What a great resource this has been! I managed to remove the masking
tape from my silver with Attack (evil stuff) - I was impatient, and
didn’t get to try all the other wonderful suggestions there were
(GooGone seems to be the stuff)! The kind person who mentioned that
the tape might have etched the surface of the silver was correct –
oh well! My Asphaltum is still lifting despite a lot attention with
the pumice - I’m going to try and replace the asphaltum now, and
dilute the Nitric acid further…
I’m looking for a supplier for bronze sheet (the stuff with tin in it
– not red brass) – anyone have any ideas? I didn’t imagine it
would be that difficult … but…
Might try Atlas Metals in Denver CO 800-662-0143/303-623-0143. If
they don’t have it they will probably be able to tell you where you
can get it.
John Dach
MidLife Crisis Enterprises
Cynthia Thomas Designs
Cynthia’s sculptures are at: http://www.mlce.net
Maiden Metals,
A small bronze foundry, no web site yet!!
I was told, and subsequent practical experience suggests it’s true,
that bronze makes a better substrate into which to embed diamond grit
than copper does. This of course for stone cutting purposes.
Accordingly I went to my local scrapyard and as luck would have it a
discarded, cracked, bronze cymbal (Sabian) from a drum set lay in
among the red metal pile.
The metal was about 3/32" thick; I hammered it flat on the anvil
without problem. The guy at the scrap yard said, “Yes we tend to get
them in the spring. That’s when the rock-n-roll bands clean out their
garages.”
Cheers,
Hans Durstling
Moncton, Canada
Bay of Fundy geo-guiding; minerals, custom agates, faceting, silver &
goldsmithing
I’m sure that other suppliers have this bronze sheet but I bought
mine by Rio Grande.I’ve heart from other orchid members that Stullers
whoud be an other good point to check out.With all respect to the
Stullers company,but it seems that not everybody is truely satisfied
with the service of the last mentioned supplier.I can only reffer to
Rio Grande and they never let me down ones,even when they have to
send my products to Germany.
Stuller…poor service,…NEVER ! You may have had a bad
experience, but I can assure you that Stuller is the “Tiger Wood” of
American suppliers. I will concede, however, that they are not well
geared to supplying overseas accounts. Most American suppliers have
been somewhat leary of going abroad with their business and those who
do often screw up for lack of experience. Every country has its own
regs on import and in the developing countries imported goods are
taxed beyond belief and often subject to game playing and/or theft by
the people in the freight terminals. I have used Stuller for the past
decade and cannot believe how they can maintain such a high level of
service ! On the other hand, when it comes to supplying tools and
consumables they are not in the same class as Gesswein for example.
Furthermore, Gesswein seems to be the most forward looking and
experienced of all the American companies when it comes to meeting
the needs of foreign clients. They have an export department which is
very moxy and, as we all know, their technical support is top notch !
Ron at Mills Gem, Los Osos, CA.
P.S. I’ve got to run…I placed an order with Stuller at 5:00
p.m.last night and I want to get to the shop by 8:00 a.m. so that I
can receive the delivery…I don’t know how they do
it…Lafayette, Louisiana is a good 2,500 miles from Los Angeles
and when the package gets to L.A. it has to be flown to San Luis
Obispo (200 miles) and then it has to be driven from S.L.O.
to Los Osos ( 13 miles ) !!! R.M.
I concur with your report on Stuller’s service. Absolutely top of the
line. I live in a modest sized town with only puddle jumper air
service a a good two hours from a major air port. An order placed by
1:00 pm will be here about 26 hours later. Amazing! The S/H cost is
not excessive either. I’m not into selling commercial jewelry, but I
do work with my family members on their wedding and engagement rings.
Stullers people are so helpful about selecting stones and with
technical info that can’t be determined from the catalogue picture
alone. I would love to tour their facility - it must be impressive.
Judy in Kansas, where summer school is over this Friday and things
will be very quiet around this college town for a couple weeks!
Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Extension Associate
221 Call Hall Kansas State Univerisity
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-1213 FAX (785) 532-5681
I’m interested in forging bronze, but the usual suppliers don’t seem
to carry bronze sheet. Does anyone know where I can get it? I’ll
probably want 22 to 24 gauge, but I can roll it down if necessary.
Also, which bronze alloy would be best for forging?
I am having trouble finding a supplier for bronze sheet. I would
like to do some anticlastic work, just small things, so I do not need
a large quantity. I am new to working with bronze, but see that there
are various types (aluminum, manganese, phosphorous, etc) what would
I use for small sculpture or jewelry? Any suggestions? Thanks in
advance for your help!
I am new to working with bronze, but see that there are various
types (aluminum, manganese, phosphorous, etc) what would I use for
small sculpture or jewelry?
Any should be fine, my preference is for tin bronze, because there’s
a lot of history behind it, and it’s a lovely colour CIA
For anticlastic forming, nugold, jewelers bronze, red brass, merlins
gold, commercial bronze----all these alloys are similarly copper with
10-15% zinc, and are often referred to as bronze—all work well.
I too had a hard time finding bronze sheet in smaller quantities,
but a friendly person (Sean) at Wisconsin Metals found me a source at
They have a long list of types, but I was interested in 'phosphor
bronze 510 (94.8% copper and 5.0% tin and.2% phosphorous) because I
liked the pinkish color. I have a copy of the catalog page for this
type, & can send it to you off-list if you’re interested.
McMaster-Carr has a fairly good selection of bronze sheet. Type in
"Bronze sheet" and a page will come up explaining the various grades
of bronze. Grade 220 seems to be a good choice. Thicknesses from
.005" to .090" are available. Bronzes that are worked need to be
annealed quite often.
CIA