Greetings from Kentucky

[Ken Gastineau]

Joe:

Thanks for the welcome. I sorta figured that jewelry making is metal shaping in miniature. Glad to know I am on the right track.

Ken

Originally Posted by Joe Hartson

Working with jewelry uses the same techniques just on a smaller scale.

[mark g]

Welcome, Ken.

I am also interested in the fold forming and metal shaping in smaller scales. There are lots of interesting possibilities. Hope you post some pictures of your work.

-Mark

[Ken Gastineau]

Marks:

I am just experimenting with some very basic fold forming so far. I am doing some research on what type of small power hammer would be appropriate and safe to use for jewelry size forging. I agree that fold forming offers unique opportunities.

Thank you for the welcome.

Ken

Originally Posted by mark g

Welcome, Ken.

I am also interested in the fold forming and metal shaping in smaller scales. There are lots of interesting possibilities. Hope you post some pictures of your work.

-Mark

[mark g]

There's a guy near me who likes to use a small drop hammer for shaping originals in silver before he goes to wax. I wonder if a "one shot" riveting hammer with flat dies in a c-frame would do a similar job in less space. I haven't used one bit I think they give just one hard blow per tigger pull. Just a thought-

[Overkill]

Not familiar with the one shot rivet guns. However, you can adjust the regulator down far enough on the rivet guns I do use, then simply hit the pedal for a single hit. Reducing the pressure does reduce the force of the hit and the beats per minute - but if you went with a large rivet gun, I think it would still hit plenty hard for soft metals.

Expert on the rivet gun type machines is Kent White at www.tinmantech.com

[Ken Gastineau]

Mark:

I am not sure if a rivet hammer would work or not. The work of fold forming seems to be a mixture forging and planishing. What would make me nervous with a power hammer is the proximity of my fingers to the hammer blows, being that jewelry is so small. To fold form some things takes hundreds or thousands of hammer hits and numerous annealings. I have been reading up on helve hammers, planishing hammers and reciprocating hammers.

The specific work I am needing a hammer for seems to be in the realm of a miniature forging hammer with a 1/4" stroke. I am not sure that exists, unless I have described a reciprocating hammer.

Ken

Originally Posted by mark g

There's a guy near me who likes to use a small drop hammer for shaping originals in silver before he goes to wax. I wonder if a "one shot" riveting hammer with flat dies in a c-frame would do a similar job in less space. I haven't used one bit I think they give just one hard blow per tigger pull. Just a thought-

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Originally Posted by Ken Gastineau

...I have been reading up on helve hammers, planishing hammers and reciprocating hammers....

Welcome Ken,

Just a point of clarification. The correct term is reciprocating MACHINE. They are not hammers and have no provision for storing/releasing energy. Tim Doty gave a great example..."Hammers HIT, reciprocating machines PUSH". If you start getting die to die contact with a reciprocating machine, loud, expensive things start to happen.

If you have an opportunity to get down to North Alabama, stop by for a shop visit and I can show you some of the various machines.

I have a local artist friend (Barb Lawrence aka Copperetta on the site) who works in copper and makes the most amazing copper art. Several years ago she was out and we were talking about how the group build reciprocating machines were just too big for her work. I had a momentary brain storm and came up with this:

http://allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=2494

It's been several years now and Barbmax is still going strong. I'd think something like this would work well for jewelery.

[Ken Gastineau]

John:

You are absolutely correct I had the wrong idea about rivet guns. Thank you for clarifying how one works. A rivet gun may very well be the best solution. Thank you for pointing out Kent's site again. I will research that option and learn more about how he has worked copper and brass. I have been wondering if there were any hammers that use an internal hammer striking a tool and the rivet gun answers that question.

Kerry:

Thank you for pointing out that a reciprocating machine is not a hammer. I am slowly grasping diversity of tooling available for shaping metal and thank you for offering to let me see your shop and machines in North Alabama, I may very well take you up on that some time in the future.

I bet your machine made Barb Lawrence a happy jeweler. The right tool can make all of the difference in the world when faced with production work and deadlines.

Well it looks like what I need to do is continue to experiment with hammers and make some specific anvils or stakes until I develop the best way to do the work I need to do by hand. Continue to do research about available equipment and eventually should be able to determine the best way to step up my game so to speak. I will post some pictures soon of some of my work and challenges.

[Mark Fox]

Hi Ken . Welcome to the site. Is this what you mean, by folding metal. This is by an English silversmith. I hope I don't get into trouble posting this on here.


Liner Jug" by Toby Russell, 2010

Sterling silver - scored and folded by hand from flat sheet

In order to produce his scored and sheet folded jug, Toby Russell had to overcome the challenge of converting his final design from a card model into silver. He explains “Paper has its own unique quality and in some ways is less flexible than silver sheet. I never truly know how the design will convert or how far the silver can be pushed”.


The image that inspired Toby throughout the design process was that of a prow of a boat cutting through water and as a keen swimmer and surfer, he is naturally drawn to images of waves.

[Ken Gastineau]

Mark Fox:

Thank you for the welcome. I imagine that the piece you have shown is done by fold forming. You can see many examples of fold forming here,

http://www.brainpress.com/Foldforming.html