The second, of three, project for Intermediate Metals is about lost wax casting and a continuation of stone settings.
For the stone settings we are to do a tube or a flush setting. I have done tube settings before but again, I did both. The first pictures are of my flush settings in an eight gauge hunk of copper with 3 mm CZs. The tube setting is still at school so I dont have a picture of it.
The major part of this project is the wax carving. We have been tasked with carving a ring and another "object" and at least one will have a stone setting.
I decided, for my ring, to make a big honk'n one that looks like a meteorite. The other object will actually be a pair of meteor earrings and each will have a tube set 5 mm peridot because sometimes they, and other gem stones, are found in meteorites.
I first sliced a piece of wax of the block we were given and then went at it with various sized burrs to make the divots and holes. Next was the ring block. I used a wax ring sizer to make the hole just slightly smaller than my middle finger; this is so I can get a good fit during the refinement stage. Next up were those burrs to make the surface look like a hunk of meteorite. I even put divots on the bottom of the band and inside. Before we put the waxes in the investment medium I will gently go over the waxes with a butane torch to give the surfaces a more "melted upon atmospheric entry" look
Lastly is my bonus round. I really wanted to carve a ring that would be made from the gold from both of our (the Shop Elf's and mine) original wedding bands. But the teacher felt that the two pieces for the project should be related and the gold ring can be a bonus project. After caving the band and casting it I will flush set three small round faceted topaz in the band. Two will be Imperial, brown, topaz - for our birthdays and then set in between the two will be a London Blue topaz. This will be for our wedding and the engagement ring that Erich gave me was a blue topaz.
Next week I will attach the sprues and then it's Spring Break. When school resumes the class will cast their pieces and finish them.
For the stone settings we are to do a tube or a flush setting. I have done tube settings before but again, I did both. The first pictures are of my flush settings in an eight gauge hunk of copper with 3 mm CZs. The tube setting is still at school so I dont have a picture of it.
The major part of this project is the wax carving. We have been tasked with carving a ring and another "object" and at least one will have a stone setting.
I decided, for my ring, to make a big honk'n one that looks like a meteorite. The other object will actually be a pair of meteor earrings and each will have a tube set 5 mm peridot because sometimes they, and other gem stones, are found in meteorites.
I first sliced a piece of wax of the block we were given and then went at it with various sized burrs to make the divots and holes. Next was the ring block. I used a wax ring sizer to make the hole just slightly smaller than my middle finger; this is so I can get a good fit during the refinement stage. Next up were those burrs to make the surface look like a hunk of meteorite. I even put divots on the bottom of the band and inside. Before we put the waxes in the investment medium I will gently go over the waxes with a butane torch to give the surfaces a more "melted upon atmospheric entry" look
Lastly is my bonus round. I really wanted to carve a ring that would be made from the gold from both of our (the Shop Elf's and mine) original wedding bands. But the teacher felt that the two pieces for the project should be related and the gold ring can be a bonus project. After caving the band and casting it I will flush set three small round faceted topaz in the band. Two will be Imperial, brown, topaz - for our birthdays and then set in between the two will be a London Blue topaz. This will be for our wedding and the engagement ring that Erich gave me was a blue topaz.
Next week I will attach the sprues and then it's Spring Break. When school resumes the class will cast their pieces and finish them.
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