Projects

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "C. Gates"
:

]Projects that just involve pierced designs have great potential for
]creativity, let you use the flex shaft for drilling holes and finishing
]the metal, and let you make some great jewelry without the need for
]soldering. If you like the technique, you can do pierced work in gold
]and platinum, metals that have the strength to support extremely
]delicate lines and patterns. Also, you can create the designs on your
]computer and transfer them to the metal to be cut out.
]
]For piercing work, you can develop some Zen-like states of mind to
]establish that relationship between your eye, hand, and metal.

learning to use a saw made me completely nutz.
until one of the *MUCH* younger girls in the class showed me what i
was doing improperly. and SHE called it "Zen of sawing".

90% of the problem was not relaxing my shoulder!


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
[it's a Callahan's thing]
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"How many ADD kids does it take to change a lightbulb?"
...........
"Let's go ride bikes!"

vj wrote:
vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "C. Gates"
:

]Projects that just involve pierced designs have great potential for
]creativity, let you use the flex shaft for drilling holes and finishing
]the metal, and let you make some great jewelry without the need for
]soldering. If you like the technique, you can do pierced work in gold
]and platinum, metals that have the strength to support extremely
]delicate lines and patterns. Also, you can create the designs on your
]computer and transfer them to the metal to be cut out.
]
]For piercing work, you can develop some Zen-like states of mind to
]establish that relationship between your eye, hand, and metal.

learning to use a saw made me completely nutz.
until one of the *MUCH* younger girls in the class showed me what i
was doing improperly. and SHE called it "Zen of sawing".

90% of the problem was not relaxing my shoulder!


Exactly. The natural reaction on using almost any new tool
is to tense up and try to force it. You've got to relax and let the tool
do the work.

It's one of the reasons you break so many blades in the beginning.

--RC

Peter Wrote:
Often, with use, the V grove in ones wooden bench pin gets worn and
enlarged enough that
small bits of metal are hard to properly support on both sides of a
saw cut.

This may have been a problem also. I did some sawing last night, the
first time on my own at home and I did not feel I needed to hold the
metal down as much. I really focused on relaxing and found that sawing
was not as labor intensive as I made it to be in class.

vj wrote:
...and SHE called it "Zen of sawing".


90% of the problem was not relaxing my shoulder!

C. Gates also mentioned the zen. I did notice I was in a zone sawing
last night, I've never experienced Zen, maybe that was it! ;0)

Those darn shoulders! Just noticed I was doing now as I type on the
computer!

Thanks for the input everybody!

TTFN

A few more thoughts for you on sawing... use the best blades you can afford
& aim for 2 to 3 teeth to the thickness of metal you're cutting. Keep your
blade perpendicular to what you're cutting, use a blade lubricant on the
back of the blade (beeswax or something similar) & make sure your blade is
tight in your saw frame... it should give a nice ping when plucked :7D.
Good lighting is quite important too... I like 2 lights; fluorescents
overhead & a spot-light to my left (I'm right-handed). I use the spot-light
to get a shadow & use the shadow of the blade as a guide.
When sawing, you should keep the kerf (path cut by the blade) to the waste.
Happy sawing!
Ian

"jenileo" wrote in message
...
Thank you Peter!

It is my left tricep that is the most sore from holding the metal down.
And you are right, the first day I realized my chair was too low. I
adjusted it and sawing went a little better the next day. I also tend
to tense up my shoulders now matter what I'm doing and I have to keep
reminding myself to relax. I'll get it! Practice makes patience! ;0)

TTFN!

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from Rick Cook
:

]It's one of the reasons you break so many blades in the beginning.

well, i STILL manage to do that pretty consistently.
generally from twisting it, tho.


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
[it's a Callahan's thing]
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"How many ADD kids does it take to change a lightbulb?"
...........
"Let's go ride bikes!"

vj wrote:
vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from Rick Cook
:

]It's one of the reasons you break so many blades in the beginning.

well, i STILL manage to do that pretty consistently.
generally from twisting it, tho.


That's the other thing, of course. The blades are terribly weak in any
direction except straight up and down. One thing that helps is to kind
of 'march in place' when making a sharp turn. Don't move the saw forward
but keep moving up and down while you gently turn the saw in the new
direction.

The first time you actually wear out a blade rather than breaking it
will be a personal milestone.

--RC

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from Rick Cook
:

]That's the other thing, of course. The blades are terribly weak in any
]direction except straight up and down. One thing that helps is to kind
]of 'march in place' when making a sharp turn. Don't move the saw forward
]but keep moving up and down while you gently turn the saw in the new
]direction.

yes - i've got that part.
it twists and breaks, generally, when i'm trying to do something
stupid - like back it out. or it gets 'caught' and won't move in ANY
direction!

]The first time you actually wear out a blade rather than breaking it
]will be a personal milestone.

oh, yeah!

--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
[it's a Callahan's thing]
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"How many ADD kids does it take to change a lightbulb?"
...........
"Let's go ride bikes!"