Enjoying my time off work

I'm fortunate to have a term time job even though I no longer work in a college and this week I finally feel as though I've indulged myself in my hobby.

First of all I have been making little stacking rings with pre-made bezel cups - I know they're tricky little beggars to use with stones that don't fit exactly, but they can be coaxed to with a little persuasion from a burnisher. Question was, could I hold a 1.5mm shank in a third hand and add Keum Boo gold? The answer was a slightly tricky yes - fiddly but doable. There's probably an easier way to hold the little shanks so they're firm and if I do it again I'll add the gold before soldering on the bezel cup and not after.
Attachment 12126

My daughter recently asked me to make her a ring with one of a stash of little tourmaline cabs I bought on a whim - etched the shank, and made the bezel using 1mm fine silver wire as I didn't want a high setting, the cabs are quite low domed and I didn't want to use the usual bezel wire and lift the stone - hammered it a little flatter and attached to the back plate and have created this deliberately imperfect little setting. This was a good practice run as I have a few more of these to use.
Attachment 12127 Attachment 12128

Electroforming has fallen by the wayside recently but I needed a big pendant so used a nice big flashy labradorite and my favourite way of texturing, nail art stamps, to create a texture on the back and the surround.
Attachment 12129 Attachment 12130

More in the next comment....

Finally broke out my kiln and made some little bits and pieces with Sunny Bronze metal clay, and realised I could use my small stash of gilding metal to complement it.

The thickest wire I had is 1.5mm but it seems to be okay for these bangles with their little doo-dads
Attachment 12131

This one is a pendant - all of the bronze has texture on both sides, and this pendant can be worn in a few ways
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And last but not least - I had to make a big labradorite ring as an antidote to all of this delicate stuff! Etched the shank, added some Keum Boo gold, then soldered the setting on without losing the gold. I added some Platinol and then used a brass wire brush and some light green 3M wheels to lighten the patina a little.
Attachment 12135 I've reached my photo limit so the last two photos are below.....

I really like how the patina on this looks, brings out the texture really nicely.
Attachment 12136 Attachment 12137

Thanks for looking! Deb

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Originally Posted by misspond

I'm fortunate to have a term time job even though I no longer work in a college and this week I finally feel as though I've indulged myself in my hobby.

First of all I have been making little stacking rings with pre-made bezel cups - I know they're tricky little beggars to use with stones that don't fit exactly, but they can be coaxed to with a little persuasion from a burnisher. Question was, could I hold a 1.5mm shank in a third hand and add Keum Boo gold? The answer was a slightly tricky yes - fiddly but doable. There's probably an easier way to hold the little shanks so they're firm and if I do it again I'll add the gold before soldering on the bezel cup and not after.
Attachment 12126

My daughter recently asked me to make her a ring with one of a stash of little tourmaline cabs I bought on a whim - etched the shank, and made the bezel using 1mm fine silver wire as I didn't want a high setting, the cabs are quite low domed and I didn't want to use the usual bezel wire and lift the stone - hammered it a little flatter and attached to the back plate and have created this deliberately imperfect little setting. This was a good practice run as I have a few more of these to use.
Attachment 12127 Attachment 12128

Electroforming has fallen by the wayside recently but I needed a big pendant so used a nice big flashy labradorite and my favourite way of texturing, nail art stamps, to create a texture on the back and the surround.
Attachment 12129 Attachment 12130

More in the next comment....

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You’ve been busy, these are lovely.
Re keum boo, are you using fine silver, otherwise keum boo won’t work as the gold won’t bond ?

Thanks Caroline.
I've used sterling silver but depletion gilded in order to raise the fine silver to bond the gold. Everything that's been KB'd has been brass brushed, 3M wheeled and through the tumbler as well as scratched at with my nails. It seems to be pretty well bonded, but as these things are for me it'll be down to the wearing to really test them out.

All pretty things with a strong personal style. You need a website and start selling, really Deb. I think you might have trouble with keum boo if you apply a torch for soldering, though. Dennis.

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Originally Posted by Dennis

All pretty things with a strong personal style. You need a website and start selling, really Deb. I think you might have trouble with keum boo if you apply a torch for soldering, though. Dennis.

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Experimenting is the name of the game though Dennis. The large labradorite ring was made with the KB gold added to the shank and the large stone setting added afterwards - I'd read it was possible to do so figured I'd try it out - like I say, I'll see how it wears.

And thank you - I probably should organise a website - I have started a Facebook page as it's free but fear that my lack of interest in driving traffic to a website might mean it's not worth paying for one. Plus I don't want this to become stressful (or at least any more than it already is when trying not to melt metal or crack stones), making is my stress reliever. The amount of interest and sales I've had via FB is suiting me fine at the moment :D

Should probably add that when I opened my envelope of gold foil I discovered after my first use that there were two sheets of foil. So I consider this to be my "practice" sheet.

Dennis is right about torching it will just disappear into the silver. With keum boo foil at about £70 a sheet the last time I bought you’re lucky you can afford to practice with it. Lucky you for finding 2 in a pack. Over the last 6 or so years since I started doing KB the price has varied between 60 and over 80 for the 3in sq:/

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Originally Posted by CJ57

Dennis is right about torching it will just disappear into the silver. With keum boo foil at about £70 a sheet the last time I bought you’re lucky you can afford to practice with it. Lucky you for finding 2 in a pack. Over the last 6 or so years since I started doing KB the price has varied between 60 and over 80 for the 3in sq:/

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That's fair enough, I'll know for myself how long it takes for the gold to be assimilated by the silver.
I bought my gold foil at Metal Clay, a smaller piece than the Cooksons sheet but at just over £20 much more affordable in terms of buying to try it out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by misspond

I really like how the patina on this looks, brings out the texture really nicely.
Attachment 12136 Attachment 12137

Thanks for looking! Deb

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So can I expect to see this gold foil disappearing over time? I've looked for info about this but can't find any - the photo above shows the Keum Boo gold that was applied to the etched shank before the bezel setting was attached.

Yes, but the timescales involved at room temperature are... Long. In theory, mokume gane can diffusion bond at room temperature with the diffusion of the atoms across the boundaries (if it's clean. and with pressure); in practice, if the Japanese had hit on that as a method in the 1600s we'd still be waiting for a viable piece. :)

Thanks Peter, that's good to know.