zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Mar 16, 2016 17:44:56 GMT -5
You fabricated copper to make molds, then cast silver. Why not just fabricate silver parts? No casting required? The first few pictures show a brown casting wax (which looks a bit like copper in the pictures) I used them to make the shape of the final silver part since working with wax is pretty easy. It had to be made of wax so that it could be burned out of the investment to leave a void to pour metal into. Thanks guys & gals, I have some other photos I can post if anyone is interested? Should I just post them here or in another thread?
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Post by krazydiamond on Mar 16, 2016 20:32:15 GMT -5
fascinating pics, thank you!
KD
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2016 21:33:12 GMT -5
You fabricated copper to make molds, then cast silver. Why not just fabricate silver parts? No casting required? The first few pictures show a brown casting wax (which looks a bit like copper in the pictures) I used them to make the shape of the final silver part since working with wax is pretty easy. It had to be made of wax so that it could be burned out of the investment to leave a void to pour metal into. Thanks guys & gals, I have some other photos I can post if anyone is interested? Should I just post them here or in another thread? Oh... I thought a copper original was used to mold the wax casting... I'm such a putz. Thanks for straightening me out.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Mar 17, 2016 7:01:52 GMT -5
That is a great walk through, really interesting and a very nice end work piece.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2016 7:17:34 GMT -5
Very impressive.i love your sculpture as well.please post some more of your work. Dave
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Mar 17, 2016 8:26:58 GMT -5
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Mar 17, 2016 8:28:17 GMT -5
[/quote]Oh... I thought a copper original was used to mold the wax casting...
I'm such a putz.
Thanks for straightening me out. [/quote]
Scott, you can't tell the difference between copper colored wax wire and copper metal wire? Sheesh you have dropped from hero status LOL. I actually thought it was copper wire for a few minutes so don't feel too bad, that was is a good color match:)
My new mantra for the day "Tom will NOT learn to cast" repeat that over and over and over Tom.
I see all this cool stuff that is new to me and I want to try it out, then next thing I know the banker is at my house with his hand out:)
Have a wonderful day RTH'ers.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 17, 2016 10:30:31 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing your work!! Those orchids are beyond amazing.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2016 23:49:16 GMT -5
Tarahumara Frog is endemic to northern Mexico and southern Arizona. It occurs to me this example may look really nice on a lilypad of malachite, it's native habitat. And the Frog should be bronze with a green patina... Just sayin'....
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Mar 19, 2016 1:20:06 GMT -5
Hmmm yes a stone lilypad. That is a really great idea. Where would you get a slab of malachite that large from? I imagine I'd need a piece at least 10x10" if not a bit bigger or perhaps another green rock would work. Any ideas where to start? I'm in two minds about the patina on the frog. I usually like to polish my pieces to a high shine and keep them like that rather than patina them. I enjoy the shiny gold metal I have two copies of the frog, so perhaps I'll shine one up and patina the other one.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 19, 2016 6:26:48 GMT -5
It occurs to me this example may look really nice on a lilypad of malachite, it's native habitat. Just the same as my thought!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2016 9:42:26 GMT -5
Malachite slab rxscramI love that you use legos for mold forms.
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rxscram
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2011
Posts: 484
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Post by rxscram on Mar 19, 2016 9:53:14 GMT -5
Hmmm yes a stone lilypad. That is a really great idea. Where would you get a slab of malachite that large from? I imagine I'd need a piece at least 10x10" if not a bit bigger or perhaps another green rock would work. Any ideas where to start? I'm in two minds about the patina on the frog. I usually like to polish my pieces to a high shine and keep them like that rather than patina them. I enjoy the shiny gold metal I have two copies of the frog, so perhaps I'll shine one up and patina the other one. Wow, really nice work! Thanks @shotgunner for the tag on this! I did just get a new shipment of malachite in (just a couple days ago!), and it has some pretty large pieces in it. I'm not sure I can do 10x10", but I can probably get pretty large. If not with the malachite, then I've got some nice solid Sonoran Chrysocolla that is a nice blue-green. I'll look a bit later when I'm putting everything away (if you're interested, of course).
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Mar 19, 2016 11:06:20 GMT -5
That sounds great, if you can I'd love to see some pics of the rock you have.
I'm pretty excited about this now, I also just got my 46 grit diamond carving bits in yesterday, so I'm ready to carve it.
I might do a practice run on some marble I collected a few years ago to get the technique down.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2016 11:32:57 GMT -5
Thanks @shotgunner for the tag on this! My pleasure. It's the neighborly thing to do.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 20, 2016 15:07:27 GMT -5
I think Kambaba jasper would be sweet.
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Mar 20, 2016 19:45:32 GMT -5
Wowwwwww. Yes That is gorgeous. Where can I get some of that?
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 21, 2016 7:02:01 GMT -5
Wowwwwww. Yes That is gorgeous. Where can I get some of that? I see a lot of it on eBay. It's from Australia. It's very hard.
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Mar 21, 2016 13:47:41 GMT -5
The Frog is 4x4" so for a proper leaf I'd probably need an 8x8" slab at the smallest. I had a look on ebay but no luck. Only small bits and pieces. I'll see if anything pops up over the next couple weeks.
Are there any other green stones that might work instead? I'm not well versed in rock names and what they look like.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 21, 2016 13:53:24 GMT -5
Rainforest jasper, that might be nice, too.
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