jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 16, 2017 17:33:40 GMT -5
I offered to cut a slab from the middle for him if it ended up being solid, then give the boys each side. He didn't want to do that. He is quite sentimental about it. It's been with him for over 50 years of his life and I guess he feels he is "giving" his sons all of that history when he gives them each a half. It's quite heavy and feels pretty solid so I'm fairly certain this is gonna be solid.
He is certain this is from Brown County, Indiana. He grew up a couple of counties over and it was his first trip going away with his pops and some family friends. They picked up the geodes themselves from a creek bed.
I will most definitely post pictures when it is cut. I. CAN'T. WAIT.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 16, 2017 13:03:00 GMT -5
A coworker heard I liked rocks. Over the years we have had many rock conversations. Well, today he brought "Lumpy" up to work and asked me to cut him in half for him. Lumpy is a geode that my coworker picked up (along with his father) over 50 years ago. It is a Brown County, Indiana geode. When he graduated from high school, Lumpy was there. When he got married, Lumpy was there. When he had his children, Lumpy was there. Every house he ever lived in, Lumpy sat out in the yard. Now Lumpy is going to get cut in half and given to his sons for Christmas this year. I can't wait to see what this looks like on the inside, but then again, I'm terrified something will go wrong with it.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 15, 2017 10:14:20 GMT -5
I can tell you how I do it. I solder the bezel on first. Then I solder on any embellishments. Then I solder on the shank. If you heat the piece up after putting each embellishment on with flux, the dried flux will hold it in place. P.S. if you leave your shank open at the top, it will sit nicer on your finger. Vic Well, that sorts out my third ring then. Now I've just got to look up how to leave the shank open yet still ensure it is the size I need.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 15, 2017 9:08:38 GMT -5
Oh, also...is there a way to "glue" do-dads onto the back plate that you want to fuse? Like flowers, silver balls, etc. How do you put them onto the backplate and keep them from moving around while you are adding elements, etc, and getting ready to solder?
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 15, 2017 8:24:37 GMT -5
So, I've got the ring part done, except for a bit more sanding to smooth it all out. I wanted to do a hammered texture, but it isn't as easy as you think it would be to get that to look good. So now I'm sanding out all the dings. Also, I've tried soldering the bezel twice and it wasn't solid. I was frustrated and tired last night so I decided to put it down and resume after I got home from work today. I would like to add some stamped like designs around the edge of the backplate, similar to the ones on the pendant shown here: www.etsy.com/listing/115616114/kyanite-stone-sterling-necklace-handmade?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=ShareI'm not quite sure how to do it though, and is it something I should do before adding the bezel or after? I realize I haven't posted the tools I have available yet.... I've got a Foredom with all the basic attachments, several plier sets, a handsaw, steel plate, rawhide hammer, planishing hammer, etc. (sorry, not enough go-go juice this morning) Here is what I've got so far:
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 13, 2017 11:05:10 GMT -5
Oh, also, will try to post a picture of the tools we use once I get home.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 13, 2017 11:04:10 GMT -5
The only thing I can point out- and it isn't obvious outside of a close up- the hammering you did on the twisted wire is a little rough. Did you use a polished steel block and a polished hammer head? Whatever you hammer on will impart it's texture to your metal. You can probably polish out that texture with some bobbing compound- if you wanted to. Of course, you may have meant to do that, I dunno. Just trying to give constructive input. It is really nice no matter. Thank you for this. I couldn't get the twisted wire to lay down flush with the backing so I decided to beat the tar out of it to get it flattened. I would have rather been able to have it all nice and twisted but couldn't figure out how to get it flat against the plate. I also could not figure out how to solder the twisted wire together so that the twists all lined up, hence putting the ends on the bottom point and putting silver balls on top of it. Any hints on that?
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 13, 2017 10:23:03 GMT -5
Oh wow! What a gorgeous piece.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 12, 2017 11:27:14 GMT -5
Thank you guys so much! Like I said, I've got a ton of mistakes on it, but I am ridiculously proud of it. I made another round ring last night and I'm just waiting on some decorative bezel material to come in and I'll set another turquoise. In the meantime, I think I will work on a pendant.
Manthing thought I was nuts for doing something so big right out of the gate. I've wanted to make jewelry since I was a kid and my excitement ran out in front of me.
I can't wait to make another one and I'm gonna go ahead and thank you guys in advance for answering questions and helping me. Feel free to point out any flaws you ever notice so I can do better the next time around.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on Jun 11, 2017 19:18:37 GMT -5
Between work, a work conference, and various other obligations, this took me two weeks to complete. Silversmithing isn't for the timid, that is for sure. Pretty steep learning curve. Also, pretty sure I need to go to confession with all the cursing I did. Lots of mistakes on this one, but I don't care, I love it!
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 23, 2017 7:14:33 GMT -5
We have one at the rock club and I've been keeping my eyes open for one. I would have paid twice that and felt smug about it.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 20, 2017 7:02:59 GMT -5
Wow Sis, So totally beautiful. Wowser... What's their scale size? At least if man thing was posting there would be a beer can sitting there. heheheh Lol. He was out of beer. Most of these were @ baseball size. Or just a little bit smaller. A few were fist sized (my fist, not Manthings)
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 19, 2017 22:21:14 GMT -5
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 19, 2017 22:16:40 GMT -5
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 18, 2017 20:06:13 GMT -5
So I got my Foredom the other day and started on a fire agate today. (from yet another batch of fire agates I got in last week! I appear to have a problem.....) These fire agates were bought completely rough. Here's what I got so far....I don't think this is going to be some kind of great stone, but I'm immensely pleased so far. This is my first one and I think it's gonna make an adorable little button.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 18, 2017 12:26:56 GMT -5
Yes! Thank you Ha! I know him. He sold me the bits I'm using in this Foredom!
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 18, 2017 12:08:48 GMT -5
Is it just me or do those awesome slabs seem thicker than normal? Might be a good thing to keep them in one piece. Just such expensive and nice material. I try to cut them 1/4 inch. But the saw is huge and I'm short. It isn't always easy for me to eyeball it 1/4 out past the blade. I think they are all pretty close though
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 18, 2017 11:25:54 GMT -5
Slammed down some slabs or some mead?? grin.. Ah Multitasking again.. Yes.
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 18, 2017 11:24:47 GMT -5
We just got our Foredom in this week, then set up a little workstation in our garage. Here's a couple of pictures, including Manthing taking a turn on it. So far, I'm absolutely in love. And I've named her Vera. We've got a couple of not so good pieces of fire agate we are practicing on until we feel like we can touch some of the nicer pieces without destroying them. A little bit of googling last night shows me that cabbing other materials with the Foredom is not only possible, but a lot of people started out that way until they could afford a proper cabbing machine. So I'm looking to you all to share any information that you are willing to part with... I don't know what I don't know. And I hate making stupid mistakes because I don't know what questions to ask. I know I probably need to start out with a large cutting disc, then put the handpiece in a vise and use it as a flat lap for coarse grit shaping, but I don't know where to go from there. Any suggestions?
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jet
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2017
Posts: 103
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Post by jet on May 18, 2017 11:10:20 GMT -5
Yeah, they are pretty solid. I slammed them down several times pretty hard and they didn't break/crack, so I think they should be good to cut.
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