Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Tuesday Tips and Random Thoughts

This piece called "Walden" was created a while back, I really like the main focal piece in it. I'm wanting to make some more faux tintypes in fauxtique cabinet cases like this, using the cast pewter I'm making up for the fleur de lys charms this time. I need to order some more mini-Moo cards, I'm almost out again - this image is one I use on them and it reminded me.


Wandering around the studio doing a bit of clearing up (calling it cleaning would be too much of a stretch) I was thinking of a few random things I've been meaning to put into a Tuesday Tips post, haven't done one in a while. No particular theme or order to it, hope you find something here that's useful!

1. When fusing fine silver wire (see the links on "Walden" - those are fused fine silver) - don't forget that they remain extremely hot for a surprisingly long time, use metal tweezers or a hemostat to pick them up to quench them in water, so you don't get a blister on the tip of your finger like mine right now!


2. Be sure to top off your liquid liver of sulphur mixture in a jar with a tight lid and keep it in a cool dark place, to avoid having it lose strength. It interacts with the air, but if the liquid goes all the way to the top (like in a baby food sized jar) it will last a long, long time and you won't waste any.

3. Be careful and hold wire links for hammering with a tool and not your fingers, if you whack your pointer fingernail or thumbnail, it will break, and you'll have a manicure like mine that looks like it was done with hedge clippers.

4. If you use 2-part silicone to make molds of your carvings so you can create polymer clay components, don't ever use latex gloves while mixing or working with the silicone. The latex dust has something in it that keeps the silicone from curing properly and it will stay mushy for a very, very long time. Oh - and be sure to wash your hands carefully if you've had latex gloves on before you use the 2-part silicone, the dust stays around. Learned that the hard way!

5. Finally, a memory aid for making sure my "hot" tools are turned off when I leave the studio - I plug the radio, work lights and soldering irons into a power strip. When I leave (even for a short time) I turn off everything by turning off the power strip. If I can hear the radio, I know the "hot" tools are still on. Keeps me from forgetting and leaving things on by accident!


Hope you have a great, productive week.

PS - to see the whole series of Tuesday Tips in the blog, click on this link.

6 comments:

Marie Cramp said...

WOW sounds like you live dangerously. lol. Thanks for the tips :)

Marie
http://skyejewels.blogspot.com
{hope you check out my latest post}

LLYYNN - Lynn Davis said...

Marie, it seems that my hands take a lot of the hard knocks, I guess I keep them busy and out of the way.

One thing I meant to mention and forgot, I also wear a heavy vinyl neck to shin length apron when I solder, because the drops of solder sometimes fall off in my lap and they are HOT-HOT-HOT!

susanc said...

Wow, those are really great tips Lynn. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. I love learning new things about a subject I love!

Fanciful Expressions said...

Great tips,Lynn. I use a power strip too but never thought to plug the radio into it. Gotta love that one.

Carolyn

Suzanne said...

I stumbled on your site - Thanks for the great tips. I thought I'd pass along as an add on to your tip about the radio and it may sound odd but then again whatever helps. I would leave the house in a rush and would get to my destination only to get that sinking feeling of OMG did I turn that off? Now I say it out loud as I am doing it "pulled plug or turned off" and when I get the OMG feeling, I remember - yep I did it!

Suzanne

The Joy of Nesting said...

Hi Lynn,

Walden is a wonderful piece. I have never been to Walden Pond, but the colors in your piece are the ones my mind's eye see when congering up images of Thoreau's paradise! :)

Pattie ;)
Mazatlan Mx.

PS Lynn, my projects left today with our "mule" :) I will take time tomorrow AM to get my thoughts and address off to you. Please don't feel rushed. I have no way of getting them down here until the end of the first week in July. :)