Silver Bee

Silver Bee fights bloom - part one

I took my first soldering class a few years ago. It excited me, and it has become one of the things I love to explore. (I've already mentioned its possibilities several times in previous posts.) The instructor for that first class taught the basics of soldering and concluded with a demonstration of polishing machine technique. The machine was large and intimidating (I was new at it all) so I never took the opportunity to use it. Many times  since I've wished I'd had asked more questions. 

My next instructor, Barrie Edwards, doesn't use polishing compounds as a rule -- "too  messy" -- so I didn't use them either. Everything went into the tumbler. Much of Barrie's jewellery is textured and what isn't...well, she has the touch because it seems to come out just fine and nicely polished. She also has 16 years of experience compared to which I'm a newbie.

Not long ago I was making a ring using a beautiful faceted aquamarine. I had finished setting a stone into the completed ring and felt quite good about it...until the next morning when, under natural light and with rested eyes, I saw firestain on the band. Because I didn't know how to remove firestain from a ring with a stone already set I left it sitting on my bench for a couple of weeks...and weeks.

A bit of explanation: Firestain/firescale is sometimes described as a "reddish purple-toned bloom". Odd description for something that is also referred to as the bain of silversmithing. You might also have heard it described as a light grey or purplish stain. Sterling silver, a copper bearing alloy, oxidizes when heated in the presence of oxygen. If you sustain the  heat for too long after the solder flows you risk turning the oxidation into firestain, not to mention melting the piece. This is why it is important to remove the flame quickly when the solder flows. It is also advisable to flux the entire piece so it will attract oxygen. The flux will get spent if you continue to heat the piece and that's when firestain can happen. However, in my experience if you're making a quick join like a chain link or jump ring total fluxing is not necessary.

Depletion gilding is way of dealing with firestain. Heat the piece to bring the oxides to the surface and then pickle it. Do this several times taking care not to overheat it. Eventually you are left with a thin coating of fine silver on the surface, and as long as you don't vigorously file and polish it the firestain will be taken care of. I have now used this process before and it works well. My discovery of polishing compounds has changed the way I deal with the "bloom". 

This is a serial post. Stay tuned for Part 2: "All about polishing" in a couple of days. I promise. :)

If you have questions I would love to see them posted in the comments. Then we all get to share the answers.

Happy soldering, and stay safe!

Bee is all a twitter!

Okay I have a confession...I've become a Twitter addict! Don't worry I haven't abandoned my tools. It's been an interesting few days and I've read so much, all links from the tweets.

Occasionally a Tweeter will pose a question at large and there was one that didn't entirely make sense to me but it still made me think. The question was, "Experience or benefits?"  In backtracking the tweets I pieced together the context the of the question. It was about starting a new business venture, was it for the experience or the  benefits? My immediate thought was "Without experience there would be no benefits!"

What exactly did that mean to me though? This is where the thinking part came in. What were my experiences with the work I do now and what were the benefits. Difficult to separate them but this is what I came up with.

The experience is discovering a passion for working with silver and following it. A benefit is learning new things about myself through the expression of my work.

The experience is teaching others so they might find the same passion. A benefit is that wonderful energy created during the learning process of others and watching someone "get it". Another benefit is the friends I have made along the way.

I'm able to explore and experiment with different techniques. Sometimes I make beautiful pieces and other times, well...at least I have had the experience of it.

The lines become blurry between the two and in my mind this is what happens. I think the experiences become the benefits and the benefits create more experience.

What could be better!?!

So do you get why Twitter has a magnetism that is hard to ignore? It is a gathering place of individuals who are sharing the benefit of their experiences. 

I would love to hear opinions about experiences and benefits. It might give someone else the opportunity of saying to themselves, "I never thought of it that way before".

Next post...all about silver!

The Birds and the Bee

Warning: The following is not a technical explanation at all, it's just my limited understanding of something I'm discovering.

It's Twitter I'm talking about! Twitter, a free micro-blogging service that has been on the scene for at least a couple of years. The micro-blogging refers to the 140 characters you are allowed for your tweet (message) to others. You can use your 140 characters to send information about a great site you've found, business or just plain chatter. It doesn't matter which it just has to be short and sweet.

A brief and simple explanation of how Twitter works. First you need a user name, then you are good to set up shop. Twitter gives you a home page and this is where you tweet from. You follow and you have followers. There are sites galore that will help you find like type tweeters or those that just tweek your interest. What's nice is that you can be selective about the whole process.

I was relatively quiet the first few days but I've since made up for it. It's fun to see someone else's handcrafted creations and be able to tell them what you liked about it. Or you can just tweet back and forth about the creating process. That 's the social side but there is a networking component. When I tweet to someone I put my information out there such as my company name, a short bio and a link to my blog. It creates an opportunity for the blog to be read by others and if they like it perhaps they'll come back. Any of us trying to retail our jewellery would like more traffic either on Etsy, our website or our blog. I think this is a great way to potentially increase readership and get to know some interesting people.

This explanation of Twitter breaks all the twitter rules...I've said way too much! I hope that some of you non-tweeters are interested enough to check it out. You can look for me as Silver_bee and introduce yourself or let me know who you are!

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Product photography workshop

For Small Business and Artisans

This is the workshop I took a couple of years ago where I gained the confidence to take photos of my own jewellery for my brochures. I loved that I didn't have to invest a lot of  money in the set-up. It allowed me more creativity with backdrops than a photo cube. Although I like using the photo cube there are times I will use the set up taught by Anne-Marie so that I can add all the driftwood and little stones I want. 

I think I told you how confused I was during the workshop because I didn't know a thing about white balance or light. When I actually started to take photos all that I learned during the workshop began to make sense.

If you are interested visit Anne-Marie's website and click on workshop. It takes place March 30th so you might want to check it out soon.

Anne Marie is going to help me upgrade/refresh my information and of course I'll let you know how that goes. :-)

Silver Bee is teaching...Spring session

 Just keeping everyone up to speed on the dates for the Introduction to Silver Smithing. The truth is I was really getting myself up to speed. It's been embarrassing not having the answer about the course dates. So here you have it...date, time and place!

April 20th thru to June 15th
Monday evenings 6:30 - 9:30
Course fee: $175.00
Carson Graham School

Spring is a time when most of us are willing to come out of hibernation and take a class or two. From what I've been told by Linda at North Shore Continuing Education the class is half full. So to avoid disappointment consider signing up sooner rather than later.

If you have any questions about the course you can leave it in the comments or send me an email.

Looking forward to the spring session!

But cuttlefish are so cute!

A few weeks ago in my Wednesday evening class I tried cuttlefish bone casting for the first time. I was eager to try it again but my classmates understandably asked me to wait to the end of the class (it smells very bad). But I got distracted by another project, forgot about cuttlefish, and then ran out of time.

 I looked up cuttlefish on Google to see what they looked like before they're 'de-boned'. I wasn't sure what to expect but it wasn't this. Cute little thing, isn't it? Like squid, they eject dark ink when confronted by predators. As hunters they are ambush predators with the ability to camouflage themselves until they are ready to strike. Surprise!

The bone part is called the mantle. It's located behind the head which on the outside features eight arms plus two tentacles which are used to snatch prey. Mmm...not so cute anymore. The bone itself is gas-filled which helps cuttlefish remain buoyant. 

My first attempt didn't yield a masterpiece but the experience had its moments. I was trying to make a textured ring shank, but when I poured the molten silver I kind of missed the sprue which is the channel to the mold. This meant that the amount of silver left didn't quite meet the quantity requirements. But I will have an opportunity to try it again, perhaps doing things a little differently. Better aim maybe??

So this is what the cuttlefish bone looks like when you first purchase it. The cuttlefish bones I had were small which meant I would need two to make a complete mold. I took some photos after the fact trying to recreate the steps. They will give you an idea of what it looks like after the molten silver has been poured. 

The bone ends required removal and I was quite surprised by the hardness of the outside casing. It was tough to cut with a jeweller's saw. Now I understand why the instructions recommend cutting it with a hacksaw (which I now own). I used course sandpaper for sanding one side of each cuttlefish bone flat so they would lay flat against the other.  When I had a good fit it was time to carve a design. The idea was to make a ring with a texture created by the cuttlefish bone. Using a wax carver I created a shallow trough for the ring. I should have used a lighter touch because after I cooled it I found the piece was almost 2.3 mm thick. A bit heavier than I intended would be a an understatement. It occurred to me to file it away but too much silver would be lost. Instead I'm going to melt it and use it for the next pour.  

I'm always looking to learn something new. What I learned from this was to take my time and think it through to the end.

Below are the photos I took. I had thrown the mold out when I was through with it  but had second thoughts and retrieved it from the garbage. Even wrapped in paper towel it still was not a pleasant passenger on the drive home...it really stunk!

Notice in the second photo the 'v' shape above the burnt area...it's the channel called a sprue where the molten silver is poured into the mold. You can click on the photos to enlarge them for detail. 

I'm looking forward to trying this again in my class. Any attempts to try it at home will have to wait until summer when I can work outdoors!

 

A teaching Bee

It's the winter session of the basic silver smithing course for Mondays and tomorrow is our third class. I am really looking forward to it. We are a modest sized group, just six of us but the energy and fun makes up for it.

I'm the teacher. Yup, that person who says you have to practice sawing if you want to be good at it, that a file only files in one direction, and to let the tools do the work...you are only there to guide them. I'm the one with all the tips and rules; Wear natural fibers, full shoes only, hair tied back, no scarves (it's winter), start the torch only when it's pointed at the brick, turn it off in the same direction, quench your piece immediately...don't stop to stare at it. I'm also the one who says I'm sorry it didn't work, you'll have to start over...after you pickle it. Oh yes, and have patience; you will get it figured out.

I liken sawing and filing to 'zen moments'...you become one with the tool. I don't actually say that last part although it is important to breath evenly and relax as you work.

The best part is the very first class when students solder for the first time and it works! It's those ah-ha! moments that make teaching satisfying. This year the students made a copper chain bracelet before the end of the class. I took the bracelets home for tumbling and when they were returned each person was delighted at what they had completed. But I'm always impressed with my students, they amaze me as well as themselves when they finish with a project.

Tomorrow will be a challenge! I'm giving everyone a 6"x1" piece of copper or brass to make into a cuff bracelet. The challenge is to finish it before the end of class. They'll learn riveting with wire tubing and wire before they start on the bracelet in case they want to add layers. All sorts of scraps and pre-cut pieces will be provided for them to use. I can't wait to see what happens.

Instead of referring to my class only with words I'll introduce them with pictures too (I have their reluctant permission. ;-) )

I am especially enjoying teaching this time around, partly because the sessions were better outlined for the first six weeks so that each week builds on the skills learned the week before. I also love the energy of the students. A mix of personalities and ages makes for some very interesting conversation while they are working!

Every Sunday finds me making up a sample of the project for that week. As I make it I try to look at it through the eyes of someone new to learning it.

I taught the evening classes for the first time last January and this is my sixth class. There are fewer wrinkles in my teaching (if not my brow). I'm more comfortable and I've learned much about teaching groups though I still teach each new set of classes with renewed enthusiasm and to the best of my abilities.

Moral of this story: The secret to teaching is to let your students also teach you.

Smile...you're on candid camera!

Meet my new camera, a Canon PowerShot G10. A bit on the heavy side for a compact digital camera. I won't be dropping this one into my purse for those "just in case" opportunities.  A little under dressed as well...no pretty shiny colour options. It's just...well...all about performance. At this point in my description I should be able to rattle off all sorts of impressive facts, like how many megapixels it's capable of using, the shutter speed, optical zoom, ISO capabilities, functions, and on and on. But I can't because I've learned that it's quite one thing to do all the research and compare feature upon feature with other cameras to come up with an educated decision. Another to actually understand all the features I spent hours pouring over in the reviews I read. Don't misunderstand me, I'm happy with my new camera. I proudly unpacked it, started charging the battery and settled into reading the manual. You know the "Let's get started!" section...page 9 in my book. This should be a snap! I won't even begin to explain what a humbling experience it has been. Needless to say I'm still reading the book. 

The moral of this story...I can't remember but I'm sure it has something to do with patience!

Happy New Year.

Snow casting - another word for fun!

Just when the snow was beginning to get me down it gave me an idea. Snow casting?!?!

What would happen if...? This is a favourite question. All sorts of ideas and possibilities tumble out of it. It's the reason I love working with silver -- it offers so many possibilities!

A 6-litre plastic container packed with snow was brought inside. I had a towel and fire resistant tray set up on the floor but quickly realized it would be awkward. Awkwardness with molten silver is not good. So instead I cleared most of my bench and set the snow packed container on a safe 12" x 12" solderite pad. I decided to use less silver than I would for, say, water casting so I didn't need the largest torch tip either and I didn’t need as much heat. After all it was just an experiment so I intended to try it only a couple of times.

I melted a small amount of scrap silver. It takes time because you are also heating up the crucible, much like pre-heating but with the silver. When it had transformed into a hypnotically beautiful ball of molten silver I moved it over to the bucket as I followed it with the torch.  Still making sure the torch was directed at the silver I poured it from the crucible into the hard-packed snow.

The first pour was disappointing -- just lumps of silver. Hmmm. Maybe the snow was too hard packed. I poked around in it to loosen it up. That made the second pour was much better. But it was the third try that yielded some pretty cool pieces. I wasn't going to stop now. Whoever said that once was enough, or even three times?

I kept melting and pouring silver until much of the snow melted. I added some hot water to speed the melting but not enough to raise the temperature too much. That resulted in snow clumps floating around like little ice bergs, more solid than the snow had been. They made a perfect target for the next pour. The results were very different though it may be difficult to see in the photo. I think that the first drop of the molten silver hit the snow and went as far as it could and all that followed dropped in almost the exact same spot.  My hands must have been very steady! You can see how each bit of silver hardened at different points. I can't imagine just yet if these pieces and the others will be used but until I need the silver for something else they are fun to look at.

If you are going to try this please, please, please, make sure your space is free of any  encumbrances so you can move with the molten silver smoothly. Do the work on a heat-safe base, wear an apron, make sure your clothes are natural fibres and wear full shoes. Much the same safety requirements as the water casting post, in other words.

Of course I can't leave out the photos of the snow casts. The first one is from the third pour and on. The second is a photo is of the trapped-in-ice pieces. The last and my favourite looks like, a Middle Earth creature or a Gila monster or a dinosaur!

Use your imagination!!

Silver Bee - Crazy Bee!

Why didn't I just spend the day silver smithing? Some of you may remember that when I first moved to this blog I had plans to create a homey atmosphere and a space to build a community around silver smithing. Well the redecorating has just begun. But building a new theme is one of those behind-the-scene activities that can't possible convey how much hair I've torn out and bad words  I've muttered. I thought I knew a little bit about computing but I'm getting a better sense of knowing what I don't know about it, and it's frightening. This is a whole set of tools I don't have a clue about! I have to admit that I did have a little fun with the new theme once I sort of got the hang of it. Still a lot to do but for today and possibly tomorrow I'm taking a break!

I wasn't all work and no play! Yesterday I tried snow casting and I have photos to prove it.!  Watch for the post in the next few days.