Notes from Talisman Bracelet Class, 6/16/05

 

Instructor:  Susan Lenart Kazmer

Location: Bead and Button Show @ Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2005

 

This is actually the first of three classes that Susan teaches as a series.

#2 is Surfaces on Metals, and #3 is Riveting.

 

The Talisman Bracelet is about an individual’s immersion in the talisman. 

 

Note: These materials were created from the notes that I took during the class.  While these may be helpful to you, trust me, they cannot replace taking a class from Susan.  Her creativity, knowledge and experience are available to you in class – not to mention that you get a sense to mingle with her followers (and yes she has them!).  If you get a chance to take a class, do it.

 

Materials:

  • Tools

·        Anvil plus small piece of leather (to protect the metal)

·        Dapping block

·        Tin Snips

·        Right Angle snips

·        Metal Hole Punch.  There are many types.  You’ll want a 14 gauge hole and a 10 gauge hole.  Hole punch does a 14 and 10 gauge hole.  My hand held does a 16 gauge hole. 
(Note: Use a hole punch on sheets only up to 20 gauge sterling.)

·        Ball Peen Hammer

·        Metal Punches

·        Wet Dry 3M sanding paper (does not mark metal!, 220 & 400)

·        (optional) Foredom Flexible Shaft (drilling, polishing, etc.)

  • Textures
    • Oxidizers.  Black, Silver-Black for silver.  Green Jax for green on almost all metals.
  • Materials
    • 20 or 22 gauge sheet metal.
    • 20 or 22 half hard wire
    • Eyelets 1/8” and 1/16”

 

Techniques:

  • Shapes.  Use your imagination to create a wide range of metal drops.  Consider squares, rectangles, diamonds, spears, circles, ovals.  Then consider the same in various sizes, with various edges, perhaps with holes in different places.

  • Danglies.  Imagine the drops combined and connected with wire.  Consider attaching a circle piece so the circle is laterally attached, like a wing relative to a tree.  Or perpendicular, like a wheel relative to a car.  Or the more traditional with a rondelle above a rectangle.

  • Texture.  Imagine the texture.  Whether imposed physically with tools (hammers, punches, etc.) or visually with oxidizers.  
    (Hint: When using an anvil, use a smaller hammer with a large anvil, OR
    a small anvil on a a large table.  Always put the anvil over the leg of a table for support.)
    (Hint: To prevent marks on your metal when using an anvil, put leather on the anvil.)
    (Hint: Normally, you would texture the metal before dapping – except when using a checkering file for texture.)

  • Sanding & Filing.
    (Hint: To sand, put sandpaper on table, and move piece on sandpaper while standing up.  This improves the effectiveness of your efforts.)

  • Using a Flexible Shaft.  Cost is about $200 for a Fordham brand.  It includes a foot pedal.  Device can hang from the ceiling to leaves hands free. 
    • To drill, move in slowly, then slide drill bit in.  Be sure you’ve made a mark of where you want to drill ahead of time.  Rest gently on the metal.  At the end, do a little twist to remove the bur as a result of the drilling (and avoid some filing).
      (Hint: To drill a coin, use a titanium-cobalt bit.  1/6” & 1/8” drill bits are available at the hardware store.  To drill a rock, use a diamond bit.  Fill a bowl with water with a hockey puck at the bottom.  You want the water about ¼” above the hockey puck.  Put the piece to be drilled on the hockey puck.  Note that you CAN put the handle in the water.  This same technique works for glass and shells.)
    • To drill a 1/8” hole, first drill a 1/6” hole; then drill the 1/8” hole.

  • Polishing.  To do this,
    • On a Foredom, start with a muslin wheel.  Always ensure the wheel is moving away from you.
    • Then using bobbing compound, tripoly, rouge oil for a final polish

  • Oxidizing.  To do this,
    • First, begin with clean metal.  Sand both sides.
    • Dip in cold liver of sulfur, then run under hot water to control color shift.
    • Also, Dipping is key.  As exposure to oxygen causes the reaction.
    • To highlight the textured areas, sand the piece again.  The color will be removed on the top layers, but remain in the lower layers.

  • Attachments. 
    • Consider that wraps – in attachments – can also represent the feel of the pieces.  For instance, wild wraps vs. exacting wraps.
    • To attach larger objects, build a wire frame structure. 
      (Hint: if wire is unsupported, hit on anvil to harden.)

 

 

    • (Hint: To attach found objects, make the smallest hole possible.)

  • Making a Frame.  To enclose an image, make a frame (and consider how you will attach the frame to the piece.).  To do this,
    • Determine the size of the image and of the frame.  Be sure to leave enough extra around each side to cover the back, sides and over the top of the image. 
      For instance, if the piece is 2” x 4”, and is thin.  You may want to use a piece of metal that’s 2 ½” x 4 ½” to allow for ¼” coverage in the front.
    • Cut the metal.  Do any texturing, embossing, etc.
    • Cut out the corners.  In the example above, the corners are ¼” in. 
    • Begin to fold the remaining edges to create the frame. 
      To create solid folds, use the edge of the anvil.
      (Hint: Always move metal a little bit at a time vs. trying to move the metal in one strike).

Resources:

(Note: this is a preliminary list based on web searching.  I haven’t had a chance to gain any first hand knowledge with these sources – other than Rio Grande.)

www.susanlenartkazmer.net.  Susan’s – aka the instructor – web-site.  Lots of interesting stuff to see here.  Check it out!

Indian Jewelry Support.  1-800-545-6540

www.riogrande.com.  General supplier for tools and findings.  You’ll want to order the catalogs (and there are several) as there really isn’t anything on the web-site.