An experiment with bronze and copper.
I haven't polished it yet and I'm rather liking how
ancient it looks in its current state.
A custom sterling silver pendant using old typewriter
keycaps spelling out the nickname of a friend's fiancée.
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I think every jeweler/metalsmith's work area contains common elements, but the way we have things organized (or in my case, disorganized) is as varied as our personalities.
Here's a tour of my workshop, which is rather compact:
1. Flex-shaft motor tool (for grinding, polishing, etc.)
2. Propane/oxygen torch
3. Bin for hammers, mandrels and other larger tools
4. Letter/number punches, burs, sheet metal, sandpapers, waxes...
5. Bench pin and saw
6. Soldering area
7. Misc. parts and pieces of metal, works in progress
8. Pickle pot (heated container of mild acid solution for cleaning metal)
9. Electric kiln
10. Dapping block and punches for forming domed/rounded surfaces
11. Misc. chemicals and solutions
12. Burnishing and tumbling media
13. Tumbler (oops, I left the drum on the bathroom sink)
14. Drawers full of stuff that would otherwise get lost
15. Safety glasses - VERY important!
Curious what other jeweler's work areas look like? Have a look at these:
Tamra Gentry
Angela Baduel-Crispin
Elaine Luther
Lorrene Davis
Lora Hart
Kirsten Skiles
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My first bronze piece: The God of Past Loves
Significant to me, professionally due to working with a new material/technique, but also on a very personal level.
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I just attended the 4th biannual PMC Conference this last weekend. For those who don't know what PMC is, take a look at my about my work page.
A panel discussion with the attendees of the conference
I met some cool people and learned a few things, but the best thing about being there was the introduction of a new material that I've been excited about for some time: bronze clay.
Bill Struve, the inventor of bronze clay, speaking at the conference
Bronze clay has distinct firing requirements but is otherwise similar to silver and gold metal clays, with two major exceptions: price and strength.
Bronze is not considered a precious metal (it's an alloy of copper and tin) so is relatively inexpensive. Although bronze pieces made from this material will be slightly less dense than if they were cast or forged, they will still be very strong—much more so than fine silver or 22-24K gold.
This means I'll have the ability to create much larger pieces, even sculptures if I desire, whereas before with only precious metals that would have been prohibitively expensive. I can also afford to create a lot more experimental designs to use as production prototypes without worrying about material expense.
The other wonderful thing about this new addition to the medium is that because it is so affordable, more people will be able to experiment with it, including kids. This is going to create quite a ripple in the world of metalworking. It's exciting to be a part of the beginning of this, and to see how it changes things.
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My favorite manual tool is the hammer.
All my tools are loved for their unique abilities, but nothing makes me feel like I'm engaged in the ancient art of metalsmithing quite like the hammer, one of the oldest known tools.
Its versatility for working metal is a primary reason it has been used by metalsmiths for many thousands of years. For bending, shaping, flattening and texturing, few other tools (perhaps the anvil) have so many uses.
There is also the satisfaction that comes from the strikes of the hammer, and knowing this manual labor with such a simple instrument can result in something complex and beautiful.
What are some of my fellow jewelers' favorite hand tools?
Find out what they had to say:
Angela Baduel-Crispin
Lorrene Davis
Lora Hart
Elaine Luther
Chris Parry
Kirsten Skiles
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