Chimaera

Yep. Teenylittlemetalguy is by far the best mokume maker I’ve seen on here. I hope to one day get half as good as he.

Yes it would. However, you forge it out flat, so the gouges would be gone. Here is my alternative. Take 5/8x2 bar and cut it about 5” long. Then put in half inch bolts and nuts like the picture, one on either side. Throw that whole thing in until the coins start to look wet. The gently tap to set the weld. Forge it out until it’s about three times the final thickness. Then pattern it. Raindrop shown. Then forge it to the thickness you want. Then cut and shape if desired, finish and patina. There are quite a few videos online. The wire is nice because you don’t have to make a clamp. I’ve attached a picture of some of my pieces. All the shaped ones were cut with a dremel. The orange ones were finished by sanding at 120 on a random orbital, then gently kissed with a propane torch. The gold and black one was polished, cleaned with alcohol, and dipped in liver of sulfur. The rainbow ones got a matte finish from a dremel wire brush, then we’re dipped in liver of sulfur. I don’t think I cleaned them well, and that’s why we got the silly colors. Finally resurfaced my hammer and RR anvil. Rounded out one face of the hammer somewhat. Torched the handle. Made some aluminum vise jaws that actually work pretty well. Tried to make a touch mark with no success. Dremel just wasn’t up to the task. Here is the design, though. It has all my initials, AKM, and it’s got fractals, which are cool. Also cool- all straight lines, can be used in many orientations. And, if you want, it can mean I’m in the Illuminati. Finally, it is Bluetooth enabled.

I gave some directions this morning, but I should warn you that I don't know how it will do with only three layers. Just thought I should give the disclaimer. I really hope it works for you and that you feel better. Think it's spring allergies or something else? Once you can get back out to the shop, I'd really suggest trying some mokume. I haven't done it, but you can use annealed steel wire instead of going through the whole hassle of making the clamps. Maybe just try a dozen quarters, I think you'd like it.

First, you're going to want to put on gloves and wipe the ring with acetone or rubbing alcohol, all around. Next, tie fishing line on it to hang it from. Don't touch it by the metal anymore. So, for a gold and black patina, find a disposable cup. Wear gloves, probably don't do it inside. It stains and smells like rotten eggs. Put in maybe three drops of liver of sulfur (just search "amazon liver of sulfur gel" and select what size bottle you want), then fill it 1/3 of the way with cold water and give it a stir (plastic spoon). Quantities don't need to be exact. Take another cup, put cold water and baking soda in it, stir it up (with a different spoon). Hold the ring by the fishing line and dip it in the liver of sulfur for five seconds. Pull it out and look at it. Repeat until you get the colors you want. Then, swirl it in the baking soda. Rinse it in cold tap water. Finally, after it's dry, hang it up by the fishing line and give it a spray clear coat. (The LOS can look weird at first, when you clear coat it that should be fixed.) Hope it works for you!

Thankfully, the lettuce is in a raised bed that we can put a pane of glass over to make a small greenhouse.

That’s what you LIKE about it? Oh my. In all seriousness that does sound fun. I’d tire of it pretty quickly though.

Scratch that. Just started up again.

Well... By 2:00 all it was gone! The ground was still warm and it cleared out in a hurry.

Everyone hear talking about being hot. In Cincinnati, yesterday it was 60*. Overnight, we got over 6" of snow. Of course, it happened right when my baby lettuces were starting to come up... JHCC, similar weather in Oberlin?

JHCC- it certainly should. I'm sure you've got some >1/2 plate and 1/2" or 3/4 screws lying around. I'd love to have a kiln or something for even heating.

Luckily it was a gift. I didn’t get around to trying it today, but I’ll give it a shot next time.

I hope to order some stock in the next week. Riogrande, a jewelry supplier, has sheet. I plan to get a 12x12 18 in copper, a 6x12 in brass and one in bronze, and 2 6x12s in nickel silver. All 18ga. Should run $90-100. I just need to be careful with it.

Thanks Frosty! It means a lot! Had someone over today, he made a huge raindrop disc (about 4.5" across). Mine didn't work out, I was helping him with something and it overheated. I might be able to use part of it, though. We'll see next time. I might end up upgrading my anvil and forge this summer. A 66 Vevor sounds nice, as does propane.

Finished up my most recent mokume. The oranges are from one billet, torched. The rainbows are from a different one, liver of sulfur. Both billets are 6 half dollars.

Ah. At the moment, that’s not a concern for me. My pieces don’t have much of a finish to speak of, and no anti sparking situations.

Oh geez. What drives someone to think that a 3# fish will go down the toilet?????

IFCW- what is the benefit of a brass drift? I already have a hammer. JHCC, I’m guessing that that is a result of the low melting and boiling point of zinc. I’ll make sure to keep it low

My brother gave me five pieces of 5/8 brass round from his work. Most about 18”. Not sure what all to do with them, but definitely appreciated. Maybe a brass leaf as a thank you?

As a child, when I was helping my dad replace the garbage disposal, he told me a horror story. He was staying in a cabin in Boundry Waters Canoe Area with his boy scout troop, fishing. He got a five pound channel catfish, which he decided to eat, much to the guide's horror (he thought only crappie, trout and walleye should be consumed). After a few minutes of imploring (children are quite convincing at times), my father was able to convince him to fillet the fish. Those of you who have filleted catfish will know that it's an awful business. They have copious amounts of blood and entrails, practically bulletproof skulls, and skins like leather. Well, after filleting it, the guide put the entire carcass in the garbage disposal. I just can not imagine the power this thing must have taken to grind that up. Nor can I think of what drove the guide to think that that was a good course of action.

Oh! I wasn't sure if it was supposed to looks like a coffin, or if it was just accidental. Either way, I definitely prefer the natural wood accents. It looks great!

Chad J- beautiful work. Looks like you've come a long way. I must ask- why are you constructing a coffin? Especially one with so many compartments?

JHCC- Though I didn't connect it to the stick welding, I did make an erroneous mental connection between the very vaguely spoon shaped object on the anvil and the longer handled flux spoon. I thought that perhaps you had made the handle a bit longer than necessary.

Just realized how crummy my earlier pic was. Here’s one that still doesn’t do it justice, but is much better.

I figured out the trick to using liver of sulfur to patina mokume. Instead of using warm, dilute LOF, you need to use cold, relatively concentrated stuff. It makes the nickel a light gold and the copper black. I love the contrast on this. Polished, patinated, and clear coated with rust oleum. Like most patinas, it’s not super durable. It’ll do fine for me, though.

JHCC, that was my plan. I figure they won’t be high enough carbon for a good knife. I think a spearhead probably wouldn’t need to be that hard. Same for a folded tomohawk, especially if I can weld in a bit. Then again, most of my work is garbage in the first place, and my time isn’t worth much, so it’s alright if it doesn’t work out. It’s practice and it’s steel, the two things I need the most.