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Thread: A big hello, thank you and please.

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    dear old Blighty - (in deepest Wiltshire)
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    1,638

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    hi Sarah,

    you are right, it is a money pit! I had to work to support my habit for a long time, erm..... I mean my hobby

    Can't add much more other than don't buy more than you need, but do get hold of some books - often they are popping up here. I know I need to move some on, but they are my lovely books! Tools, it is always wonderful to have the latest gadget. Wait a while, see what the feedback is like and if you still want it (yup, been there), do what you think is best.


    if you are getting a charcoal block, you will need to wrap it in some binding wire to help it stay in one piece. and you will need to condition it before you use it. There is a great piece on Rio Grande which explains it really well.

    lastly, enjoy your errors - they are learning points and can lead you in other directions too. The odd class will of course help, but seek some advice before purchasing what they tell you to get.


    happy smithing...

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    2,067

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    Im just a novice too so don't worry about what seem basic questions, everybody is very kind here including the experienced folk who we are lucky to have around
    I bought the quick release hand piece and it works great for me-there was a thread on pendant motors with some useful advice just recently.

    I like my soldering block, but not even sure of the difference in use between that and a charcoal block?
    One word of caution though, don't do what my friend did and use a household brick It blew up in her face!

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

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    We all agree about the Dremel, but in general terms I would scrap that whole list, and think of a project. Then just buy what you know is needed for that.

    If you buy a simple book of projects for beginners, it will list that for you.

    Secondly do your best to attend some classes, because you will have a chance to try before you buy. Dennis.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    cotswolds
    Posts
    3,383

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis View Post
    We all agree about the Dremel, but in general terms I would scrap that whole list, and think of a project. Then just buy what you know is needed for that.

    If you buy a simple book of projects for beginners, it will list that for you.

    Secondly do your best to attend some classes, because you will have a chance to try before you buy. Dennis.
    Brilliant.

    Wish I'd thought of such an excellent answer!

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Posts
    2,067

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    Great idea Dennis!
    Its actually more or less what I did- knew what I wanted to make and bought a book which listed what I needed.
    Of course it soon spirals from there though

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    103

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    Welcome! An exciting list! Definitely get a Foredom when you can! I love mine. And I love paste too - I'd get easy and hard too.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    13

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    Hi Tabby - I've taken on board all your suggestions thank you very much, may have to wait for the Vallorbe needle file set as I am definitely veering towards a pendant motor rather than the dremel as it just seems a better investment ...My poor purse!! Oh well I'm guessing that's something I'm going to have to get used to.

    Hi George - I find that I am now looking at everyday objects with new eyes and pondering on alternative uses! My eyesight has always been a little on the Mr. Magoo side (I've accidentally ended up in the men's changing rooms at the swimming baths before without my specs..mortifying) so may need the optivisor help.

    Hi Andreas - Thanks for reinforcing my decision to go for a decent pendant motor, thinking of ordering the other basic bench tools first and then moving onto (swiftly probably) the motor. I've got some copper on my order as even in my head I think I know what I'm going to do, my skills are probably far below my ideas....for now :-)
    Hi Wallace- I can kind of see how my "Hobby" is going to go without having even made my first piece yet by all your response! I have 2 books on order (simple soldering by Ferrant Richbourg that was recommended in another post and Jewellery Making: A Complete Course for Beginners by Jinks McGrath) and have borrowed a few from a friend who studied Silversmithing. One of them is a bit of a beast (Jewellery Concepts & Technology by Oppi Untract but good for reference.

    Hi Dennis - Thank you for the wise words of reining back and just purchasing when needed, I do appreciate that as have a tendency to be a bit whimsical especially when looking at all the shiny shiny.

    Hi Silver70 - Excellent another thumbs up for the (soon to be mine, will make myself do a set number of projects before I buy you) Foredom.

    Thank you all for your advice and I will post my pieces when I get to start making them...if there not too pants that is. :-)

    Sarah.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Exeter, Devon
    Posts
    1,803

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    Welcome from me too. I would agree with Dennis, only buy what you immediately need and buy the best you can afford. Files are the first thing you will find useful, but I should hold back on the buying big sets, to start with you will only really need a size 2 and 4, flat files. you can buy others at a later date, but buy good quality ones. If you intend to make pendants, rings etc, a bottle warmer like the ones that warm babies bottles with will probably be big enough and they heat up really fast, I have one my next door neighbour used for her little girl, just put the pickle in a jam jar inside the bottle warmer and heat as you would a babies bottle. Its more cost effective to use pallions of solder than the paste as i have found the paste goes hard fairly quick, you also need flux and a soldering block, charcoal is my choice, but be careful as it is wood so will burn after you finish soldering for quite a time, my advice as a starter would be to get an asbestos soldering block and mat about a foot square to be safe, they are cheap enough to buy and easy to replace. An artist brush to paint on the flux and of course the silver sheet or copper or whatever you intend to start with. (I started with silver because I thought if I used copper I would have a more gung-ho attitude to it, whereas with silver it has to be right the first time. Foredom motor is great, make sure its not the cheapy ones on ebay spelt fordom from China. Tweezers to hold stuff to solder are also necessary really, also the torch, I used a hand held cookery blow torch for a couple of years and my daughter still does, she finds it hot enough for most things. Hope this helps but keep tools to a minimum until you need them as its easy to buy too many then only use half of them. I bought cheap pliers when I started first thinking I could replace them later, so I now have about three pairs that I use constantly and the rest are in a drawer. Hope this helps a bit, stay uncluttered !!!!!!!!

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