I suppose I didn't explain it too clearly, but people drive themselves mad making it neat and achieving a mirror shine. Often a satin finish and edges left rough from the saw and then burnished can be more lively.
I have a polishing lathe, but it lives on a top shelf and hasn't been used in years. So I don't need polishing compounds, nor an ultrasonic to remove them.
My real point was that Sandra's pendant is more original and interesting just like that and yet we all instinctively suggested improvements. Well, I thought better of it when I saw the picture. Hope I haven't hurt anyone's feelings. Dennis.
Last edited by Dennis; 03-10-2013 at 09:00 PM.
I do agree with you Dennis, though I think we probably all start out being influenced by other people's work. I've never wanted to do anything like high street jewellers stuff though. I can see the point you're making and I also like to see some texture and hammer marks etc if it suits the piece.
Going back to the original piece, I think you should leave it as it is as you won't get a smooth edge with copper. I'd have a go with silver and take the advice given about heating it until the solder flows to the edges. Then file it around the edge like the cuff links. You'll be amazed at the difference. A couple of small bits of sterling won't cost the earth.
Sandra, it can be very tempting to buy lots of goodies for projects you want to make when you first start out. I did just that and in hindsight wish I'd gone on a part time evening class first, so I could have a go at all sorts of tools and techniques before deciding what to buy for projects I'd planned. I never have a problem deciding on a new handbag/shoes or a new tool - the tool wins every time!
I like your layered copper project, don't give up on it. I have many things in my 'disaster' pots that get turned into all sorts of things and mistakes and disasters are a good thing, that's how you learn.
Jules
I'd humbly suggest that learning the "core" tool skills - accurate measuring & layout, sawing, forging, bending with pliers, accurate filing and soldering - will give a better grounding than buying more gimmicky tools e.g. disc cutters, corrugation mills and the likes. The latter can give you a shortcut, but they won't give you the all-round knowledge.
Not that I'm being all that rude about gimmicky tools, I have a fair few of them too
I found Dennis's comment really thought-provoking and I have been reflecting on my learning journey.
My first silversmithing experience was signing up for a 6-week session during which people made something of their choice. I had no experience whatsoever and no idea what it was possible for a complete beginner to make in that timescale. A jeweller friend suggested I take along some items I liked as a starting point. I did that, knowing that I did not want to produce a copy. My first piece was a shallow dish with feet and some stamped decoration.
Since then, I attended an evening class which started off with very simple ring-making techniques before continuing with individual items approved by the tutor as appropriate to the skill level. I have continued with the workshop approach to developing skills while making pieces. However, I also wanted to learn the basic techniques as Peter suggests. To this end I have done a couple of one-day courses in soldering and hinge-making and pursued specific techniques such as repousse which interest me. One of the reasons I have tried to set up some basic facilities at home is to have the time and opportunity to practise the basics.
I am very lucky to have access to really good workshops and tutors, and I know that not everyone does. In the beginning, I was not very creative; I found that my ideas have developed as I have progressed. Interestingly, on my repousse course we all created a copper dragonfly from the same image on day 1. They were all quite different, reflecting individual interpretations of the same idea.
Sandra: I think you should look on your work as "learning pieces" rather than "failed projects"
Dennis: thank you for stimulating my grey cells!
Last edited by Ada; 04-10-2013 at 11:26 AM.
Im a learner too and ive asked some really daft questions, still do. When you are teaching yourself and don't really have access to a tutor you get curious as to how others do things and obviously you get quite scared of having a horrific accident, wasting money, burning the house down and looking stupid.
I must admit i think i asked about plating materials and if anyone used them but that was because i had no idea how to achieve the finish on some of the work that people had displayed on here & to be fair the search facility on the forum had gone a bit gonky and was throwing up some unaccessible pages. I think what happens is you want to do your best, it's human nature and its a hard itch to ignore. Once you are comfortable that you can achieve a good finish it's alot easier to look at something and say, you know what i like it rough & ready just like that. But as a beginner you can't help but feel you have maybe copped out.
I think i have learnt an extraordinary amount since picking up a saw a few months ago, it's taken anger, frustration, blood, sweat and tears and not a small amount of advice, patience and encouragement from folks on here ( i owe my sanity to one person in particular, you know who you are! ) There are things that are an absolute dream to do now, that caused such heart ache before, even soldering is starting to become enjoyable lmao i so never thought that would happen! I've learnt the hard way how to get a mirror finish so now i can choose satin or shine and i'm so grateful.
I still have so so much to learn and i guess what i am trying to say is that yes as learners we ask a hell of a lot of questions, are easily scared and constantly look for confirmation we are doing the right thing, but we get better and hopefully become able to help answer the questions that keep being asked, i like to believe that this is what forums like this are for.
x
It's nice to know I'm not the only one learning as I go Truffle and Podge! I would love to take up a jewellery course but until I find one I am still learning a great deal on my own. I put the "sandwich" pendant on the back burner and have been experimenting with new techniques on new projects. On the left, practice sawing, texturing, soldering and my first rivet! On the left - more piercing, sawing and soldering.
I learned that soldering copper on silver or silver on silver would be much easier than dealing with obvious silver solder around the edges. I also learned not to brush too much flux all over your piece as the solder really does flow everywhere the flux goes......I ended up having to resaw the cutout areas because they were filled with solder.
I also learned not to stand the piece on its side to tap the edges of a piece with a hammer, because all that happens is you press the cutout areas together. I ended up resawing the cutout areas three times. But as things go I usually have to learn everything the hard way!
I didn't have any liver of sulpher so I tried the boiled egg method. Not sure how I feel about it, it does darken the metal but it seems to wipe off pretty easily. Not to mention I felt a little guilty bad wasting an egg that way.
All in all I'm pretty happy with these latest projects, even though they are nowhere near the beautiful work other people here can do. But considering I didn't know what words like "anneal" meant a couple months ago and had never used a drill until last week I think I've come a long way already
Last edited by Sandra; 08-10-2013 at 02:29 PM.
They look very jolly and you will soon have a worthwhile collection, Sandra.
Some of us have given up L.of S. and use Platinol, which is virtually odourless. It is best used diluted though and not warmed as when it reacts rapidly it also tends to flake away. It is unfriendly to skin, so you need to wear gloves and if using a brush it should be synthetic. Lastly all blackening agents work badly on solder, so solder will show up on blackened silver.
For the pierced items you have shown, if there were a metal backing you could also blacken the recesses with a Sharpie pen and rub away any surplus.
One last observation. if you experiment with a copper off cut, you will find that all sorts of beautiful colours appear just by applying a torch in places.
Dennis.
Last edited by Dennis; 08-10-2013 at 02:45 PM.
I really like your little heart one. A job well done. It's great having a forum to ask questions on. I've learned loads over the years and still have a lot to learn.
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