How to Turn Scrap Silver Into Wire

Turning scrap silver into wire is a challenging but rewarding project. With a little ingenuity and a little work, your scrap silver can be transformed into beautiful silver jewelry for very little investment. Besides the cost savings, there is satisfaction in knowing that you turned something of little value into something of great personal value--from start to finish. You could consider this the ultimate fashion recycling project.

Things You'll Need

• Crucible
• 1/4 cup borax
• Mixture of 10% sulphuric acid and 90% water
• Wire ingot
• Slow cooker
• Jeweler's file
• Draw tongs or pliers
• Safety goggles
• Wire draw plate
• Beeswax
• Propane torch

Instructions

Melting the Scrap Silver

1. Prepare the crucible and the wire ingot by melting approximately 1 tsp. of borax in each receptacle, using a hand held propane torch.

2. Place the silver scrap into the crucible, taking care if the crucible is still warm not to be burned. The silver will heat almost immediately when it touches the crucible, so avoid touching the metal once it is in the crucible.

3. Melt the silver by slowly moving the propane torch back and forth over the silver, with the flame touching the silver at all times. The silver will begin to shimmer and will melt after approximately 30 to 60 seconds. Continue to keep the flame over the silver scrap until it is completely liquid.

4. Continue to hold the flame on the molten liquid, and carefully sprinkle approximately an additional 1 tsp. of borax on the molten liquid. The flame will melt the borax and will prevent some of the oxidation of the silver scrap.

5. Remove the flame and quickly pour the molten silver into the prepared wire ingot.

6. Once the ingot has cooled for approximately three minutes, submerge the resulting silver piece into cool water. Be aware that the silver piece will still be extremely hot, so handle it with caution. The piece will cool almost immediately in the water.

Annealing and Preparing the Silver

1. Submerge the silver piece in a solution of 10% sulphuric acid and 90% water. This solution should be heated, and is most easily heated in an ordinary slow cooker set on medium heat. The slow cooker should not be reused for cooking food after being used for annealing. The silver piece should remain in the solution for approximately 15 minutes or until all visible oxide (the black residue) has been dissolved.

2. Rinse the silver piece thoroughly in tap water.

3. Dry with a cloth.

4. 

   Using the jeweler's file, file one end of the silver piece to a tapered point so that it will easily fit through the holes in the draw plate.

Drawing the Scrap Silver into Wire

1. Attach the draw plate firmly to the bench vise in a perpendicular position.

2. Apply beeswax to the silver piece to provide lubrication.

3. Insert the silver piece into a hole only slightly smaller than the largest diameter of the silver piece.

4. Using the jeweler's tongs, grip the silver piece on the opposite side of the drawplate and pull the piece through the hole in the drawplate, reducing the overall diameter as it is pulled through the hole.

5. Repeat this procedure up to twice more, applying beeswax before drawing the wire through the draw plate each time. If additional draws are required after the first three in order to achieve the desired diameter, the wire must be annealed (reheated to the annealing temperature, but not to the melting point) again before drawing the wire down further, or the wire will become too brittle.

Tips & Warnings

• The sterling silver will be easier to melt if the pieces are uniform in size and small. Larger pieces require more heat than is produced by a propane torch.

• All supplies can be purchased at a local or online jewelry supply house, and some, like the torch, may be purchased at a local hardware store.

• Whenever working with molten metals, torches or chemicals, care should be taken to wear safety goggles and to handle all heated metal and chemicals with extreme care.

• The use of chemicals is best performed in a well-ventilated area.

• This project should not be attempted by anyone under the age of 18 without adult supervision.

References

• "Professional Goldsmithing"; Alan Revere; 1991
• "The Art and Craft of Making Jewelry"; Joanna Goldbeerg; 2006