For while I had been watching her work for some time, I had not gotten my hands in the wax.� Little by little, she let me work on more candles, first plain candles...then colored...then scented, and finally decorative.� It was the same thing I did when I started my business.� I cut my day job hours to part time while I straightened and organized my studio, and filled the orders of my friends.�
�
Another tip my Grandmother gave me was to make sure of the quality of materials I was using.� Everything from the wicks to the wax to the scents and to the final product was quality driven.� That is how I operated when candle making was my hobby, and I was going to continue that through into my business.� Nothing I would ever put up for sale, would be anything but the best.� Of everything.
�
I also considered the times we live in today compared with the times of my Grandmother.� Today's consumers want not only quality in the finished product, but quality in those materials.� And today, it's all about the all-natural everything.� I have kept my eye on the new kinds of wax, and scents...and made certain that they as pure as possible, in the making and in the burning of the candle.� The newest waxes I have worked with, have been the soy wax and the palm oil wax.� Not only do these produce all natural candles, the clean-up as far as drips and spills is concerned is far less extensive than with other kinds of wax.� So quality of product cuts down on time spent doing needless adjustments.� Not only in the studio, but in the selling of the candles and the customer satisfaction.� Turning your hobby into a business, is just as simple as beginning your hobby in the first place.� Learn by trial and error, but know that when the time comes, you will be able to deliver what it is you said you will deliver.� And by the way, the part time day job is now gone.� It's all about the candles!

Sally Stow is the Chief Editor of [http://www.candlemakingtime.com]CandleMakingTime.com which is a resource filled with lots of tips, tricks and advice on the craft and business of candle making. For even more information on making your own candles [http://www.candlemakingtime.com/making-your-own-candles/]Click Here.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Candle-Making-Tips:-From-Hobby-to-Home-Business&id=5555071] Candle Making Tips: From Hobby to Home Business

It's Just Wax

Any candle consultant will tell you how much she loves candles; that she enjoys sharing great wax with others and also helping others start and grow their own candle business.

As a veteran candle consultant myself, I am still amazed at the number of people I have to remind: "There is no such thing as a wax emergency." I've received frantic calls late at night and early, EARLY in the morning. The caller leaves panicked messages using the words "I have an emergency!" Ahhhh no. There is no such thing as a wax emergency.

Other team leaders from other companies will vouch for similar experiences - that wax emergencies do not discriminate to only certain candle direct sales companies.

Candle emergency - I can also see if your house was on fire. However then you'd be dialing 911, and not your friendly Candle Leader. Even spilled wax on light colored carpeting may prompt a phone call to your upline.

However, for those who don't have a fire or a mulberry red wax spill, let me reiterate: It-is-just-wax. Some of the calls we have received from customers and consultants have to do with orders that were not input correctly or not fulfilled according to order. Usually those emergencies come in on the weekend when, A: There's nothing we can do about it, only corporate can handle those type of issues and B: It's the weekend. Even corporate can't handle it until Monday morning.

Message boards and forums are loaded with wax emergencies. "Help! I need a Lots of Lavender"; or "In Desperate Need of Skinny Dippin'!" (Sounds more like a personal problem).

I'm glad people are so passionate about wax. It's what keeps us in business. We're pretty fond of it too. However, there is no such thing as a wax emergency.

People: It-is-just-wax. Don't sweat the small stuff; and it's mostly all small! I think that's where the term "relax with wax" comes from!

About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Star Director with Scentsy Flameless Candles. She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business. You can find Laurie at [http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com]http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Its-Just-Wax&id=5577468] It's Just Wax

Earn Money From Home By Making Candles

Making money from home is a challenge in itself, as of course is it a fun filled activity. You can expect a nice and decent income even when you are not leaving the comforts of your home. If you are a little creative and know for sure that you can do it, crafts can work wonders for you. Candle making is one such way to generate a nice income for yourself. It does not matter if you are taking it up as a big or small scale work, what matters is that you can do it good and hence, make income from there.

Candles are one thing that can be availed in a huge variety, from simple and plain colored candles to patterned, designed, colorful, fragrant and even shaped candles can be made. With each type, you can associate a different way of selling them and hence, you can earn really good. What's great about it is that you need not create an inventory of raw material. Start from small scale as only things you importantly need is wax and wicks. That's it.

Molds come next. You can find molds of different types and pick any as per your choice. Furthermore, if you wish, you can also get colored wax. You can make candles of different colors or types. Choice is yours. However, keep in mind every possibility and then proceed with the craft.

Design a timetable for yourself and stick to it. Begin the business at some occasion when the consumption of candles is more than average. Buy a domain and create a website that showcases your candles so that more and more people can know about them. Fairs and venues are next in list where you can put up stall and sell of the candles you make.

You may be interested to find more about [http://jobsworkingfromhome.org]Earn Money Online or you can visit my website at [http://jobsworkingfromhome.org]Work from Home Business.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Earn-Money-From-Home-By-Making-Candles&id=5382702] Earn Money From Home By Making Candles

Glass Gel Candles Sell Well

Glass gel candles are fabulous looking and people love to buy them to use, to give for gifts and even keep just to admire. Gel candles are excellent candles for home based business candle makers to make because they allow for a lot of individual creativity which is why people buy of these candle makers. Home based candle makers have the chance to make a range of individualized candles in a way that commercial candle makers just cannot do.

What appeals to many people is the fact that gel candles have a sense of individuality that can suit their own personal surroundings or which make the ideal gift because they can purchase something that perfectly suits the recipient. By using a variety of embeds in the gel it is possible to make a lot of different candle scenes in your gel candles.

Gel candles have endless potential because you can color the wax, create layers, place embeds in the wax and even use candle fragrance to match. All of these give the candle maker so much variety and possible chances of individuality.

The fact that these candles do not need specific molds and most glass containers with a wide mouth are suitable, means that it is quite an easy task to make them. If you plan to beautify your candles and need some ideas on creativity, then here are some of the most loved ideas around the world:

Bell shaped gel candle: use a bell shaped glass for Christmas candles and use festive colors to make festive gel candles and they will be a real treat for Xmas tables and around the house during the holiday season.
Sea theme gel candles: Use fish bowl shaped glasses and create a sea scene using blues, greens and white and sea-like inserts.
Ice-cream glass gel candle: using different colored gel layers create an ice cream look in these glasses.
Mosaic gel candle: Use any shaped glass and pour any color gel wax into it. Now insert small glass pieces of different color, or even the same color, to create a mosaic like effect within the gel. Using the same method other decorations can be used instead to create a different effect.
Champagne glass gel candles: Take a nice champagne glass and fill it with light colored wax and insert small crystal beads or embedded clear crystals. This will give it a champagne glass look and is best to be used for weddings and other celebrated moments.

These are some of the glass gel candles can be made but when you think about it, there are lots of different glass shapes that lend themselves to this type of candle making. It all depends on individual creativity. Though these candles are a little more time consuming than the ordinary wax ones, they are definitely worth it.

Some people have even gone as far as making their whole candle range gel candles because they have a really creative flair and find the fact that they can make so many individual types suits there artistic ability and enthusiasm.

Kaye Dennan has been an art teacher and loves to share her enthusiasm for all things in the art field. For people who want to make a home candle making business their next venture then all the information you need is at http://candlemakingbiz.com where Kaye also freely shares her years of small business ownership tips with you

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Glass-Gel-Candles-Sell-Well&id=5294501] Glass Gel Candles Sell Well

Beekeeping Hives - A Key Aspect of Beekeeping

One important aspect of beekeeping is knowing about beehives. Beehives have a lot of stringent qualifications that must be maintained in order to ensure its efficiency. Of primary concern is the ease in which the beekeeper can remove surplus honey. It should not be hard for him to remove what has been left. Also, it should be easy for the bees to store honey, as well, particularly after the collection of the surplus. It should be conveniently positioned, for the beekeeper's own comfort.

A good beehive should be durable, lasting many seasons. It should serve to protect the bees, rain or shine, in all kinds of weather. �It should have enough space and room, or at the very least, it must allow expansions to be done on it, in order to accommodate population increase in the colony and their food. In terms of structure, the entrance of the beehive should be large enough for the bees to freely enter and exit through it, yet it must be small and easy for the bees to maintain their defense against possible enemies.�

Centuries ago, honey collection meant the destruction of entire bee colonies, as hives, were crudely destroyed in order to collect honey. Beekeeping was greatly revolutionized in the 18th and 19th centuries, when man began to discover ways to preserve the bees themselves, while still partaking of the harvest. This method was perfected by Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth. He is credited as being the first to take advantage of the "bee space" or the short area in between the wax combs, which the bees will not block with wax. This space was instead used as a passageway through which they can freely enter. Langstroth designed his movable comb hive, which involved a series of wooden frames, constructed within a rectangular hive box.

The correct space between successive frames is carefully maintained. Here, the bees build parallel honeycombs, but without attaching them to each other, or to the hive walls. Thus, the beekeeper is able to slide any frame out of the hive and inspect it. This ensures that the bees and the comb are not harmed nor are the eggs, larvae and pupae within the cells. The honey can be extracted without destroying the comb, as the combs with honey can be gently removed and afterward, it can be returned to the bees in a good condition, ready again for the bees to refill.

Present- day beekeepers still use the designs developed by Langstroth, adding only a few modifications. Charles Dadant, another pioneer of beekeeping, also developed his own design, which allowed bigger space and room for bee colonies. It consisted of a large, deep brood chamber with plenty of room for the queen to lay, and shallow supers for honey storage.�

Both Dadant and Langstroth hives are still widely used all around the world in modern beekeeping, as well as other types of beekeeping hive designs. All beehives are generally square or rectangular �and use movable wooden frames. They are made of a floor, brood-box, honey-super, crown-board and roof. Common materials for hive construction include cedar, pine or cypress wood. No matter which design is involved, the beekeeper must always keep in mind not only the bees' own comfort and convenience, but his own, as well.

Debbie Miller is an Expert beekeeper and has been enjoying her beekeeping interest for many years now.

To learn more about [http://www.beekeeping-courses.com/beekeeping-and-understanding-the-bee-hive/]beekeeping hives and to get a Free 10 part Beekeeping Mini course, please visit her website at http://Beekeeping-Courses.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Beekeeping-Hives---A-Key-Aspect-of-Beekeeping&id=49...] Beekeeping Hives - A Key Aspect of Beekeeping

History of Beekeeping

One of the oldest practices in the world is beekeeping. Considering the way this practice has changed over the years, we realize how important beekeeping is in today's ecologically unstable world.

The world of honeybees faces a host of problems today. As we look back, we find that bees have played a very important role in our development. They are an integral part of the system that helped us sustain through the years and without bees, we definitely would not have been able to live the life we do today.

Another fact that shows the importance of bees is that they have been kept by man from time immemorial.

The first recorded history of beekeeping can be found at the ancient cave paintings in Spain and Africa that depict pictures of people around bee hives collecting honey. These paintings are as old as 15,000 years. It is amazing indeed to find that bees have been an indispensable part of our lives for so long.

Through ages, the only reason why man has been keeping bees is for the wax and honey. Apart from being used as an anti bacterial agent, honey was also used to sweeten a range of drinks and foods such as bread and wine.

Wax, on the other hand, was used to make mead that was a drink taken by monks in monasteries, candles, medicines and as binding agents in paints. Beehives have been created for the purpose of bee keeping for quite some time now.

In places such as Nepal and Africa, people still follow the traditional method of collecting honey from wild hives. With passage of time, people started realizing that keeping beehives provides immense benefits which are one of the reasons for their popularity today.

The practice of gathering honey in basic hives was prevalent in one of the earliest civilizations, Egypt. Any place that was dark and enclosed was sufficient for the swarm to settle.

You can also find many references to beekeeping among the ancient Greeks and Romans. The ancient hives however had a major drawback. The moment honey was collected from the hives the colonies were destroyed by the beekeepers.

19th Century saw the emergence of the first ever comb hive. This hive was created by an American based Italian immigrant Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth. A book called "The Hive and the Honey Bee", published in the year 1853 acted as an inspiration that led to the creation of the comb hive.

This book had detailed description of how to find the 'bee space' which is nothing but the distance between honeycombs created by the bees in a natural manner to enable them to move through.

The modern hive enabled extraction of honey without damaging the colony and also allows for examining and inspecting individual honeycombs. Today, thanks to Langstroth, it is possible to use the bees for various purposes including pollination of huge areas of agricultural land.

The amount of food we produce today is made possible only with the help of the bees and devices such as comb hives enable important large scale practices towards enhancing agricultural development.

Matthew is an expert in beekeeping. For more great information on beekeeping, visit http://www.howtobeekeep.com - [http://www.makemoneyfromhoney.com]http://www.makemoneyfromhoney.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?History-of-Beekeeping&id=4922880] History of Beekeeping

How Temperatures Affect Honey and Beeswax, Also How to Handle Bee Stings

Bee keeping is a preferred hobby or even a profession today due to the various benefits and profits it offers.

Bees produce beeswax in the form of small scales. These scales are formed under the abdomen of the bee. By gorging themselves with sugar syrup or honey, bees stimulate beeswax production. In order to raise cluster temperature, bees huddle together.

It is necessary for bees to consume at least ten pounds of honey to produce one pound of wax. However, bees are found to produce more wax if they feed on sugar. Beeswax, when cooled quickly after passing through heat becomes brittle and pale in color. Rapid contraction also results in development of cracks.

This is one of the main reasons why wax as to be cooled in a gradual manner to ensure preservation of colour and texture. Melt beeswax using a water bath. It is highly recommended not to raise melting point of wax too much as this may result in reduced aroma.

Ensure that you do not place on the gas ring or hot plate, the pan of wax directly. If you overeat, beeswax tends to become damaged. Melting of beeswax should be done using aluminium, plastic, steel or tin plated containers. If you melt wax in a copper, brass or galvanized iron pan, it tends to change colour.

For heating honey, it is recommended to use a warming box, oven that as a manual temperature control or water bath. Localized overheating is best avoided.

If you are stung by the honeybee, you will find that even after the bee pulls away, the venom pump and sac are left in your skin. During the initial twenty seconds or so, the venom is injected into your system. If you want to minimize the effect of venom, it is recommended to take the sting out fast.

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no arm in squeezing out the bee sting if you do it immediately. This will minimize any harmful effects of the venom. You can use a hive tool or even your finer nails to scratch out the sting.

In order to stop other bees from stinging in the same area, the alarm pheromone must be effectively masked by smoking the area. For immediately relief, you can move away from the hive and apply a soothing lotion such as calamine or Witch Hazel. A pack of frozen peas or ice pack will effectively help reduce swelling or pain.

If a bee stings you trough your clothing, ten you can just remove the clothing and smoke the area immediately. It is highly recommended to wear protective clothing when you work with the bees. For any delicate tasks such as clipping and queen marking, you must wear tin loves to protect your and. Wearing loves also ensures that your hands are kept free from Propolis and clean. If you are a beginner, be sure to wear complete protection suit when you work with the bees.

Beekeeping is a wonderful experience and by following certain safety methods, you can make this activity highly lucrative and enjoyable.

Matthew is a beekeeping expert. For more detailed information you can visit, http://www.makemoneyfromhoney.com or [http://www.howtobeekeep.com]http://www.howtobeekeep.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Temperatures-Affect-Honey-and-Beeswax,-Also-How-to-Handle-Bee-Stings&id=4915851] How Temperatures Affect Honey and Beeswax, Also How to Handle Bee Stings

Candles - A Great Home-Based Business!

Economic times are tough and many people are looking for ways to earn extra income, work at home or start their own business. Having your own business empowers you to control your own financial situation.

Maybe you've always wanted to make candles...but you just don't know where to start. You need real knowledge that can get you going in the right direction immediately.

Or maybe you're a frustrated candle maker. You've been making candles for years - but they just don't turn out very good for some reason. Perhaps it's because you don't have the right information that is needed right from the start. There are lots of candle making tips and tricks to be learned. Let's use "mottling wax" as an example. Mottling wax is a specialty wax that produces beautiful color effects in candles. But did you know that "mottling wax" is a very sensitive wax - and that the mottling effect can be destroyed by the introduction of even a small amount of another type of wax? Therefore, every melting pot, stir stick, mold and thermometer needs to be completely free of any other type of wax - or dedicated for use only with mottling wax. Candle making is an art and a science - and you need the right information to begin with in order to help avoid wasting precious time and money along the way.

Maybe you're a professional candle maker - and you want to learn new techniques and improve your candle making skills. Have you ever wondered how an electric candle is made? (A round one? A square one? One with a design on the front? One with a decal on the front?) Or - how to make a candle that looks exactly like a canning jar? (An empty wax jar with a design on the front and a raised logo on the bottom? One that you can pour soft white wax into? One that looks just like the original canning jar?) The design possibilities for beautiful candles are endless.

Candle making is a great home-based business. You can easily make a profit on your very first batch of candles - and earn extra income anytime you want.

"Learn Candle Making from a Master Candle Designer" - is a how-to DVD featuring over 20 different candle designs. Click on the website link to view a sample lesson from the DVD. This could be one of the most profitable investments that you can make...or one of the greatest gifts that you can give. http://www.firstclasscandles.com/

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Candles---A-Great-Home-Based-Business!&id=4741568] Candles - A Great Home-Based Business!

Homemade Candle Making How To's - Tips and Techniques

You finally got the candle making how to's down pat. But after you've churned out batches of the same molded/scented candles, you're aching to try something different! No doubt, you've also come across some puzzling results that need to be resolved. Not to worry, those puzzles will be solved and you will find some unique candle making ideas right here. Read on to find some of the most common concerns of candle makers everywhere.

Do your candles stutter or have a weak, small flame? Either the size of the wick is too small, your wick is not primed or you have impurities in your wax. Use a larger wick next time and prime your wicks. Here's how: melt wax in a double boiler. Drop you wicks and remove them - chopsticks work well here - only when little bubbles form indicating that the wick has absorbed the wax. Lay them on wax paper and straighten them once they've cooled. If the flame is still weak, it may be the impurities in the wax; switch to a better grade wax or a more reliable supplier.

Your wicks tend to "drown" in melted wax. Your wick is probably too small (thin) for your candle. The heat from the flame melts the area right around it. If your wick is too small, it can't absorb sufficient wax to burn and the meltpool, as this area is called, grows large enough to drown the flame. Use a thicker wick or braid 3 wicks to use in candles with widths of 3 or more inches. However, if your candle tends to smoke too much, your wick might be too thick for your candle or you may be using too much or the wrong kind of scent. Lessen the amount of scent you use and make sure to use only candle making fragrance oils. Remember to match the size of the wick with the width of your container.

Here are a few creative candle making ideas using old or unused glass containers. Add strawberry scented candle making fragrance oil to pink candle wax and pour into a tall glass - instant strawberry milk shake! Cherry fragrance oil and dark pink; chocolate scent and light brown dye...you get the drift. How about coffee scented candles in clear coffee cups? Glass beer mug candles make perfect accessories for parties. For a realistic "froth" on your creations, melt some white wax in a tall container (clean empty coffee tin). Cool to around 100 degrees. Whisk the wax (careful it's hot!) by rolling a metal whisk with a long handle between your palms to create bubbles. Scoop the bubbles onto the top of your "drink". Both candle and froth should still be a bit warm so they'll stick. This is also a good way to cover those depressing depressions.

Now, what to do with leftover wax. NEVER pour liquid wax down the drain. It will harden and cause you grief. Prepare a container as a mold and simply pour leftover wax into it after each batch you make. When it's full, unmold it and surprise yourself with the rainbow of colors and scents that appears.

These whimsical yet practical candles will surely charm anyone who receives them, so don't hesitate to try making them. Keep pen and paper handy. In the process of making candles, you will surely develop your own methods and you'll want to jot down your own candle making ideas.

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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Homemade-Candle-Making-How-Tos---Tips-and-Technique...] Homemade Candle Making How To's - Tips and Techniques