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Jun. 28th, 2006 04:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
afmetalsmithThe signet ring is DONE. There are things I'm not happy about, of course, but overall, it looks very nice. And now, shiny! I hope there will be a picture soonish; I have a lot of picture processing to do, but will probably put that at the top of the list after J takes some.
I am also very proud that it is not only finished, but finished a couple of days early!
Now, what I'm not best pleased with: I didn't thin the corners of the setting enough, and the enamel chopped very slightly under them when I set it (using the hammer handpiece, and a fair amount of force since the setting was thick even after I'd thinned it). Solutions: thin the corners more, have the corners more rounded, and maybe border the enamel with metal rather than running glass right up to the edge. The geometry of the ring isn't perfect; well, the blank was not ideally shaped, as it turned out- I was improvising and now have a better idea how to draft a more-accurate one. I can see traces of a couple of solder seams when I look hard. And there is a wee bit of firescale on the back of the shank. Sigh. That one I can fix, but I think I'll wait until after the conference to do so.
Still, I am pleased overall, especially since it was a first effort in this style of construction, in forming a ring with the miniature stakes (which rock!), and in setting an unbordered enamel into a heavy setting (memo: Not A Great Idea without more effort to avoid the problems).
This is Blacksmith Ring #1. There will be more, as well as, probably, other rings using this construction but different enamel designs. It's good practice! Eventually I'll be confident enough that I'll make J a version in some sort of gold.
I am also very proud that it is not only finished, but finished a couple of days early!
Now, what I'm not best pleased with: I didn't thin the corners of the setting enough, and the enamel chopped very slightly under them when I set it (using the hammer handpiece, and a fair amount of force since the setting was thick even after I'd thinned it). Solutions: thin the corners more, have the corners more rounded, and maybe border the enamel with metal rather than running glass right up to the edge. The geometry of the ring isn't perfect; well, the blank was not ideally shaped, as it turned out- I was improvising and now have a better idea how to draft a more-accurate one. I can see traces of a couple of solder seams when I look hard. And there is a wee bit of firescale on the back of the shank. Sigh. That one I can fix, but I think I'll wait until after the conference to do so.
Still, I am pleased overall, especially since it was a first effort in this style of construction, in forming a ring with the miniature stakes (which rock!), and in setting an unbordered enamel into a heavy setting (memo: Not A Great Idea without more effort to avoid the problems).
This is Blacksmith Ring #1. There will be more, as well as, probably, other rings using this construction but different enamel designs. It's good practice! Eventually I'll be confident enough that I'll make J a version in some sort of gold.
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Date: 2006-06-28 11:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 11:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 11:53 pm (UTC)The basic approach is similar in shape to those men's rings that have a flat black piece of onyx set in the top, often with either a wee diamond or a Masonic symbol or something in the middle of the onyx. This one is less fussy, though, and the lines are a bit more curved- due more to the flaws in my experimental pattern than to my intent! It is utterly palin except for the enamel it has rather than the onyx etc.: the enamel is a tiny black anvil on a background of mottled flame colors.
I'll try to get a pic up ASAP!