|
Post by 1dave on Jan 2, 2014 11:39:07 GMT -5
Perfection is a matter of opinion, a goal, not a destination.
Our rough rocks are not perfect. Slabbing is hit or miss at best. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The part of a slab I like best may not be worthy of your attention.
If I'm in the mood to create one of mr.mohs hearts and you would have done something different, tough toenails!
"I yam what I yam and that is all that I yam!" - Popeye the Sailor.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,773
|
Post by gemfeller on Jan 2, 2014 14:10:21 GMT -5
James, getting jewelry pieces finished well enough to appear "clean" to the naked eye is difficult. But when you go "macro," as you suggest, all bets are off. Even totally insignificant flaws become monsters. It's very tough to get a clean finish that will stand up to the scrutiny of even a standard (not macro) lens in ordinary photography. Rick Many times... many, many times, I was unaware of a flaw until I saw the close up picture. Whether it be in the stone or setting, sometimes I actually count on a macro to catch problems. Tela, I sell faceted gems. I used to do laborious eye-straining grading with a 10-power loupe. Now I just photograph them and let the images show me where any flaws are located so I can double-check them with the loupe. Even stones that are totally eye-clean and beautiful (to me at least) can sometimes look unfairly yucky under the camera lens.
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Jan 3, 2014 9:52:19 GMT -5
Worked with big metal all my life. I got a real whipping when attempting clean jewelry level work. I was amazed at how much effort it takes to achieve flawless work as viewed at the macro level. Hats off to you people that can perform such. The amount of patience and time is rarely rewarded enough monetarily. If you have a piece of my work it is probably cause you are a relative, a wife, a dear friend or blackmailer.LOL. I ended up making stuff w/hammer and anvil or heat processes. I hope to create a way to mount stones in metal that is unconventional. I worked with big stuff all my life too and my very first attempt at silver soldering 2 pieces of 24 guage square wire ,about 1/2" long,together was a hoot! I have Smiths Little Torch with oxy/acet and when I put the flame to the silver it went POOF! It was gone,,,,and I MEAN gone!The sterling silver went through a few stages,,cold,hot and POOF in about 4-5 seconds flat! I had the biggest tip in the torch and had the regulators cranked up pretty high! This was a HUGE change from brazing in work with a 1/4" brass rod! Some time later we played "hide the pallion" or "pop goes the pallion"! LOL Do I envy jewelers? You bet I do!Wish I was one of them too! connrock
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
|
Post by jamesp on Jan 3, 2014 10:34:01 GMT -5
Many times... many, many times, I was unaware of a flaw until I saw the close up picture. Whether it be in the stone or setting, sometimes I actually count on a macro to catch problems. Read more: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/63559/blueskys-conrocks-idea-revised-prongs?page=2#ixzz2pLjtsDhCDito. I like to tumble the type of rocks that have detail that must be seen w/a macro.(fossils, wood, moss agate etc) Because.....that is so much another world and natures beauty can be at it's absolute best in the small world. However, small metal work.....another story. Truly a challenge to get quality where you want it. Woe to the perfectionist in that field !!
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Jan 3, 2014 10:34:45 GMT -5
connrock use a little torch for little things! A mini-butane torch would fix your wires in less than a minute. It's not very mysterious or hard, just different. I use the mini-butane torch on most of my work, and the Whale Propane torch on the bigger jewelry pieces. I cannot imagine working with the big metal as you and jamesp do.
|
|
jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
|
Post by jamesp on Jan 3, 2014 12:45:43 GMT -5
connrock use a little torch for little things! A mini-butane torch would fix your wires in less than a minute. It's not very mysterious or hard, just different. I use the mini-butane torch on most of my work, and the Whale Propane torch on the bigger jewelry pieces. I cannot imagine working with the big metal as you and jamesp do. We are 'IRON MEN' Pat. And Tela is iron woman
|
|
|
Post by connrock on Jan 4, 2014 8:16:56 GMT -5
Pat,,, The story I told about my soldering experience was quite a few years ago and my very first attempt with soldering silver. I've learned a lot since then with using my Little Torch and I really like it.
I think if you have a background in welding,soft soldering,brazing,etc,etc it helps to adapt to silver soldering silver for jewelery.It's all a matter of melting metals together at different temperature levels but a lot of the basic techniques/procedures are the same.
A person who is just starting out and has never even held a torch or welding lead is another story.These people can get confused VERY easily which causes them to make a LOT of mistakes if they're not taught in the VERY basics of soldering and silver soldering.
I have a woman, who I am teaching to solder and silver solder, who comes here once/week.She has never soft soldered or silver soldered anything in her life and I have to keep reminding myself that she HAS to be taught the VERY basics and proceed from there. It's funny,,,,I have to sit and think about exactly what I will teach her every time she comes here! LOL I'm NOT a teacher and have never done anything like this so I don't have a "plan" set up.
I've watched tons and tons of on line videos on silver soldering sterling silver and bezel settings thinking I might have my "apprentice" watch a few of them.I found that a LOT of the self proclaimed experts who make these videos can lead a newbie in the wrong direction and decided to not have the woman I'm teaching watch them.
Although we all may do things differently it's the end product we want to be right and what works for some may not work for all but if we are taught the wrong way,,,,we're sunk!
I didn't know what I was getting myself into in teaching but the woman is a VERY fast learner and I'm VERY happy I decided to try to help her,,,,she's almost as thick headed and stubborn as me too! LOL
connrock
|
|