Fantastic tutorial!! Many thanks
The base is punched out of fine silver using the disc cutter, the silver is 0.4mm thick.
There is no particular reason for using fine silver - I just had a thin sheet of it handy.
Refining the dome using a polished hammer against the wire, supported by a doming punch
of an appropriate diameter to suit the desired curve.
The rib sides are lightly hammered on a small polished anvil to straighten them, and give them a hammered appearance to match the domed top.
Cage ribs , base and black heart - I've run out of red ones! but I might buy some tomorrow . .
I'm going to get me one of those them disc cutters have being eyeing them up for a while just wish they went up a little larger
putting a punch which matches the base diameter (approx 13mm) inside the cage a measurement
is made including two hammered ribs and the punch -
This works out at 13.36mm which will be the inside diameter of the hoop we are going to make next.
To find the length of 0.8mm wire we need to cut the, standard ring making formula is used.
required inside diameter + metal thickness x pi = length of metal required.
13.36 + 0.8 x 3.14159 = 44.48 mm
Measure and cut the wire
Then bend roughly into a hoop, it doesn't need to be a perfect circle yet, but the ends must be square
and they must butt up against each other with no gap ready for the soldering,
The speck to the right of the hoop is the hard solder to be used, and hoop and solder should be fluxed, I used Auflux.
Wol this is a wonderful tutorial - we'll be wanting more after this you know
Di x
The hoop was soldered using hard solder, this allows us to use either medium or easy solder
when we get to soldering the hoop on to the ribs later.
A bit of light filing with a 6 cut needle file and a whizz with the pink wheel soon gets the joint looking tidy
To make the hoop round, it is hammered on a round triblet aiming the hide mallet towards the big end
forcing the hoop to stretch a little and adopt the round shape we want.
Note - I used a hide mallet because the wire is only 0.8mm thick, and has just been annealed during the soldering op.
If I used a metal hammer I would end up making it rather bigger than I want! I just want it round.
It's round - and it fits! - looking good so far . .
Enjoying the tutorial - love the caged heart
maybe I should make you a little PMC bird bead
Nic x
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Gone for a beer.
See you tomorrow.
Dave
I'm loving this tutorial. More will definitely be expected from you in the future!
Anne
Feel the fear, and do it anyway!
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Website: http://www.whiteoakjewellery.co.uk
So informative- thanks Dave!
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