TuHu Bead and Design

Riveted Geometric Pendants

2012-02-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

I've had a Flickr account for years, but I just recently joined a jewelry artists group on Flickr called Four a Month (FAM). It's kind of a personal challenge group where you create "a four of a kind series using the same theme or supplies, or a collection of matching pieces" or a suite of matching jewelry.

So for my first FAM I created four pendants, each created with a silver disk, a copper triangle, and a brass square. All elements were hand cut and textured and connected with hand made rivets.

Notice how each one has a different feel to it even though the basic building blocks are the same? I'd be real interested in knowing which one you like best and why, so please leave a comment below!

I've already started planning for next month's FAM. Being that it's the month of the Spring Equinox, I think there will be a theme of "balance" in the challenge. I welcome any ideas of suggestions!

Follow me on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcassano/

Rock 'n Rolling Mill

2012-02-06T21:15:00.000-08:00

The rolling mill has got to be one of the most exciting and intimidating pieces of equipment in a metalsmith's workshop. You can plow through a lot of metal experimenting with different potential textures. I still haven't figured out yet if it's an art or a science determining the amount of tension on the rollers in regard to the composition of the material getting smooshed. Yes, I'm very scientific - not!

I've shared photos of my little "experiment" to give you an idea of the possibilities with this tool.

Felt 60 Grit Sandpaper - two pieces back to back

Scrungie Pad Netting - multiple layers

Lace Tissue Paper

Each of these samples are 2 inch square pieces of 20 gauge annealed copper. The impression material was sandwiched between two pieces of metal and run through a manual rolling mill. I found getting the right amount of tension on the rollers to be the biggest challenge. I used the method demonstrated on a Rio Grande video.

First I would open the rollers wide enough to slide my sandwich between them and then turn the wheel on the top until it was snug (hand tight). After making note of the setting on the dial, I would open up the rollers and remove the sandwich. Then I would crank the rollers back down to the noted setting and then close them another 10 points. This method seemed to work better on materials that had low compression factors, like the lace and the sandpaper. On items that were thicker, yet soft and compressible (like the scrungie and the tissue paper), there was not enough pressure at the 10+ setting to make an impression and I cranked the rollers at least another 10 or 20 points. I have a few more annealed squares and I few more items that I want to try, so I will continue this post later. If you have anything that you want me to try and report back on, let me know.

A Metalsmith's Fairy Tale

2012-01-26T20:17:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a beautiful 24 ounce steel hammer with a lovely textured face.
But he/she was lonely.

There was also a handsome strong 15 pound anvil.

But he/she was also lonely..

I did a little match making and hooked them up in my workshop.

They really "hit it off".

And they lived happily ever after making lovely textured metal.

THE END.

Don't you just love a happy ending...

Metal Workshop on a Budget

2012-01-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

This is how I made a functional metal workshop in a spare bedroom for about $200 (tools extra). I've got everything I need to fabricate copper, brass, and silver into great jewelry packed into half of the spare bedroom. The other half is my office. Total room size is about 12' x 15', or around 180 square feet.

Being budget minded is especially important when you are just starting out. Serious thought must be placed on what you want to invest your money in. I've chosen to put more money into buying metals and tools rather than fancy furniture and workbenches. I hope this post gives you some ideas for creating your own workshop.

Mini solder station

Microwave cart picked up at a Goodwill for $15.

The top is covered with some leftover ceramic floor tiles turned upside down. This is adequate for my little hand torches.

There are two shelves in the cabinet portion for solder supplies and etching and patina solutions. Yep, it's the chemistry lab.

What you don't see in this photo is the fire extinguisher which is just beyond the right edge of the pic.

Workbench

Another second hand store score for $15. Nice sturdy desk that stands up to sawing, sanding, hammering, etc.

I put up some cork squares for hanging notes, drawings and inspirations. This shot doesn't show my hammer rack or the magnetic tool bar hanging above the bench. They show up in the last photo.

Tool Chest

I tracked this down on Craigslist. A fellow won it at a car show and he already had a couple so he sold it for some cash. It's a US General brand available at Harbor Freight. It was new in the boxes and he sold it at their typical sale price minus the sales tax.

I keep my metals, wire and doo-dads in here along with tools and works in progress. I'll save the detailed photos for another post.

Polishing Station

This is my newest addition! Very exciting!

4" lathe from Rio Grande. The cardboard box is part of my "dust collection" system along with the mini vac hanging on the wall above.

I should mention that the cabinet that it's sitting on was another used furniture purchase. It's a bath cabinet with 4 drawers which are handy for holding wheels, compounds and dust masks. It was missing the top so I got a piece of pressed wood from the Home Depot scrap bin for 51 cents

Put it all together and I have a very comfortable work space.

Notice the hammer rack and the magnetic file and tweezer holder above the workbench. Very handy!

I'm sure I'll collect more goodies and eventually out grow this space. My next tool investment will likely be a flex shaft (using a rotary tool now). I would love a rolling mill and a disk cutter, but for now I am able to use the ones that they have in the studios that I frequent for classes.

Let me know if there is anything in my workshop that you'd like to know more about. I'll have more detailed "items" lists in the future. And I'd love to hear about your workshop and tool dreams too. Please leave a comment!

Getting a Good Shine

2012-01-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

I never was a big fan of shiny metal jewelry. Mostly because of the extra care, cleaning and polishing you need to do to keep it looking nice. Now as I am making jewelry, I have another reason not to like shiny metal. It's hard to get a good shine on a piece!

But since there will be times where a nice shiny finish is exactly what a piece will need, I am working on improving my polishing skills. The project presented below is made with 22 gauge red brass.

It seems like a simple enough process. Sand your piece with increasingly finer grits in perpendicular directions until all scratches are gone and then do a final clean and polish. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, give it a try and let me know how you do.

Before you start sanding, you want to make sure that your piece is flat. Do the drop test to see (or hear) if your piece is flat.

Hold the piece on edge on a steel block and let go. If it's flat, you'll hear a "plunk" sound. If it's not perfectly flat, you'll hear more of a "tinkle" sound. If you got a "plunk", you're good to start sanding. If you got the "tinkle", you'll need to make it flat before starting your sanding. But maybe you should go to the bathroom first. ; )

To get your piece flat, give it a good wack with your rubber, nylon, or rawhide mallet. My instructor recommended a rubber mallet with steel shot embedded for a little extra oomph! Do the drop test and see how you did. Flip and repeat until you get the "plunk".

Alrighty then, you have a nice flat piece of metal and are ready to start sanding. Well, almost. Get yourself some good tunes on your tune box that will get you in the groove of some good rhythmic sanding.

Ohm...

One problem I have is keeping a good grip on the piece. If I hold it too close to the edges, I end up sanding my fingers about as much as I do the metal.

Sanded finger. Ouch!

I've tried the green alligator tape and it does seem to help, however, if the tape hits the paper it will come off in little chunks that get on your piece and yunk it up. What I have found works best is to use wet-dry paper and dip my fingers in a little water before holding the piece. Not to much - just enough to get a little damp.

For most applications, you'll start with around a 220 grit paper. My metal was in pretty good shape, so I started at 400. The rule of thumb is that you should step up double in grit with each sanding, but I have 600 grit, not 800. So 600 is the second step. My final is 1200. Then a good wash with some blue dish soap.

Sanded lengthwise.

Sanded across the piece. Notice there is a scratch that showed up in the lower left corner.

Sanded lengthwise again.

After the wash. (looks like copper because of the lighting in the wash room)

I took it for a spin on my new econo-lathe.

I have tripoli loaded on the right and red rogue on the left.

Viola! Very shiny!

What are your finishing / polishing challenges?

Until next time...shine on!

Fun times in Glendale, Arizona

2012-01-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

I spent a good portion of the day today checking out a couple of physical selling sites in Glendale, Arizona. This was a great lesson in scoping venues ahead of time, as the two could not have been any more different in both goods sold and audience attracted.

My first stop was the Public Market / Swap Meet at West Winds Drive-In Theater. What a great way to spend a day - shopping for bargains. I scored a nice oval file and a pair of tin snips for $5 total. These will come in handy at the workbench!

The place was buzzing with yummy food smells, lively music from boom boxes, and even a climbing wall. The crowds were so large at some booths that you had to wait to get in to see the goods. I'm just not sure if it will be a good venue to sell finer handcrafted jewelry. To be absolutely fair however, I have to admit that I only went up and down a couple of isles before I went into sensory overload and had to split. It definitely had more of a "yard sale" feel than an "art sale" feel. I'm sure I'll go back again, earlier in the day, but to shop not be a vendor. Public admission is .75 per person, but it is worth that just to for the experience. Check it out - http://www.westwinddriveins.com/swapmeet/az.htm

$5 score - snips and file. Can never have enough tools!

My second stop was downtown Glendale for their "First Saturday" event. This event is sponsored by the City of Glendale and is advertised on the City's website as follows:
"This event is in conjunction with the city’s Centerline project and is designed to bring artists to the downtown shops and restaurants while showcasing their creative work."

When I got out of my car, live music beckoned me from a courtyard and told me I had found the "event". While this venue didn't have the crowds that the previous one did, it did have more of an inviting feel. Maybe it was the lack of crowds, the live music, or the charming courtyard, or a combination of all three. It was a much more intimate environment. I spent a fair amount of time meeting and speaking with some very talented artists and left feeling inspired by their creativity.
Here are a couple of their online sites. Enjoy and make them your "favorites"!
Jazzy Moonz - One of a kind musical instrument lamps - http://www.etsy.com/shop/jazzymoonz
Rescued Angels Studio - Unique metal jewelry - http://www.etsy.com/shop/RescuedAngelsStudio
My Sister's Art - Original fabric and fiber art / mixed media adornments - http://www.etsy.com/people/MySistersArt

Be sure to check out the next "First Saturday" event in Glendale on February 4th.
http://www.glendaleaz.com/glendalecenterline/Artwerks.cfm

Around the corner from this venue is Mad Hatter's Antique Shop's Market. I met a couple of other fine folks there that are just getting started or sell for fun. I chatted a looonnggg time with a fellow from Sun City West who collects and cuts rocks. I hope to track him down after I hone my cab setting skills.

I got this lovely slab of Mexican lace stone from a retired fellow who enjoys playing around with stones and fired glass.

As I wrap this up, I'm realizing that I prefer a lower key sales venue to a high traffic, high energy space because of the intimacy. Art is intimate. It touches you. You feel a connection to it. Sure I want people to buy my stuff. But I want them to buy it because they are moved by it or it speaks to them, like I was moved and spoken to when I made it. Ahhh.... it sounds so idealistic. Maybe that's where the term "starving artist" originated.

Until next time...stay inspired, stay hungry.

First "Show" a success

2011-12-27T17:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been almost three months since I started the metals/jewelry making class and boy, have I been having fun! I just love taking a slab of metal and transforming it into beautiful little ornaments and adornments - i.e; jewelry.

The Studio where I took my class, Harold Studio, had a Holiday Show on the 16th. It was the first time that I actually had our jewelry displayed in public and it was great fun. Space was limited, so I brought a sampling of our newest stuff. It was a nice variety that highlighted our work, with something there for everyone. I felt as though people spent a little more time at our display because of the variety that we had.

Beaded necklaces, sets, metal pendants, and silver/turquoise ring.

Bracelets, seasonal earrings, and necklaces with metal work pendants.

The whole she-bang!

I'm working now to prepare for the Annual Lost Dutchman Days Arts & Craft Fair coming up in February. So stay tuned for a sneak peak at what is in the works.

As always, your input and feedback is welcome.

Introduction

2011-10-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hello,
I'm Donna and I am one of TuHu Bead. Connie is the other. We are "two who" bead.

We started making jewelry after Connie got some beads and charms as a gift. While we both have done tons of crafts in our lives, neither on of us had ever explored beads and jewelry making. We went down to the local bead shop and got some stringing wire, findings, and more beads and on obsession was born.

FIRST BEADS

These are some of the beads that Connie got as a gift.

OUR FIRST PIECES - The start of something BIG

Our first necklaces. I wear mine (left) regularly to remind myself of my beginnings.

Since those first days, we have grown our inventory and made some beautiful jewelry. Connie has a fantastic eye for color and texture and keeps coming up with dazzling designs for necklaces, earrings, and ID lanyards. I've migrated towards working with wire and metals and am currently enrolled in a metalsmithing class. I just love cutting, pounding, and melting the metals.

Be sure to bookmark our online shop at Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/TuHu?ref=pr_shop
I am always posting new items. As a matter of fact, I have a stash of new things to put up today.

Cheers - donna