New Designs 19 March 2012 - cold connection techniques

Copper - have been experimenting with mixed metals and have made a pendant with 'moving parts'.  This involves a technique known as 'riveting'.

Finally created this pendant on Saturday by piercing a large triangle of copper sheet and then a small triangle of brass.  I riveted the small triangle onto the copper triangle.  I then made a sterling silver bail which I riveted onto the piece.  This is know as cold connection techniques as there is no use of heat or solder.

The resulting design is unusual in that the small triangle can be moved around to create different looks.  Could be called the 'Mood Pendant'.  May now create more matching jewellery to complement this - earrings, a ring, a bangle . . . possibilities are endless now that I can create moving parts - a clock face; a figure with moving limbs ... so many designs to be thought of.  Oh how I love working with metals!

Tuesday, 7 February, 2012

What has my day been like?  It started with Dave coming to complete installing a radiator which he had begun on Saturday but couldn't finish until he got certain parts to finish the job.  Meanwhile I spent most of the morning on my laptop answering emails as well as browsing on Facebook among other things.  I waited for the postman (who I now know really well) as he brings me parcels most days.  My sterling silver cufflink chain arrived and so I could then post the hammered copper cufflinks that I am currently working on.  These have been sent to the Edinburgh Assay Office to be stamped with my personal maker's mark (SK) as well as the 925 sterling silver and the castle for Edinburgh too.  These will not be returned to me until about Thursday.  After that I need to solder the chain to each cufflink part and then pickle to remove oxide.  I will then polish and finish them before delivering to my customer.  These are a special gift from a wife to her husband for his birthday and she had a say in the design - a rhomboid shape with hammered markings to catch the light. After the radiator was installed I had to hoover and clean away the resulting dust - although Dave is very tidy.

Tomorrow will need to be a 'making' day where I can work on all my orders which are many.  However, I enjoyed today as it gave me the chance to catch up with the paperwork which is a necessary evil of running your own business.