Does anyone know where I can get on anticlastic
raising. I have the book “Metals Technic”. I’m looking for
additional It would be particularly useful to find
written work by Heikki Seppa or Michael Good.
Allyson Morrison
@iamorrison
Does anyone know where I can get on anticlastic raising. I have the book "Metals Technic". I'm looking for additional It would be particularly useful to find written work by Heikki Seppa or Michael Good.
“Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths” by Heikki Seppa Kent, Ohio, 1978,
Kent State Univ. Press ISBN 0-87338-212-9
This is “THE” book on the subject, in the sense that it is the
original definition, in depth, by the developer of the
technique. BI bought my copy last October from the National
Ornamental Metal Museum, here in Memphis, so it is still
available. The last printing was in 1993, but I think it is
still considered “in print”. Any reputable bookseller should be
able to order it, unless they are tied to a single supplier. It
could probably be ordered direct from the publisher. If none of
these work for you, call Mari Greenslate at the National
Ornamental Metal Museum after Jan. 5, at 901-774-6380, 10am-5pm,
Tuesday through Saturday. Mari orders the books for the NOMM
mseum store and their library, so I know she could help.
The book is quite practical in approach, somewhat at variance
with Seppa’s slightly outrageous statement of his aims and
philosophy, IMHO. I am a ‘newbie’ at this, and I am able to do
some of the examples from their descriptions. This says a lot,
I think, about it’s clarity!
Marrin Fleet
@Marrin_and_Mary_Dell
Memphis, TN
I too have been exploring anti clastic raising possibilities but
in the UK anti clastic raising stakes cannot be bought, no one
seems to stock them. However I have discovered an alternative I
thought you all might like to explore. I started by cutting half
circular holes from the edge of some hardwood approx 8 X 4 X 2
inches by rounding the bottom edges downwards with a rasp it was
possible to produce bracelets BUT the wood would disintergrate
after a while, then I discovered an American product called
Protoplast ( Suddenly I realise that as most of you are American
I may be teaching Granny to suck eggs! but anyway…) The
plastic is placed in boiling water for a few seconds, during
which time it goes soft and pliable, and then moulded around the
wood former. After ten or so minutes the plastic is so hard that
it can be hammered over and and over again without splitting. I’
m currently making a neck torc using this process. The plastic is
marketed by a company called Aquaplast whose web site is
www.aquaplast.com. For smaller scale pieces I also discovered
that it was possible to turn a tapered triblet on a metal lathe
and then make half circular gouges down its length in various
widths and depths these were invaluable for making finger rings.
Philip
Philip, thanks for sharring. this stuff sounds great. might work
for die molds as well. can’t wait to try it. thanks again from
those of us still learning to suck eggs. Frank
Dear Philip… How imagitive… Wonderful!!!1I have several
of Good’s stakes and or Heika’s. Metal and a plastic that is
wonderful like your aquaplast…Lots of people use wood but can’t
think what kind at the moment…Don’t you love doing this tho…
sounds like it… Heika is so grand and you learn soooooooo much
if you can ever have a class with him… Also Michael Good is
just as good and so generous with his patterns that he uses for
this jewelery… Have fun… Calgang
Ian,
For more extensive info on anticlastic raising, try Heikki
Seppa’s book: “Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths”, Kent State
University Press, 800-666-2211. Good luck.
... I discovered an American product called Protoplast ... The plastic is placed in boiling water for a few seconds, during which time it goes soft and pliable, and then moulded around the wood former. After ten or so minutes the plastic is so hard that it can be hammered over and and over again without splitting
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours
with Heikki Seppa, and was able to talk with him a little about
the ideas he had presented in “Form Emphasis”, and in his
lecture the previous evening, which I attended. Unfortunately
for me, he was sharpening gardening tools and kitchen knives,
rather than working silver! Seppa uses high-density plastic for
forms. I think now he uses one of the high-density ones, but he
also spoke of nylon, sheets. I am not sure how he makes the
forms from the plastic, but I gather he cuts them into the edge
of a sheet, and forms them with files, rasps, etc. The sheet
is held in a vise when working. He regards these forms a
temporary and disposable, using them only for the piece
immediately at hand, then recycling them into different or
modified forms.
He also suggests wood, as you are doing, especially for students
and beginners. I don’t know your local woods, but merely
‘hardwood’ isn’t descriptive enough. Try finding something with
inter-locking grain, and a closed grain structure. Figured
wood, such as tiger-striping, birds eye or quilting might work
well because the convoluted grain would resist splitting. Here
in the US, I would suggest maple or persimmon because of the
grain structure. Oak is too splintery, and the open grain
allows compressibility, which leads to crumbling.
Just a thought, and I know a bit more about wood than I do
metal, so I am glad for an opportunity to contribute something,
considering the help and knowledge I am getting on this forum!
Marrin Fleet
@Marrin_and_Mary_Dell
Memphis, TN
... I discovered an American product called Protoplast ... The plastic is placed in boiling water for a few seconds, during which time it goes soft and pliable, and then moulded around the wood former. After ten or so minutes the plastic is so hard that it can be hammered over and and over again without splitting
David Pimentel (sp?) gave a raising demonstration at the SNAG’96
in Washington DC using this. He says it’s wonderful to be able to
walk around a room full of students all raising 12" copper discs
into bowls and be able to talk to them all!
Brian
B r i a n � A d a m J e w e l l e r y E y e w e a r �
@Brian_Adam1 ph/fx +64 9 817 6816 NEW ZEALAND
http://www.adam.co.nz/workshop/ NEXT: Queenstown NZ Jan 13 1998
http://www.adam.co.nz/ruthbaird/ Ruth makes her jewellery alongside me
David Pimental gave a workshop at Mass Art in Boston using the
Protoplast on our stakes. I raised a beautiful bowl using only
a Delrin hammer over the Protoplast. It’s great and if you ever
have a chance to take a workshop with him…do it. He’s a great
teacher.
I wonder if you can use the Protoplast for repousse work. I
imagine if you keep heating the plastic slightly, it should work.
Has anyone tried this?
-k
Art is an absolute mistress; she will not be coquetted with or slighted;
she requires the most entire self-devotion, and she repays with grand
triumphs.
Karen Christians
Fly Fish Design
282 Lexington Street
Woburn, MA 01801
781/937-3827
Allyson, Revere accidmy in San Francisco teaches wonderfull
classes in anticlastic raising, I dont have the # on hand but you
can call info. I know it is on 760 market street. good luck, Amber
I have made a very usuable stake out of a hardwood plank from a
stairstep. I only had hand tools such as wood rasps, files and
sandpaper. If I were doing production work, it might not have
lasted. I have also made small serpentine stakes from drift pins
from a hardware store. I also made one for cuff bracelets out of
a cheap wood dowel, about one and a half inches in diameter.
Because you constantly keep moving the metal around, the surfaces
do not need to be perfectly symmetrical.
Marilyn