Togg... You've got some serious skills already. That's impressive! I really like the style of the stuff you've shown so far. Very very cool! When you get to the point of selling stuff or doing custom orders, I'd love to get something for my wife. I was also planning on trying to make a signet ring for myself, but clearly you'd do a much better job! Something like this but with different markings: I'd love to support ya and would really value having some hand-crafted stuff by a fellow borg member!
Yah, if you get the inkling to get something up in time for Xmas shipping, let us know! My wife loves emeralds and jade.
dont think i can get things together quick enough to make Christmas shipping.. but pretty sure by the time Valentine's day rolls around i can have a storefront and merchandise in place.
Ok, super. Cause I am really interested in that first piece you showed. I would assume you would want to hold onto that one as it was your first? but I would love an exact duplicate.
I buy all my girl's jewelry from independents like you, and I'd be even more stoked to support a fellow 'Borgian. If these are some of your first pieces, I can't wait to see what you can do with a bit more cash and experience. If you do plan to go full-on with it, definitely chalk me upfor something in the vein of your OP with black/purple stones. I wouldn't need it until the end of next April (anniversary).
At some point, I will take your venture international....as in, making you use international postage.
Ah, I'm trying to get a personalized signet ring done as well. Been working on a personal seal since alost two years ago, but my friend who was doing the art for it kinda stopped working on it. It's definitely something I want myself though.
I have looked into "Lost Wax Casting" and it does look highly interesting. i just dont have the physical room right now to setup a forge, a high temp oven (Although a High temp oven would be nice for even annealing of large quantities of wire) and a centrifuge. maybe in a while i can convert part of my barn into an actual workshop and move my current setup out of my spare bedroom. Received my first shipment of Lapis Lazuli yesterday, and i do like the look of that stone(Dark Blue/almost black and semi-glossy).. however it seems the Holiday slowdown has hit for shipments as i am already a week overdue for some of the materials i have ordered. I am particularly looking forward to the Peridot i ordered (August birthstone), i am also curious as to the actual quality of the rough cut Ruby and Sapphire i ordered. (i ordered just a small amount of them as its a new vendor i havent worked with before) I have decided to hold off on setting up a business account until AFTER the holidays as right now its just too freaking hectic. but i should have the account up and a storefront (probably on Etsy) soonishly after the new year. Have started a couple more bracelets in the original design, i just have to wait on a shipment to arrive (sterling silver endcaps) before i can finish them up. I will make one of them Lapis Lazuli and hopefully the other one will be Peridot. i will post pics when i finish them up.
One of my old military buddies built a very small forge. Basically a metal bucket he filled with some sort of concrete while leaving a space inside it during the hardening process. Then he cut a hole in the lowest portion and hooked a blower to it. Uses it for heating steel.
I actually saw a video for a small home made forge... let's see if I can find it. Tin Can: Metal Bucket (I think the best one):
As bad as i hate to admit it, i am somewhat of a tool snob when it comes to the majority of my tools. (Snap-on, DeWalt,Makita,Etc.etc) its a very bad habit i picked up from my Father and the Marine Corps. although i have few issues with my tools and the few i do have are resolved quickly. i like the idea of "Knowing" that when i grab a tool, its just gonna work. i will say i do have a few "Tools" (dowels,rods,tubes of specific sizes) that are home made, but by and large, i go for top shelf equipment. I received a shipment of Peridot and Chrysocolla yesterday and have to say i really like them. now i am just waiting on a delivery of silver so i can continue. damn holiday shipping.
Being a tool snob is ok and all (i work on shit, i like clean, high quality tools) but FFS when a small foundry/forge can run 3-4 thousand dollars. Or you can make a perfectly functional, highly adjustable (hand made shit is like that) propane burning forge for 4-500. That is pretty damn easy math for me. on edit: This coming from a guy with 9 hammers just for rounding square stock, and 2 separate forges
I could get away with not having a forge, the Investment i would need to smelt is measured in grams and ounces instead of pounds or tons. for lost wax casting, the tools i would absolutely need is a quick ,long duration ,high temp oven ( would need to maintain 1300F for 5-6 hours) to use for wax removal and casting mold curing, and either a vacuum caster /OR/ a precision centrifuge . the investment smelting i could actually handle with a crucible and a blow torch. After having done a bit more research on the subject.. the $ investment to have a up and running (Brand new ) would cost me about $2500.00 USD .Ebayed/used equipment i could probably get away with a $1000.00 start up cost, Its the actual workshop space that would be the biggest cost. especially this point in the year as i have learned to freaking HATE cold weather(and my Barn isnt heated in any manner, or even insulated for that fact) I'll revisit this "Lost Wax" method in 6 months or so, that will give me ample time to get the initial part of this venture started and running, before diverting into a wider field.
Well the best thing is that you aren't smelting iron or sintering tungsten. A small yet powerful propane burner will melt gold, silver, pewter, tin...lots of things. I was honestly thinking big, not jewelry sized. For the amounts you are talking...a deepish crucible with a nice burner. Not much else you need to melt metal. For curing casts and melting wax yeah...that's a kiln or a nice fire pit. An Autoclave will work for getting wax out but yeah we are into lots of money. centrifuges aren't bad, just look for used medical and modify as needed. Someplace like a vet might have an "older" one you could score.
That Aquamarine/Silver piece... while it doesnt contain the same amount of silver... is a real bitch to make.. manipulating 8 seperate strands and keeping them sorta-semi in line, makes me wanna smoke a 1/2 pack of cigarettes and down a full 12 pack of decent beer ( of course i DONT do that while making the piece ) .... as to prices... i am probably going to charge $135.00 USD for pieces in the first design... and the second piece , $95.00 ( i changed its design just a tad and added a pair of sterling silver end caps to cover the wraps, and that adds to the cost of making it)... Next month (or the one after) i'll start adding necklaces to the lineup (Gathering the needed materials is a real bitch,i absolutely HATE flying when i cant grab the controls )... first up on that front will be Jade necklaces... then pearls (GOD i fuggin LOVE a woman wearing Pearls and nothing else).. my sister-in-law has asked for a African jade twisted necklace... so i'll do that one first.( I'll show pics , i need close to 700 4mm jade beads for that necklace) I have been refining my methods for turning coins into hair/beard bands. I can currently get a American quarter down to a 15mm Internal diameter band . That will easily compress a hair braid as small as 18mm and i can make the able to fit braids as high as 30 in diameter and hold it well... my experiment with using American Dimes has been less than fruitful at this time ( They tend to "Snap" in the process ) the 1/2 dollar American coins , i have not started with as of yet (they should yield much larger sizes ) i'll upload another pic in the next few days , when my buddy can get over here with his camera... I am still searching for a camera that doesnt cost me a freaking arm/leg/new born Its a Amethyst and silver bracelet in the second design with a modification.
I bit off more than i could chew in a short time. setting up an online outlet will take me much longer than i thought it would. My buddy (who was taking the photos for me) has gone out of town for a contract, so i decided to go ahead and buy my own camera + Lenses + tripod + other photographic "STUFF" (yes, i am a total noob when it comes to cameras and stuff) picked up the camera and other "Stuff" for a tad bit less than a grand (which ate into my allocated "Fun" budget) One of my horses (the one my wife rode) stepped on a nail and the vet bills rolled in, so that killed my momentum as well. but i thought i would show off what i have been able to make with a reduced budget and inventory. Onyx and silver 20" necklace An 18" Peridot "Choker" a Triple strand 20"-22" Jade necklace and matching earrings A 20" tigereye and silver necklace with matching bracelet a 20" Jade (Green,white and Black) necklace a 20" Amethyst and silver necklace and last (apologize for the poor photo, i'm a noob) a 21" crystal opal,carnelian and silver necklace
