Spring 2017 DES331 Post #5

It's time to get a move on the pin/brooch project. I have one set of drawings for the project that could be put into fabrication right away, but wanted to explore another design reference.  I took characters from the Tibetan alphabet and transcribed them freehand in a calligraphic manner and then explored various transformations and combinations.  I traced them onto hard painting board and then cut them out to explore some 3-D variations.

 



I'd like to do a mock up in cardboard, or even metal, to get the curves and 3-d down and then fit the prong settings in place. 

Catenoid  vessel (L), was formed out of a 6x10 " sheet of 18 gauge copper, lap seam soldered into a cylinder.  I have about 5 hours hammering and annealing into it so far. There's a bit more narrowing of the waist needed. The 6" vessel (R), is ready for flat hammer planishing.

Spring 2017 DES 331 Post #4

The last sample setting assigned was a basket style prong setting, made out of 16 gauge brass wire.  Fitting the jump rings to the appropriate size of the stone was challenging and required a re-do after my first attempt was too large in diameter and wouldn't allow for notching of the prongs and a good fit when pushed over onto the stone's crown. 

Instead of starting from the beginning with new wire, I disassembled the setting and created new rings which were then soldered to the original basket.  You might think that by this point in life I would understand the futility of this type of shortcut, but yes indeed, I spent more time and effort cleaning up the original piece and refitting the rings than I would have had I started over. Oh well, optimism is a virtue I suppose.

The prongs are a bit asymmetric around the circumference of the stone, again, a consequence of not starting from the beginning. They were appropriately positioned on the original setting.

 

Love those needle holders, I used them to hold the rings and basket while soldering.  I used the notched, self-clamping forceps for the first solder joint of the ring to the basket. After that I was able to solder the other 3 joints at one time using the micro torch. The micro torch has become one of my favorite tools as it can give you such a hot, but tiny flame that you can solder each separate joint on the setting without risking melting the others as long as you work quickly.  

DES331 Post #3

Completed the tube setting and sheet metal prong setting samples, I needed to push the prongs down a bit on the sheet metal sample.  Filing them down more and then using the prong pusher followed by a burnisher worked out well. 

 

 

We have received our instructions for the first project for DES331, a brooch with a minimum of three prong set faceted stones.  My semester theme is Asian script and symbols.  I have resources for the theme compiled and now need to obtain some images of  historic settings and develop some ideas for the project.

 

Metalworking has been great fun and I am now planishing the 6" vessel.  I need to bevel the catenoid vessel sheet and complete the final planishing of the small vessel .



 The top rim is a bit irregular, but should be able to be straightened out.  

Spring 2017 DES331 Post #2

Completed the Tube Setting sample, I believe I got the depth of the stone seat correct and even better, the stones haven't dropped out yet.  Holding the setting bur absolutely aligned with the tubing is a challenge. If I was going to do this a lot, I would set up some sort of jig to hold the piece and the handle of the flex tool in alignment, such as a drill press with a gimbaled vise beneath it.

The bezel tool made setting the bezel super-easy, I literally set the three bezels in 5 minutes.   I like the looks of the settings we've done so far and am psyched to learn the rest of the techniques Frau N. has in mind this semester.  Thanks for this opportunity Professor!

 

 

The sheet metal prong setting worked out as well, and I didn't melt it and have to start over, as I did with the tube setting sample. I kept the stone up off the existing seat and made a 1 mm ledge higher up to fully expose the base of the stone.  I also like the looks of this style of setting, it's clean and contemporary in appearance and can showcase the stone beautifully, if that is your intent. 

On this piece the prongs need shaping and pushed down a bit.