icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Dec 1, 2018 7:58:27 GMT -5
How thick is your base sterling? These are just beautiful. 22 Gauge. I use more of it than anything. Thanks, I wish I would have textured the other two. I have issues with sweat soldering. Something I am working on. Texture hides the issues. Vic I have issues with all soldering . Really, sometimes it takes seconds, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes nothing happens at all. I guess it is an art.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Nov 29, 2018 7:31:15 GMT -5
How thick is your base sterling? These are just beautiful.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Nov 16, 2018 7:48:14 GMT -5
Absolutely stunning work. I get a headache just trying to figure out how you did it.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Oct 26, 2018 7:51:22 GMT -5
Don't worry about it. Our eyes don't have a zoom function. Great wrap.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Oct 1, 2018 6:26:13 GMT -5
Didn't like the ring I made from the Shattuckite, so I tried some wire wrapping, which I haven't done in years. I don't know why there looks to be a huge gap at the bottom, cos there isn't. Must be the angle of the photo or something.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Aug 30, 2018 9:23:43 GMT -5
I don't think the day will ever come when I don't hit "Like" on your posts. Extraordinary work!
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Aug 28, 2018 8:53:11 GMT -5
Wonderful. You are very talented.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Aug 28, 2018 8:52:42 GMT -5
That is seriously nice! I love charoite- that's what it is SUPPOSED to look like. All I see anymore is crap. A Russian vendor told me it's supposed to look like purple waves.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Aug 21, 2018 7:35:11 GMT -5
I think they are both beautiful and I can't imagine how your getting everything lined up without a saw. Was the pendent larger than the rings. I struggle the most with large objects. I don't get them hot fast enough, then everything oxidizes and the solder won't flow.
Yes, the pendant is a large lab. I thought it might be the solder, but it was medium, which I used on the rings with no problem.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Aug 20, 2018 7:49:07 GMT -5
I haven't done this in quite awhile. The rhodo has a band and textured bezel, the shattuckite has a half round shank. I wasn't able to polish them properly as it's just too hot outside. It can wait. I wish my skills were better, but I don't have a bench, or a saw. I tried to make a pendant as well, but the solder just would not melt. I pickled and cleaned twice, starting over each time, but nothing. The rings' solder melted boom fast. For me, smithing is an imperfect science. But I try.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Aug 2, 2018 7:55:23 GMT -5
As mentioned, you could set it in heavy silver and make sure that whoever who gets it is someone you know so you could repolish it when the time comes. Having said that- it looks to obe more hard than most I have seen. The shattuckite I have seen is more course and grainy. That one looks quite hard and glossy with a very fine grain. Are you sure it is shattuckite? I got it at a reputable bead and stone shop here. I like the translucence and the layers. It reminds me of Kyanite. I did research it when I got home and it did resemble quite a few other pieces shown on the web. I can only go by what the store says. I've heard you guys talk about this stuff but never seen any before. The flash on my phone tends to distort things. It's not quite so hard as it looks. I was just going to make a ring for me, but I tend to destroy things easily. I guess it'll be a pendant.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Ideas?
Aug 1, 2018 8:02:55 GMT -5
Post by icatz on Aug 1, 2018 8:02:55 GMT -5
Got a piece of Shattuckite. Finally. Read up on it and the Mohs says 3.5. Ugh. Has anyone successfully made a ring from this stuff or do you have to stick to pendants? Thanks.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jul 31, 2018 8:23:35 GMT -5
Beautiful. I'm still trying to work out in my head how to do a split shank. This was the video I based my technique on. As you can see in the picture I did not cut straight. But with practice, I hope to get things like this to be less noticeable. I guess it helps to have a bench pin. And a bench. And a saw.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jul 27, 2018 8:58:55 GMT -5
Beautiful. I'm still trying to work out in my head how to do a split shank.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jul 27, 2018 8:57:18 GMT -5
Stunning, as always. I especially like how you incorporated the emerald bead with the atlantisite.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jun 22, 2018 9:13:37 GMT -5
Looks beautiful! But I'd use a copper chain to match the wrap.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Oh no!
Jun 13, 2018 15:55:16 GMT -5
Post by icatz on Jun 13, 2018 15:55:16 GMT -5
Thanks, but you're seeing the best possible angle. And the bezel prongs are all wrong. At least it wasn't a cab, can't turn those over.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jun 13, 2018 8:09:14 GMT -5
I've had this great piece of Fordite for 3+ years. Decided to make a ring, trying a new design. Once everything was finished, I gently pushed it into the setting and big chunks broke off. WTF? Not wanting to abandon the sterling, I flipped the Fordite over and kind of forced it into the setting. It's not flat on either side and doesn't fit great. There's a huge gap at the top and you can see where some of the material broke off on the right side. But without close examination it's still pretty so I wear it every few days. What a let-down. I've never had Fordite break on me like that. Also, the flash makes it look murky, but in real life it's crisp and pretty.
Post-break
Flipped and "set" (ha)
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on May 17, 2018 7:43:56 GMT -5
Beautiful. Oddly, I watched a youtube video yesterday showing how to make this exact ring. The guy did extensive filing across the whole piece to make it smoother and flatter. I wish I had seen that video before I started. I didn't file the top at all. I just kept working the braid until I had it the right height, before I formed it into a circle. filing would have been easier. Here you go
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on May 16, 2018 7:38:07 GMT -5
Beautiful. Oddly, I watched a youtube video yesterday showing how to make this exact ring. The guy did extensive filing across the whole piece to make it smoother and flatter.
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