I am wondering where you can buy Sterling Silver and 14K gold filled neckchains, earring posts, barrettes, wire for wrapping at good prices? R&T doesn't offer enough choice for me so I am looking for another source or 2 or 3.
I buy my silver wire, ear wires etc. from Halstead Beads. http://www.halsteadbead.com
They are strictly a wholesaler, you need your business licences etc. buy their prices can't be beaten!
My chains are all purchased through a wholesaler (House of Jewelry, Toronto,Canada) that I found at a wholesale gift show.
Some jewelers go to the extent of making their own wire and sheet goods. Seriously. Shot is used for lost wax casting. Gold and silver shot is less money than wire or sheet. Melt the shot, pour into an ingot and run the ingot through a rolling mill. They claim the finished product is less porous than purchased stuff. Of course they have the tools anyway, torch, rolling mill etc.
I think they have to much time on their hands. Some jewelers just enjoy the process.
22 gauge wire makes great hand made ear wires if you're the frugal type.
I tried to make my own sterling sheet...once. I cast a rectangular ingot from scrap and rolled it, for what seemed like days, in hand-cranked rolling mill. It was porous because I had also melted in pieces with a bit of solder on them. What a mess!
I eventually just sent it to my metals recycler and let them melt it, remove the crud left from the solder, and roll it back into sheet for me (at a fee, of course, but much less wasted effort than rolling it myself).
This cured me of the desire I had at that time for learning to make my own mokemegame; it was why I tried rolling my own sheet in the first place with plain silver.
I do know people who draw their own wire from melted scrap. I also think they must have too much time on their hands.
Thank you for the suggestions -
I have sent away for the catalogs and can't wait til they arrive - This board is such a big help! Thanks again for sharing your wealth of information. Kim K
Geri
Saw your post about mokemegame. I also have been cured of the need to make this material . After actually making it ( with a Power Break rolling Mill) and then using it some jewelry design ... no one cared . Could not sell it . I think it takes a lot education to a client to understand what it takes to make this material ... no time .
I have reversd engines and use very little metal in my jewerly designs.
Lou
"This cured me of the desire I had at that time for learning to make my own mokemegame; it was why I tried rolling my own sheet in the first place with plain silver."
I have a hard enough time trying to teach customers to say dichroic...let's see, at my show today, they called it "dichromic", "dicrylic", "dicromatic", and "dicrotic" glass, among other things. If they ask, I tell them how it's really pronounced.
I don't want to start trying to teach customers to say "mokemegame", too. Especially if they don't want to buy it. LOL.
Some jewelers go to the extent of making their own wire and sheet goods. Seriously. Shot is used for lost wax casting. Gold and silver shot is less money than wire or sheet. Melt the shot, pour into an ingot and run the ingot through a rolling mill. They claim the finished product is less porous than purchased stuff. Of course they have the tools anyway, torch, rolling mill etc.
I think they have to much time on their hands. Some jewelers just enjoy the process.
22 gauge wire makes great hand made ear wires if you're the frugal type.
Jerry and Riverview,
Here's another option . . .
I am the lazy sort yet wanted my own look. I sketched my designs, found an excellent wax carver and silver caster and proceeded from there. Not only do I have my findings exactly as I want them they are a unique signature piece for me. In fact have some new designs on the sketchpad right now
I am wondering where you can buy Sterling Silver and 14K gold filled neckchains, earring posts, barrettes, wire for wrapping at good prices? R&T doesn't offer enough choice for me so I am looking for another source or 2 or 3. 
yet wanted my own look. I sketched my designs, found an excellent wax carver and silver caster and proceeded from there. Not only do I have my findings exactly as I want them they are a unique signature piece for me. In fact have some new designs on the sketchpad right now 
