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Post by liveoak on Jun 10, 2023 10:00:58 GMT -5
I thought I'd show a couple of enameled pieces I've been working on recently.
Although, after seeing those videos the other day, I'm half embarrassed to - as my enameling is pretty primitive. I have a long way to go.
First up, is my Koi Pond.
This one is actually a mixed media kind of thing, I thought it would be fun to do a piece with a number of techniques.
Also it's 3 dimensional- but there are NO gears, it does not move.  . I was lucky enough that my riveting worked . The sides & top (hammered) are supposed to replicate a stone edge pool, with enameled Koi hovering over the patinated "water".
With earrings to match.
I also put together a couple of pairs of simple dragonfly & butterfly enameled earrings, still need to make some ear wires for these.
Thanks for looking,
Patty
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Post by Starguy on Jun 10, 2023 10:14:44 GMT -5
Those turned out fantastic Patty. Enameling always interested me. How hot do you need to get the oven?
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Enamel
Jun 10, 2023 10:14:56 GMT -5
Post by Starguy on Jun 10, 2023 10:14:56 GMT -5
Those turned out fantastic Patty. Enameling always interested me. How hot do you need to get the oven?
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Post by liveoak on Jun 10, 2023 10:35:08 GMT -5
Thank you Starguy , I was pretty happy the way they came out. Enameling is little hotter than a standard oven.  My kiln is set to 790ºC / 1500ºF. It's fun to be able to add colors - but truth be told, enameling is a LOT harder than you would think.
Lots of subtle changes happen depending on time & temp, and the powders involved.
I have a LOT to learn.
Kilns are pretty expensive, but I got lucky to buy mine pretty cheap, used ($100).
And lucky enough to have a helpful husband who likes to re-build things.
Before :
After with digital temp. control :
Patty
PS- I was just looking at the photo & remembered that Tom made the new base for the kiln, from my old tile saw.
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Post by Starguy on Jun 10, 2023 11:08:17 GMT -5
liveoak. I’ve got this thing. I think it will get hot enough. I was going to use it for steel but I think it will get ruined pretty fast. 
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Post by liveoak on Jun 10, 2023 12:02:11 GMT -5
That looks like just the thing Starguy . If you were just using it for heat treating steel, I don't think it would harm it. But not as a forge.
For enamel you'll want to likely treat the inside with kiln wash, and I added a heat resistant tile to the bottom as well. Kiln wash is just a clay kind of liquid that kind of renews the surface & the tile helps keep any spills off the kiln floor.
I'd recommend a book if you're really interested.
There are others, but I found this one less intimidating & easier to get me started (but it's by no means a beginner book).
Patty
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Post by Starguy on Jun 10, 2023 12:13:37 GMT -5
Thanks Patty liveoakI appreciate the advice. I had plans to try casting when I got the oven. It hasn’t been plugged in in a very long time. It isn’t hot enough for forging but it would work for normalizing and annealing steel. I’ll look into the kiln wash. |
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Post by liveoak on Jun 10, 2023 12:44:21 GMT -5
They actually call the " tile " I have in the bottom a kiln shelf. Cool tools is also a place to buy enamel and other supplies as well. They carry smaller jars of enamel than some places, so it's easier to try out more colors.
TIP TIP - Cool tools has free shipping the last weekend of every month.
Never have too many hobbies 
Patty
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Post by Son Of Beach on Jun 10, 2023 22:08:26 GMT -5
Those are fun little creations (I aint calling 'em cute) Patty. I'd be hard pressed not to scoop one up if I saw it in person  |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Jun 10, 2023 22:18:30 GMT -5
They all look nice but I really like the koi pond set!
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Post by liveoak on Jun 11, 2023 5:53:03 GMT -5
Those are fun little creations (I aint calling 'em cute) Patty. I'd be hard pressed not to scoop one up if I saw it in person Thanks Chad. They were fun to make too They all look nice but I really like the koi pond set! Thanks rockbrain, that one took a while to figure out, having the fish "swimming" above the water was a challenge. I ended up using little pieces of tubing as spacers on the rivets.
But setting the rivets with the little spacers in the right place was the real challenge.
I was glad to have pulled it off & it came out interestingly.
Patty
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jun 11, 2023 6:31:32 GMT -5
Those are really cool. The 3 dimensional piece is especially unique. And I’ve also played around a tiny bit with enamel. Have some beginner tools and a little mini kiln thing. But haven’t spent much time with it. Just too many interests and not enough time yet!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 11, 2023 6:38:17 GMT -5
Nice job, Patty! The koi set is really cute, but so are the earrings. It looks very challenging.
I had a nice kiln for glass, but I gave it to my daughter when I quit glass. From what I know of enamel it is deceptively difficult. I had a friend trying to master it. She had a time! (And didn't get very far.)
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Post by liveoak on Jun 11, 2023 6:55:27 GMT -5
Just too many interests and not enough time yet! The story of my life
Thanks khara
Nice job, Patty! The koi set is really cute, but so are the earrings. It looks very challenging.
I had a nice kiln for glass, but I gave it to my daughter when I quit glass. From what I know of enamel it is deceptively difficult. I had a friend trying to master it. She had a time! (And didn't get very far.)
Thanks Tela. When my sister came I wore a pair of dragonflies I made & enameled years ago & uncharacteristically from her, he said,
OH my, I must have a pair ! So that got me back at the kiln.
You are VERY right about enamel - I won't even try to estimate how many hours you can spend doing it & then at the very last firing, ruin it all. It can be very frustrating & yet very rewarding.
I think, or at least I tell myself, that if you put enough time into it, it becomes more predictable -
kind of like monkeys and typewriters
Patty
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Enamel
Jun 11, 2023 9:41:10 GMT -5
Post by hummingbirdstones on Jun 11, 2023 9:41:10 GMT -5
Patty, WOW! You sure are a creative little bugger, aren't you? I love the koi pond. Kudos for be able to construct that. I have always loved enamel and been intrigued by cloisonne for a very long time. It is all so specialized and intricate that I've never actually pursued it. Good for you for tackling it!  |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 11, 2023 9:46:23 GMT -5
liveoak Patty- My apologies. I really feel I shorted you by not mentioning your work(wo)manship and designing. I have tried riveting. I know it isn't that easy to achieve what you did. So, kudos to to you for such as beautiful job. And, I didn't even mention the GORGEOUS patina work. 
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Post by liveoak on Jun 11, 2023 10:29:14 GMT -5
Patty, WOW! You sure are a creative little bugger, aren't you? I love the koi pond. Kudos for be able to construct that. I have always loved enamel and been intrigued by cloisonne for a very long time. It is all so specialized and intricate that I've never actually pursued it. Good for you for tackling it! Thank you Robin.
It's exactly what drew me into enamel - the hope of doing cloisonne, and adding color to pieced copper work.
I did pull off a cloisonne turtle, but it was not easy.
The copper needs polishing at the moment-
I suppose if I had been really good, I would have clear enameled the whole thing, but frankly I was terrified to even try.
I know I would have ruined it.
liveoak Patty- My apologies. I really feel I shorted you by not mentioning your work(wo)manship and designing. I have tried riveting. I know it isn't that easy to achieve what you did. So, kudos to to you for such as beautiful job. And, I didn't even mention the GORGEOUS patina work. No apology needed you awed, I smiled, all good
As to the patina - a couple of years ago Tom purchased this industrial ammonia (you can NOT open it without a mask, it hurts your nose).
Anyway that patina was simple fuming using this ammonia & sprinkling salt.
Beautiful colors , but it's someway uncontrollable (but then isn't all patina).
The funny thing about this & I hadn't seen that before, is that the patina kept growing after I finished the piece.
And I had to clean it from creeping up the sides of the piece I hadn't patinated.
Thanks for noticing the patina,
Patty
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Enamel
Jun 11, 2023 14:59:05 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by khara on Jun 11, 2023 14:59:05 GMT -5
That turtle is really fun too. I’ve also always like cloisonné. As a kid my mom wore cloisonné earrings and there were also some Christmas ornaments I had. It’s also somewhat reminiscent of stained glass or those sun catcher kits we made as kids where we put the various colored pebbles inside the metal design and melted them in the oven. Remember those?
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Post by liveoak on Jun 11, 2023 15:08:08 GMT -5
That turtle is really fun too. I’ve also always like cloisonné. As a kid my mom wore cloisonné earrings and there were also some Christmas ornaments I had. It’s also somewhat reminiscent of stained glass or those sun catcher kits we made as kids where we put the various colored pebbles inside the metal design and melted them in the oven. Remember those? Thanks Khara, I remember those kits- I'm sure we did them as kids too.
In enamel, the technique is called Plique-à-jour , I've yet to try it. It's pretty cool though, hope to figure it out at some point.
It's always seemed like magic, the enamel stays in the open cells, without any backing.
I have a LOT to learn.
Patty
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Post by drocknut on Jun 11, 2023 15:22:12 GMT -5
That turtle is really fun too. I’ve also always like cloisonné. As a kid my mom wore cloisonné earrings and there were also some Christmas ornaments I had. It’s also somewhat reminiscent of stained glass or those sun catcher kits we made as kids where we put the various colored pebbles inside the metal design and melted them in the oven. Remember those? I must be old because I remember those suncatcher kits. They also came in Christmas ornament kits and I think my mom still has some in her Christmas decorations. |
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