Finishing Pierced Pieces

[Scotswummin288]

Hi all,

I am new to jewellery making and have done a little piercing, which I love. I have pierced a celtic knot, but the piercings are so small I can't get my needle files inside them. I have a dremel, but I'm not sure what bits would be best for this job. Any ideas?

[Goldsmith]

For cleaning up small pierced sections you need escapement files; http://www.cooksongold.com/category_select.jsp?query=escapement+files I also grind the points and edges of standard needle files to get in tight pierced sections. You cannot use a Dremel for cleaning anything but round pierced holes.

James

[Dennis]

Don't forget that the smallest files you already have will be your saw blades . They can act as files using mainly the sides and even reversed in the frame for a gentler effect. Dennis.

[Scotswummin288]

James,

Thanks very much for your advice. I guess that will be another purchase for my toolbox then! Appreciate your assistance.

Gaby

[Scotswummin288]

Dennis,

I will try the reversed saw blade trick and see what happens. Thanks for your help.

Gaby

[Goldsmith]

Gaby, can you post a photo of your piercing project showing which sections you wish to improve.

James

[Wallace]

you could also get some micromesh and cut it down to fit the area Cookson sells it HERE IS THE LINK (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Micromesh-Sheet-Regular-6000-Medium-6x6-prcode-999-DDD?p=gs&gclid=COm31MK-rdACFQsR0wod7J4PQQ)

put your piece in a holding mechanism (I sometimes tape them to the end of my peg, or clamp on a flat end of the bench) and pull through, a bit like using a polishing thread, but with some abrasion. You can even cut them up in fine strips (much like fine sand paper, which would also work) and put them in your saw frame.

[Scotswummin288]

James, picture attached. No laughing at my first attempt! I guess what I want to improve is all of it! I would also love to know the best way to mark out the surface lines of the pattern so that they show up easily. Any input greatly appreciated.

Gaby9587

[Scotswummin288]

Wallace, just had a look at your website. Your pieces are stunning. I especially like the ivy. Your celtic knot looks a wee bit like the pattern I am using, but only in my dreams will it look as good as yours!

Gaby

[Anna Wales]

Hi Gaby. I do a lot of piercing work, particularly Celtic patterns and agree with Dennis about using the saw blade for the inside work. I will use a file if I can get it inside the hole but otherwise it's all done with the blade.

[enigma]

I agree with Dennis too :)
Get the piercing as accurate as possible in the initial cut, this obviously takes practise.
Also bear i mind that the finer the blade the finer the cut.
I do use diamond burrs to clean up inside tight spaces if I need to though.
For marking the design on initially I usually draw it, scan it then print it ( reversed) and press on wiping the back with acetone, this gives you a pretty decent template to cut to.
You can apparently also spray with hairspray to stop it rubbing off but I haven't needed to try that yet.

[Goldsmith]

Hi Gaby, your photo is not that clear, if it is your first attempt at piercing then it is far too complicated for a beginner. I am a trade trained master goldsmith and piercing is one of my specialities. If you are interested just Google my full name of James Miller FIPG and you can see some of my past work. What I can see of your piercing shows that you are not piercing up to the marked out lines, so you are leaving a lot of metal that needs removal, which as others have said needs further piercing. Flat piercing is quite straight forward, first you need a steady bench peg, then choose the correct saw blade for the metal thickness. I am not sure how you pierce but for this type of work I hold my saw frame at right angle to my eye line and pierce across the bench peg, this means that you can see where the saw is going rather than where it has been. When you get good at piercing you only use needle files to remove any saw cuts and to sharpen up internal cut angles.

James

[Dennis]

For marking the design on initially I usually draw it, scan it then print it ( reversed) and press on wiping the back with acetone, this gives you a pretty decent template to cut to.
You can apparently also spray with hairspray to stop it rubbing off but I haven't needed to try that yet.

Hi Sarah, your method raises a few questions and I'm wondering whether I have got it right:

You reverse the (inkjet/laser?) image (how?) and mount it upside down using acetone as an adhesive, to render it translucent?

Regards, Dennis.

[ps_bond]

A laser print will do toner transfer quite happily with acetone (or nail varnish remover for that matter).

[enigma]

Hi Dennis

Yes just reverse the image in photoshop so that when its transferred onto the item its the right way round.
And yes, as Peter says this transfers the image onto the item.
I had a couple of hours tuition with an engraver 2 years ago who taught me this and have found it really useful for my work as even if you create the image by hand on paper you still want a finished version to transfer onto the metal for cutting/engraving etc.
Its really quick and simple too :)

[Goldsmith]

When I want to copy a design onto metal for piercing, I draw the design on tracing paper, polish the metal surface, then paint the metal surface with poster paint and let it dry, place a bit of carbon copying paper on the metal and then sellotape the tracing paper design on top of the carbon paper and metal surface. Then I use a hard 2h pencil to draw over the original design now attached to the metal surface. When complete I carefully remove the design and carbon paper, then finally I draw over the copied design on the metal with a steel scriber. When complet I wash off the paint and the design is clear on the polished metal surface. Now I engrave the outline of the design before drilling and piercing. This is for flat surfaces. If I am piercing a shaped surface I will first design and pierce a copper template which I shape to the metal surface and then use it to mark out the piercing.
Like I did on the gold overlays on this piece I made.

9592 9593 9594 9595 9596

James

[Dennis]

Thank you. Would the trasferred toner be strong enough to act as a resist for etching? The ironing on is the tricky part. Dennis.

[ps_bond]

I would suspect not - it is rarely a complete transfer and I don't think the adhesion would be all that good. Probably worth trying though.

[enigma]

Mine are always complete these days as I spend quite a bit of time in photoshop preparing them but I don't know about etching as I generally go over with stop out varnish for that, I suspect it may not work for anything deep but as Peter says its probably worth trying.
I do use it on wax too BTW although generally now carve the wax under the microscope so I can see it more clearly.
The trick is in getting a clear enough print in the first place hence photoshop to bolden and darken the lines you want and then getting the amount of acetone just right when you wipe it over the back- I also let it dry on as I find this gives a stronger print.

[ps_bond]

The trick is in getting a clear enough print in the first place hence photoshop to bolden and darken the lines you want and then getting the amount of acetone just right when you wipe it over the back- I also let it dry on as I find this gives a stronger print.

I don't think Photoshop would help my application - it's 0.3mm lines usually; they're printed at 100% black (under the printer driver too). I expect to have pin point gaps in lines like that. I burnish the back as well as allowing it to dry.

[enigma]

Ah yes, that would be different I would guess, Im not sure how thick my smallest lines are, 3mm font is the smallest Ive done so far.
Burnishing the reverse sounds like a good idea, I may have to try that as I sometimes have to make 2 or 3 attempts to get a really clear transfer.

[metalsmith]

I don't think Photoshop would help my application - it's 0.3mm lines usually; they're printed at 100% black (under the printer driver too). I expect to have pin point gaps in lines like that. I burnish the back as well as allowing it to dry.

Try Goldsmith's method of poster paint and either propelling pencil 0.3mm or mapping pens.

[ps_bond]

BTDT. When I'm transferring drawings that I've created on the computer then there's no advantage in using Chinese White; I don't think I'd want to use my Rotrings directly on metal however. Also, if you're engraving, the stuff is prone to flaking while you're cutting IME; if I want to draw directly on the metal then I usually roll a bit of Plasticene on it then draw with a fine pencil before scribing. Easy to erase if it goes wrong, just wipe it away and reapply.

[Scotswummin288]

Hi Gaby, your photo is not that clear, if it is your first attempt at piercing then it is far too complicated for a beginner. I am a trade trained master goldsmith and piercing is one of my specialities. If you are interested just Google my full name of James Miller FIPG and you can see some of my past work. What I can see of your piercing shows that you are not piercing up to the marked out lines, so you are leaving a lot of metal that needs removal, which as others have said needs further piercing. Flat piercing is quite straight forward, first you need a steady bench peg, then choose the correct saw blade for the metal thickness. I am not sure how you pierce but for this type of work I hold my saw frame at right angle to my eye line and pierce across the bench peg, this means that you can see where the saw is going rather than where it has been. When you get good at piercing you only use needle files to remove any saw cuts and to sharpen up internal cut angles.

James

James,

I know I have not pierced out as much metal as I require to do. This is a work in progress because at the class I attend we have moved on quite quickly between projects, I suppose to maximise our time over the next few months. This little piece gets small amounts of work done to it every now and then. I know what you mean about keeping the blade at a right angle and eye level, but I must admit I sometimes find that difficult because I can't always see the lines on the metal clearly because of glare on my glasses! It's very annoying. I didn't intend to imply that I was at finishing stage right now, but simply enquired for future reference. Anyway, you have been very helpful and I will certainly take everything you have told me on board. Thanks a lot, it's much appreciated and I will go now and have a look at your work for technical inspiration!

Gaby

[Scotswummin288]

Hi Gaby. I do a lot of piercing work, particularly Celtic patterns and agree with Dennis about using the saw blade for the inside work. I will use a file if I can get it inside the hole but otherwise it's all done with the blade.

Anna,

I have done a lot more to my little piece now and it is really beginning to take shape. I have pierced more and filed off with the escapement file I have. What a great wee tool! It is not perfect, but I can only get better right? I initially had asked about adding detail to the piece so that the intersecting lines are clearly seen. I hope you know what I mean. I think people misunderstood thinking I meant the initial transfer of the pattern onto the silver, but that was done with a printed paper taped to the piece. What I want to do now is draw attention to the detail of the knot. Would that be done with an engraver, scriber or the like? I hope you have time to help, as a search of the internet has produced zero on the subject? Thanks, Gaby.

[Dennis]

Adding detail to a weave or knot, when you are not yet experienced with scorpers, is easily done simply with a new craft knife and a ruler.
Just be sure that you only scribe the lines that are meant to cross.
If you are prone to making mistakes, then mark them first with a waterproof pen, which can be removed with meths (or any alcohol) afterwards. If in doubt, practice on waste, or copper first. Dennis.

[Goldsmith]

Add a graver to your tool kit and practice cutting lines. I used a small copper sheet to learn how to engrave lines when I was an apprentice.
If you don't want a graver then perhaps try a scorper as scorpers are useful for many other cutting jobs.

James

[Scotswummin288]

Dennis,

Thank you. I will be extra careful re-marking the lines with my pen and marking them out with whatever tool I choose. Your help is much appreciated. Gaby.