From Colin's Bench

Colin Creed · Post by **Colin Creed** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:41 pm

Thought that you all might like to see another milling & handcarve job.
This is for the same Jeweller that ordered Diana wax.
His customer is Greek & wanted to create heirloom quality pendants, to give to his daughters.

Milled the shell pendant as a concave blank, then hand carved details.
Aphrodite insert was hand carved to fit into shell.
These pieces will be cast seperate, then soldered together.
I think this will also be in 18ctYG, like Diana.

If anyone wants the 3de files that I used to rough out the pendants, let me know.

Jwlrymkr · Post by **Jwlrymkr** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:03 pm

She's hot! hehe How many hours do you have in those two pieces?
Nice work Colin!

Colin Creed · Post by **Colin Creed** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:13 pm

Hey Ken,

I'm not sure, as I've had to do a heap of adjustments in regards to adding extra hair, change face, etc, etc.
I think there's around 20-25hrs total for the girl & shell?
Mind you, that's been spread over 4 weeks between other jobs.
Originally I hoped that I'd be able to completely mill the shell & then only have to carve the girl.
Needless to say, in the end it didn't quite work out that way.

regards Colin

McCay · Post by **McCay** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 6:54 am

Colin,
I originally had a problem with the step look to some of my waxes. I later realized that I had set my tool path for the final pass to just the y-axis. When I switched it to an x and y pass it worked great. I've been using a .25 mm ball bit from grobet to do all my fine cutting. I can't remember, but whoever came up with the collet idea for 3/32 bits, THANKS!
McCay

p schmidt · Post by **p schmidt** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 9:53 am

glad you like it ..have you tried using the rubber doughnut depth stop yet
i recomend it!!

JewelryDoctor · Post by **JewelryDoctor** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 10:20 am

Colin, Just amazing work. The detail on such a small scale. Now if you could get your MDX to create some of those carvings you would be way ahead of the game. My question is when you are carving those small figures do you carve on a block and then free the wax or do carve it like we see with that small like area at the top. With the wax being slightly fragile I was curious how you hold to get the extreme detail. Hope all is good for you.

Michael

Colin Creed · Post by **Colin Creed** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 5:53 pm

Hi everyone,

Michael wrote;

My question is when you are carving those small figures do you carve on a block and then free the wax or do carve it like we see with that small like area at the top. With the wax being slightly fragile I was curious how you hold to get the extreme detail.

Thought that these photos might help explain how I go about it. (most of the time)
The girl wax was the start of Aphrodite, but I had the scale all wrong, so started a fresh.
I cut the wax through the middle to create the curve for her, to be able to sit into the shell.

The Koala is a good example of how I start out.
It's something that I've been tinkering & playing with for ages.
(This may well be a good one to scan & recut smaller)
Again, I tend to roughly carve from solid to get the basic shape right.
From that I build up areas & start to define them.
Hope this helps

regards Colin

Jwlrymkr · Post by **Jwlrymkr** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 9:03 pm

That has to be the flattest chested gal I've ever seen!

I take it you not only carve away but also build up? Are you using any special type of buildup wax?
Great stuff man! Keep it up.
Ken

Post by **jeff dunnington** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 9:26 pm

Isn't wax great. If you cut to much away you can just build it right back up.

When I am carving & sculpting wax I often think about Michelangelo's
David and his unfinished work I saw in Florence. I was so moved and amazed just thinking of his skill and the process he had to go through to get to the finished work.

There was no building up a mistake in marble. Opps! there went his nose guess I will make a statue of Michael Jackson.

Nice work Colin.

Colin Creed · Post by **Colin Creed** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 5:08 am

Thanks guys,

For most jobs, I've found that the same wax as your carving with, will work OK for building back up & then recarving.
The main thing is to not over heat the wax that your adding, as it tends to change it's properties.
As a rule of thumb when using a wax welder, if it starts to smoke, you've most likely over cooked the wax.
I've recently started using Ferris "Wolf Relief Wax" for some work, which appears to be OK.
It's similar to Kerr's "Perfect Purple Wax" for building up areas.

regards Colin

p schmidt · Post by **p schmidt** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 9:32 am

wish i had the time to even try something like that or let alone the skill mind if i ask how much you'll charge for for the pendant?

Colin Creed · Post by **Colin Creed** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 3:33 am

Hi Pat,

Both the Diana & Aphrodite waxes are for the same Jeweller.
The total for both waxes was $800.00 Aust. (Trade)
Aussie Jewellers get around $35.00 Hr (Trade)
Being Trade jobs, I had to give a quote before the go ahead & it's always a "guesstimate" with hand carving.
Needless to say, I didn't "guesstimate" nearly enough to cover the labour involved for both!!
I'd quoted on milling both oval backgrounds & only hand carving the girls, except the shell didn't work right in 3D Engrave.
So I just milled out the oval shape for the shell & hand carved all the detail.
Either way, it was good practice working through the idea in 3D engrave.

regards Colin

p schmidt · Post by **p schmidt** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:19 am

collin that's what i was wondering after all those hours ...but that's the way it goes sometimes.. i used to do alot of trade work till i finally got away from it
i had many corporate accounts ... i never liked that fact the i did all the work while they made all the money .. they wanted everything right now and aways wanting a lower price ..i once gave a qoute for a wax at $275.00 they wanted to charge the customer $850.00 then asked me if i could come down because the customer thought it was to high...i told them "you come down" as i had already gave them a bare bones est. ..the nerve ..i'd rather make the money now, even with milling i don't care to do any trade work where i have to give a lower price for my work/time i don't knock trade work as i made alot of money but it is work! ..as jewelers we're the ones who do all the work i feel keep your quality high ,service fast and go ahead and charge what you feel is fare just make sure it's high enough! even push it ..people will pay for the service not trying to preach to the choir just some of my thoughts
great work!

THE 3DWAXMILLER CLUB.

From Colin's Bench

Aphrodite wax

Tool directions

thanks

Question

How do I carve?

sea shell

trade work