Auntie EM returns! Just this once.....How to HINGES!!!

I hope at least one of you remembers good 'ol Auntie EM.  Years ago there were two Aunties...we wrote "how to" blog posts and answered reader questions.  It was awesome.  Then we realized that all our blogging was cutting into our studio time and we couldn't have that so we went on extended hiatus.  I, for one, have missed you.

I have resurrected Auntie EM today for a VERY quick tutorial on hinges.  This is, by no means, the only way to make hinges.  It's the way I do hinges and I love it.  It's quick and dirty and almost fool proof.  If you're good with a torch, you will have NO problem with this technique.  Let's get started.

When I took these process photos it wasn't intended for a blog post so they aren't awesome, you'll have to look closely.

The actual first step is preparing the pieces you want to hinge. In this case, it's a hinge charm that I sell in my shop here.  I cut out the oval and then chop it in pieces and file the edges smooth.



Step one is cutting your knuckles.  Did you know that the hinge pieces are called knuckles?  No?  Well, now you do.  Hinges always work best with an odd number of knuckles so for this tiny hinge I use three.  I could use any odd number of knuckles but, dude, I'm no masochist.  Keep in mind, however, the more knuckles, the sturdier the hinge.  This charm is about 6mm wide so each knuckle will be about 2mm.  I cut the middle one to that length and leave the other two longer.  I leave them longer so there is no chance of any solder sneaking in there later and freezing the hinge.  I hate that.  It sucks.  I check for fit and then insert my silver wire.  I have to say here that I hate yellow ochre.  HATE IT.  So, when I say "white out" you can sub "yellow ochre" if that's your jam.  If you look closely, you can see that I have closed the ends of the hinges with white out.  It's not totally necessary but it keeps everything from sliding all over the place and being annoying so I do it.  I also put a little white out where I didn't want solder to flow but I don't know why I did that.  It was messy and stupid and not necessary.  Just do the ends like this:



Next comes the tricky and most awesome part of this technique.  You are going to use three of the smallest pieces of hard solder you can make.  Like, really small.  Here is the trick:  You are going to place your tiny balls of hard solder in the middle of each knuckle where you want it to attach to the piece.  So...and I'm only going to say this because someone will write me later and say they soldered all the knuckles on the same side of their piece...you want to alternate sides for soldering.  I hope that makes sense.  You'll see in a second.  Anyway, you are going to heat your piece JUST ENOUGH TO TACK THE SOLDER onto both the hinge knuckle and the piece but DO NOT FLOW THE SOLDER.  I'm going to say that one more time because it's the essence of the technique:  You are only heating the solder to the point where the solder gets grainy and sticks to both the knuckle and the piece...do not let that sh** flow.  If you let it flow you're screwed and you will have to start over.  Here is what it should look like when you're done:



Can you see that?  Can you see where the solder is still a ball but it's holding the knuckle to the charm?  Yes?  Well, if yours looks like this....you can breathe a sigh of relief because you are now golden.

The next step is the usual, pickle and clean everything and come back to your soldering station.  You're now going to flow either medium solder (if you'll have more soldering to do on this piece) or easy solder (if you don't...or are like me and are lazy) around that little bit of hard solder.  To do this, you're going to remove the sterling hinge pin and separate the pieces.  Don't try to flow the lower temp solder with everything intact...that defeats the whole purpose of this technique.  So, separate and flow your lower temp solder around the knuckles and then pickle and clean up.  It's like magic!  Before you clean up, it'll look like this:  (maybe even better!)



So...that's it.  You're done!  You have soldered hinges that work and are gorgeous!  Hinges with this technique aren't hard at all.  Obviously, the smaller the hinges the harder it is but it's really all pretty simple.  I'm assuming you all know how to set the hinge pin...right?  If not, let me know and I can do a part two.

Happy Hinges all!
Much love,

Auntie EM

Ask Auntie EM: How do I size up a ring?

It's been a terribly long time since Auntie EM did a tutorial and we are very sorry.  If you knew what our lives have been like the last few years...you'd go easy on us.  We have missed posting and I, Ann, had an opportunity to size a ring and thought, "Why not do a tutorial!?"  So here I am..after a long hiatus.  It's good to be back, even if I can't make it a regular occasion.  So, let's get after some ring sizing!

My friend, who shall go nameless, says that this method of sizing a ring isn't necessary now that solders are so good.  I respectfully disagree.  I love this method for sizing a ring up.  It's super fast, really easy and, best of all, it holds itself in place while you solder.  It's called a dovetail joint and you'll need any kind of cutters (flush, semi flush or not flush at all) and stock that matches kind of closely the stock your ring is made.   You will also need: 

*dividers

*a ring mandrel

*a jewelers saw

*a small triangular file

*all the junk you need to solder something  

Step one is finding an original solder seam.  Sometimes you can find the seam, sometimes you can't.  If you can't, you'll have to just guess and pray the shank doesn't fall apart when you heat it, always a good time.  Use a big, bushy flame and evenly heat the piece gently until the ring turns brown.  Just as the ring turns brown, the solder seam should show up and a bright silver line.  If the ring is gold, it'll be a gold line.  Here is an example:

Once you have found the solder seam, you'll want to cut on either side of the seam with a flush cutter...but here's the trick...you want to use the NON FLUSH side to make the cut.  Usually, you want the end to be nice and flat but for this method, you want to use the opposite side of the cutters to make a pointed set of ends.  Like this:

I didn't do any filing to these, I just cut them with a pair of flush cutters.  These flush cutters.  Next, you want to make the piece that will fit in the slot you have created.  You will need your dividers for this step. Slide your cut ring on your mandrel up to where you want the new size to be.  For me, this is a 5 1/2 (except my mandrel is off, so it's a 5 1/4).  Take your dividers and measure from where your mitered cuts start.  Like this:

can you see that I'm up where the bevel starts?  So, take this measurement and now transfer it to your prerounded sizing stock like this:

I have a ring bender but you could just as easily hammer your stock over a mandrel.  Make sure it's prerounded or this whole technique won't work.  

Next, you will cut with the flush side of your cutters at your scribed line.  Your next step will be to make a cut with your saw blade on each side of this piece.  Like this:

Can you see that?  it's a terrible picture, sorry.  You want to go no deeper than the depth of the saw blade.  I used a 2/0 I think.  Do this to both sides of this tiny piece.  Go ahead...I'll wait.  

Once this is done, you will take your triangular file and run it along this saw cut.  Trust me, don't skip the saw step...it's fast and it makes a difference.  Run the triangular file a couple of times along the cut...don't go nuts...just a couple of passes.  It should look like this:

Again, sorry for the bad pictures.  So, now you have this tiny piece and it's time to fit it into place.  What you want to remember here is that you want it fit so there is enough tension to hold it in...but not so much that when you heat it, it flips out.  Again, trust me, you REALLY don't want it to flip out of there.  It will look like this:

BOOM!  It fits great, doesn't it?  And it was SO EASY!  Now all you have to do is suck solder in there and you're golden!  it will look like this after you solder:

Only...take my advice...pickle the ring after you find the solder seam in step #1.  I didn't and had some pitting in the solder that I had to clean out and fix.  No biggie.  But if I had pickled the ring, that might not have happened.  

I was in a hurry to finish this ring and took a million quick pictures of all the clean up and polish but...they sucked so I'm not going to use them.  And I think you can handle it from here.  Even with taking the photos, this took less than 15 minutes.  It's so easy.  If you have any questions, please leave them in comments below.

I hope this is helpful!

Good luck!

Brooch a Week, wk10

Blimey, it's week 10 already!

Are you still with us? More amazing brooches from our talented team.

1. L. SUE SZABO/ BAW 52/10, 2. BAW 9/52 Squiggle, 3. BAW52/10 Beach Quarter, 4. Brooches, 5.BAW52/8, 6. Erin Austin BAW52-10 Abacus Worn, 7. BAD-052 BAW52/10 Ellipsoid Double Cocoon Brooch, 8. BAW52/10, 9. BAW52/10 Ode the Coffee Cup, 10. BAW 52-10, 11. BAW52/9, 12. BAD-042 BAW52/9 Parabolic Gold Version, 13. Mike and Rachelle's Brooches A Day 65/365 an BAW 10/52, 14.BAW52/9, 15. Inbar Bareket BAD 54/365 BAW 9/52, 16. stick pearl brooch, 17. BAW 52-9, 18. You are Bugging Me - BAW 10.52

Brooch a Day is still going strong...

1. Brooch a Day 72/365, 2. BAD-2013-64/365, 3. Mike's Brooch A Day 72/365, 4. Brooch#71, 5. bad 57, 6. Rachelle's Brooch A Day 72/365, 7. BAD 53/3658. Not available

Ask Auntie EM - The Aunties MEET!

If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

SO...dear readers...this week we have NO QUESTIONS!  Well, that's not entirely true...we have one question but Sue is working on it for next week...but we are out of questions.  So, we thought we'd tell you about an actual Auntie EM meet up a few weeks ago in Chicago at SOFA.  It's true...Sue and Ann have met in person.  It was a glorious meeting, filled with excellent art, wonderful food, lots of laughs and expensive handbags.  Sue and her husband are fabulous and fun and really, really funny.  It was an amazing weekend.  

Did we take photos of artwork we love?   Yup.  Did we document who's artwork it was?  Nope.  Were we a little drunk at the opening and we just plumb forgot...maybe.  We did have the most amazing time trying on all sorts of jewelry and accessories from galleries near and far, I swear.  

Sue here- I'd just like to jump in for a moment and second what Ann has said- we had a lot of fun shopping and looking at the jewelry at SOFA.  So many amazing metalsmiths.  It was awesome shopping with Ann, she knows great work when she sees it. It was also really cool to being able to talk about the work with another smith while we browsed.  Let me tell you about my friend Ann, she is witty, sharp, whip-smart and funny.   I wished we had more time- our visit was short but sweet.  And now Ann will continue the narration..... take it away.

So, here are some photos from that weekend meetup

This is at SOFA on Thursday night.  Notice Sue's excellent necklace and my crazy eyes.  

After an excellent evening at SOFA we went to Nellcote for dinner.  Amazing.  I live in a culinary wasteland so a fancy dinner was just what I needed.  Here is Sue and I at dinner

Sue and her husband and I stayed at the Sofitel, which was also amazing.  I highly recommend it.  Here is the view from my room

And our amazing breakfast the next morning.  This...is a quiche and it was incredible

All good things must come to an end and, after one last trip to SOFA again on Friday, I had to head home.  Here is Sue and I at Navy Pier on my way out of town

So, have I bored you all to tears?  Never want to read such drivel again?  Well, it's sort of your fault...if I had a question to answer, you'd be reading about metalsmithing.  HAHA!  So, really, send us some questions!!  We are dying to answer them!  Email them to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get right on it.  Until next week, happy metalsmithing!

Ask Auntie EM - a tumbling question

If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

So, this week's question comes from our Facebook page.  If you're not following us on facebook, you can here.  Sierra Keylin Jewelry asks:

I've just bought my first tumbler and was wondering what the opinions are on oxidizing pre or post tumbling?  I really like a not soo shiny/rustic look to my jewelry and usually finish my pieces with a bit of 0000 steel wool.  I really like the results but I have a few pieces that need to be tumbled for strength...just curious about your opinions!  

Well, to be honest, I have never had great success tumbling after oxidizing.  It's true, that great shiny gray color eludes me.  So...when Danielle put this question to the group, I chimed in.  How the heck DO you get that great look without all the oxidation coming off or looking blotchy?

I got a wide range of answers.  Many of our members tumble first, then patinate and then tumble again to get a hematite look to their jewelry.  Like this piece by Danielle Miller:



Some other of our members tumble first and then oxidize and use a brass brush, steel wool or bronze wool for a more rustic look.  I, personally, will dip in very hot liver of sulfur about 3 times and brass brush after each 30 second dip.  Then I bronze wool at the end.  It gives me a more matte finish, like this:





There was A LOT of discussion about tumbling for strength.  I personally think that tumbling for about 5 or so hours in steel shot hardens bracelets and ear wires but other members said that they disagree.  One member, Mark Kaplan, cited a metallurgist on the Orchid forum who says the science of tumbling to work harden just doesn't exist.  We ALL agree that the best way to work harden earring wires and bracelets is to either gently twist the metal or hammer the metal on a hard surface.  Most of us use a rawhide, delrin or metal mallet on a steel or wood surface.  This is the only sure fire way to harden any metal.

I think the best answer to your question is, experiment.  I'm positive that is how we all came up with our individual tumbling and oxidizing rituals.  I like Liver of Sulfur Gel, others like the old school chunks, still others prefer Black Max.  Some members tumble with steel shot, others use vibratory media but we all have our own system that adds another layer of uniqueness to our work.

I hope this answers your question!!  Please keep the questions coming, we are running out!  Email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to them soon!  Remember, they don't have to be strictly about metalsmithing...we have a wide range of talents!

Until next week, happy metalsmithing!

Ask Auntie EM

If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.


Let's jump right in to this week's question- it's a good one.

Hello Ladies!

I am a high school art teacher and I teach a jewelry/metals class. I’m definitely no expert in metals but I’ve been teaching the basics for many years. The one thing I haven’t really figured out is at what point in the process to add a hammered texture to the metal? Before soldering or after soldering? If adding it after soldering you run the risk of tapping an area you don’t want to hit, and if you do it before soldering then the contact area to be soldered is no longer a snug fit. Any helpful tips would be great!

Thanks so much!

Laura

Well Laura, as with most things in life, it DEPENDS.  There is no absolute right and wrong to this question, each situation requires thinking through the fabricating process and doing what makes the most sense.  I would say as a general rule, I apply texture before fabricating.  But, of course, rules are meant to be broken and sometimes should be.  Let's talk about some specific examples and discuss how we might solve the texture problem.

For textured ring shanks you can do it either way but i prefer to put the texture on first and then cut the ring blank out.  This prevent tapping an area you don't want to hit or distorting your fit which may happen if you texture it afterwards.  If the texture is just in a line, or a small area and not the whole band, then i might texture it afterwards, placing the band on a steel ring mandrel and tapping it on that to prevent the ring shank from going "out of round".  

Of course, if you texture first and then fabricate you must consider your solder seams.  Wherever you place the solder, that spot will require filing and sanding and that runs the risk of removing your texture.  I try to place the solder seam in the least noticeable spot so that if there is a loss of texture, it is hidden as best as possible. 
 

When soldering on a textured surface, I try to place my solder on the non-textured side.  Say in our ring shank example, I would solder from the INSIDE of the band and draw the solder to the outside texture.  At least then the remaining solder blobs will be on the smooth inside where they are easy to clean up and not on the outside where I will lose the texture in the clean up process.  You may still have to do a bit of cleaning on the outside too, but you will be dealing with a relatively clean line of solder and not blobs which will require more aggressive filing.  Make sense?  I do this as well with brooches, necklaces etc.

If I cannot fabricate the piece by putting on the texture first, then I will do it afterwards with the realization that yes, I will have to be careful and tap on steel that supports the piece in the best way so as not to distort it.  Another trick, if you have access to this, is to etch the texture in after fabricating and this works beautifully.  Of course, not all pieces will be amenable to this process and you may need to use asphaltum or another stop-etch measure to prevent areas from being etched if the piece also has non-textured areas.  

You certainly could also cut a ring blank, texture it and then true it up again afterwards so you get a proper fit if anything gets distorted if you prefer that method. 

I hope this helps you Laura.  There are many different ways to deal with this particular issue, with no one way being correct for all pieces.

Until next week, happy metalsmithing, and keep those good questions coming!

Sue

Ask Auntie EM - how do I keep brass from tarnishing?

If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.




This week's question is from Cheryl and is about brass and bronze rings oxidizing:



I make some brass and bronze rings but I've been getting feedback about them tarnishing way too quickly. I spray them with a clear acrylic coating but apparently that's not cutting it, especially in the really humid weather here in Canada.

What else can I put over these rings to prevent my customer's fingers turning green and to keep it as shiny as possible. Hopefully there is a solution that is not too expensive?



Well, Cheryl, I'm afraid I don't have an easy answer for you.  Brass, bronze and copper tarnish quickly and easily, especially when in contact with skin.  Some people delay the tarnishing process with lacquer or layers of wax but none of them work for long.  I'm afraid, this time, you can't stop the progress of Mother Nature.  The only real fix for your problem is to line your rings with sterling silver or some other non reactive metal.  I'm afraid this isn't a fast or inexpensive fix but it will certainly keep your jewelry from turning your customer's finger's green.



I'm sorry, I don't think this was the answer you're looking for.  If anyone out there has a better solution, please post it in the comments section!  We would love to hear it!
Auntie EM is now out of questions!  We need YOUR help to keep this blog post going!  Please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to answering your question as quickly as possible.  Remember, your question doesn't have to be limited to metalsmithing...we can help with business questions, questions about Etsy or running your shop, or cooking questions!  Come on, challenge us!!

Until next week, happy metalsmithing!! 

Ask Auntie EM

Holy Cow where did the summer go?  Well, after taking the summer off from our duties here, we are ready to get back to your questions! 
If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.
So, let's get right into this week's question.  It is from Marie-

Hi auntie EM!

 Love the blog and had a question that's been haunting me for a while. I oxidize sterling silver a lot in my work, and find that the results can vary greatly. I'm trying to figure what I'm doing wrong when the results aren't as great. Especially on CHAIN!

Sometimes, I get a great dark grey finish on my chain and it's not dull and it's just great. BUT, there are other times that I get a dull light grey finish with lots of flakes coming off of it! I also notice sometimes that the chain is not evenly darkened.

Here are a few things I've tried to do to improve my results:

• I use heated water with a gel sulfur dissolved into it
• I put my chain into a tumbler first to clean it off
• I dip the chain into the sulfur for 10 sec then dip it into water, alternating until the desired darkness is reached

I'm not sure if any of this is helping! Can you help me! What am I doing wrong!
Thanks!
Marie

Good question Marie and a problem I have run into myself.  I think I have figured out how to deal with this situation.  First of all, let me say that it sounds like you are doing a lot of things RIGHT.  You want to use hot water (mine is near boiling temp- I heat in the microwave).  Here's some things I think might help you-
First and foremost- invest in a good soft brass brush.  Use it for finishing only.  I have one from Rio that I love.  There is also a smaller one available for more delicate work.  Not the stiff kind you get at the hardware store, that's for other things.  This will help you to get much better results.

Let's start at the beginning.  Heat your water nice and hot and dissolve your liver of sulfur (LOS).  DO NOT make it too strong.  If you are seeing flaking occurring on your pieces it is because you have built the oxidation up too thickly.  A thin coat will not flake.  Thick oxidation occurs by making your solution too strong or by leaving the piece in too long.  As a general rule, I like a golden yellow to my LOS that I can still see through.  It should not be dark or murky.
BEFORE you dip your pieces (especially chain)- clean them with your brass brush and some liquid dish soap - just a little on the brush will do.  I use Dawn because it has no oily stuff in it (like hand moisturizers etc) that will inhibit proper cleaning.  Ivory will also work.  This will get all of your finger oils, sand paper residue, and polishing compound off your pieces.  This stuff you can't see is to blame for many uneven oxidation problems.  As a note to your specific question about chain- I have found many manufacturers have a polished coating on their chain and this inhibits the LOS from doing it's job.  I think this is what you are running into when some of your chain will not oxidize properly.  I either brass brush the chain or I take pumice in my fingers and run the chain through a couple times until it gets clean.  I don't think tumbling the chains is getting rid of this polishing compound well enough.  A couple runs through my pumiced fingers has never failed to get an even oxidation on chain for me.

Once your pieces are nice and clean, then start dipping them in your solution.  I usually let the piece sit for a minute or two, take them out and brass brush them (with a bit of soap) and repeat until I get what I am looking for in terms of color.  The brass brushings in between the dips continues to keep the oxidation even.  Believe me, it really helps!

I am sure you have noticed that when pieces are sitting upon other pieces that those areas do not oxidize well.  To deal with this problem, I make sure that my pieces are not touching and that I flip them over during subsequent dippings to be sure it is nice and even.  This is especially a problem for chain.  There is no way to oxidize it without it laying on top of itself.  Make sure you keep stirring your chain with your copper tongs and this will help oxidize it more evenly.

Please note that if you have fire scale on your pieces, this will take up the oxidation more than the non- fire scaled areas.  Many people think that liver of sulfur will help to cover fire scale and they could not be more wrong!  It is not a substitute for good finishing.  If you are doing everything above correctly and you are still seeing uneven oxidation, please take your pieces out into good light and look for firescale.  It could be your culprit.
I sure hope this helps you Marie.

Until next week, happy metalsmithing.  Please ask some questions so we can continue to write our weekly blog.
Sue

We're coming back...did you miss us??

Just as promised...Auntie EM is headed back to the EtsyMetal blog to answer your most pressing questions every Tuesday!!!  In order for us to come back, however, we need questions from YOU!  Need the perfect black bean soup recipe?  Trouble with taking photos?  Jewelry question?  Need some advice on the details of running a business?  We are here to help!  You can find Auntie EM's archive here so you can make sure we haven't already answered your question.  You can email all new questions to us here.  With 100+ members, we are pretty sure we can answer most any question. 

Ann Hartley and Sue Szabo are your hostesses and we will be returning from hiatus on Tuesday, September 4th.  We will be patiently waiting at our benches for your questions to roll in.  Until then, happy metalsmithing!

Auntie EM is going on vacation!!!

It's getting to be that time of year when Sue and I have a lot of commitments and we are going to put Ask Auntie EM on hiatus for the summer.  We would both like to say THANK YOU to all of you who read our posts every week and who asked such thoughtful and challenging questions!  If you asked a question and we haven't answered it yet, do not fear!  We will be back in the Fall every Tuesday just like this year.  Please keep the questions coming!  You can email us at askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will keep your questions for our new season of posts!

Again, thanks so much for all your comments and questions!  We'll see you in the fall!

Ask Auntie EM

Well, it's Tuesday and we are back again answering your questions in EtsyMetal's weekly blog post called "Ask Auntie EM". If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

This week, I am going to try to answer 2 questions-
Do you have any advice on soldering large, flat pieces of metal onto other sheet metal? Right now I'm working on a thin, pierced sheet that I'm soldering down to a heavy 18ga backing, for a pendant. But the thin sheet is no longer perfectly flat since it deformed a tiny bit while I was sawing, oh no! My current plan is to try re-flattening the thin sheet between two steel blocks, then sweat solder it down, using some small paper clips or similar items to press the two sheets together while soldering. Do you think it'll work?

Thanks!

-Riv from Purpleshiny

AND-
The price of silver and non-traditional metals: Options and ways of
keeping your skin from going green with alternative metals.
Kelly

Let's start with Riv's question first. We've all sawed something and had some part of it bend! UGH. There are a couple things you can do to try to get that kink out and to have it lay flat again. One of the best things you can do is to flatten the piece between 2 steel blocks, as you described. Place the piece between 2 flat steel pieces and hit it hard with a hammer. Make sure you've annealed the piece first. If that doesn't work, I've flattened a kink by GENTLY rolling it through a rolling mill- set at almost the metal's thickness. You don't want to thin the metal or curl it but this won't happen if it just barely touches the metal as it goes through the rollers. I find this almost always works. Of course, some pieces are too large to fit through a rolling mill.
Another trick is to put the piece on your bench top with the kink overhanging the edge, just out into space. Gently push the piece down with your fingers or a wooden dowel (this will not leave marks). Remember there is nothing supporting the piece you are pushing down- it is hanging out in air, so easy does it! You don't want to push it too far the other direction.
Finally, you can anneal it and try to hit it with a rawhide on a steel block from both sides but this doesn't work as well as the other ideas, in my opinion.
Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, there is a shadow of a kink left. If the piece is thick enough, go ahead and use it and file and sand the area flat later.

Now, let's talk about soldering those sheets together- your paper clip idea is not going to be effective. Paper clips are too light to really hold anything down. First of all, pre-melt solder all over the back of the top sheet to prepare for sweat soldering. Lay the pre-soldered piece onto the fluxed bottom sheet. If there is a big discrepancy between the sheet gauges- say the top sheet is 26 g and the bottom sheet is 18 g- then you definitely want to put the piece on a tripod or solder support and solder from below. The heat must go onto the heavy gauge sheet primarily for that to work. If the sheets are close to the same thickness, I put it on a brick and solder from above, still heating around the brick a lot, to focus heat on the bottom sheet.
As far as supports for the top piece- you want to use something that will weigh the piece down to keep it flat and to keep it from shifting. The problem is, you don't need a heat sink. I have a great trick to share with you! Make a solder-bot.....what?

You can make your own if you know how to weld steel or have someone make one for you, like in this picture with Tom Muir's version. He made his own here.


You can also purchase something similar from Chris Hentz- I bought 3 of these and they work by a similar mechanism. The beauty of these solder helpers is that they provide the weight to hold a piece down firmly, but because they come to a tiny point, they do not act as a heat sink. Also, they can be configured to hold just about anything. Brilliant!





Now for Kelly's question- yes, brass and copper and alternative metals have become very popular lately due to the high cost of silver. You can seal your metals with wax and sealers (I believe we covered this in a previous post), but why not line your copper and brass in silver? You save money because you can use a very thin sheet of silver- 28 gauge is fine. This also solves the problem of having the customers' skin turn green because it will be the silver that is touching it. It also gives a very nice, finished look to your piece. You will use the above sweat soldering technique to do this. Here is a piece by my friend CG Whitfield that he made doing exactly that.



Hope that helps all of you become better solderers. Til next week, happy metalsmithing,
Sue

Ask Auntie EM - The other "G" word...gold

Well, it's Tuesday and we are back again answering your questions in EtsyMetal's weekly blog post called "Ask Auntie EM". If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

I know we were absent last week, sorry about that. Both our lives got in the way of blogging. We are back this week, however, to answer another question and this week it's about working with gold.

I've been comfortably working in silver for a few years now, and want to start incorporating some gold into my work. Do you suggest starting with 14k (cheaper) or 18k (heard it's easier to work with)? Can either of these be fused? What should I know about soldering - do I really need Easy, Medium, Hard or can I get by with just one to start? Is it true or just a nasty internet rumor that you can use lower karat gold to 'solder' a higher karat (or is that vice versa)? What if I want to solder gold to silver - the different flowing temps of silver vs gold vs solder (gold or silver solder?) make my head swim. Any tips or general rules you could provide would be very, very helpful for someone who's terrified of turning gold into a puddle.

I think the answer to most of these questions depends on what you will be making. And, here, I'm going to be assuming you're talking about yellow gold. White gold is a whole different can of worms that we can tackle another day.

In general, I do think 18k is much easier to work with for a few reasons. It is less springy so bezels fold down much nicer than bezels in 14k. You will find it more difficult to bezel set a stone in 18k than in silver but it's a world nicer than setting that same stone in a 14k bezel.

I think you get much more bang for your buck with 18k. The color is much richer (especially Hoover and Strong's royal 18k yellow gold) than 14k and shows up much better against sterling silver. I think 14k can look washed out next to silver and the 18k really pops.

I don't believe 18k can be fused, I think the lowest karat that can be fused is 22k but I could be wrong about that. As for solder, I think that's up to you. Solder adds greatly to the expense of working with gold, that's for sure, but if you're well equipped you will have an easier time making what you WANT with gold and not making what you CAN with gold. That said, if you're going to just be adding accents to your sterling you may not need gold solder at all. I use sterling hard solder to attach gold accent pieces to my sterling pieces. You need to make sure you're using teeny pieces and heating correctly though because if the silver solder jumps where you don't want it....it'll ruin your gold. I usually use the color of solder that's easiest to clean up if it jumps where I don't want it on a two tone piece. Using gold solder is a snap. Gold solder doesn't "jump" like silver solder, it just melts right into your seam. It's terrific, you'll love it. You heat it the same, use the same flux and pickle. I would highly recommend using Firescoff flux on 14k gold. In my home studio I had a huge problem with my 14k turning pink whenever I heated it. I tried every different type of flux out there and nothing helped. The Firescoff completely eliminates the problem, it's a life saver. Higher karat gold doesn't have this problem but if you decide to work with 14k, do yourself a huge favor and get some Firescoff. Oh yeah, you asked about flow temperatures. It really depends on what you're making but just use them in order from highest temp to lowest temp and you'll be fine. I honestly never thought about it before and I would encourage you not to dwell too much on "what flows when" unless you're making something hugely complicated. Just start with hard and then move to medium and if you need to, use your easy. Remember, each time you heat your solder the flow temperature raises a little bit, up to a point, so you can use hard several times and then medium a few times...and so on.

As for the "soldering higher temp gold with lower temp gold"....that's just nuts. Don't do that, ok?

I hope that helps. Gold is terrifying to work with, I know. It's incredibly expensive and it feels so important to get everything right every time. Give yourself a break and play with a little at a time to get the feel for it. Make a skinny, little ring or a teeny pendant or add some accents onto a sterling piece. If you mess it up, you learned something and won't make that mistake again. Have some fun with it!

That's all for this week! Check back in next week and we will answer another one of your questions!

Ask Auntie EM - How the heck do I say NO!

Well, it's Tuesday and we are back again answering your questions in EtsyMetal's weekly blog post called "Ask Auntie EM". If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

This week's question comes from Francine:

I get a lot of "can you make this for me "type questions from friends and customers.

Usually i can make them but it's not what I am typically the best at or even like to do.

How often is it ok to say "no" and refer them to an artist who can create what they are asking about and who likes to do it?

To begin with, here are a few pieces that I have made that have come directly from customer and friend requests:



This is an excellent question and one we all get, all the time. Honestly, I used to be terrible at this, saying yes to every ridiculous and soul sucking request that came my way. And, in a way, I'm glad I did. The thing is, sometimes honoring a request can be really liberating and very educational.
Usually, a request from a customer (and a relative or friend IS a customer too) produces a negative knee jerk response with me. I tend to say "no" in my head first and then reconsider later when I've had a chance to think about it. Here's a list of my most used excuses:

I don't have time
I don't have the skills
It's not my style
It's copying someone else's work
I don't have the right tools
I am getting an uncomfortable feeling from the requester
I just, simply, don't want to do it

So, let's go through this list one at a time and see if they hold water.

#1. I don't have time. That's really legitimate. There are many times when another EtsyMetal member will get a request and will post it on our private forum simply because he or she doesn't have time to complete it themselves. In this way, a great opportunity is passed on to another skillful metalsmith and the customer stays happy. There are many times that I just simply don't have time to create a new piece with a customer from scratch. The learning curve is steep, new work takes a long time and the communication between artist and customer takes time as well. In this instance it's perfectly ok to just say "no, thanks".

#2. I don't have the skills. This is another one that I have used frequently and it frustrates me. There have been many times that I turned down a request because I thought I didn't have the skill set to make a piece well. Most of the time, it's my own insecurity and not my skill set. When you start thinking this way, really examine why you are using this excuse. If you're chickening out because you're feeling insecure, this is your big chance!! Make a model out of non precious metals and see how it works. In taking on a request like this you will further your confidence and skills, which is a real winner for you. Let the customer know that you will need extra time and be honest that you will be learning a new skill. Can you ask another metalsmith for help? Are there videos on YouTube? Can you look in a book? Visit a local goldsmith? Give it a try, if it doesn't work out help the customer find someone else. If it's a skill that's really outside your skill set, like hand engraving or elaborate stone setting, or if you will be taking on extreme financial liability then be honest with the customer and pass, explaining that some skills take years to master. You have to be honest with yourself first and really examine why you're using this excuse.

#3. It's not my style. I think this one, personally, is a bunch of baloney. If what the customer wants isn't "your" style, either make it your style or lighten up and have fun stepping outside your comfort zone. Obviously, the customer came to you because they see something in you and your work they like. Most of the time when they say "can you make me this?" they mean, "can you make me something like this that looks like you made it." I have found that, even when they show up with a picture of something they want, it's just an idea, not a finished product. Ask them what they like about the piece they are thinking about and you might find that it's as simple as "I want 5 stones in a row" or "I want it to be round". In this case you can run with it and have a great time. Now, if they are insistent that what they want look a particular way and they aren't up for any input, you will need to examine your own reluctance and see why you are hesitating. Is it excuse #2? Then tackle that problem. If it's just that it's "not your style" then forge ahead and have a great time. I have made several pieces like this and they usually expand the scope of my work and I'm really glad I did something new. Stepping outside our comfort zone is good, give it a try.

#4 It's copying someone else's work. This is a VERY legitimate excuse to decline. Don't copy other artist's work. Ever. It cheapens you and your work and never makes you look good. Try to find the original artist with a google image search and send the customer there. Perhaps they don't know the original maker (I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt). Perhaps they are fishing for a cheaper price or want to give you, their friend, the business instead. In either case, turn this kind of work down, no matter what.

5. I don't have the right tools. This is, hands down, my favorite excuse. Barring a laser welder...there isn't a tool that I can think of that I don't want or wouldn't buy for a project. If the tool is small, I roll that into the fee I charge the customer. If the tool is bigger, I charge for a small portion of the tool. I figure, if I needed it once, I'll need it again.

6. I am getting an uncomfortable feeling from the requester or I just, simply, don't want to do it. After many years in retail working with all different kinds of customers, I can tell you that this is a VERY valid reason to decline a job. If you have gone through excuses #1-5 and it's really none of them and you still don't want to take on a custom project, then don't. Sometimes you get the feeling that you and this particular customer won't work well together. It's ok, it happens. You don't want to marry every person you date, why would you want to work on a possibly complicated and potentially expensive project with every Tom, Dick or Jane. Maybe the customer is too controling and you like to work loose? Maybe the customer is too loosey goosey and you're having a hard time getting them to firm up their idea. Maybe they are just a jerk. In any case, a polite "No thank you" is adequate. You don't need to make excuses, you don't need to lie, just say no and be done with it.

So, I hope this helps. It's never easy saying no to anyone and, most of the time, these crazy requests come from family and friends. Remember they are usually asking because they love you and want to support your business and they don't know about excuses 1-6. Next time you want to reject a request, examine your own motives and maybe you will end up making something really great and you'll be glad you did!

Thanks for the question! See you next Tuesday! Until then, happy metalsmithing!

Ask Auntie EM

Well, it's Tuesday and we are back again answering your questions in EtsyMetal's weekly blog post called "Ask Auntie EM". If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

I've decided to take on this interesting question this week-
This 2 part question came from Kelly:
1) What's a good way to stay inspired?

2) How do you deal with inspiration guilt (as in, the kind of guilt
that comes with seeing another artists AMAZING design, and you
emmulate aspects of it to kick start your own creativity)? And, such
inspiration, is it acceptable or to be avoided at all costs? There's
only so much you can DO with metal, and some artists require a
constant flow of inspiration. I DO NOT CONDONE RIPPING OFF OTHER
PEOPLES' DESIGNS, but I've never been offended when my designs
encourage other artists into similar intellectual and creative
pathways, but some folks guard their designs and techniques like rabid
(and justified) tigers. Generosity is a mark of a great community,
however, and I'd like to think Etsymetal is one such community, but
I'm interested in what you think regardless.

Your first question is a lot easier for me to answer and sort of addresses the second one as well. First of all, you have to find what inspires YOU. What makes you happy? What do you find beautiful? Interesting? I personally find inspiration in midcentury modernism so I might go to an antique store or look on line at midcentury sites. I am inspired by the shapes, the fabrics, their use of materials. I'll give you a direct example. Here is a piece of my work that was directly inspired by the atomic shapes on a piece of 1950's bark cloth. After looking at it, I decided I liked it as a dandelion seed head.


I am also inspired by nature and will take walks in the woods, our parks, and my own garden for inspiration. Sometimes a trip to our local museum will inspire me. I love strolling through the sculpture garden and am often inspired by Noguchi, Henry Moore, and the like. I could show you countless examples in my work but the point is to find what YOU love and to draw from it.

I do NOT look at the work of others for inspiration. In fact, I make it a point not to. This is not the place to find your inspiration- your work will end up looking like theirs. While some may say that copying is the sincerest form of flattery, I am very much opposed to the idea. Certain things are what they are- a round hoop is a round hoop is a round hoop. But, if that person has a unique clasp on that round hoop, don't copy it. Instead, think, "wow that's really cool, I wonder what I can come up with?". If after making something, you can't tell the difference between your work and "your inspiration"- well, you've gone way too far.

I'd like to share with you a couple ideas that I use on a regular basis to keep my originality and inspiration going. First, if I have a problem to solve in a piece I am working on, I ALWAYS think of 3 different ways to solve it. Why would I go to all that trouble? Because the first way you think of is almost always the obvious way. The obvious way is usually not the most original or interesting way. This technique has helped me come up with unique bails, clasps, and a much better ability to problem solve.

Secondly, schedule a workshop if you can. Nothing will light your creative fires more than learning something completely new. It might take your work in an entirely new direction. If nothing else, you will meet other metalsmiths with whom you can share ideas.

Thirdly, just get out there and make work. The more you make, the more you find your own style and your skill levels will increase immensely. You can't make anything original if you don't have a good skill set. Some friends say to me, "I can't make anything unless I'm in the mood". I thoroughly do not believe this. If I only went to the studio and worked when "I was in the mood", I wouldn't get much done. Develop a strong work ethic and routine. I aspire to be like Alexander Calder who went to his studio to make stuff every single day. If you do, you will get inspired. Trust me on this.

Finally, I'd like to share a handout I got at an Andy Cooperman workshop. Andy is such an original thinker and he was a big inspiration to me. When I need some help, I read this again.

SHAKING THE TREE- a little help to get you started or to help you dig out...
-Emphasize differences
-Emphasize repetition
-Not building a wall but making a brick...
-Take a break
-Use an unacceptable color
-Do we need holes?
- Look closely at the most embarrassing details and AMPLIFY them
-What mistakes did you make the last time?
-Are there sections? Consider the transitions
-Make an exhaustive list of everything you might do and do the last one on it
-Turn it upside down
-Don't be frightened to display your talents
-Don't be afraid of things because they are easier to do
-Honor thy error as a hidden intention
-What would your closest friend do?
-Go outside. Shut the door.
-State the problem in words as clearly as possible
-Just carry on
-You don't have to be ashamed of using your own ideas
-Trust in the you of now
-Faced with a choice, do both
-Give way to your worst impulse
-Make a sudden, unexpected move
-Emphasize flaws

Well, those ideas should get your creative juices going.
Kelly, I hope this helped you and anyone else feeling in a creative slump. Go out and find your muse. Happy metalsmithing,

Sue