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Feb. 28th, 2009 05:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
afmetalsmithPretty decent day in the studio today- after a while! (I have not been at the top of my game in the past week, unfortunately- my sinuses have been acting up and making my vision fuzzy.)
Anyway, today I got several more courses woven on my insane necklace (it of the 1500 links), and the weaving is getting easier- partly I've learned the knack, partly I've settled on better tools, and partly it's now approaching an inch long (of its eventual 16-18 inches) so there's something to hang onto.
I also got a much simpler bracelet woven- but unfortunately, the weave is too open for what I wanted to try with it. Not sure what I'll do with the thing now- and its sibling, since I have the links for another one just like it. I suppose I'll make a decorative catch for them and put them up on Etsy.
Also finally got the damn bezel soldered down on a moth brooch or pendant- I think this one will be a pendant. I plan to adorn the silver with some gold granules, and gold knobs on the tips of its antennae. This bezel has been giving me a hard time- bits of it just did NOT want to solder down! That can be a problem with larger bezels, especially (in my experience) when they're long and thin in shape. I ended up heating it from underneath, and that worked- along with some judicious pressure on the parts that were being mulish.
I generally prefer not to heat from underneath, mostly because the screen on my tripod is such a heat sink. Yes, I've tried the thinner screens- but they burn up really fast, and although they claim not, given the color I'm pretty sure they're zinc-dipped- and zinc is not something one wants to breathe in much. Also, they don't give much support when one needs to, say, push down on the bezel a tad to get it attached. So I end up with the sturdier but bulkier mesh, and its amazing ability to absorb heat. Still, I have a torch capable of throwing a LOT of heat, so when necessary it's a good solution.
Anyway, today I got several more courses woven on my insane necklace (it of the 1500 links), and the weaving is getting easier- partly I've learned the knack, partly I've settled on better tools, and partly it's now approaching an inch long (of its eventual 16-18 inches) so there's something to hang onto.
I also got a much simpler bracelet woven- but unfortunately, the weave is too open for what I wanted to try with it. Not sure what I'll do with the thing now- and its sibling, since I have the links for another one just like it. I suppose I'll make a decorative catch for them and put them up on Etsy.
Also finally got the damn bezel soldered down on a moth brooch or pendant- I think this one will be a pendant. I plan to adorn the silver with some gold granules, and gold knobs on the tips of its antennae. This bezel has been giving me a hard time- bits of it just did NOT want to solder down! That can be a problem with larger bezels, especially (in my experience) when they're long and thin in shape. I ended up heating it from underneath, and that worked- along with some judicious pressure on the parts that were being mulish.
I generally prefer not to heat from underneath, mostly because the screen on my tripod is such a heat sink. Yes, I've tried the thinner screens- but they burn up really fast, and although they claim not, given the color I'm pretty sure they're zinc-dipped- and zinc is not something one wants to breathe in much. Also, they don't give much support when one needs to, say, push down on the bezel a tad to get it attached. So I end up with the sturdier but bulkier mesh, and its amazing ability to absorb heat. Still, I have a torch capable of throwing a LOT of heat, so when necessary it's a good solution.
