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a few questions from a beginner



 
 
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Old February 12th 05, 05:08 AM
gene lewis
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Default a few questions from a beginner

Hello all,

I'm a machinist who has been trying to teach myself some jewelry techniques
over the last several months, and have decided to finally ask all the
questions that have come up in my reading and experimentation.

First off, some background. I have been a machinist for the past 12 years,
and have made stainless steel body piercing jewelry off-and-on for the past
5 years. I feel that (like others have commented before on this n.g.) the
traditional styles of body jewelry that are available are pretty limiting,
and boring, thus, the leap into fine jewelry.

I have read as many books on the subject as I can get at the library and
used bookstore, and practicer a fair bit of sawing, filing, piercing,
soldering, patination, et cetera. I feel that now I have a fairly decent
grasp of the bare basics. Thus to my first question.

I know that the key to all this is practice practice practice, so I wonder
if anyone can reccomend a book, maybe like a textbook, or workbook, that has
a series of projects, exercises, or the like, that I can work through, thus
exposing me to a variety of common and uncommon situations? I have seen a
few student exercises here and there throughout "The Brepohl"- sawing and
forging IIRC. Also, I wonder which books you would consider indespensible to
you.

On to another question. Would it be feasable to make my own rolling mill? I
have access to all the tools required (except case-hardening the rolls,
which I would probably buy anyway), and it seems like it would be a great
project. Has anyone seen plans, or info on this? heard of anyone who's done
it?

A coworker threw away a spool of romex house wiring yesterday, which I saved
from the dumpster, took home and stripped. I figure the 12ga copper wire
will be useful for practice material. The ? here is, is the copper used in
this wire suitable for casting with? I'm sure its fine for forging and
bending, but in the books I have right now (complete metalsmith,
design&creation of jewelry by Von Neuman, & contemporary jewelry by Phillip
Morton) there is no mention of casting copper at all. Does copper oxidize
too much to cast?

Ive read everywhere not to put steel in your pickle, or you'll get copper
plating, but in a book I got the other day, It said stainless is safe. As I
have tons of it around (for the body jewelry) I wonder if this is true. I
guess I can just try it......

Sorry for the long-windedness :-)

Gene Lewis

P.S. I'd like to give a big thank you to the professionals who come here and
give us newbies the benefit of their knowledge all the time. I've learned a
lot just by lurking here. so cheers!



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