khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 28, 2023 23:12:45 GMT -5
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 28, 2023 23:27:10 GMT -5
Here is my 2nd wrap. This one gave me absolute heck! I thought I was choosing an easier tutorial! Nope. I realized afterwards that it may have been more difficult because the wire is round instead of square? It looks so simple but I had such a hard time holding onto it all and having it not keep slipping. I almost gave up three separate times but ultimately decided I was just going to see what I could come up with despite the way overworked wire. I ended up intentionally hammering the wire to add texture and "fix" the various out of shape errors. The mahogany obsidian cab is one I cut about 10 years ago. It has some really nice translucent bands when the light hits it just right. I keep meaning to try a light-box shot. With both of these, I really like that I made both the cab and the wrap! I still need to make a cord for this one. When I first finished it I was happy to be done but also a bit underwhelmed due to all the mistakes. As time has gone by though this one has really grown on me, I think specifically because I know how much work I put into it! Fun project and I'm looking forward to finding time to work on some more.   rockjunquie Thanks for prompting me to finally post this! |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 28, 2023 23:35:52 GMT -5
Here is my 2nd wrap. This one gave me absolute heck! I thought I was choosing an easier tutorial! Nope. I realized afterwards that it may have been more difficult because the wire is round instead of square? It looks so simple but I had such a hard time holding onto it all and having it not keep slipping. I almost gave up three separate times but ultimately decided I was just going to see what I could come up with despite the way overworked wire. I ended up intentionally hammering the wire to add texture and "fix" the various out of shape errors. The mahogany obsidian cab is one I cut about 10 years ago. It has some really nice translucent bands when the light hits it just right. I keep meaning to try a light-box shot. With both of these, I really like that I made both the cab and the wrap! I still need to make a cord for this one. When I first finished it I was happy to be done but also a bit underwhelmed due to all the mistakes. As time has gone by though this one has really grown on me, I think specifically because I know how much work I put into it! Fun project and I'm looking forward to finding time to work on some more. rockjunquie Thanks for prompting me to finally post this! It is nice when you can save a piece and it's ALL made by you.  If I didn't know you had problems with it, I wouldn't have guessed. Yes, using all round wires as a newbie could be a problem. As you learn to handle the wire, it gets easier.
I can see why it has grown on you. Despite the problems with it, it's a very nice piece.
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Post by liveoak on Jan 29, 2023 7:37:56 GMT -5
I like it Khara.
The hammered bead with the slightly hammered wire, tie together nicely & the bail looks nice.
I like simple wraps & the wires looking purposeful - and you pulled that off perfectly.
I'd have to agree, the satisfaction I get making a cab & wrapping it or setting it.
After so many years buying stones or working without them, it's a satisfying luxury.
Patty
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 29, 2023 8:49:43 GMT -5
I think that second one came out looking very nice! I really like the tight weave on the bail!! |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 29, 2023 10:42:59 GMT -5
khara I think you're second wrap looks great! I only know you struggled with it because you said so. Otherwise, I would say it was intentially made to be rustic looking.  Round wire is a pisser to work with, especially when you're just starting out. You did a real good job taming those buggers!
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Post by victor1941 on Jan 29, 2023 15:45:25 GMT -5
I really like wrap #1 due to a very simple design that had to be hard.
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Post by susand24224 on Jan 29, 2023 22:48:00 GMT -5
I already liked #1, but I like #2 as well--I'm particularly fond of the accent bead at the top--I think it adds a lot.
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 29, 2023 22:59:36 GMT -5
Somehow I lost my girdle, again, on this one. I think it might be happening on the 600-1200 wheels. I feel like I don't need to protect my girdle so much cause it seems some material does ok over there on the right side of the machine, but maybe I do still need to really protect it. The bottom cab here is my contest one. Thanks! - This quote is from the contest thread...but I'm moving here into your thread...I didn't want to reply there. I know you didn't really ask a question...so this is unsolicited advice/thoughts.  Personally, I really pay attention to my girdle line all the way through 1200. I do know with harder materials, I can get away with being a little sloppy working around the girdle on the 1200...but not the 600. There's certain materials where even the 3000 will mess up the girdle line if one isn't careful (Malachite comes immediately to mind.) |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 29, 2023 23:19:54 GMT -5
jasoninsd Yes, I’m thinking I’ll have to be more careful. I’ve not done very many cabs yet. I think what happened is I did one or two that were not affected at all by the last three wheels. My girdle line stayed really nicely. So I continued on thinking ok those wheels won’t affect my shape… And also that dark brown matrix seemed fairly hard. I’m still trying to figure out my order of operations. I keep changing it. I do put a beveled girdle on because my original interest was in metalsmithing. I want my cabs to be able to be either wire wrapped or bezel set. So in cutting the tapered girdle, I do that undopped and with the back up, using a cab rest. I’ve tried just cutting through the shaping wheels or doing it all the way through 3000 before I dop and dome the top. I was struggling with scratches being left on the edge when I only did the first three wheels, so I switched to all the way across all 6 wheels on the girdle edge before dopping. Then when I dome it, it seems I have to go a little past the perimeter girdle edge, on the last three wheels otherwise there will be scratches right along my perimeter sharpie line. Not sure if that’s making sense but basically I’m having a hard time getting polished at that edge where the girdle/side and the top/dome meet.
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 29, 2023 23:38:17 GMT -5
jasoninsd Yes, I’m thinking I’ll have to be more careful. I’ve not done very many cabs yet. I think what happened is I did one or two that were not affected at all by the last three wheels. My girdle line stayed really nicely. So I continued on thinking ok those wheels won’t affect my shape… And also that dark brown matrix seemed fairly hard. I’m still trying to figure out my order of operations. I keep changing it. I do put a beveled girdle on because my original interest was in metalsmithing. I want my cabs to be able to be either wire wrapped or bezel set. So in cutting the tapered girdle, I do that undopped and with the back up, using a cab rest. I’ve tried just cutting through the shaping wheels or doing it all the way through 3000 before I dop and dome the top. I was struggling with scratches being left on the edge when I only did the first three wheels, so I switched to all the way across all 6 wheels on the girdle edge before dopping. Then when I dome it, it seems I have to go a little past the perimeter girdle edge, on the last three wheels otherwise there will be scratches right along my perimeter sharpie line. Not sure if that’s making sense but basically I’m having a hard time getting polished at that edge where the girdle/side and the top/dome meet. Girdles suck! LOL If your main intention is to put a bezel around the cab...the girdle won't be visible...and you can get away with a bit more scratches. I know some people who don't even bother with the girdle if they're going to have it set in a bezel. I'm not saying either way is right or wrong...just saying what I've seen. Right or wrong, this is how I work my girdle. When I cut my preforms, I cut them really close to the final shape I want. Then I take them to the wheels and do the final shaping on either the 80 or 220 depending on how hard the material is. I don't have the preforms on dop...I do it by hand...but someone could put them on dop if that makes them feel more comfortable. If I'm shaping on the 80, once I get the final shape, I go to the 220 and smooth out the scratches from the 80. IF you want a slight angle to the girdle, watch the bottom of the preform and angle it a couple degrees. Once the entire edge of my preforms have been worked on the 220, I draw on my girdle line. That's why I don't dop mine...it's easier to draw the girdle line on without being on dop. Then when I'm working the domes on my cabs, the girdle line is a DO NOT CROSS line! I draw the girdle line with a fine tip Sharpie. It's only bit me in the butt a couple times by "bleeding" into the stone...but I've learned with material is porous enough the Sharpie won't work. Anyway, the Sharpie line is really thin...but wide enough for what I do. When I'm grinding on the 80 grit, I go JUST TO that girdle line...when I'm on the 220, I take off HALF of the width of that Sharpie line (again...it's a FINE tip...not a fat line)...then when I'm on the 280 soft, I work the dome so there's only a HAIR left of that line. Then I make sure I don't cross that line on the 600. Once I'm done with doming, I go back and work the girdle. Since that entire edge was worked on the 220 during the initial shaping, I only have to go to the 280 soft to start...and work my way through to the 3000. Once I started doing my girdles this way, I rarely have issues with scratches on my girdles... |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 29, 2023 23:59:45 GMT -5
jasoninsd OK, I've printed this and am going to try it out! It is similar but different enough to what I've been attempting. And your up to the line, then half the line, then a sliver of the line, is exactly what I was starting to come up with! I think I just underestimated the softness of that last material. It's interesting you are including 600 in your doming effort. I have been keeping my efforts split on my machine, left side, right side. Do you end up dopping at any point or just hand hold all the way through? Oh, and I'm pretty sure my brain will NOT let me not polish the edge, even if I do intend to bezel set! Just, uh, pretty much, nope, not able to leave it alone! I even partially polish all my backs. After I remove the dop I go through the last 3 wheels holding it by hand underneath. Just in case anyone looks at the back of the wire wrap or if there is a window in the metal setting, I want it to look nice. :-) Thanks for your thoughts! It seems every time I think I have it figured out, I keep finding problems I need to troubleshoot.
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 30, 2023 0:03:43 GMT -5
jasoninsd OK, I've printed this and am going to try it out! It is similar but different enough to what I've been attempting. And your up to the line, then half the line, then a sliver of the line, is exactly what I was starting to come up with! I think I just underestimated the softness of that last material. It's interesting you are including 600 in your doming effort. I have been keeping my efforts split on my machine, left side, right side. Do you end up dopping at any point or just hand hold all the way through? Oh, and I'm pretty sure my brain will NOT let me not polish the edge, even if I do intend to bezel set! Just, uh, pretty much, nope, not able to leave it alone! I even partially polish all my backs. After I remove the dop I go through the last 3 wheels holding it by hand underneath. Just in case anyone looks at the back of the wire wrap or if there is a window in the metal setting, I want it to look nice. :-) Thanks for your thoughts! It seems every time I think I have it figured out, I keep finding problems I need to troubleshoot. Oh god no...I can't work the cab without it being on dop! I've tried going dopless...and it wasn't a pretty result! LOL - Once my preform is completely shaped, and once the girdle line is drawn, then I put it on dop. I get what you're saying about "can't" leave the girdle unworked. LOL |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 30, 2023 0:17:47 GMT -5
rockjunquie Thank you! It's funny, the round wire thing didn't even enter my mind as a factor until a day or two after I finished. The whole time I was struggling I didn't understand why. liveoak Thank you! I love the little hammered bead! I said in my first wrap I never would have thought to use beads, never really been a beaded jewelry person. But I had to fix a gap mistake on that first one so threw some on and really liked them! Now I keep searching for pretty tiny beads! jasoninsd Thanks! That was my first weaving too. I think I got the bail wrap right, it was around two wires. The bottom weave... not so sure. It was around all three wires and I learned during that how critical it is for a tutorial to show clearly and slowly what is being done! I had a hard time seeing for sure if I was doing it right. But in the end it secured it, so if it works... is it really wrong? :-) hummingbirdstones Thank you! I like your term rustic. I agree, it's a rustic look as opposed to elegant but I like that. It's a definite style type. victor1941 Thank you Victor! That one was pretty rewarding given that it was my first. I wasn't even sure if I'd like wire wrapping and found that I really did. Also, I cut that round cab on my old Inland flat lap years ago, so it was fun to use that and hopefully elevate it a bit. susand24224 Thanks! It's good to know other people like the beads as well! I imagine it's definitely a taste preference and probably some people really don't like them. I've found some more beads and am trying to just buy ones that I feel are of equal quality to the rest of the piece, pure copper/silver beads, or stone beads, or even glass. I think all those are probably in keeping with the same quality. Thanks again everyone for your feedback. I'm hoping to continue to find time to practice!
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 30, 2023 0:37:23 GMT -5
jasoninsd OK. Ya, I agree and know what you mean about trying to draw that girdle line once it's dopped. I've forgotten. It can be done but it's a bit of a blind wobbly pain especially with a tapered girdle!
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 30, 2023 0:42:55 GMT -5
jasoninsd OK. Ya, I agree and know what you mean about trying to draw that girdle line once it's dopped. I've forgotten. It can be done but it's a bit of a blind wobbly pain especially with a tapered girdle! I actually use a combination square (slide square) to draw my girdle line. The bottom of the preform fits nicely on the "ledge" and I use the top of the ruler to draw my girdle line. I just rotate the preform around on that "ledge". I found it to be the most precise way I can draw the line and ensure it's even with the bottom edge all the way around. This is why I can't do it when it's on dop...  |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 30, 2023 1:29:17 GMT -5
jasoninsd Ok, I’m gonna sleep on this and try to figure it out again in the morning. Don’t give me anymore clues. I’ll figure it out!
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 30, 2023 23:17:45 GMT -5
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Post by jasoninsd on Jan 31, 2023 0:46:53 GMT -5
Close! I do it like this, so I can dial it in to the exact girdle height I want...  |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jan 31, 2023 1:02:01 GMT -5
jasoninsd I did wonder about your girdle height having to be the radius of a Sharpie. This looks like it requires coordination, or a third hand. :-) Are you holding the Sharpie at the top center of the ruler where the little divot is and then both holding the square and also spinning the cab with the other hand?
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If I didn't know you had problems with it, I wouldn't have guessed. Yes, using all round wires as a newbie could be a problem. As you learn to handle the wire, it gets easier. 
