I am involved with a Girl Scout Jamboree next month and have been
asked to do a very simple jewelry project. The problem is, no tools
besides my personal set.
For all you creative tool makers out there, I need some suggestions!
The project is easy, give the girls a 1" copper disc, have them
stamp a pattern onto it, shape it, punch a hole, steel wool a finish,
add a jump ring, run a cord through and PRESTO! a pendant! Easy!
Now for the tools. I know they can use a regular household hammer to
hit the bottom of the steel texture stamp. I’m scratching my head
what to use as a substitute for my jewelry hammers for shaping. I’d
like to put a dome in the pieces to give them a curve, so the pieces
aren’t flat and easily bendable. I plan on using a stack of
cardboard or newspapers as the shaping surface. What else would have
a nice curve from main surface to side that would be easy to make or
acquire? There will be 90 girls, 6 sessions of 15.
I have several large bolts that I think are referred to as “carriage
bolts”. The top of the bolt is a lightly convex surface which is
perfect for “doming” when you only want a slight curve in anything.
The largest one of these carriage bolts I have is approx 1 1/8 inches
in diameter (convex portion). They do need light sanding to be sure
they are nice and smooth (I polished mine with fine sandpaper and
buffing but I don’t think that’s really necessary unless you are
working with precious metals.
Some come with a longer screw part - I have several “long” ones
which are about 2 1/2" long and one short one which is 1 1/2" long.
For the younger girls, the longer ones would be more likely to assure
that they don’t smash fingers. I don’t remember them costing very
much and they come in galvanized steel, zinc and copper.
Check out your local hardware store and see what you think about
them. I have used mine over a period of some 20 years (used to have
the perfect old tree trunk for hammering on but now due to space
problems simply use the wooden doming block with the gentle curving
domed spaces. Maybe others have a better idea. Here’s a URL showing a
picture of the carriage bolt so you know what to look for.
Kay, in Central Florida where we had a tiny bit of rain last night
and are hoping for a whole lot more as everything is suffering from
the drought.
I looked through my bookmarks and was able to find a few really
simple things. I hope you have an open mind, if there is one simple
project to choose from this may be it.
Perhaps you could have a few projects to choose from, but if limited
to one I would go with the charms. I am sure you may get some other
useful have fun.
Look for an antique flat iron at your local flea market. You should
be able to pick one up for $10 or so. It’s easily transportable
(small) and has not only the main flat surface, but a small curve at
the front of the point, plus the point itself (about a 30-degree
angle), two 90-degree angles at the back and a lovely gentle curve on
the sides from front to back. You may also find one that has an
external texture on the top or part of the sides that gives a nice
impression on copper. I use mine as a bench block for many shaping
chores and love it!
Good luck!
Karen Goeller
No Limitations Designs
Hand-made, one-of-a-kind jewelry www.nolimitations.com
jewelry hammers for shaping. I'd like to put a dome in the
pieces to give them a curve, so the pieces aren't flat and easily
bendable. I plan on using a stack of cardboard or newspapers as
the shaping surface. What else would have a nice curve from main
surface to side that would be easy to make or acquire?
I’d like to put a dome in the pieces to give them a curve, Jenny,
you might try Jo Ann Fabrics (or the like) for a big wooden craft
ball, about 2 inches in diameter. It has a small flat bottom with a
hole going about halfway up inside the ball. A wooden skewer (or the
like) stuck into the hole, with the other half stuck into something
else, should keep the ball stable long enough for doming. This
doesn’t replace my mushroom stake, but it’s cheap and easy.
Another possibility is to make yourself a sand-bag and sink, rather
than dome, the jewelry piece. There are lots of wonderful suggestions
as to how to easily make sandbags, in the Orchid Archives of a few
years ago. The second-hand leather purse is probably the simplest.
wood makes for great shaping tools…and can be used for fire
later…have em select a nice downed piece of non-deadwood…some has
curves, some naturally rounded with all sorts of depressions, etc…
rocks make interesting surface textures, smooth river stones
excellent to sand out mistakes, or give a matte look to the copper…
every troop pitching tents should have a hammer,no? so they share a
hammer between each troop if necessary…if not each patrol
so call it “found tool making”, and then go from there! just bring
one or two pairs of pliers and when finished with each medallion,
have a troop leader or you close the ring, and another to sign off on
the badge work…in one fell swoop…
You’re located in Minnesota, so why not use some birch branches and
some hardwood branches? Use the birch to shape around - nice and
smooth so you won’t get unwanted textures, and use the hardwood for a
hammer - it will easily make it through six groups. If you get these
cut now they will dry out beautifully in the sun (just protect them
from any stormy weather). You might also want to consider bringing a
plumber’s torch for color. Copper patinas so beautifully with heat
and it’s really easy to do if you’re the one holding the torch for
them (depending on their ages). Texture stamps can be anything from
stamps to using a pasta machine with screens as a “rolling mill” on
the cheap. It’ll be fun to go low-tech for a change, so embrace it
and play :-))
Sandi Graves, Beadin’ Up A Storm
Stormcloud Trading Co (Beadstorm) http://www.beadstorm.com
Saint Paul, Minnesota USA
651-645-0343
cardboard or newspapers as the shaping surface. What else would
have a nice curve from main surface to side that would be easy to
make or acquire? There will be 90 girls, 6 sessions of 15.
Sandbags used by framing companies (framing pictures) as weights.
If you can find those in time, or if they are too expensive, take
old jeans (buy them 2nd hand if needed) and fill them with sand.
Double them. So cut off two pairs of legs. Fill one with sand, tie it
off, put it inside the other one.
Take some alphabet stamps if you can, the girls love to write
things.
I have several large bolts that I think are referred to as
"carriage bolts". The top of the bolt is a lightly convex surface
which is perfect for "doming" when you only want a slight curve in
anything.
This is what I love about Orchid…
I even sell these things (carriage bolts) to industry, and the
thought never occurred to use them for that…
BTW…some of them come with grade markings or other letters
stamped into the dome…so ya’d haveta take those off…
The other thought I had was a 1"+ diameter length of shovel or broom
handle, or maybe even a closet pole, sanded to have a dome…
Just another idea for a dome tool - a heavy metal door knob works
well. Got mine from our local recycling center. Along the same line,
check out cabinet hardware. I got a whole board of solid brass drawer
pull samples from a cabinet maker. He gave it to me after he received
the new line from his supplier. These are especially convenient as
they can be mounted on a piece of wood using the screw provided.
Good luck with the scouts, Judy in Kansas where the weekend show was
literally a wash-out on Saturday, but Sunday was much nicer and
brought out a decent crowd.
Don’t know how long you have for the sessions, and this could take
some time depending on the age of the girls. I would think a dowel
and sandpaper, cut about 3 to 6 inches from a 1 inch dowel, cut hand
sized pieces of 60 or 80 grit sandpaper and roll the dowel on a step
or table while cupping the sandpaper in your hand. Should make a
fairly nice dome to work with, place the news paper or cardboard over
the piece, place the piece on the dowel and tap away. Might start
with older girls first, they could make the dowels to be used by
younger ones who may not have the hand/eye coordination down yet.
I wanted to fine tune this suggestion. The following is a post I
made to the rock hound listserv I belong to. (I am lazy and don’t
want to retype all of this) I have done this demo for schools, scout
troops, birthday parties as well as club gatherings and rock shows. I
have never lost a kid yet. My process is done just by hand, no dowel
needed with this.
I can also give you instructions for a basic, knotted waxed linen
thread necklace to put a finished stone in, takes about 30 minutes.
Something else I came up with as I don’t do metal work but I do like
to “wear” my stones sometimes.