To dome or not to dome?

[eirish]

I'm working on this silver bracelet with various roll-printed textures, and I'm trying to decide whether to dome the discs or leave them flat. I have a wooden dapping set and have managed to successfully dome a couple of copper pieces but this is the first silver piece I started and I'm a bit terrified of messing it up!

Any opinions/sympathy/kicks to the backside welcome...


(not the greatest picture but hopefully gives the idea. toggle not finished yet - planning to add balls on the ends)

[Patstone]

I love the textures, I wouldn't dome, because it will detract from the touchy feely aspect. Just my opinion for what its worth.

I'm working on this silver bracelet with various roll-printed textures, and I'm trying to decide whether to dome the discs or leave them flat. I have a wooden dapping set and have managed to successfully dome a couple of copper pieces but this is the first silver piece I started and I'm a bit terrified of messing it up!

Any opinions/sympathy/kicks to the backside welcome...


(not the greatest picture but hopefully gives the idea. toggle not finished yet - planning to add balls on the ends)

[ps_bond]

I'd dome. A little form to go with the textures and you've got something that has more volume (literally and figuratively) than leaving them flat. If you do, dome into rubber to protect the textures though - either line the block with some or just dome straight into a block of firm rubber.

[Kwant]

I'm with Peter on this I would definitely dome them, and hmmm what it is to go wrong? Not really sure how you could mess it up. Doming not only gives that extra volume but the difference it makes to the way the light catches the pieces is well worth the added bit of effort.

[mizgeorge]

I'd dome too. With a wooden doming block, you shouldn't need to line it either.

[Tabby66]

Dome them!! (for all the above reasons). But don't forget it will reduce the diameter of your discs which will need to be compensated for to get the desired length.

[Dennis]

Dome them with the texture on the convex side and anneal first to reduce the amount of whacking needed. But...

But I don't think the single punch provided with the wooden doming block is that good for doming evenly, so I would buy, beg borrow or steal some proper wooden dapping punches for this.

In fact I do lots of roll texturing and routinely dome with wood in a brass cube (which has a better choice of hollows), with negligible loss of definition. If you are worried, a patch of masking tape on the disk gives more protection. Dennis.

[caroleallen]

I'd dome them too. If you change your mind, you can always flatten them again (after annealing) with a hide mallet.

[art925]

Dome the pieces, it will add more value to your final piece.

Les

[eirish]

Thank you so much for all the helpful replies! Lots of good advice here - I'm going to heed it and have a go at doming them. I'm rather paranoid about getting more firescale (having already spent ages sanding out the firescale from earlier annealings), but I just got some Argotect and I need to get a charcoal block anyway to make the balls for the toggle bar.

I'd dome them too. If you change your mind, you can always flatten them again (after annealing) with a hide mallet.

Thank you - I can't believe I'd forgotten I could flatten them if it all goes horribly wrong. Having an "undo" button always makes me feel better!