micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Jan 16, 2016 23:41:47 GMT -5
Adventures in Copper, part 2. Gave this stone a shot, since I thought that the green would contrast nicely with copper and liked the idea of shiny copper being visible through the peekaboo window. So there I was, merrily sawing and filing away (didn't break any blades!). Until it came time to actually bend the prongs over the stone. I'm working with 24 gauge half hard sheet (sample from a roofing company, I believe) and I think it's a little too hard to easily form. As I was wrestling with the stone, it slipped from my hands and broke. I'm gonna try to anneal the rest of this sheet before I try another tab setting. Pat had the glorious idea of slipping a piece of copper wire between the two halves, so I ground the raw edges down a tad and glued in a thin piece of flat copper wire. Not bad for a rescue, I think.
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Post by toiv0 on Jan 17, 2016 3:17:49 GMT -5
Still looks pretty cool, great job.
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icatz
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 453
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Post by icatz on Jan 17, 2016 6:02:00 GMT -5
Nice save. I wish I had a saw.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 17, 2016 12:32:30 GMT -5
Damn! It really blows to have a stone go flying! Great save, though- it looks nice and I love your prongs, too.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Jan 18, 2016 18:55:39 GMT -5
That actually looks really cool! I would have just said I planned it this way. Story of my life.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 19, 2016 16:22:05 GMT -5
Green and copper are a very natural combination. I like this style. Any chance of a simple tutorial or even just a list of materials and tools used?
Chuck
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Jan 19, 2016 17:04:56 GMT -5
Drummond Island RocksHi Chuck, I forgot to take in-progress pics but it's pretty simple. Materials and Tools - your cab - 24 gauge copper sheet (dead soft preferred but I only had half hard) - Jeweler's saw. Can't remember what size the blade was, but probably 2/0 - Needle files (probably mediums) - Various grit of sandpaper or buffing boards. Pat glued them to popsicle sticks for those hard-to-reach places. - Flat-nose pliers and round-nose pliers (for the bail) 1. I traced out my cab on paper, and decided where I wanted to place the tab settings over the stone. I mirror-imaged them from the bending line, and added a couple mm for the girdle and sheet thickness. I cut out the paper drawing and then traced it onto the sheet metal in sharpie. 2. Saw as close as you can. I wasn't really accurate with my tracings so I had to re-saw and file a lot. Next time I will also trace the cab directly on the sheet to get a sense of how it fit. 3. File down the cut edges until smooth. I also tapered the prongs and added a bit of bevel. Then I sanded the edges a little more, stopping at 1000 grit. 4. Using pliers (I didn't have protected jaws so I left a few tool marks), bend the prongs to about 90 degrees. Check the fit of the cab and file/sand to adjust as needed. 5. Place the stone in the setting and press the prongs over. Here is where dead soft would have been useful. I used too much pressure and the cab slipped from my hands. I found using a domed peening hammer over cloth helped get the tabs smoothed more evenly. (see optional) 6. Folded over the bail with round nose pliers. 7. Gave it all another sanding to reduce the tool marks. (Optional). Give your cab a nice whack to break it. Grind down the edges until they are smooth. Cut a piece of flat copper wire to fit the cut edge. Glue in place (I used the gel superglue that I use for dopping). After it sets, clean any excess residue with acetone. Set as you would an unbroken cab.
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Post by Pat on Jan 19, 2016 18:51:50 GMT -5
micellular show us the back! I think the wire was 14 ga half-round, but I think other wires would work as well.
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Jan 19, 2016 19:37:41 GMT -5
As you wish, Pat . Here's a pic of my notebook. Next time I would saw deeper into the bottom prong to avoid it gaping in the middle.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2016 21:08:51 GMT -5
Drummond Island Rocks, you should try it, it's really not difficult and they are lots of fun because they work up so quick and they provide immediate satisfaction. I have a few more finished, too. They are addictive. Between Pat, micellular and me you have all the help you need.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 19, 2016 21:35:17 GMT -5
Drummond Island Rocks, you should try it, it's really not difficult and they are lots of fun because they work up so quick and they provide immediate satisfaction. I have a few more finished, too. They are addictive. Between Pat, micellular and me you have all the help you need. I have absolutely zero metal working tools but I will be ordering some wire supplies from rio soon so I might see what all it would take to give this a try. I need something to bring some life back into the hobby right now so this might do the trick. Chuck
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Jan 19, 2016 21:57:07 GMT -5
Chuck, I just ordered a 3" saw with blades from Amazon (Prime) for about $18. I'm sure you have the materials for a file block and clamp around. If you've got sandpaper or nail files lying around, you can fold that up and use instead of needle files in a pinch.
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Post by Pat on Jan 19, 2016 23:28:08 GMT -5
Drummond Island Rocks, you should try it, it's really not difficult and they are lots of fun because they work up so quick and they provide immediate satisfaction. I have a few more finished, too. They are addictive. Between Pat, micellular and me you have all the help you need. I have absolutely zero metal working tools but I will be ordering some wire supplies from rio soon so I might see what all it would take to give this a try. I need something to bring some life back into the hobby right now so this might do the trick. Chuck Chuck, go to a dollar store. In the finger nail section there are files. We use the soft (not metal) files that have about eight sides with progressive grits. $1.00! Smithing is fun stuff. Lots of toys. Play with fire!
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 20, 2016 9:40:04 GMT -5
Pat micellular rockjunquieComing from a woodworking background I always try to see if any of my existing tools will work for my rock hobby. I have a power scroll saw and remembered that metal cutting blades are available so I hit up you tube about cutting sheet metal with it. Looks like it could be a good option if someone were doing a few of these. notice how intricate the cuts are Chuck
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 20, 2016 9:48:42 GMT -5
Hey, give it a try and see how it goes. I'm interested to see how it works.
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Jan 20, 2016 15:54:30 GMT -5
rockjunquie , one thing (of the many) that I don't know is how to protect the back of the pendant from skin contact. I wore it out yesterday and by the end of the day, my skin was mildly irritated from the copper. What do you do?
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 20, 2016 15:58:10 GMT -5
First off- I think a majority of people have no reaction to copper. You must be one of the unfortunate few. Secondly, a patina would probably help and so would a coat of Renaissance Wax. I have not had any problems myself. My daughter is a huge copper fan and wears a lot of it. She has no reaction, either. Copper can and probablyy will turn your skin green, too. A patina and wax helps with that as well.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Jan 20, 2016 16:32:18 GMT -5
As tela said, Ren wax is a good thing. Another would be a few thin coats of clear lacquer paint. That will last longer than the Ren was IMHO. I spray copper bracelets with it and have not had to redo my wifes or friends yet.
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djaxon
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2015
Posts: 159
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Post by djaxon on Jan 22, 2016 19:36:53 GMT -5
I bought a product called "Protectaclear" by Everbrite several months ago. It is pricey but a little goes a long way. I have used it for wood and copper and will try it on a copper tab-setting I am planning.
Has anyone used this product and what do you think about it?
Thanks,
And thanks again Michelle for the tut!
dj
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 22, 2016 19:49:20 GMT -5
I bought a product called "Protectaclear" by Everbrite several months ago. It is pricey but a little goes a long way. I have used it for wood and copper and will try it on a copper tab-setting I am planning. Has anyone used this product and what do you think about it? Thanks, And thanks again Michelle for the tut! dj I haven't used it but I have heard a lot of good things about it. Never anything bad. Let us know what you think of it.
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