Linda Connelly Enamels

Category: Thursday Tip

  • What’s on My Bench – Gypsy Settings

    What’s on My Bench – Gypsy Settings

    Gypsy setting or flush setting is something I have been promising my students for ages and have only now got around to. I began by doing some research on my iPad and found this excellent tutorial on the Ganoskin site. https://www.ganoksin.com/article/basic-gypsy-flush-mount-setting/ 

    Gypsy Set Pendant Front View
    Gypsy Set Pendant Front View
    Gypsy Set Pendant Side View
    Gypsy Set Pendant Side View

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    Originally I decided to try it on a silver cuff bangle and found some suitable silver  which was  3.3 mm wide and 2 mm deep in my old stock box. Using a jig to ensure a square cut, I carefully sawed off 145 mm to shape into a cuff and set that aside. I was left with a piece which was 35 mm long  which I thought was perfect for a pendant or as an example for a pair of earrings. As a pendant I began by considering how it would be worn. Obviously I could drill a hole or solder on a jump ring but something so sleek deserved a more elegant solution. I decided to set a small piece of tubing into the top edge that a thin chain could thread through. Great practice for making hinges too! I used a slitting  needle file which has a parallel, diamond shaped profile to file a groove which I could widen to accept a 2mm outside diameter piece of silver tube. I could have used a triangular or a square file instead. When using these though you need to be careful to keep things an even depth. The tapered shape makes this a little harder so you need to do a little from each end and keep checking. After making the groove quite deep I used a diamond cylinder burr the same diameter as my tubing, in my pendant motor,  to very slowly drill a groove to accept the tubing. This needs to be about half the diameter of the tubing so the edge of the silver pendant comes to a knife edge front and back. My first attempt wasn’t deep enough and after soldering, I wasn’t able to make the tube ‘vanish’ after sanding. When I was sure the tube was a perfect fit, and even from all sides I was ready to solder.

    I stood the silver up almost vertical and used liquid flux under the tube which I then dried very carefully so it didn’t dislodge. Then I added tiny chips of hard solder and soldered it into place. For my first attempt I used solder paste but it is very hard to judge the right amount. Traditional solder worked much better. After pickling and rinsing I was ready for the next stage.

    Before doing the setting I wanted to finish the silver from all sides. Rubber wheels worked well to on the front to make the tubing effectively disappear from view and I used normal finishing and polishing method until I had a lovely, shiny well finished piece ready for setting.

    Key to the success of this project would be ensuring the stone was central and everything very well finished. I used a vernier to measure the width of the metal, mindful that this would have changed from when I started. I then set a vernier to the size of the central point and used this to help me set my dividers to measure the centre point. I find seeing half millimetres on a ruler a challenge even with glasses! This was much easier and by making a mark from either edge I knew the exact middle was inbetween those two points. I read recently it was better to use a small ball burr to make the initial divot to start drilling. I actually used ball burrs all the way through instead of my usual practice of using a drill because I found it much easier to correct any slight deviations from the centre. I worked up from the tiny one to a one mm and finished with a 1.5 mm which went all the way through. I then used a 2mm ball burr to make the seat for the two mm cz. Take care with this part. It doesn’t need to very deep and it is very quick, even at slow speeds! Next time I may do by hand.

    Setting was done using a nice chunky burnished working methodically according to the instructions in the article. Final finishing and polishing and my pendant was complete. It is very different to my usual style but I learnt a lot and it was very satisfying to successfully complete a new technique. I am not sure how or when I will finish my cuff . Another project for another time. Have a go with the Gysy setting and let me know how you get on.

  • Thursday Tip – Carefree Lustre Part 1

    Thursday Tip

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery. I hope you find them useful. I am writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so. In this post I am going to tell you one of the ways I use Carefree Lustre in my enamelling.

    Carefree Lustre

    I like to add touches of gold to a lot of my enamels, just to add a little ‘twinkle’. I used to use precious metal essence. This is  very expensive and also very tricky to use. Recently I have been using Carefree Lustres and have been very pleased with the results. I buy mine from Enamelsupply.com. For those members of Guild of Enamellers who are coming to conference in April, Tom Lumsden will be attending and will bring small orders with him so saving on postage!

    Using Gold Carefree Lustre – Part 1

    Enamel on copper badge with gold Carefree Lustre detail
    Enamel on copper badge with gold Carefree Lustre detail

     


    I often like to add painted line detail using this. I take a little in a tiny pallet and using an eye dropper I add a drop of Klyre Fire and mix it. Using a fine brush I paint it on quite thickly. The surface needs to be free from grease and if it is ‘balling up’, I clean the surface with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirit. The Carefree Lustre dries very quickly. When dry you can neaten lines by scratching back with a cocktail stick and blowing away the dust. I fire in a very hot kiln, around 950 – 1000 for 30 seconds. I then check it. There will probably be some dust still on the surface that will rub off but underneath should be fired. If necessary I return it to the kiln for another 20 seconds. It is very easy to over-fire and for it to burn out. Applying it in a thick layer gives you a little leeway. I keep the pallet in a resealable plastic bag and reconstitute it as required with a little more Carefree lustre and Kyre fire. If it is very hot where I am working, sometimes I might add a drop or two of water.

    Note: After I wrote this I acquired a Digital kiln. I have just tried firing for 1 minute at 900 and this worked well. I may try shortening the period to say 50 seconds another time.

    This is one way I use Carefree Lustre. I hope you find it useful and will have a go adding  Carefree Lustre detail to your enamels.

  • Reuseable Stencils for Enamelling

    Reuseable Stencils for Enamelling

    Thursday Tip

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery. I hope you find them useful. I am writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so. In this post I am going to tell you about how I make reusable stencils for use in my enamelling.

    Reusable Stencils for Enamelling

    There are many different materials you can make stencils from. My favourite is to use Transparent Film similar to that used for OHP slides. They are perfect as they are not too thick and are perfectly flat. Sometimes though I use the transparent windows you get on packaging. The main advantage of this material is that it is reusable an infinite number of times and is of course waterproof.

    Making Reusable Stencils

    I trace my design onto tracing paper with a fine pen. I then stick this tracing onto my transparent film. Then I cut out the shapes with either fine decoupage scissors of a scalpel and a cutting mat. You finish up with both positive and negative shapes that you can use at different stages. I make little tabs of sellotape to make them easier to pick up cleanly. If there are a lot of very similar pieces like the windows on my Brighton Pavilion Clock, I number them.

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    Using Reuseable Stencils

    I spray the surface with a very fine spray of water. Not too much as you don’t want to flood it. Then I place my stencils carefully into position. The thin film of water hold them in place. Then I sift my chosen colours into place. With very fine point tweezers, carefully lift your stencils. With the larger ones it often helps to hold the piece at an angle so any stray enamel doesn’t fall in the wrong place. Dry carefully and fire. I put the tiny stencils into glass pots to dry so all the enamel falls off. they can then be reused. I hope you find this Tip useful to enable you to make reusable stencils for enamelling. Let me know how you get on.

  • Tip For Annealing Metal

    Tip For Annealing Metal

    Thursday Tip

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery. I hope you find them useful. I am writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so. In this post I am going to tell you an easy way to tell when your metal has reached to correct temperature for annealing.

    Annealing Metal

    What is annealing  and why do we need to anneal metal? Annealing is the process of heating metal in order to soften it and make it pliable and able to take on shape and form. After annealing the metal can be worked and shaped. When it starts to harden it must be annealed again. When enamelling, you of course need to shape the metal prior to beginning to enamel.

    How Do We Anneal Metal

    You can choose to anneal in the kiln, however I usually prefer to use a gas torch as it is easier to see when the correct temperature has been reached. You need to heat it to a dull red colour and hold it for a few seconds at that temperature. Depending on the light levels where you are working, it is very difficult to see when the correct temperature has been reached and easy to overdo. I read a wonderful tip in the Guild of Enamellers Journal a few months ago that I have found absolutely brilliant. Draw on your metal in a permanent marker prior to heating. When the metal reaches the correct annealing temperature, the line will disappear. Stop heating at this point and quench in water. I usually like to quickly check with my fingers to see if the metal flexes before I pickle it. I have used this technique quite a bit now and have found it to be successful in both silver and copper. Recently I have been working on copper shim. I draw my design on it before I emboss it.  This is an example of a trial piece for my new Magic Carpet Wall Panels I am planning.

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    I anneal the worked copper shim after embossing with the added bonus that my marker lines disappear. I have been using a Staedtler Permanent Lumocolor pen that has a nice thin nib. Take care not to use a pigment ink pen as although they will mark the metal, the line doesn’t disappear when it is heated. See here for my Handbag Vessels that I also created using this technique. Have a go and let me know how you get on. I think it makes annealing much easier.

     

  • Wolf Tools Belt Sander

    Wolf Tools Belt Sander

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery. I hope you find them useful. I am writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so.

    Wolf Tools Belt Sander

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    This was delivered by Father Christmas and is proving to be a wonderful addition to my tools. it connects to my Foredom Pendant Motor. It comes with a selection of belts and I am currently using it to sand the bottoms of silver bezels I am making prior to soldering them to a base plate. It is much quicker than sanding them be hand, and they seem to stay in shape much better. It will also be invaluable when I want to solder press-formed shapes together. I always found sanding their bottoms very tedious and I think this will really speed things up. Sutton Tools are the stockist for the UK. What is really interesting is that you can purchase Diamond Belts which I think will be ideal for finishing enamels on a small scale. With the foot control you have a lot of control over speed and of course the necessary water would be well away from the motor. Unfortunately they are not available in the UK, but RioGrande in the States do stock them and a friend who is on holiday there is going to bring some back for me. Can’t wait to have a go. If you have any experience of using this tool, I would love to hear from you.

  • Using Liquid Enamel

    Using Liquid Enamel

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery. I hope you find them useful. I am writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so.

    An Easy Way to Prepare Liquid Enamel for Use

    I use Liquid Enamel from WG Ball. It comes in tubs in a good variety of colours, ready mixed in water. It is of course unleaded as are all liquid enamels. Although it is very convenient being ready mixed, it still always needs a good stir as all the enamel sinks to the bottom very quickly. It needs to be well mixed before every use, even if in the same session. If it is very solid, I start off with a stainless steel stirrer. Then I use a battery operated whisk that they sell in cook shops for whisking milk for milk shakes. It works brilliantly and is much quicker to do a thorough job. After use I just plunge it in a tub of clean water and whisk again to remove all the enamel and leave it clean for the next use. I find this saves me lots of time. I hope you find it useful too.

  • Filling Holes in a Ready Made Copper Blank

    Filling Holes in a Ready Made Copper Blank

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery that I intend to publish. I hope you find them useful. Although I planned to write them weekly, unfortunately I missed a few last year due to sheer pressure of work. Many apologies and My New Year’s resolution is to do much better! I will be writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so.

    What to Do When Your Ready Made Copper Blank is Pierced and You Want to Make a Brooch

    I came across this problem this Christmas when I decided to make a range of enamelled owl brooches. I wanted to make them as a stocking filler item and so needed to use a ready made shape. The only one I could find that was suitable came only as a pierced shape. I ordered them anyhow as I knew I could fill the hole with a wire rivet that wouldn’t show after enamelling.

    Making the Rivet to Fill the Hole

    I chose copper wire that was a tight fit in the hole. In this case I used 1.2 mm. I used a saw to cut a short piece approximately 2mm longer than the thickness of the blank. Use a saw instead of wire cutters to end up with a nice, flat cut that you need. Alternatively you could use wire cutters but then you would need to use a file.

    Try your wire for fit, set your blank onto a steel block. Then I use a small, light hammer with a flat face. Tap gently on the wire to spread it a little, turn over and repeat on the other side. Work methodically and you should end up with a neat rivet that is almost invisible. Try not to put hammer marks in the blank itself, although a few light ones probably won’t show. You can continue with emery paper if you wish, although I didn’t find it necessary because I was making was using a riso screen over my surface that completely hid any evidence of the rivet. Have a go. It is useful to be able to do this if you need to. Tomorrow I will get back some of the owls I made and I will post a picture. Let me know how you get on.