Well off I go in yet another direction.
I have recently begun to try my hand (again) at Mokume. But I
am failing to come up with a satisfactory solution to the
following. A seamless join in a mens band.
I am creating a ring (band) with the traditional wood grain
pattern. What I am failing at is creating a band with the grain
running horizontally around the ring, with a “seamless” join
where the ends meet to form the band…
This is a sandwich of green, yellow and red gold with silver in
between for etching to “raise the grain”
I probably would be happy with my results if I hadn’t, some time
ago, seen a beautiful mens band, with mokume running around the
band “a seamless flow where you could not find an end or
beginning of the pattern”. This “mokume pattern” appeared to be
welded to a yellow gold band with a rolled edge trim. Although
I’m sure it’s possible (I think) to have the yellow gold "base"
incorporated into the billet and hammer forming the rolled edge.
Wonderful work!
Now I can “fake” this effect by adding metal pieces at the join
and welding. But I don’t think this is the proper technique.
And getting it attached to the yellow gold band with a rolled
edge, well I haven’t even attemped this yet.
Any Mokume workers out there that are willing to share their
expertise?
TIA
John g
Could it be that the ring was made from a pice of mokume that
was as thick as the ring was wide? The hole for the finger would
then be drilled/bored & the outside diameter, sawed or turned.
That’s one way to make a ring as you described. I don’t have a
clue how you could size it without leaving some identifying
marks.
Dave
Dave,
Yea, I thought about that but just can’t believe there isn’t an
easier or better method. I’ll keep experimenting. It’s
possible that cutting on a diagnal as Ron (Wintermte1@aol.com)
suggested with proper thought and design is the true answer.
Still hoping for more feedback.
John g
Hello John,
It is easier to get a seamless look if you don’t use too many
layers in your mokume. Solder the joint before you do any
patterning. Make sure that the ends are cut true and match up
without any light showing through. Make sure that the ends are
lined up so that the layers meet. I Would think that yellow
solder would give the best match. After soldering you can do the
patterning any way you like.
You could insert a liner that is wider than the mokume and
expand the edges with a dappling punch.
I hope this helps
Timothy A. Hansen
tahandcraft@earthlink.net
www.home.earthlink.net~tahhandcraft
John, Did you see several rings without a seam in the Mokume?
Perhaps you just saw a lucky one.
Pauline
I’ve had some luck cutting on a very gentle S-curve diagonal.
Obviously, you need to examine the metal closely to see where
the cut will best fit with the design in the metal. It’s
critical to saw at a 90 degree angle. And I cut a length that is
about 1 mm longer than required, so that I have a little leeway
to file back. When you solder, use just a tiny bit of solder.
And brush both side of the metal (but not on the vertical solder
joint) with yellow ochre to keep the solder from running over
the pattern.
Good luck
Virginia Lyons
This is a question which I have also asked (sort of). Alas, not
one I have answered for myself yet! I feel it would be possible
to take a smaller, thick round billet of mokume, and punch
through the middle. Then take the resultant “washer” and work
the inside edge upward, in an axial direction to the plane of
the washer. then, perhaps at the same time, work the outer edge
inward, to form a ring. Further forge and grind until the ring
is sized. Could this possibly work? I have plans to try this,
just haven’t gotten around to it yet! Opinions, please!
Talking completely through my hat (because I haven’t tried it
yet), would it work to make two slices across the m-g, and but
the ends together? You’d have two seams, but I’d think you’d
maximize your chances of getting matches at both of them, as the
slices would come off the billet right next to each other.
XXYY (Boy, it’s hard to describe a process and have
X Y any assuranceit comes across!). Anyway, what I’m
X Y talking about is cutting one straight slice (the
X Y X’s), and another straight slice (the Y’s),
XXYY rounding them and butting the ends together for
soldering. Someone let me know if it works!