[TheForge] My project WAS: Re: Re: bang some metal!

[Sudden Service #5]

    OK, as my Shriner friend said-He ASKed!
    For those of you who are not interested in SCA stuff this part can be
skipped:  What I am working on as my project this class at the WCFC is a
baronial coronet for myself.  I was elevated to being a Court Baron of EK
almost 2 years ago at this little event I started about a dozen years ago
called "A Market Day At Birka" which has grown to be the largest event in
the East Kingdom since Pennsic is no longer held in EK (about 1500 paid
entrances last year-it is held in Feb in NH it is a merchanting & fighting
event, next year it will be held at the Center of NH convention Center the
largest indoor space in NH).  Because everyone knows I am a jeweler they got
me a leather coronet figuring that I would want to make my own.  They were
right.  There are just two problems-the Norse did not have a rank of Baron
(it is a Feudal title & the Norse were not Feudal in 831CE) & they did not
use coronets.  So what I am doing is using the hinged 6 panel design of the
early crowns used in Europe with design elements from 2 pieces of famous
Norse jewelry.  The first design element will be two granulated warrior
heads based on a belt buckle that had 4 of them, they will flank the second
design element which is a square looped circle (a common design used in
Norse art) from a round box that is frequently shown in books (both images
came from "Viking" it is also known as the "Prune people coffee table book")
I will mount either a garnet or amber cabochon in the center of the circle &
a amber or granite bead on the peaks of the coronet.  There will be a lot of
fill using various sizes of granules & a lot of twisted wire work.  I hope
to have it finished before I leave for Pennsic.
     Now the information for those of you who are interested in how to do
granulation.  Take the fine silver (.9999) wire or plates & shape them to
your desire to use as the backing & dividers for the granules.  Then using a
compound of copper salts & an organic glue (the formula is out in the truck
right now) paint the wires & the components with glue to hold the wires in
place.  Then bake in a kiln at the right temperature (also out in the truck)
when they are secure apply the granules with more glue. Smaller design
elements pieces are done first then applied to the larger pieces.
    Now for why this works.  Fine silver & copper have a lower melting
temperature than when they are alloyed with each other.  As the silver &
copper get near the melting point the silver combines with the copper in the
glue on the skin of the beads & plate then raises the melting point thus
soldering all points of contact to each other.  This also works with fine
Gold & copper.  The idea goes back to the Bronze age.
    Any questions?  That's about as good as I can do this late at night.
Pax,
Olaf
who is going to bed.
----- Original Message -----
> Please don't spare us Olaf !!! I will listen.
>
> Ted Jones