June 30, 201015 yr I am sorry for not having the pics readily here. I am doing something wrong some how. Here is a link to the rings I made . http://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/CopperForging# Ever since I saw Brian do this I have been amazed. You learn so much from forging copper. These same designs can be made larger to form bangles, bracelets, drawer or door pulls. Hand forged jewelry hardly exists. Brian can do these effortlessly. It is a pleasure watching him. The good thing about the copper is silver acts very similar. Just do not get silver as hot as you can get copper. Dull red at the maximum for silver. Thanks again Brian.
July 1, 201015 yr Lyle, Great job on the rings. Real clean detail ! I've done a few iron ones since Memphis but haven't refined my punches and chisels yet to get the detail. Again great jewelry, your going to pass up Brian if he's not careful Thanks for sharing these ! Dick
July 1, 201015 yr Excellent job Lyle! Grasshopper, it is time for you to leave. He should pass me up, Dick L.; he's alot younger than I am. Lyles the kind of guy that keeps on trying until he gets it. I know he's made alot more of those rings than I ever have.
July 1, 201015 yr Author This album shows Brian making a flower ring on pictures 64 through 95. I have bought a few of Brians rings and a copper bracelet. I use them as an inspiration to hope I can get as good as Brian one day. I need to post a picture of the bangle to show you what I think perfection looks like. http://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/October2009MeetingAtTheMFC#
July 2, 201015 yr After watching Brian and Lyle make it look so easy. I got home and found out I didn't know anything any more. Good job Lyle. Hope to see ya'll in July
July 2, 201015 yr Author Thanks everyone for the kind words, but I must say that this is simply a technique. Rather than putting a piece of steel or copper on the anvil and hammering on it. Brian has shown me and many others that you can isolate a part of your parent stock, work the area in between down to the size you want, then work the isolated part into whatever you wish it to be. There are many forging techniques, tapering for an example. It is amazing what you can do with 1/2" square bar in one heat. Whether it is isolating material like these rings are done or doing a taper. Its like Brian says, use the right dies and it practically makes itself. This gets more and more true as you go.
July 4, 201015 yr That's what I like a modest smith, you are good at what you do and some others could try for a dozen years and still turn out scrap metal every time they put hammer to metal, you got the touch and the eye to go with it. B)
July 5, 201015 yr Author LRF, these rings were made from 1/4" round copper. I have gotten the large grounding wire from a local building supply store. Not sure if it was #2 or #4 copper, but the largest wire they had worked fine.
August 26, 201015 yr Excellent job Lyle! Grasshopper, it is time for you to leave. He should pass me up, Dick L.; he's alot younger than I am. Lyles the kind of guy that keeps on trying until he gets it. I know he's made alot more of those rings than I ever have. Brian or Dick ... Could either of you put up a step by step photo series showing how these are made - like the ones brian has released recently (i.e. the steel hearts)? Or does it already exist? I'm taking a silver class and I would love to learn how to make these. I'm really hoping to see this soon. Sam
August 26, 201015 yr Brian or Dick ... Could either of you put up a step by step photo series showing how these are made - like the ones brian has released recently (i.e. the steel hearts)? Or does it already exist? I'm taking a silver class and I would love to learn how to make these. I'm really hoping to see this soon. Sam Those were Lyles rings, Sam. I did post a long time ago a step by step thread on making rings, but I can't find it anymore. There is also a step by step thread on making earrings, but I cannot find that either. I doubt that your silver class will be forging silver in this manner. I am working with pure silver or copper and forging it just like you would steel.
August 26, 201015 yr Lyle, LDW, just showed up and showed me how to find and put earring thread on. I still can't find the ring thread.
August 26, 201015 yr LDW I really like the third (from the left) one. Beautifully subtle with the raised edges.
August 26, 201015 yr I've hot forged quite a bit of silver, usually fine so to avoid the copper fire scale. I generally use a one firebrick forge or chunk charcoal for a solid fuel one. Easy to forge hot but you really got to watch the melting temps! I'm usually going from ingot to penannular brooch.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.