jonc

RIP iPhone....

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Just seen an interesting vid on FB, someone poured molten aluminium alloy into an ant's nest.

Once it hardened, it was carefully dug up, the soil washed off with a hose and a perfect alloy ants nest was left. Very interesting.

JackClark

That's a great video. They have a channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsl...7AWO9cJ8c-EZYA

Turbohot

Fantastic!


Funny enough, I'm well obsessed with melting metal since the Easter weekend. I went to see a professional jewellery making artist friend of mine during two weeks of my Easter hols. She's a degree holder qualified silver/goldsmith and she kindly allowed me to use her workshop as well as guided me through the process of producing my own work with some reject scrap:




It may not be everyone's cuppa, but I love the battered look of it and am very happy with myself for creating it. I'm gonna buy all the equipment to make more little stuff of this sort, with my broken jewellery scrap:

JackClark

Those are awesome, well done and keep it up. If you have a lot of gold I can help

Turbohot

Thanks and lol. Contrary to the usual Indian preference, I'm into silver myself. Mind you, I'd just love to melt any metal and recreate; I'm hooked on the process!

dpb

This is my fathers second career Swati , went foundation and then fine arts degree central school art and design London late seventies - going back to college also meant he could avoid maintenance on me and my sis . Had works various galleries incuding boston ( he lives in the states now ) . Didn't make a living out it really , had workshop here but jacked it in . His present wife does the heavy lifting ( physio ). I think last thing he probably made was sis wedding ring 2004

I remember him coming back London buying diamonds rubys etc , in folded paper - tiny obviously

Turbohot

Oh, right! Years ago, I remember you saying here that your grandfather sculpted metal statues. You also build sails. Very hands-on creative family you are, Duncan. I guess it has been Adam's since your dad jacked his workshop in, and got rid of all his stuff. If he had done it now, I would have been interested in buying all his tools, equipment and rest of the left-over materials.

dpb

He set his workshop up on boat he sailed away on believe it or not .Doesn't require much space

dpb

a 10 foot trunk ?

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

Funny you lot talking about making jewellery and silver/gold smithing. As you know I proposed to my partner 3 weeks ago and I had been researching rings, diamonds and precious stones since January. I was surprisingly intrigued by it all! In the end, instead of simply paying over the odds for a shop window ring in an independent jewellers, I hand selected the loose stones I wanted seperatly. I got an amazing diamond and 2 rubies, all certified etc without the mark-up that an independant shop jeweller would add on. I then found a jeweller that makes bespoke rings and I had him set the stones for me in an 18k rose gold ring.

The whole process really interested me and you should give this video a watch! I've probably watched all of the videos this guy has on his channel. The workmanship that's gone into making something like that is mesmerising to watch. The thing that gets me, is the whole ring is entirely handmade, right down to the prong setting. Most jewellers just make a wax mould and simply pour the metal.


I'd just love to do something like that! I've even been looking online for courses but they're all 2-3 year courses. Then to get really good you'd need to be an apprentice blah blah blah. Maybe if I was 18 again and had just finished school...

elgassi

so what have you done with the furnace over the last year apart from filling in the ash block
have you mastered the art of pouring molten metal, good to see pictures of your labours so far

dpb

My father had one off commissions from ,presumably, well off enough older ladies from what I could tell - as well as sort thing you've had done pimmo
In the states ( Camden, Maine ) he worked for a while for some one else in probably the set up you've described Mr Sherrat . All barely supporting himself .He gave up here / decided sail away owing bank few grand , even though he'd been given government start up grant some description .

Don't give up the day job

JackClark

Can't quite believe it took us a year to do our first pour, but we both have other things to do, the furnace needed a fair bit of work and we needed a fair bit of extra kit, that's my excuse... and winter. We in no way mastered it, overcooked it so more kit needed to keep an eye on the temp.

JackClark

Got a Redwood that's not far off and plenty of other big bits have a look here http://blaiseintrees.com

Turbohot

So, this means he didn't really jack 'it' in when he sailed off to the other shores. He sailed away with his passion on the boat. Fascinating. I know it doesn't require much space. I find the jewellery maker's wavy workbench rather interesting. Contrary to my usual straight bench with a vice. I know why it's like that, so I do not require some half head coming in to patronise and lecturing me why it is like that, and ruining our conversation. Anyway, my friend has a solid oak ancient one, which is wave-shaped in all four directions. Looks dog's bollocks!

Excellent.

I don't like mould business. My qualified professional friend rarely uses moulds. I like to make from scratch and will never make another one absolutely identical to it again. It's the same with other things I do e.g. glass, canvas paintings other crafts and my designs for other stuff etc.

neil-h

Here's another one you guys might enjoy, it's a thread on Pistonheads by a chap who works as a jeweler and he posts a lot of step by step write ups of his more interesting jobs.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...&t=1311989&i=0

JackClark

I love the jewellery stuff. This is my friend's company http://bodyvision.net all hand made in LA, he's from my home town.

elgassi

I think your wood filling requires a little refining before you're up to the standard of your friend at BVLA

JackClark

His first nipple ring probably wasn't all that

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

Cheers, I just read through the entire thread . I wonder how much a skilled jeweller/goldsmith makes a year?

neil-h

It's the all the associated costs that get me. Iirc in one post he says they got £5k back when his work bench had its 6 monthly clean out. So that's 5 grands worth of swarf and metal dust

dpb

ha that brings back memories too , my dad wouldn't have left it that long though

JackClark

We're starting to get good results.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

I really like that - nice job Jack. Cool (or not so cool as it happens) hobby!!

JackClark

Thanks TT.

Here's a few more that somewhat show the process. This was a rough attempt at reproducing a logo. I routed it out quickly by eye and we poured straight onto the back of the wood, we'll get a much better result if we take more time and create a better flow for the metal.













Lots more practice needed.