A few more things

[kraftrourke]

My other show & tell was encouraging and helpful. Here are a few other things I made earlier this the summer. With each one I make at least one dumb mistake but I'm learning! All of them were for my girlfriend.

The split labradorite cuff was going to be a different style but at the last minute I "had a vision." It was way easier to make in my mind. I had a hard time removing tool marks next to the bezel. After I finished I thought, "this is going to catch on everything" Sure enough, those two ends sticking out is impractical and grab everything. It looks really cool and she loves it but won't wear it. If I was to make that style again, I'd add a bar across the two points to make a triangular shape. If possible, I might take the stone out and make something else because I really love that one.


This is my first cuff from a sheet. I tried making a much wider cuff first but had to abandon it after many failed soldering attempts. This thinner one was much easier but I'm still confused on how to shape it "correctly." I also need to learn how to anneal. This thing ended up with sooo much firescale. I spent a long time getting rid of it, which smoothed out the hammering to dull ripples. I was worried about re-hammering it and messing it up. There are gaps in the bezel but as Dennis pointed out on my last post, I've probably been using too thin of bezel wire.


This is chalcedony (I think?) The main goal was to try to make a bezel sit flat on her finger so it doesn't rock to either side. I like how it come out.


-Adam

[Dennis]

Dear Adam. You did not ask for comments, but where you go from here, depends on your aims.

If you are only making gifts for family and friends, they will love them as much as they love you. You can still judge your work by how much they wear it and how it looks in action.

If you are trying to establish a business, then your sales or lack of them, will indicate how far you need to up your game. You are certainly not short of ideas.

Regards, Dennis.

[kraftrourke]

Thanks Dennis, I welcome comments or criticism of any kind! My only aim for the moment is to get better. I just started this year. I'm not 100% sure yet but it's possible I'd pursue this as a business - I've just been trying to learn and create when I have any free time. Most of the pieces I've made so far have just been experiments for my girlfriend, though I do have a few commissions lined up. My ability to continue in my current career path is deteriorating. When that is over I'm going to take some classes and if I'm still excited and it feels right, make a business plan.

How did you start?

[vernon]

All lovely. i have found via trial and error that bezels are easier in fine silver and I use a blunt file to smooth the bezels off also a rod of hard steel ground and polished to a round point is good for burnishing the bezels. Soldering is a skill which takes time to master also you need to find the soldering method that suits you. I use a little torch with oxycon machine and the paste solder supplied in a syringe by cooksons. The major thing to understand with solder is it flows by capillary action so the joins need to fit together accurately. Just keep at it.