Hello to all orchids, I’ve sat around reading and absorbing
up until now. Many thanks to you all for such
interesting exchanges.
I know take the plunge.
While not a professional jeweller, I have been dabbling for some
time. What I would like is some specific advice on matters
botanical.
A friend of mine, for those interested in Day Lillies, is
Australia’s biggest exporter of day lillies. I would like to have
a go at making his wife a brooch, or ear-rings in a D.L. shape. I
know I couldn’t get the colours, but I thought silver or S.S.
with 24k enhancement would look nice. The trouble is, that I have
never made anything floral before so would appreciate ANY
suggestions. I found a reference on orchid a while ago to a site
"""" rareplants"" etc. which was more to do with bulbs.
Cheers to you all, and thanks in advance
Lyndan Blackman
p.s I live over near John Burgess, on New Zealand’s most western
island.
28 degrees here today, for those who are feeling the cold.
Have you considered enameling? It would give you color and
shading. Can you draw a good day lilly? Do you have a good
photograph or drawing of one to work from? Do you want it to be
3D? If you?re close enough to visit John, he might have some
very practical or at least interesting ideas for you.
Please keep giving your temperature readings in Celsius
(centigrade?)! It makes us folks up north in the US, using the
Fahrenheit scale, seem not-so-cold after all!
The only suggestions I have for your lillies would be either
electroforming (applies a metal coating) or casting a bloom.
Organic materials can burn out just like wax can. Other than
that, I suppose you’d have to form each petal individually and
then solder them together!
I hope that give you something to go on… there are resources
available for both techniques. If you see John Burgess, tell
him I said, “G’day!” 20
The only suggestions I have for your lillies would be
either electroforming (applies a metal coating) or casting .
If you see John Burgess, tell him I said, "G'day!"
G’day backatcher; If you live in a large city you could try your
local industrial gases supplier to see if they have liquid
nitrogen (BP -180C) You can collect it in a wide-mouthed thermos
flask - it is surprisingly cheap) and hold your flower under the
surface until it no longer boils the nitrogen. BUT DON’T DARE
TOUCH IT! I used to do this as a lecture demonstration years ago
(I was responsible for the liquid-air machine) and a flower comes
out stiff as a poker. If you drop it on the floor it breaks like
delicate glass. But it soon wilts. Might be worth trying to get a
model for casting? If you invested really fast? But it does
sound a bit impractical to me. I also used to cast a nail in
mercury, dip the mould in liquid nitrogen then hammer the mercury
nail into a bit of wood; it always freaked out the students. Oh
yes;
I think Lyndan lives in our Westernmost island called Australia
but I didn’t see her as I sold my rowing boat ages ago.
There is a craft product on the market that allows you to paint
flowers with a liquid (acrylic? other ceramic?) to preserve them
and make them look like porcelain flowers. Do you think you
could do that and then investment cast. The burnout might be
toxic, though? not even .02, but thought I’d throw it in. Mia
There IS a product, that will make SILK FLOWERS very stiff . .
.It’s called: Porcelain-ize-it. Made by: Aleene’s (800-825-3363)
I don’t think this product works on LIVE flowers . . . this is a
glue type product which hardens, so I don’t know what would
happen to it if heat were applied.
You can try Lilly of the Valley in Spring. THey have always
cast very well. They have small thick flowers that can even
stand up to vibratory investing. I also do a lot of Spring buds
and tree type flowers. Steve Ramsdell
