RockTalk

OGMS Annual Rock & Gem Show

2011-10-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

COMING SOON- OGMS 42^nd Annual Galaxy of Gems Expo! This is an annual event for our club, and the Show Committee works really hard to make sure it is always fun filled and enjoyable for all ages. This Year our show will feature petrified wood, which is one of the most varied and exciting of all mineral categories. The club members have collected specimens and samples from all over the world to dazzle you and possibly turn you into a rockhound!

The show runs through the weekend of November 19th-20th, and is always free parking and admission. If you have some kids, bring 'em along, there are loads of fun and educational activities for the youngsters. You have never seen fun until you bring some kids to a rock show!

Jewelry students should really consider dropping by too. Gem and mineral shows are the BEST place to find lapidary rough, cabochons, tools, findings, beads and books. You will also get some great deals because rockhound businesses are usually mom & pop operations that don't have huge mark-up and of course no shipping- cash & carry! Our vendors are great, they come every year and they LOVE us, so they bring their best stuff.

Of course, no gem & mineral show would be complete without some collections and educational exhibits. Our club members put together some really dandy cases. They are a very creative bunch, and they like to come up with new themes every year! We also get guest educators from all over the region to visit. The Bureau of Mines, natural history organizations, geological survey companies, gemologists, we invite and they come on down- you never know who you might meet, but they will be interesting folks!

So if you have some time and want some educational and entertaining fun, please join us at The 42^nd Annual Galaxy of Gems Expo, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, November 19th & 20! you can find more info here: OGMS SHOW

Saving Money on Shop Equipment

2011-08-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

If you have been taking jewelry classes for a while, you have started thinking about setting up a corner of the garage to work in. Having a dedicated work area is a wonderful luxury. You no longer will have to clear off the dining room table half way through your latest project in order to enjoy dinner with the fam'. But as lovely as this dedicated space is to have, it can easily become very expensive! Any budding jeweler can tell you, this is an expensive hobby- you only have to glance at the Silver Market to see that. Add to your stash of sterling a few stones, a few hand tools and a book or two and you've already spent a couple hundred bucks!

Now nothing I am going to tell you here is novel, and it won't bring the price of silver down, but there are some ways to economize. Remember, every nickle you save on equipment is a nickle you have left for materials... or food- if your family insists on having that dinner.

Let's start with the torch- which is foremost in the mind of most silver students. Should you get a torch? Only if you are comfortable with using it. What size? that depends on your projects. If all you need is to solder-closed jump rings, a micro torch is fine. On the other hand; if you plan to work with heavy pieces, do a lot of forming (which requires annealing), or want flexibility in your torch- a larger fuel reservoir and interchangeable tips is desirable. The best option I have found is a basic Bernz-o-Matic plumbers torch with a pencil torch tip in conjuction with with the Bernz-o-Matic ST900D hose torch. The ST900D provides a finer point than the pencil torch. The pencil torch tip provides the heat necessary for annealing and larger work. It is also good for torch enameling. This torch solution will probably cost less than $75.00.

Of course, you may prefer to spend more on your torch to have larger fuel reserves and a wider range of tip options. If that is the case, a fuel/air torch rig can often be purchased on Craigslist much cheaper than ordering new from the local welding or plumbing supply house. Do NOT make the mistake of purchasing an oxy/acetylene welding torch- which are everywhere on Craigslist. That torch will melt your projects instantly. You will want a "plumbers" or "brazing" torch.
To create a soldering surface, find a piece of concrete backer board, like tile setters use for wet area tile work. A scrap of gypsum dry-wall will also do. Scavenge this from a local construction site.

Soldering picks can be made from bicycle tire spokes. Next time you see a bike tire in the trash- snag it! Cut off a few spokes and insert them into wooden dowel handles. Make a few, you will want to switch them out when they become too hot. You have just saved between Six and eight bucks on each pick. Save the little bent ends to use as a hook for wire twisting.

A pickle pot, the acid bath that your soldered metals soak in to clean off the flux and oxidation, can be made from a thrift store purchased crock pot. Find one that is large enough to accommodate longish pieces. The acid used to make pickle can be white vinegar, or you can purchase pH Down from your local spa and pool supplier. pH Down is Sodium Bisulphate. Use about a tablespoon per cup of water to start. REMEMBER Always Add Acid Adding water to acid crystals is a no-no! Add the acid crystals to the water.
Look for some nylon tongs to fish your pieces out of the pickle while you are at the thrift shop.
If you have a tiny work space, you may not want to devote the real estate to a crock pot. In that case, a coffee cup warmer and a glass jar works great for an itty-bitty pickle pot.

Maybe your workshop consists of a card table and a folding chair, but you want to be able to really whang on some metal. Don't despair! All you need is a stout piece of wood placed on the floor to provide a solid hammering surface. Scope out that construction site again. This time keep your eyes peeled for a chunk of dimensional lumber. A cut off end of a 6"x8" beam is about perfect, but a 4"x4" chunk will do in a pinch. If you can, grab a couple pieces- there are a few ways to employ wood chunks.
While you're there, look around for scraps of Romex wire. There's copper in there and it is really great to work with. Just use a utility knife to carefully trim away the insulation and you have some lovely copper wire to twist and bend and hammer away on.

You will probably end up with a lot of sand paper, and it all looks alike when it sits in a big pile or shoebox. Dig around in the back of the closet for an accordion file and sort the grits out. You'll be glad you did. You can use that accordion file for sorting sheet and wire too if you prefer.

When I'm sawing I don't like to put used blades back in with the new ones. Instead, I have a piece of packing foam that I have marked s,m,l,xl. I stick the used blades in the foam and use them up first. You could also take a scrap of 2x4 wood and a 1/4 inch drill and make a little keeper for your blades. Drill the narrow side of the 2x4 to about 3" deep. You could really get fancy and mark it with the saw blade sizes just to show me up.

Tools are a bit trickier to scrounge, but there are a few tools that you may want to try with. I like to head to the flea market once in a while for a day of sorting through other people's junk. While I'm there I love to find old dudes with tool boxes. The first thing I do is look for files. Files are a big part of metal working, and good, non-Chinese-made files are pricey. So an old toolbox with files in it is like Blackbeard's chest. Little needle files, triangle files, rat tails, spark plug files, chainsaw sharpening files, you name it they are all useful. I like the price of a buck apiece, but sometimes you can do even better! Just make sure that those files you find don't have rust on them. A light orangey dusting is not a problem, but wads of crusty rust means the file has dead-spots don't waste your money.

Hammers are also really nice to have. Forging hammers are super expensive, but if you have a bench grinder you can shape your own from ball peen and chipping hammers. Ball peen hammers are easy to find. If the hammer has a straight peen grab it too. Smooth and shape the pounding faces with a grinder, files and sand paper to customize them. Duplicate hammers can be filed to create texture hammers. Nail setters are also great tool finds as are center punches. Either can be used for textures, riveting and of course drill starting.

I made a pretty nice little anvil from an old sad iron like great granny used to iron her petticoats with. It didn't have a handle so it saved me the trouble of removing it. I would say six or eight bucks is a great price for that sort of thing. That was another flea market find, but you might also find one in an antique shop.

Well, this ought to get you started on setting up a nice little shop. I hope it helps you to start thinking about ways to economize and if you come up with a great idea, maybe you will be kind enough to share it with us?

Saw Piercing (reposted from my personal blog)

2011-01-26T23:29:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me can tell you what I love best- Silversmithing! For some unexplainable reason I have not- until this point, felt the need to create a post about it. Probably because I'm usually at my bench working on some project!
Lately I have been enjoying my Jewelers coping saw- a tool that receives a lot of bad-mouthing from many silversmith students. Yes, I do understand that it is hard to saw without breaking saw blade when you start out. However, if you keep trying, you will improve with time. Soon you will be wearing out blades rather than breaking them.

Think about learning to ride a bike. Most people didn't hop on and tootle off down the street on the first try. Most of us ended up in a heap on the ground quite a few times. Scraped knees, elbows and tears were part of the learning experience.
I remember my son at 3 1/2 years old... like anyone else he crashed and would end up shrieking that he hated his bike. Five minutes later he was back on again. By the end of the afternoon he was riding without crashing (much).
So if a pee-wee kid of 3 1/2 can ride a bike without training wheels then it stands to reason that an able bodied adult can learn to saw a thin piece of metal that pretty much stands still.

Here is a bit of collected wisdom from myself and the web:

When loading the jewelers saw frame with a blade, proper tension is a must!
With saw teeth pointing downward (toward the handle end), tighten one end of the blade in the upper knuckle of the saw. Place the frame open side up, against the table and push the handle of the saw toward the table edge- tighten the lower knuckle, securing the blade. Test the tension as follows:
When you pluck the blade the sound should be a high & tight "ting".
If you hear a low, shaggy or flat tone you do not have proper tension. Loosen the frame-back nut, hold the frame-back end on the table top and press the cross-bar downward, re-tighten and test again. If your frame only has front edge adjustments ("C" frame), loosen a front knuckle and press harder to tension the blade, re-tighten etc.

Important Basic Sawing Practices:These points are important for accuracy in cutting:Keep the blade perpendicular to the sheet that you are sawing.Sit with your head above the work piece & your elbows at chest height slightly below the pin.
Find a comfortable position that allows you to see where the blade is going- not where it has been.
Saw slightly outside of your design and file finish.
These things keep your blade from binding:With your free hand, hold the sheet flat to the wooden pin, and don't let it wiggle around.
Keep all sawing activity close to the edge of the wooden pin where the metal will be supported.
Lubricate your blade often- candle stubs are cheap and work well.
These things keep you from breaking blades:Proper tension (see above).
At corners and tight curves- Turn the work piece s-l-o-w-l-y, while "sawing" the blade in place. Proceed slowly through all curves.
Never push the blade forward against the uncut metal. Let a gentle pressure on the saw advance the blade as it saws. The blade only cuts on downward strokes.

These things will make your work easier:
Choose a saw blade appropriate to the sheet gauge that you are cutting.
A saw blade that is too big will catch and chatter along the edge- You will go mad!
A blade that is too small will clog up from metal chips and stop cutting until the chips are cleaned out. This will slow the cutting job down unnecessarily- You will get bored!
When starting your first cut, use a file to make a notch on the sheet edge. This will keep the blade from wandering.
Use the full length of the blade on each pass. Avoid short strokes which will only engage the center teeth of the blade. This will help to advance your progress with less muscle fatigue & will distribute the wear to the blade which will prolong its use.

Buy good quality blades. Students often buy the cheapest tool because they don't think that expense is justified. With saw blades cheap is not the way to go! Quality German or Swiss blades will cut cleaner and last longer. Many have rounded backs for easier turning. I bought some cheap saw blades early-on, they would wander terribly and mess up my projects. They also broke like crazy!
I had a lot more filing to do with those cheap blades, and wasted silver too.

Thanks to PB Cohen's site http://www.pbcohen.com/index.php?itemid=53
for this link to Contenti:
Sawblades.pdf

James Miller FIPG has posts regarding saw piercing on Ganoksin.org. Here is a link to one of his many informative posts:
James Miller on saw piercing

If you want to customize the saw handle for a more comfortable grip, Brian Meek has the plan:
frankensaw

Well that is about all I have to say on the subject. I will leave you with a photo (at the opening of this entry) of a piece I made in red brass and copper. It was practice for one I made in silver for my son. Sorry for the blurry photo- my phone doesn't have a focus feature.
Happy sawing!

Update, 01/2011: Recently, a company called Knew Concepts released a marvelous new coping saw that should be a boon to pierced work. The Knew Concept Precision Jewelers Saw has a featherweight frame crafted in heat treated aluminum, which provides a rigid saw which should reduce broken blades and mis-cuts. It is available in 3" and 5" frame depths.

One of my students purchased one of these technological marvels, and we had a bit of an adventure in figuring the thing out. Through some trial & error, and a bit of communication with the manufacturer we came to terms with this new-fangled saw. Although the acclimation period is greater than a standard jeweler's saw, I think this will be a great addition to tools for piercers. The frame is wonderfully light, and blade tension is almost foolproof. It is the perfect tool for complicated outlines and borders.