| STEP
1: Making the disc.
Determine the size of the dome you would like to make. (The dome shown measures
20mm.) Select the proper circle cutter for the appropriately sized disc. (For
example, you would use a 23mm disc for a 20mm dome.) Use “hard” sheet
in the circle cutter. Do not anneal the metal before using. If you do not have
a circle cutter, use your scribe to trace a template onto the metal and saw out
your disc.
Anneal the disc on a clean charcoal block. Cool on the steel block. Pickle,
rinse in clean water, and let dry.
STEP 2: Making the dome.
Select the appropriately sized punch and complete one course in the dapping block.
Anneal, then cool on the block. Pickle, rinse in clean water, and let dry. Decrease
the punch size and continue dapping the dome. Repeat the process, including the
annealing stage, until you achieve the desired height and diameter.
To level the base, sand the bottom of the dome with 400-grit sandpaper on the
steel block. Use the pumice to smooth the surface of the dome. Rinse in clean
water, then let dry. |
STEP
3: Making the wire base of the dome.
Measure the base of your dome with the sliding mm gauge. Transfer that measurement
to your ring mandrel. Anneal the 22K 20-gauge wire in the kiln or on the clean
charcoal block. Cool on the steel block. Pickle, rinse, and let dry.
Form the ring on your mandrel at the line of measurement from the base of the
dome. Place the wire over the dome and make sure that it rests evenly, just above
the base of the dome. When you have the perfect fit (no gaps), fuse the ends of
the wire together on the charcoal block. Round out the wire on the mandrel. If
the seam is visible, file and sand the wire. |
| STEP 4: Enriching
the components.
Plug in the Ultralite kiln and cover.
When the element is cherry red, place the dome and wire on the kiln element
with the lid off. When the components appear blackened, remove them with clean
fire tweezers and immerse in clean pickle while hot. Rinse in water, then brush
the surfaces with a nickel silver, fine wire brush under water with soap as a
lubricant. Rinse and let dry.
Repeat the process 2 more times. This brings the copper to the surface, allowing
it to combine with oxygen and form a fire scale on the piece. The pickle removes
the copper and reveals a surface of almost pure gold. Also referred to as depletion
gilding, this process can be achieved using a nitric acid solution as well. The
surface of your dome and wire should have a distressed appearance.
STEP 5: Making the glue.
Completely mix 2 drops of Battern’s liquid flux from an eye dropper, 12 drops
of clean water from an eye dropper, and 2 drops of Titebond hide glue in a small
Pyrex dish with the sable brush.
STEP 6: Fusing the ring to the dome.
Place the dome on the ceramic tile, which should be clean and cool. Place the
ring over the dome until it fits evenly just above the base of the dome. Apply
2 to 3 brushstrokes of the glue mixture to hold the ring in place. Allow to dry
for 5 to 10 minutes.
Place the tile on top of the covered kiln to begin the drying process. The
glue mixture will begin to turn brown as it heats up. Use the spatula to move
the dome to the lid of the kiln, removing the tile. The glue will now heat further
and smell of burning hair.
Leave the dome on top of the kiln for 10 to 20 seconds.
Using the spatula, move the dome to the inside of the kiln, placing it on the
“hot-spot” of the element. Replace the lid and allow the remainder of
the glue to burn off (15-20 seconds). Remove the kiln lid and allow the piece
to blacken for 1-2 minutes before fusing.
Light your #1 torch tip and adjust for a light, fluttery flame (you should
not hear any “roar” from the torch). Heat the dome from the outside
toward the inside. Rotate the flame in a circular motion around the dome, gradually
heating to a cherry-red color.
You will see the fusion take place when the copper oxide burns off the pieces
and the melting temperature is achieved. Look for a “flash” of liquid
running between the 20-gauge wire and the dome. When the fusion has occurred,
remove your flame immediately! When you have the metal to its melting point, you
only have a fraction of a second between fusing and melting your piece. Remove
the dome and fused wire from the kiln with the spatula. Pickle, rinse and let
dry.
Check to see that the wire is completely attached before proceeding. If you
need to refuse, repeat the process from blackening the dome.
|
STEP
7: Preparing the granules.
You may purchase 22K gold granules commercially in approximate measurements of
small (.016"), medium (.024") and large (.032") or, make them yourself.
Anneal 30-gauge, 22K wire in the kiln or on a charcoal block. Wrap wire evenly
around paper clips to achieve a variety of sizes of granules. For smaller granules,
use smaller clips, for larger granules use larger clips. You will also change
the size of the finished granule by drawing the wire down further, or using larger
wire to create the small jump rings.
Wrap in 1"-1-1/2" segments. This will make the removal, from the paper
clip, very easy. Remove from the paper clip and snip the rings apart with your
Lindstroms or other snips that fit into the small spiral. Clip the rings apart
over a paper towel or other clean surface, making sure to keep the rings equal
in size.
Using your scribe, carve a small moat around the top of the charcoal block,
about 1/4" from the edge on all four sides to prevent the granules from rolling
off the block when they are heated. Place jump rings about 1/2" apart on
the block, creating a grid pattern.
Using the #0 torch tip and medium flame, heat the rings individually, holding
the flame about 1" above the block until they spin into a granule. If you
find the granules tend to roll together or off the block, move your heat a fraction
of an inch higher above the block.
When your block of rings becomes a block of granules, dump them into a clean
bowl of water. Continue the process until you have made all your wire into granules.
Rinse your granules with fresh water and dry them on a clean paper towel.
Sort your granules by size using a series of graduated screening, or if you
used uniform wire and paper clips to make them, you should be able to visually
select any that may have fused together and are larger.
Store your granules in a plastic or glass container with a lid. Do not use
any granules that have rolled on a dirty surface: they may be contaminated with
solder or flux and ruin your piece in the final phase of fusing. Keep a record
of how you created your various granule sizes so it will be easier to duplicate
them in the future. |
| To learn how to apply the granules, attach the dome to the
back sheet, make and attach the bail, and finish the piece, click to Part
II of the Project.
Whitney Abrams is a New York City based jeweler, and can be contacted P.O.
Box 1319, Murray Hill Station, New York, NY 10156, (212) 334-6155. Her work can
be seen in the “101 Rings” exhibition in June 2001 at the Yaw Gallery,
Birmingham, Michigan. |
