A Robin Redbreast In A Cage….

[Dennis]

A robin redbreast in a cage, puts all heaven in a rage. So wrote William Blake, but he might as well have included this piece of tumbled haematite, because my attempts at turning it into a pendent met with endless difficulties.

Traditionally tumbled stones are wire wrapped, or put into cages, but test pieces with copper wire didn’t go at all well. Finally I decided to make a claw setting, using triangular wire for effect. When this was nearly completed, it became obvious that the reverse of my pendant was far more interesting than the front. Needless to say the jump ring then needed moving and the claws when un-set were too short to push home with any certainty for a second time. So, there was nothing for it but to start all over again.

Foolishly I also tried to polish out a few marks left on the stone by the previous wires, using a blue radial disk, only to find that this removed all the high gloss. Nothing I had to hand would restore it – not finer disks, not metal polish, nor diamond paste and not all the grades of MicroMesh, nor MircroMesh liquid on a cloth.

Just as I was bracing myself to order another random batch of stones, I thought of Vonax which is the final polisher for acrylic. Sure enough, this on a soft bristle brush and then a cotton mop, did the trick.

Below is my abandoned frame and my completed effort. I have posted it here so that I could share my solutions and hope that you will join in with your own experiences and suggestions.
Dennis.

[Wallace]

I covet your work and skills - always find a smile has appeared after seeing your work posted. Even a blunder seems elegant. I will dig something out at a point. In the week to add to your thread.

[Dennis]

I will dig something out at a point. In the week to add to your thread.

Thank you Wallace, I look forward to that.

[Katia]

Hi Dennis!

I also second Wallace's comment as I always enjoy reading your posts. I know nothing about settings at all but the first thing I thought was" wow, triangular wire! How cool!!!"

Can I ask, did you make that wire ? I bet the answer is yes, but I want to check. And I guess the answer is " draw plate"?

K

[Wallace]

I wondered, could you put two round pieces of wire through a square hole in a draw plate or through a square section in a mill? It works with making D wire when no D shape is available.

[Dennis]

Can I ask, did you make that wire ?

Yes, until you have a means of rolling and drawing your metal, you are really a hostage to your supplier. I have a small Durston with gears and a home made draw bench using a boat winch and a carpenter's vice. Result freedom.

[Dennis]

I wondered, could you put two round pieces of wire through a square hole in a draw plate mill? It works with making D wire when no D shape is available.

Well one traditional way to make D shaped wire is to draw two round wires through a round hole together. I have only done that when making one of those captive hairpin and hinge catches . Otherwise a D shape draw plate gives the most predictable result.

Many of my other experiments have ended up a dogs dinner. Dennis.

[caroleallen]

Has anyone ever invented a plate with 2 D shaped indentations which when fitted together would make a circle for use in a rolling mill to make round wire?

[ps_bond]

Durston do oval extension rollers, I can't remember if they do round as well.
For a fee, they'll machine any section (and pattern IIRC) you want

[Dennis]

Even so, I think the mill only provides a short cut after which one or two final passes through a draw plate will give you a more perfect wire.

One exception is to pass D-shaped wire big enough for a ring through an undersized D-shaped groove on the mill. This forms a ledge on each side as an interesting detail.