Unusual job on the bench today
Discussion
rhinochopig said:
I hadn't realised you're an ex booty. That makes your transition all the more impressive given the amazing ability of RM to break everything they touch.
I assume you're an armourer or vehicle mechanic or something then? Yeah, I've written off some expensive kit in my time! ecain63 said:
rhinochopig said:
I hadn't realised you're an ex booty. That makes your transition all the more impressive given the amazing ability of RM to break everything they touch.
I assume you're an armourer or vehicle mechanic or something then? Yeah, I've written off some expensive kit in my time! 
Back on topic though, please keep posting up the projects as they're fascinating to read - especially the insight you offer into just how you engineer a ring. And I hope the cancer f
ks right off!Ok sports fans. Here is the second half of the Hogan family crest I am making.
Yesterday we finished the shield part of the job. Today all that is left to do is make the chain / strap fitting for the back and then plate the black colours in place.
First thing is the rear fittings. Start by rolling some more 18ct yellow gold down to form a plate:
Turn the plate to make a tube and then file it to the required profile:
Work out where you want it:
And then solder on:
You can see that i filed the bottom of the fitting flat so you get a nice surface to solder to the shield plate:
Give the whole thing a tidy up and clean:
And we are ready for plating:
This is black rhodium. The same as regular rhodium, but black. It's also quite nasty stuff with cyanide and other cracking chemicals within:
And this is not for doing my nails! We use nail polish watered down with MEK to mask areas that we don't want to plate:
Like so!
A couple of coats using the plating pen (electrolysis) and the black rhodium solution has taken to the areas we wanted to cover. Its a very dark, almost gunmetal / hematite finish.
We then clean the item in neat MEK, give it a few minutes in a hot ultrasonic filled with washing up liquid and water solution and hey presto:
And Bobs your mothers brother:
Eddie
Yesterday we finished the shield part of the job. Today all that is left to do is make the chain / strap fitting for the back and then plate the black colours in place.
First thing is the rear fittings. Start by rolling some more 18ct yellow gold down to form a plate:
Turn the plate to make a tube and then file it to the required profile:
Work out where you want it:
And then solder on:
You can see that i filed the bottom of the fitting flat so you get a nice surface to solder to the shield plate:
Give the whole thing a tidy up and clean:
And we are ready for plating:
This is black rhodium. The same as regular rhodium, but black. It's also quite nasty stuff with cyanide and other cracking chemicals within:
And this is not for doing my nails! We use nail polish watered down with MEK to mask areas that we don't want to plate:
Like so!
A couple of coats using the plating pen (electrolysis) and the black rhodium solution has taken to the areas we wanted to cover. Its a very dark, almost gunmetal / hematite finish.
We then clean the item in neat MEK, give it a few minutes in a hot ultrasonic filled with washing up liquid and water solution and hey presto:
And Bobs your mothers brother:
Eddie
Edited by ecain63 on Thursday 20th February 17:26
speed_monkey said:
I love working with my hands, I've built quite a few things, 500 gallon aquarium stand, hutches equivalent to the playboy mansion etc.
It's that moment you step back, when done, and think "hell yeah! I BUILT that!"
Love it.
First thing i ever made by hand. A miniature whale with calf. Awwwwwwwwww!It's that moment you step back, when done, and think "hell yeah! I BUILT that!"
Love it.
100% honest answer: its all naked eye stuff. You get used to focusing at very short distance, but it does take time. Same as when I was in the marines i learnt to focuss in fine detail on the really far distance. You can train your eyes quite easily. As I get older no doubt my eyesight will deteriorate and glasses / magnified headsets will come into play.
No idea. Might have just been circumstance. Joe (F-i-L) gave me a piece of gold bar and i just set about it with a file and a few scorpers (used to pick away metal / wood). The whale idea may have come to me as the bar became torpedo shaped. The calf i thought was a nice little addition.
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