Amber Listserv / Amberiod

[Amber Shift LLC]

This is my first post to the list. I know most of the discussion
revolves around finding amber and bugs in amber and authenticating
finds, but I was wondering if anyone knew a resource for learning the
process of forming Amber into shapes. I'm designing some jewelry around
amber and I'd like to create beads and such with it, but in formed
shapes. I don't have the time or experience in carving, but I can do
molding and I'd like a reproducible shape anyway. Beyond heating the
amber to 400 degrees Fahrenheit in a vacuum and pushing that through a
120 mesh sieve to form amberoid blocks to work with, I really don't know
what has been done by artisans in the past (and my Polish family has no
roots in the amber business, I'm sorry to say). From that slab (or
chunk), I know how to press it into a mold, but I'd love any other
resources on that too to compare notes. My current process does darken
the Amber a couple of shades. Currently, I can only use chunks of amber
to press, as fusing multiple pieces in the mold provides a very brittle
bond.

No, I'm not planning on using any information for creating imitation
pieces, and I'm not putting plastic bugs into it either. I will be
upfront with my customers as to the fact that the amber is processed
amberoid.

Thank you for any advice in advance.

Susan

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