Today I tried etching! I have been thinking about it, reading about it, and wanting to try it for at least 3 years (yes, I must be patient, everything in its own time).
So today, my son and I took a trip across town to the electrical store and I purchased Ferric Chloride, the etching solution. It is a salt based product and not an acid...better. A quick stop at the store on the way home to get a basin to contain the solution and I was in business.
I really didn't have a specific design in mind, so I drew something...anything to see how this works...finally...
I forgot to mention that I also purchased a resist pen. Although I understand that a permanent red marker works, along with nail polish, etc. It just seems strange to me that the stuff eats up copper...but won't eat through a marker? Yes, I understand the chemistry of it...but it still seems wierd!
I stuck a piece of packing tape (yea, won't eat that either)to the bottom and suspended the plate of copper with my drawing in the solution. I checked it about an hour later. It is suposed to take from 1 to 4 hours, or so.
Life continued and I had to babysit my granddaughter, Chloe. A "couple" of hours later I was able to check my now "perfectly etched piece"...
The etching solution worked, I am not sure at what point of time my piece was etched to perfection...all I know is ...it was way past that point of retrieval...the tape remained in tact... but only hints of thin copper and faded resist existed now...I HAD SACRIFICED MY PIECE...I HAD FED THE COPPER GODS...
Anita Tosti
Monday, February 25, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Hammers!
Most of the posts here have been after I have completed a piece of jewelry. I never really get down to how these pieces are made. The reality is I start with either silver or copper wire or sheet goods and form and fashion from there...
Along with that goes a lot of cutting, sawing, twisting, hammering, soldering or torching, pickling, polishing...and second guessing...
Thus, my hands, from whence these pieces are born...get cut, pricked, sliced, burned, and just plain sore from the heavy gauge wire.
Lately I have been exploring hammers! Pondering over different shapes, sizes and weights. This hammer head is designed not to leave edge marks, this one to make nice round indentions in the metal, this one requires less bang from me...because of its weight...
But what I have really discovered and is the intent of this post is...
The weight of the hammer is directly proportionate to the BLOOD BLISTER!
Anita Tosti of Gypsy Design Jewelry
Be sure and check out my teams work at http://www.eclecticjewelryartisans.com/
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