Etching &
Riveting Metal
This exciting day will be devoted to two fantastic
techniques for manipulating metal. No previous metals experience is
required. The first half of the day students will learn a fast and
easy way to etch and emboss designs and lettering into brass, copper
or nickel using a normal Xerox-type copier, a Sharpie marker and some
simple tools. Then, after lunch, students will take their wonderful
metal
creations and attach them to each other by learning how to make
the most versatile and strong connection devices possible: RIVETS.
Whatever
media you use at home, hand-made rivets can often be employed
to strengthen and enhance your assemblage work, jewelry or artist
books. Recommended for the Precious Little students and for anyone interested
in attaching objects securely. It's a double-header of a day, sure
to get your creativity humming!
The tools below are things you will be using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class:
• Hand drill. A cordless, variable-speed hand drill is perfect and will
be one of the most useful tools in your home, trust me! Here is one for $30 that
fits the bill: <http://toolprice.com/product/1292L> Be
sure to charge up the battery before getting to the class! For those who don't
want to get the electric drill, Fiskars
makes a good and very inexpensive one (like under $15!): <http://www.yourartsncrafts.com/fiskarsmanualdrill.html> It
isn't as versatile, but it will work in a pinch.
• Set
of drill bits (any standard hardware-store set of 'high-speed
steel' drill bits)
• Two extra 1/16" drill bits
• Piece of scrap wood to drill into
• Riveting
hammer. Available for about $7 from Gesswein or any other jewelry
supply store. On this page, scroll down to the 'Swiss-style riveting
hammer' to see the type that's best: <http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=2&sub=5&subsub=2&catalog=1&CFID=267209&CFTOKEN=86567434>
• roll of 're-bar tie wire' (found for under $5 in hardware stores in the
construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing.
IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be
dark grey-black). If you are travelling light, snip off about six feet of wire
which should be plenty. No need to bring the whole roll.
• spring-loaded, or 'automatic' center punch. Can be found at most hardware
stores, but go here to see what they look like: <http://www.tools-plus.com/gen77.html>
• 1
or 2 bar clamps (an excellent bar clamp called 'Quik-Grip'
can be found at Home Depot...get the smallest ones available)
• small bench vise (about a 3" jaw is fine, or even smaller if you
find one...most hardware stores have a few sizes)...there's a very small one
displayed here: <http://jasmeetinternational.com/106.htm>
• Flush-cutting pliers. An absolutely brilliant pair of
cutters can be found here: <http://www.americanjewelrysupply.com/products/jewelry/plier26.html>
Specify the FLUSH-CUT model. They cost $29. If you cut wire with any frequency,
these are more than worth the money. I covet my pair, which I paid way too
much for ($70!), but even so, I wouldn't give them up for anything. However,
if you want a cheaper alternative ($7), these will do: <http://wire-sculpture.com/item.php?item=G2-6&curFile=wholesalecloseouts>
or cheaper still ($3), for those who aren't planning on using them much outside
the class time: <http://wire-sculpture.com/item.php?item=G2-59&curFile=wholesalecloseouts>
• Combination Bench Pin and Anvil Used as a helping hand and hammering surface for all sorts of tasks, this can really be a life-saver. It can be found here, or any other jewelry supply store: <http://www.grobetusa.com/ProductDescriptions/combinationbenchpin.html>
NOTE: If you can't find the above pin/anvil set, you can get a simple steel bench block....not as versatile, but it will work for the class: <http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/jeweler-anvil/BKG06>
• Scraps or sheets of copper or brass; or copper or brass objects you'd like to etch onto. Remember that if you use foil-thin metal, you will only be able to etch very lightly. Copper or brass sheeting (up to 1 mm thick is perfect) can be purchased most inexpensively through a local metal surplus yard...look in the yellow pages under scrap metal, then call to ask if they allow the public to buy. The metal is sold by the pound, so it's much cheaper than buying it from a jewelry or hobby supply. Most model train / hobby stores will have sheets of brass and copper as well. I would recommend against the rolls of copper foil sold in some craft stores, as it is so thin that there isn't much depth to etch into, but if you have some, bring it, as it can still be used for certain effects.
• Tin
snips (Wiss makes the most commonly found one, though
if you're planning on snipping a lot of metal, these aviation 'lever
snips' cut beautifully with less hand effort (one cuts to the left,
and one to the right, and either will cut straight):
<http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/to/handtools.html?pg=3>
• Several copied designs you'd like to try to etch (keep
them small.
be sure they are from a copier using toner, and not laser copies...if
it is black and white or color TONER, they are OK. Try to keep them
purely graphic, as photographic grey-tones won't translate as well
with
this method [unless they are screened in a dot pattern]. In either
case, make sure the copies are good and black, with lots of toner
on the paper. Bring at least three copies of each image you
want to try. if
you
want
to etch lettering, you must first copy it onto copier-safe acetate,
then flip the acetate over and copy that onto paper, making the
type
backwards on the paper...make sense? Keep in mind that whatever you
copy will be flipped from the original.) Bold, strong images will
tend
to give better results (i.e., copies with lots of black).
Another
suggestion regarding copies for the class is not to gang the images
up smack next to each other; leave at least 1 inch of white paper
around each side of the image. You'll breathe a bit easier!
Note: Many
KINKO'S copies will not give a satisfactory result, I've found...
must
be something to do with their own toner...try a different copy center.
• A bottle of ferric chloride solution. This can be bought at
Radio Shack, as 'PCB (circuit board) etchant.' If you're in the
class with
a friend, you can share a bottle.
• Small can of acetone (available at any hardware store). Don't bring nail-polish remover, as it is weaker than pure acetone. If you're in the class with a friend, you can share a bottle.
•
Small bottle of ammonia. If you're in the class with a friend, you can
share a bottle.
• A small flat plastic tupperware or microwave-dinner
tray, about
1-2 inches deep
• Cotton balls, or better yet, cotton pads
• Scotch-Brite pad
• Sharpie or other PERMANENT marker (the fresher the better...get
a wide one as well as a fine one).
• Roll of masking tape (as wide a roll as you can get) or clear
packing tape
• Old
rag for wiping up any spills, etc.
OPTIONAL (these will enable you to cut out your metal more precisely):
• jeweler's
saw (get one ideally with a 5" to 8" 'throat'...Gesswein
has a 4.75" saw frame that will do it: <http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=2&sub=9&subsub=12&catalog=1&CFID=119556&CFTOKEN=8296871> and
click on 187-1200 Flat Saw Frame 4 3/4")
• saw blades (get two sizes: <http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/catalog.cfm?cat=2&sub=9&subsub=3&catalog=1&CFID=119556&CFTOKEN=8296871>,
1 dz.
• jeweler's bench pin. Used as a helping hand for all sorts of tasks, this can really be a life-saver. A simple one is pictured here: <
Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.
See you there! Keith
