some work in progress

[deb193redux]

I have been working out some fold forming ideas in copper in my ongoing quest to avoid bezels. The idea is to have folds that could lay over the edge of a stone or maybe even just lean against the edge of a stone with slightly tapered edge.

Here are 4 of six or seven that I came up with. These are all hammered/forged folds. (Some of the edges are not fully sanded/smooth yet). I want to try some more with looser softer folds too.







You can see how the sides of the fold can snug a stone.







I think the right stone makes or breaks the final result. Here are some of the materials I am thinking about cutting to fit.








I made some virtual mockups. Got close, but the actual size of the pattern may be a little off.






I thought I would like seeing some copper above and below the stone. It is working for me where I stamped the sun ray pattern, but I am lukewarm on the dalmatian jasper. I need to think if it is just the wrong jasper or if I should be fitting the stone completely top to bottom. Actually I am liking hte birdseye serpentine against the highly texture block pattern, so I might use that stone twice and deep six the dalmatian.

You can tap the sides down a little extra just above/below the stone to hole it firmly in place, but bot if the stone goes all the way top to bottom. For those I think I will solder a small post onto the bed of the form and drill a matching hole in the back of the stone.

I also need to decide if I will drill holes for a jump ring(s) at the top, or if I want to solder a bail on the back.

Just kind of feeling my way along. ... there will also need to be some decisions about patina.

Will eventually do some in silver. I need to think about what stone colors will work best, but already got Tiffany Stone and Amy sage in mind. Maybe Picasso Marble too.

Suggestions?

[adrian65]

I think you shaped those copper sheets beautifully.

That green slab with a blue vein running through it - I think the vein might be kept along the cab.

Great idea, I will look forward to see the results.

Adrian

[christopherl1234]

Pretty cool idea...

[helens]

Love em!!

Daniel, the top left green one is fantastic. I love the angle you set the stone in and the pattern contrast. That's a keeper!

The one next to it is wonderful too, but that's because I'm very drawn by the orby material and color, not the impact of the design.

The lower left one is intriguing... like the stone, but also like the design and placement for a more expensive 'gemmy' stone.

Bottom right... no. That Dalmation doesn't work in the copper, looks like black rust spots, and that shape is too random. But I like the way that the copper background bows on either side of the stone space, you just need a curved stone to fit in there (I'd do top to bottom on it or it looks busy). A different stone would look really nice there... any of the orby ones would work, especially that pinkish orby one which is a gorgeous stone!!

Really really nice job!!! And that could be a hairclip, a broach, or bolo as well as pendant:).

[talkingstones]

I'm with you on the dalmation... I think it's too busy for the patterned metal. Love the birdseye and the other with it. The picasso? doesn't have enough stone to make it work... With a larger slice I think it could work, though. This is a great idea and a really cool look!!! I like it!

[rockjunquie]

Great work on the folds. Are you just using a hammer or a press, too?

I love the first 2. I don't like the dalmation, at all and the one next to it looks off kilter to me. I don't care for it much.

Can't wait to see these finished. You're off to a great start.

[deb193redux]

just a hammer for the line folds. t-folds are easier with a vise. various tools then add texture and dap curvature.

The one with the sun ray or seeing hand pattern was a nod to something similar I had seen. it was my point of departure for the others. I will continue to look for the best stone to put there. It has to be a fairly small stone.

The dalmatian is out. I had tried some green/black epidote, but that did not seem like the right stone either.




I think I am going to have to forge much more curve on the fold for the curve to work - and it is going to have to be on both sides. The straight ones seem to be working better.

[rockjunquie]

Maybe a gem Owyhee would fit better with the copper color and lines in the pattern? Or even some of the orangy Picasso. Maybe more contrast would be better, but I don't think so because the pattern is so strong. I dunno- tough one.

[deb193redux]

I do expect the pattern to look a lot different with patina, especially if I leave area under t-fold darker. I hope to move this along next week. I have the whole week off and don't plan to leave town.

[helens]

I don't think it's the stone... I think it's the shape of the stone... that shape doesn't work in there, no matter what stone you use, not even diamond or opal. I think you need to fill that 'bracket' (for lack of a better word), from top to bottom with the stone like you did the first 2, which are fabulous:).

[deb193redux]

i think so too. but I do want to explore if there are any good looking ways to not fill. I am all about exploring.

[rockjunquie]

I don't know... I think I have to disagree. What would be cool is if you could find a rock you like that will visually lead the eye to "fill" in the the lower portion. Have it visually drip down into the lower section. I can't think of a way to describe this any better. Something with, say, a larger pattern on top which gets progressively smaller to the bottom. Or, vica versa, in both regards. You can trick the eye into filling the space and at the same time draw the eye to the metal work forcing the observer to take in the different elements both together and separately. That aside- I like that the stone doesn't fill the space. However, I would have more open space at the bottom than on the top.

[deb193redux]

good idea. I wanted to have metal space to play with negative space- only around the stone and not in the stone. but nothing says it has to be at both top and bottom. easier to have image feed into empty space at one end instead of two. I will see what I can find.

[helens]

Ok, a teardrop cab might work there... but you're still filling it from top to bottom (just short of bottom wouldn't matter since Tela's right that a 'drip' effect always looks neat. What is distracting I think is all that copper space above that's imbalanced by the shape...it's visually wrong.

But... what would look best in there is a large enough stone that fills it from the top to the bottom, with curved sides:P.

[Rockoonz]

Very cool concept, Daniel. I love working with copper, such a fun metal.
I look forward to seeing your progress on this.

Lee

[vegasjames]

I love the green one as well.

As for the silver, I agree the Tiffany stone would be great. If you can get some blue chalcedony that should also look great as well as pink jasper, mawsitsit, turquoise or chrysocolla.

[helens]

Oooh... any of the copper stones in the copper:)!

[Sabre52]

What a great idea Daniel! if you put a bola slide thingee on the back, they would make a heck of a masculine looking bola setting. I like the symmetry of the examples with the bracket totally filled too. The partially filled ones just look kind of incomplete to me. Malachite would look great n the copper setting too....Mel

[Toad]

Looking great Daniel

[deb193redux]

Ok, I did the program Friday night. I went well enough and seemed to have good interest. Most folks could not get a formed, filed, and polished piece in the time we had, but did get the basic folds done. Details like texture and stamping were also a little bit of a lower priority as folks just tried to get the metal to move the way they wanted. Some had finished cabs they wanted to use, which made an extra challenge to getting the folds spaced just right, and I thought some folks would want to use a different color stone.

I did not get pictures of everyone's work, and I will need to try an catch up to these members and beg a photo.

Here is one woman's piece. It needs some time in the pickle pot, and some buffing. She was hesitant to texture as heavily as I do, and did not stamp any extra markings. The piece is just over 3" tall. The stone does not offer enough contrast, and I talked her into changing stones. She found a turquoise cab she like better. She plans to solder a bail on the back. (I need to get a pic of her final piece when she has it done). The stone would have set better if tapped downwards with a plastic hammer, but glad we did not so it is easy to change. (I really did not like her stone.)




I got two more done at the meeting, and I made another example Friday morning to show the group. I wanted to do one starting with an oval blank, and finish it with bail and patina. It came out pretty good.

One of the other guild members did a nice piece with good texture and curves, but overall flat. He only wants silver stuff, so he donated it to the club (I will set a stone and put it in an upcoming club auction.) His piece is shown here with the piece I made Friday morning and the two I did Friday night.




I am still deciding if I like the brown patina. I think I want to buff up to a very high shine, and then re-apply the patina. Just to get more sparkle. I might also switch to antique green patina.





I want to use one of the new ones horizontally as a scarf slider. I need to figure out how to make the slide part, or have to find a source for the finding. These have not been filed or sanded yet, but I will try to keep the ragged edge look (only not sharp).




I now have almost a dozen projects waiting for custom stone cutting. I need to put down the hammer and turn to the trim saw and grinding wheels.

Stay tuned.