So Much Filing. Sanding. UGH.

I have to say that one thing I dislike about pewter is how it contaminates whatever tools you use. I have to clean any files I use and can only use certain tools in the metal shop. But filing and sanding metal takes a very long time. Super done with this project. Let's mooooove on, shall we?

But hey! Look at these two!

Why the Hell not...

I'm getting a little crazy with this set of pieces for my project. I took a sabbatical from my earrings and decided to try an open pour sand cast. I carved into the sand and I'm thinking of turning the piece into a pin but it might be too heavy.

  I like how it turned out and it was pretty quick to pour!

Wax Adventures...

I really wanted to make a 3D mold that I can use for the sand cast so I borrowed some of Brendon's wax (he never specified what kind of wax it is). I thought it would be fun to sculpt it so I could have a model to double cast a pair of earrings that were relatively circular.

While I was in the middle of sculpting wax, one thing I found out was to try and keep it from melting (apparently freezing wax helps but agh, it still gets a little melty).

Eh you live and learn.

pEWter

Have you ever noticed how absolutely metallic-ly pewter smells? I'm now having to go home and change anytime I have to go back to work after class. Super obnoxious.

Okay it's not my favorite metal ever. It's super soft and pliable which I like but GAH it smells so bad. Ugh. Not to mention the smell won't get off your hands and you can't use any tools it touches when you work with practically anything else for fear of cross-contamination.

DAMN IT PEWTER. WHY ARE YOU SO IRRITATING.

FIRST CASTING EVERRRRRRRR!

YAY!!! It actually came out pretty well!
Here it is cleaned up and filed and ready to be an amulet.

Carving carving carving....

Casting sand turns out to be a really fun element to carve into. The only downside is that you can't carve all that precisely and I feel like it'll have to be onesided because of the registration marks, I'm worried about carving into the sand and it not laying even. But I'm thoroughly enjoying the experimental method in which I'm trying to attack this first part of my set.

Metals II Beginning

I'm kinda apprehensive about this class... You know, new teacher, new class layout, new guidelines. It's kind of stressful because I'm not used to working with metal hardly, I only had just taken metals I with Lillith and while she's great, spring semester sucked because it snowed so much we had to eliminate 2 whole projects. I feel like there are some severe gaps in my Metals knowledge. But I'm trying to adjust. I'd like if he liked me but the vibe I get isn't all that great. I don't know, it's probably because he can sense that I'm not a metal smith. I would much rather be painting or manipulating clay or something. Eh, let's hope it gets better. I really need to like to this class so I can take enameling next semester!