|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2014 14:04:20 GMT -5
I have a really colorful piece of Montana covellite with a natural finish on the top. All the bumplies shoot different colors. Really cool piece. I was thinking to do a bumply texture on the backplate. Can I melt in little pieces of wire or solder or flattened wire chips to give a bumply surface? I am thinking in the right direction?
|
|
The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
|
Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 26, 2014 14:17:32 GMT -5
I'm thinking you will get the surface you want but not the colors... the colors sounds like light refraction and that means from within the piece, whereas your piece will have it on the bottom. It may get some refractive colors, but the farther from the surface the lower the amount of light that will make it to the parts that would cause the colors. Kind of the same way a fire agate doesn't show color in the raw, unless it is right at the surface, but as you remove surface layers the fire begins to show. If the "bumplie" surface is going to be on top it would not work because there is no material between what you add and the surface of the piece. It needs that little bit of surface material to begin the light diffusion that allows the refraction to occur... if that makes any sense. Or maybe I have no idea what I am talking about and all this just sounded good at the time!!
|
|
|
Post by deb193redux on Feb 26, 2014 15:50:52 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2014 16:01:30 GMT -5
The Dad_Ohs, I'm not sure, but I think we are talking about 2 different things. I'll try and get a picture of my rock. deb193redux, I love collages and have done many and some weren't too bad, either. But, I haven't done any with soldering, which reminds me that I want to. I'm not sure it would work for the project I have in mind, though. I'll get some pics uploaded.
|
|
The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
|
Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 26, 2014 16:03:57 GMT -5
Thanx Daniel, love the tutorial, may have to try it myself one day!!
|
|
The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
|
Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 26, 2014 16:06:45 GMT -5
Hmm, RJ, are you looking to recreate the texture of the rock or the light reflecting colors from the bumps on it?
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2014 16:08:39 GMT -5
Here are some ideas and the stone. You can't see the color in the pics, but there is a lot of covellite blue and fuchsia color coming off the peaks and valleys in the rough surface. I was thinking of making a rough texture with silver on the backplate to mimic the surface of the stone, but now I'm thinking a shiny surface would be a nice contrast. Dunno. Still working on it. I'm leaning on something more like the one the right and maybe a border of rough stuff. The first one is also more or less a club upside down- playing with, too.
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2014 16:10:26 GMT -5
Hmm, RJ, are you looking to recreate the texture of the rock or the light reflecting colors from the bumps on it? Well, I'm thinking and hoping, that if I recreate the texture in the stone it will reflect light. Especially if I have a high polish.
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 26, 2014 19:33:14 GMT -5
OK, nevermind... the project has taken on a new life of it's own. Working on it now.
|
|
|
Post by deb193redux on Feb 27, 2014 17:36:17 GMT -5
new life? sounds interesting.
I would roll a texture onto the silver and highlight it with patina. You could even hammer it on concrete, and a flame patina might be interesting.
so what is the new direction?
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 27, 2014 18:49:22 GMT -5
new life? sounds interesting. I would roll a texture onto the silver and highlight it with patina. You could even hammer it on concrete, and a flame patina might be interesting. so what is the new direction? Well, I do have a rolling mill- which I have never used. And, I do have some concrete around, but I just switched to 22 g silver from 24 g and I'm not quite brave enough or confident enough to start playing rough. My direction came by accident. I was doodling and found a design that I want to do. I'm halfway finished now. I may get it done tomorrow. Crossing my fingers that I can get it done right. It would be ideal if I could tube set. I need to learn that.
|
|
The Dad_Ohs
fully equipped rock polisher
Take me to your Labradorite!!
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,860
|
Post by The Dad_Ohs on Feb 27, 2014 21:55:23 GMT -5
wow this is totally beyond what I can do...I am so looking forwards to seeing it!!!!!
To recreate the play of colors some kind of patina or heat treating, torch work, would have to be done to give it the colors... although I see a lot of quartz being treated with different minerals to give it a rainbow flash. Apparently all the rage on ebay now.
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Mar 1, 2014 8:20:43 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by pghram on Mar 1, 2014 10:10:53 GMT -5
Another interesting design. I can't wait to see the finish but I really appreciate your process photos too.
Rich
|
|
|
Post by Pat on Mar 1, 2014 10:19:45 GMT -5
rockjunquie Tela, back to the bumps: dimple plies. I have two sizes --- both small. They do a nice job for dips or dimples. You could melt solder onto the back plate, but the bumps would be more like gentle rises, not hills. Balls work, too. Nice work!
|
|
|
Post by Rockoonz on Mar 1, 2014 13:33:28 GMT -5
|
|
steelandstone
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2008
Posts: 500
|
Post by steelandstone on Mar 1, 2014 14:12:54 GMT -5
Nice looking pendant Tela, In regards to Lee's post about Chasing and Repousee this is also a great resource Metal Artist ForumIt is run by Matt Webber which is a metal master and Chasing guru. In fact Rio carries a line of his tools. On top of it all he is a super nice guy and very helpfull
|
|
|
Post by deb193redux on Mar 1, 2014 14:13:19 GMT -5
Lee, I have made some chasing tools using annealed (bought that way) tool steel, and then quench hardening. But there are basic sets starting at about $6/tool. Most of these are fairly large for jewelry work, and I also made some small tools using 4" concrete nails. These are hardened, but rather than anneal them, I used Mizzy (heatless) grinding wheels on flex shaft to shape tips.
Rio has pretty good deal on small pitch bowl and pitch combo.
|
|
|
Post by deb193redux on Mar 1, 2014 14:16:03 GMT -5
Well, I didn't get it finished yesterday, but all the soldering is done. I need to finish the silver and set the stone and make a necklace. This stone was in another copper necklace. I used some glass peacock beads for it. There worked perfectly, but I don't know if I should use glass on this. What do you think, are these glass beads ok? Maybe I can find some nice peacock pearls. Tela, I would still use some stamping tools to put some angular texture markings in the flat spaces - but I always vote for texture.
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Mar 1, 2014 16:34:57 GMT -5
Wow! Thanks everyone- great ideas! I think repousse is a bit out of reach of my skill level yet. I was thinking more along the lines to what Pat was thinking. For this piece, I'm just finishing it out as a neo deco looking piece. There will be some faint texture on the backplate and the wire will be highly polished.
I have a lot of leather punches. Do you think they will work ok on metal? I've tried a few out and they seem to work, but I wonder if they will just wear out real quick.
|
|