Patterns

Someone asked for patterns for sheet metal. I hope I understood your
questain correctly. You can take just about anything and put it into
the roller with your sheet to create a pattern. One of the things my
teacher had us use is the old fashion menilla folders, cut your
pattern out and put it on the bottom of the roller with your metal on
the top and roll, if your real strong you can get a pretty good
pattern because you can tighten your roll, and get more indentation.
We have also tried lace, screen, brillo pads- opened up and metal
mesh. I think some people use a piece of thin copper as the bottom to
protect the roller. I don’t know if that helps make the indention of
the pattern better or not. Mabey someone with more experience will
help and or correct me. Karen Bryan in El Cajon ,ca

Hi, Karen- You can get a good pattern with a rolling mill by putting
your manilla file folder on top of the metal, and a folded paper towel
on the bottom (I generally fold x3.) The paper towel does a great job
of forcing the silver or gold up into the depressions in the
patterned paper. Credit for this idea goes to Charles Lewton-Brain,
who did a great how-to article on roller texturing and fold-forming in
the Lapidary Journal ( September, 1996 issue, I think.)

Lee Einer