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Post by connrock on Nov 1, 2014 8:09:38 GMT -5
So far I've made these 2 cuffs and it's been an up hill battle for me. They're nothing fancy and I'm still having problems with silver solder leaching but at least I did manage to finish them! LOL My first attempt,,,, and here's my 2nd,,,, The little balls around the edges are brass.They don't show up as brass in the photo but I used 1/16" brazing rod to add them. Any help with solder leaching would be deeply appreciated! connrock
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Nov 1, 2014 10:55:09 GMT -5
Those are wonderful! The ornamental twisted wire is beautiful How did you crimp the edges with the wires and brass? There are various resists like white out and yellow ochre etal. solder retardant tips
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Post by connrock on Nov 1, 2014 13:31:46 GMT -5
Thanks chassroc!! "How did you crimp the edges with the wires and brass?"If you're asking about the edges on the bracelet in the 2nd photo,,,,I flame cut them with my torch.I pickle it after that and then braze little balls onto the edges with a 1/16 brass brazing rod and pickle again. I've grown to like that style edge and I use it a lot,,,, Here's an extreme example of flame cutting,,,,,,I cut everything with the torch and fused the pieces together,,,,it's made from a big coffee can,,,,cheap material! LOL Thanks for the link on the resists,,, connrock
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Post by Pat on Nov 1, 2014 22:29:20 GMT -5
Both are lovely.
I'm going to try your flamed edges technique.
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RockIt2Me
has rocks in the head
Sometimes I have to tell myself, "It's not worth the jail time."
Member since December 2009
Posts: 668
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Post by RockIt2Me on Nov 2, 2014 6:11:11 GMT -5
Those are great! New ideas percolating in my brain...
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Post by connrock on Nov 2, 2014 7:06:50 GMT -5
Something about the flamed edges,,,,, I use Smith's Little Torch with oxy/acet and a #5tip. I set the acetylene at about 10 psi and the oxygen at about 20-25 psi. The flame is set to an almost pin point by adding oxygen to a point where the flame almost wants to go out.It's a very intense flame but it's also VERY small at the tip.
The very tip of the flame is what does the "cutting" and the copper should be flame cut from the same side,,,in other words,,,cut from what will be the face/top of the bracelet or whatever you're making. I use a 3rd hand to hold the copper up,off of 2 Solderite boards,,,,about 3" or more above them.
A continuous cut works best because a "slag" is formed when cutting and it's difficult to re-cut the copper slag. Of course the deeper you go into the copper the bigger the little balls will be so just experiment with how far into the copper you really want to go.
I use a tight circular motion with the tip of the flame going in and out from the copper but I try not to be consistent with my "linear" "feed" so I get an erratic design rather then something that looks like it was done on a machine.
If you get too close with the flame it may pop and go out so you have to try to use only the very tip of the blue/intent flame.Also,,,when you get to the end of the piece it will get red hot fast so be careful to not melt off the ends,,,too much! LOL You can practice on tin cans to get the "feel" of it and then go to copper scraps.
The brass "balls" are added using 1/16" brass brazing rods and brazing flux.A fairly hot flame is used and is more intense then when silver soldering.This is a little tricky to do because too much heat will only melt the brass and it will run instead of balling up. Heat the very end of the brass rod and dip it into the flux.This is done for every ball added.The flame and rod are put next to the copper at the same time with the heat concentrating on the copper while the rod is kept at the outer part of the flame.This pre-heats the brass while heating the copper enough to accept the molten brass.Once the copper gets almost red put the rod onto the copper and heat the rod about 1/16" back from it's end.Try to get a feel for when the brass will melt and go back and forth with the flame tip until a ball is formed. I'm not good enough to get every ball the same exact size but with practice this can be done if it's what you want. connrock
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Post by pghram on Nov 2, 2014 16:34:43 GMT -5
Both are really nice.
Rich
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Nov 2, 2014 19:09:54 GMT -5
A molten edge makes a great finished edge. Great work. I have made molten edges on stainless sheet with stainless stick welder. Bead spacing and size controlled by speed and depth. Shape of cut out by welders discretion. Have a bucket of water under it to cool/catch it. Buff w/tripoli quickly to a mirror shine. Very fast and lazy way to do it. These are early pieces. Then tried thinner stainless. With thinner stainless, the top stays flat and the beads hand down by gravity, so one side is flat. These thinner pieces were riveted to a copper or brass back plate using brass solid rivets for copper back plate, or copper solid rivets for a brass back plate to give three metal colors. I have no more of those left as they all sold, they just looked good. This winter will get back into production on those. The only sculpture I have ever made in 5 seconds to mount on a back plate. Wife caught me melting down stainless dog bowls and I got a bad whippin. I bet you like that Mr connrock.
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Post by connrock on Nov 3, 2014 7:10:17 GMT -5
James I like the flame cut edges and I honestly started doing them when I made a mistake and cut into a piece when I was trying to braze brass balls on the edges of tin cans.I had never tried anything like that before with oxy/acet on tin cans and got an education in a HURRY! LOL
Your stainless steel piece is pretty cool but I'm disappointed in you cuz you got caught by the Mrs!!! LOL I can't remember the last time I got caught but have to confess that I have a real good lookout with me at all times.Our dog Ranger is always next to me and when I see him lift his head and look up,,,I KNOW trouble is in the wind! LOL connrock
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Post by snowmom on Nov 3, 2014 7:58:01 GMT -5
those are wonderful!
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