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Post by kk on Jan 22, 2013 0:33:00 GMT -5
The next project is a bit more complicated because of the many parts involved.  Now out of this mess, I chose 3 Fire Agates and cut wings from the Green Moss Agates  As usual, I managed to break two wings as they needed to be ground and filed down to less than a mm. The moss is great, but get it just a bit wrong and the moss will de-fragment. Still not done yet, the wings need more of a makeover to remove the last problem-areas.  Now I'm stuck! I tried to set it into a stone-background these past few days, but it always turns out too heavy to wear. So now I need to find someone who can do the metalwork. I'm thinking of an invisible bottom-plate and attached to it 4 sleeves for the wings. So only the sleves will be visible (metal) from the top.  Size: the 3 Fire Agates add up to 55 x 12 mm at widest and longest points. The whole composition is right now 55 x 80mm and I suppose the metal will add another 2 to 4 mm to the with. Best regards, Kurt |
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Post by gr on Jan 22, 2013 0:52:47 GMT -5
That is so cool Kurt. You do outstanding work. Really different
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jan 22, 2013 9:25:26 GMT -5
That is really neat!
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Post by Toad on Jan 22, 2013 16:47:04 GMT -5
Great choice of materials. Can't wait to see it complete.
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rockingthenorth
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Post by rockingthenorth on Jan 22, 2013 19:09:18 GMT -5
cool
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Post by kk on Jan 22, 2013 23:20:00 GMT -5
Thanks everyone.  Great choice of materials. Can't wait to see it complete. Will take a while to have this set. On one side I have something very peculiar on mind. On the other hand, I think that the stones deserve gold and currently that's financially not in the cards.  |
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jan 23, 2013 0:39:41 GMT -5
I am really looking forward to seeing how this turns out after all the metal work is done!! Very interesting project Kurt! Thanks for sharing.
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Post by talkingstones on Jan 23, 2013 6:36:54 GMT -5
I really like the idea of the metal work. The entire concept is really cool!
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adrian65
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Post by adrian65 on Jan 23, 2013 23:11:41 GMT -5
Beautiful dragonfly, Kurt! Can't wait to see it set in metal.
Adrian
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Dora
spending too much on rocks
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Post by Dora on Jan 24, 2013 0:18:16 GMT -5
I just love your dragonfly!!! Is looking great just as it is, I will love to see it when its finally set.
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TByrd
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Post by TByrd on Jan 24, 2013 2:17:37 GMT -5
Great piece.
What about wire work with a wire pin? It would depend on how it was wrapped as to how it would hang. Do you know how much it weighs? I could draw up some different ideas, if you would like me to.
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Post by kk on Jan 24, 2013 4:28:29 GMT -5
I know, Fire Agate with that seemingly internal glow deserve gold and it pretty much a waste setting it in anything else than gold, but fiances are nowhere close to that possibility at the moment. But I certainly see the point that it would be better to wait till this could be done that way. Tammy, wire-wrapping and prong-setting have been suggested. Both of which are feasible, yes. But both of them would cover the Fire Agate to some extend and hence would distort the picture. Have not taken it apart again, but the last time checked it added up to 27ct for the wings and the FA came in at 37ct before flattening the back for proper angle. Nevertheless: I welcome any suggestions that you might have wrapped your head around. Might not be for this one, but there are hopefully more of those type of projects in the future. I do have accumulated quite a few small pieces in the past couple of years, and you never know when an idea for another combo strikes. Here is a crude Photoshop make-up of what I have on mind.  Getting tired of the system telling me that I would have moved a picture. i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/Metal_zps1e7b00c0.jpgIn this instance, I would rather resort to gluing than sacrifice visibility of the FA. What is seen in the picture is basically a sleeve holding each wing and that sleeve being in turn attached to the base (flat base covering the bottom of the FA). |
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Post by Toad on Jan 24, 2013 7:00:33 GMT -5
We will wait impatiently for your creation to come together...
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 24, 2013 10:16:08 GMT -5
How about 18k electroforming. Vance does it. He is Free4rms on here and I think his business is called Earth Relics. I did some intarsia cabs and he did a great job on them running the metal over certain areas with a high degree of accuracy. I think it would look super. Just a thought.
Jo
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TByrd
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Post by TByrd on Jan 24, 2013 10:35:42 GMT -5
What I was thinking was going under the body and across the wingspan from underneath, almost like what you have done there except that it might go wider on the wing to make the pin. the pin would be made out of the same wire that would be used to wrap the Dragonfly with not a stick on pin that you buy from a jewelry supplier.
Let me do some doodling and get back to you.
Good luck what ever you decide.
Tammy
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TByrd
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Post by TByrd on Jan 24, 2013 23:58:24 GMT -5
Kurt,
This is how I would do it, I would outline the wings and figure eight under the agates, and then make the pin go from between the two wings on the left to in between the two wings on the right, with the tail down. I think that it is a possibility. Let me know if you think it is worth thinking about.
Tammy
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Post by kk on Jan 25, 2013 0:53:02 GMT -5
While the wire under the wings would not be easily seen; you got to know two more things:
There is a light-play lengthwise along each wing as the have been formed basically flat on top and rounded underneath. So that rounded form might get in the way.
But more importantly: your idea sounds great if the wings would be attached laying flat, but I plan to attach them to the base at an angle of about 30 degrees which according to the mock-up gives me the best light-play along the wings.
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TByrd
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Post by TByrd on Jan 25, 2013 1:06:30 GMT -5
Kurt,
Yes, I did assume that the design would be finished as shown.
Tammy
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Post by kk on Jan 25, 2013 5:55:13 GMT -5
Jo, electroforming would be another idea to be explored in the future. Have seen some of his work here and some members have shown me some more, in PM's in the past. Still got to do some experiment with a Butterfly and think I got the perfect slab for the wings in form of a black agate courtesy of Helen. Electroforming would be ideal to get some fine veins running along/across the wings.
Even here, with the dragonfly, it would allow to run along all the edges virtually unseen and would provide extra security against chipping the wings.
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Post by Donnie's Rocky Treasures on Jan 26, 2013 8:47:26 GMT -5
Did you check 14k gold or 14 gold filled? For that small of an area maybe gold filled would be an affordable option. Just guessing! Looking really great, btw & I really like the wings!
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