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Thread: Today I taught myself...

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Today I taught myself...

    Geometry!


    It's funny after all these years to suddenly be going back to relearn basic maths. I have to cut a star out of 6mm square gold and I want it perfectly proportioned. Thank heavens for the 99p geometry set in poundsaver!


    This is going to challenge my sawing and filing skills though!!!




    Vos
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_2014120952628.jpg  
    All the gear and no idea

  2. #2
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    It's funny like you say isn't it.

    I vaguely remember saying to my maths teacher 'why would I ever need to learn that' about geometry, pi, etc yet here I am relearning and using them all over again. You're not alone!

    Nick


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  3. #3
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    Vos: if you've got a basic CAD package on your computer and a laser printer, then it's quicker and easier to generate those stars on the computer and print them out. Glue them / transfer them onto your metal and away you go.

    Apart from the time element, it also means you can resize all you want. Since starting making jewellery I've not got quite a little library of designs and templates built up and stored on my computer for future reference.

    Nick


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  4. #4
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    Vos looking at the star you are going to be piercing, may I give you a little tip, super glue the 6mm. square to a larger piece of thin metal, I would use copper or silver, this will make marking and piercing much easier as you can hold it better. When you have pierced it out just heat it with a torch and the metals will separate.

    James

  5. #5
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    That's a good tip James. I would use thin aluminium.

    For stars, I use the shapes in my Word package which can be reduced or stretched.

  6. #6
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    That is a brilliant tip James, thank you! Off to get superglue immediately.

    As for CAD, I am currently in temporary council accommodation so have no PC, internet or printer (currently using my phone). It is certainly something I intend to look at once I get a permanent place. I actually want to get a cheap laser printer so I can also use PnP (sp?) paper at a later date. But thanks for the heads up Nick, it's on my list


    So far I've cut out the star and glued it to copper with melted wax, mainly because it came out too small and I need to enlarge it as I cut (oh for a printer!). Will then use the larger copper blank as template for the gold. Probably a bit long winded but saves me having to redraw AND gives me more saw handling.


    Thanks all!

    Vos
    Last edited by Vos; 09-12-2014 at 03:06 PM.
    All the gear and no idea

  7. #7

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    Thanks James, you just made my life easier.

  8. #8
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    One of the regular jobs I get from my antique restoration clients is to replace missing gold inlays in tortoiseshell boxes, these inlays are as thin as paper and sticking the thin gold to a sheet of copper makes marking and piercing them out a much easier.

    Boxes like this one I restored.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	JJ Pique box inlays 6,12,08.jpg 
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    James

  9. #9
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    I notice that you also have graph paper to hand. This means that anything that needs to be square can be checked and double checked as you go. For me it is much more accurate and readable for small items than an engineers square.

    Also most designs drawn about a centre line can be more easily checked for size and symmetry. Dennis.

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Vos you don't like easy tasks do you?!
    great tip from James.

    May I ask James, how would you set an inlay on tortoiseshell? as in how do you fix it?

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