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Post by susand24224 on Jan 3, 2024 0:12:53 GMT -5
I believe the only thing that needs instructions are the spirals, and they will wait until tomorrow because the hammering scares my dog and he has had a rough day. The beauty of scrap is that if you want to do *something* but don't feel like designing anything, just pick up a piece of scrap wire and play with it--for me, most of the time this is a mess, but every now and then I come up with something I like. And Tela, you often do paddles and side pieces, which are easy to do with scrap, so I won't put any of those in. Scrap makes wonderful clasps and closures for necklaces, and also for certain bails. I make a lot of earrings, so many photos are of earring parts, but some (not all) would be perfect accompaniments to bails; others make great components for necklaces. Here goes: 1. The bottom part of these chandeliers are from 5/8" pieces of scrap with a ball melted on the end--these are kind of messy, but it was my first try so please be kind! 2. These can go anywhere and can be as organized or disorganized as you like! 3. All of the parts (except the ear wires and the beads) were made with scrap: 4. Here's several pieces of scrap wound together: 5. A very simple drop earring--if you want to "improve" it, you can file the balls into triangles and add eyes--or add a bead or three. 6. The bottoms of these earrings are "paddles" where one simply hammers a bit on the ends of the wire and then files a bit. 7. A very simple pair of earrings: 8. All of the frame wires on this pair were made with copper scrap--I use the horseshoe a lot when making a necklace to hold the bail of the pendant. 9. Here's the spirals I keep talking about--they can be made as large or small as you like, 20-gauge on down: 10. One of my friends picked up a piece of scrap and made this design--and I made it again: 11. Entire pieces are scrap: Tomorrow I'll tackle the mini-tutorial and add some scrap designs that I've used on pendants.
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Post by susand24224 on Jan 2, 2024 17:36:22 GMT -5
I'll get some photos/directions posted tonight--lots to do before dark, and then I'll have some free time. My thought here is to get people thinking about what they can do with "leftovers." It's okay if you just want to play around with wires, they don't have to be attached to a finished product unless you have time to do both, so I'll post some photos of pieces I've made with "reconstituted" parts and also some instructions for the spirals.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 28, 2023 15:10:20 GMT -5
liveoak They're gorgeous! And I think you were on the mark when you lengthened them--it works very well and is "eye-pleasing." As for the Christmas trees, perhaps Tom wouldn't have felt that way if it weren't Christmas--context is everything!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 27, 2023 19:08:01 GMT -5
I'm with Tela--2nd and 3rd are my favorites, although I'd be happy with any of them as a gift. I'm particularly impressed by the braiding you did--it looks great and it's a creative touch.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 15, 2023 19:01:00 GMT -5
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 15, 2023 16:48:21 GMT -5
A long time ago, I had some copper solder wire with flux made by a small shop that I have forgotten the name of. It was renowned for being a good match. I still have some, but I don't think it is made anymore. It was a really great solder, though. Yes! When I was thoroughly disgusted with the Rio "copper" solder I ran a search here and came across your link. The link no longer worked, and the shop was not locatable through Google. I kicked myself for not buying some previously . . . The wrap I made for Jason in the last roaming wire had that solder on it, and even though I threw it in dirty pickle, it still is decidedly silver.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 15, 2023 2:25:34 GMT -5
susand24224 , I got the wire type. I was really surprised at the size of the roll. It's in a large loose roll like the cut wire than send out. It's a serious amount of solder. I'll let you know how it works. Meant to bring the torch home today but ended up with a migraine. Thank you much! I hope for both your sake and mine that the wire type works better for you than the tube kind has for me.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 14, 2023 17:08:58 GMT -5
Patty[/quote]Thanks Patty, they're just wrapped tight. I just got some copper solder from Rio yesterday but haven't tried it yet.[/quote] Gary rockbrain did you get the tube kind or the wire solder? I've had fits with the tube kind, but finally came up with a procedure that worked--but it's more silver than copper colored. Please, please share your experience when you try the solder out.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 13, 2023 21:19:59 GMT -5
Wow! They're wonderful! Unique, basic yet not so, great texturing job, and the wires are perfectly placed to make the design flow.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 12, 2023 16:12:44 GMT -5
rockjunquie I love it, including the ruby crystals! I looked it over carefully this time and the tight maneuvering and close-in weaves made my head spin. Amazing job conquering the obstacles although you made it look easy! And of course it is extra-special because of the recipient.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 11, 2023 23:45:47 GMT -5
Oh, the pain of starting with rough and/or tumbled rock! Even after doing this for 10+ years working stones like you are starting out with would not be easy for me. I'm impressed with the heart that you created--it's pretty, it looks secure, and it's wearable. You've picked a rough way to start but mastering these will make cabochons very easy for you.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 11, 2023 0:38:58 GMT -5
rockbrain I'm looking forward to seeing it after the patina--you've done a great job with the texturing, and the design is perfect for the cab. This is a really impressive piece!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 5, 2023 18:59:58 GMT -5
I've now got two scrap "envelopes" for gold and silver, one for pieces I might be able to use and the other for hopeless little bits and the balls that fell off the wire when I got carried away with the Blazer. I'm frugal with the smaller gauges of copper, (18 and smaller) since I have this fantasy that I will be able to somehow fuse them together and make something incredibly ornate and usable. I've tried a few times and they looked like crap, but I don't learn quickly. Sometimes with the 16-gauge plus copper I just go ahead and make jump rings so now I have ice cube trays full of jump rings instead of containers full of scrap. Congratulations on your scrap reduction!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 5, 2023 17:21:36 GMT -5
Last night I ran across a tutorial on YouTube that very much resembles the bracelet I posted above. I didn't follow a tutorial but I *strongly* suspect that the photo and/or video provided inspiration, so I am providing a link:
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 5, 2023 17:10:02 GMT -5
Susan, great job on all of them. You certainly set the bar high for this challenge. I have a bunch of copper wire scrap that I could use if only I could find where in the storage unit I put it. I did find my anvil and hammer so that's a start. Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with this month. Thank you, Diane! Some of my best designs are when I'm just tinkering around with wire and something works, but then there are the others. For me, working with scrap "frees" me as I have convinced myself that I am not wasting anything so my frugal self doesn't interfere. I hope you (and others) give it a try!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 5, 2023 2:40:14 GMT -5
I've never dry polished anything, although I'm thinking about it with fluorite and hematite Completely OT from the OP, but if you do try it with hematite, let me know how it goes if you don't mind. I'm got some going in coarse right now. Some materials behave pretty differently but yet I don't see many guides out there. I have a feeling that after the initial shaping where the rough bits were knocked off... that not only is it changing shape from grinding, but that the material is also a little malleable. I swear it feels smooth and not smooth at the same time. I'm not sure how to describe it other than I think the rocks are making smooshy spots on each other. Also... I discovered very quickly that if I load my barrel like normal it'll overload my tumbler. Hematite is about twice as dense as agate, so a similarly loaded barrel was a lot heavier. I actually had to take a good deal out and replace it with fillter material. Using some junk filler rocks and pea gravel to fill in the space. Hi, I sent you a PM with some detail.
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 4, 2023 16:54:36 GMT -5
OK, Susan susand24224 , it's officially gone viral - I adore your hammered earrings. I would have thought Asian inspired- but Egyptian works too.
Wonderfully inspiring to me - I can see numerous variations on those.
Lucky individual that is gifted that pair Oh, sorry - not to forget your beaded emeralds are nice in their own right, vaguely Christmas-y, but not so much so, that they are certainly in style year round. A nice pair.
Your bracelet is equally interesting. I haven't tried a coil like your central one just yet, but the lava beads go perfectly with it.
Did you make the chain links as well ? They look like some serious gauge wire so likely harder to form. Thank you for an inspiring entry all around.
What a start to a challenge !!!! Patty
Thanks so much, Patty! The bracelet is for a man, so I went "he-man" all the way. The coils are fairly easy, and I didn't do a great job, but he won't know that. Yes, I made the 14-gauge links and managed to not break any pliers (this time) doing them. Annealing helped a lot. I do a lot like the hammered earrings, since it allows me to make use of my ever-burgeoning copper scrap pile. Sometimes my challenge to myself is just to use up some of that scrap . . .an occasional "hit" and many "misses" without guilt!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 4, 2023 4:05:35 GMT -5
[/quote]My poor cat is SUCH a scaredy-cat. She has really (very slowly) come out of her shell since we got her (we are her 2nd home) as an adult cat 8 years ago. She has just recently shown interest in being in my studio with me. This is where all my crafting is done from quiet crochet to sewing to wire wrapping to hammering and torching metal work. I sometimes go in there with the intent of doing something loud and then she shows up and I feel bad for scaring her and so I change what I’m doing to something quiet. 🤓She’s a little old lady cat now and so I just want her to be happy.🥰 Love the hammered and leaf earrings Susan and great theme rockbrain ![/quote] Thank you, Khara. Even as I type, I cannot go out on the porch to get my sonic jewelry cleaner because VagaBob, who I believe is hovering somewhere between stray and feral, is peacefully sleeping on my covered porch on the pad that belongs to the Pyrenees. If I go out there, he will leave and likely not come back until one of his occasional "I am starving" trips to my yard--he's very afraid of all things human. My dog Cody is highly noise-reactive--has been since I got him. I don't know his history but know that he had been shot and his nose split open. So I fully understand your not wanting to upset your cat!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 3, 2023 23:15:18 GMT -5
susand24224 I have to agree with Jason. I absolutely love those second earrings! They have a real ancient exotic look to them. I'm going to have a hard time not stealing that design! Give in to your urges, rockbrain . I believe (if memory serves me correctly), that I stole it from the ancient Egyptians. they put serpents in everything! And thank you!
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 3, 2023 23:11:12 GMT -5
jasoninsd , it is perfectly okay with me if it is called "abhorrent" jasper. After all, I made the name up just for you--some of it looks identical to Bruneau, but that piece? Nah. If I'm understanding realrockhound correctly, that 4th piece is definitely some kind of Bruneau...just not the normal kind. Okay, I've got it now. I was thinking there were only four pictures, rather than the obvious five, and also thinking that "abhorrent" was my piece. Some of that material was the perfect image on Bruneau, but not that piece of mine that you just posted. I've got a fair amount of Bruneau, purchased long ago from Tony, and quite a bit of it is like #4.
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