Anglo platinum

While I was looking up details on the PlatAfrica design competition.Look at what I found on the PlatAfrica website! I don't remember being told that It was up on the website, this was a pleasant surprise. I also saw six more DUT student participant pieces on the website.

How to find the publish date of an undated website

On Friday I had a little melt-down. I could find the publishing date of the many website I need to reference for my Bachelor's degree research report, so I freaked out and cursed my computer. THEN after a time away from my computer I decided to give it another try and I found this video! I'm so relived...think I might cry.

Forge linking layed

I wasn't able to to make another set of burners for my forge that I am happy with. I finally decided to buy a commercially made one from a knife make I met  at the Durban Easter knife show this year, Sam Turner reminded me of him. So in the mean time I have layed in the ceramic fibre wool and kiln shelving on the inside and in no longer than two weeks I should have my first burner. Next month I will buy another. I decided that it was better at this stage to buy a burner that will run efficiently and effectively. If the burners don't get hot enough them I won't be able to try my hand at forge welding. I'm so excited, I can't wait to start forging up some nice things again!

Meeting notes

Yesterday in our Bachelor's degree meeting, my definition of contemporary jewellery was expanded. After discussion and going through some reading material, I came to the realization that "contemporary jewellery" cannot be tied down to one definition such as  "Art jewellery" 

http://deborahreadcom.blogspot.com/2012/07/jewelry-artist-magazine-sept-2012.html

or "Modernist jewellery"

http://www.dwell.com/rewind/article/modernist-jewelry-margaret-de-patta

 or one descriptive definition, they almost seem to overlap. Even though I didn't come to an exact definition of "contemporary jewellery", one thing I didn't come to understand was that contemporary jewellery was set in the "now". Contemporary jewellery deals with current issues of the time, through the use of an array of jewellery techniques and making different styles of jewellery. One could make "narrative jewellery", using mixed /Recycled jewellery" to comment on social steroetypes and myths. So in conclusion the term "contemporary" can be ambiguous and has to be explained more descriptively, not just as "contemporary".

Deepest sympathies

Unfortunately I found out that Mr. Surgeon, the gentleman who was a knife maker from Durban passed away in January. I was trying to get hold him to buy one of his propane burner that was advertised on the SABlade website as he was one of the members. So...now I will be trying one last time to make my own burners. I will have to scrap my previous at making burners. I found that I couldn't get hold of the parts as seen on the internet. I found having the gas jet separate from the burner pipe makes it hugely difficult to achieve an efficient venturi effect. This is a video i will be basing my burner off of.

Forge burner

I've heard from my friend Sam that a knife maker in Durban makes and sells. Propane burners for the forge. I tome between trying one last time to make my own or to buy one. They're not too badly priced but for that price I would try to make one. It's another chance to find out where to get better supplies, I learned hard that the hardware shop is not always and almost never the first place one should go to find things. One should exhaust every possible alternative. 

Forge has line

I was busy soldering some copper pipe together for the gas line of the forge and something dawned upon me, something dissappointing. The melting point of the solder is only just over two hundred degrees, the forge will easily be 6-700 degrees hot at anytime whee it is switched off. And heat rises so I was afraid that the heat radiating out of the back of  the burner pipes would unsolder the joint directly above the opening of the  burner.  

Al the welding done on the forge

All the welding is done on the main part of the forge. I will start making up the gas line and doing some plumbing.  I will be soldering some copper pipe

Blacksmith/tool maker

This David Robertson, he is the blacksmith from Artistblacksmith.com. He has done numerous instructional videos on Youtube and on his website dealing with tool making and with knife smitthing that I have watched. 

http://www.artistblacksmith.com/

Knife makers I follow

These are a few knife makers I follow and have taken inspiration from last year when my research title was more focused on knives. I learned that everybody has to pay "their dues" and these guys all show how they started off with the are minimum like I am.

http://www.mkunelius.com/kukaeng.html

This is Matti Kunelius, he is a silversmith. He specialises in damascus puuko making and he is self taught, this immediately caught my fancy because I tool am a smith/jewellery and in the process of teaching myself the art of knife making.

http://www.frycustomknives.com/knives/bullnose-skinner

Jason Fry is another knife maker I follow, I have seen how he makes his knives. He also started with a small belt grinder and a coal forge he built in his backyard. He has shown improvement from the time I started following him until now, a real inspiration.

This is Wayne Morgan a South African knife maker, I thoroughly enjoy the rustic finishes and indigenous handle materials. A great example of how "rustic" doesn't mean half finished, all the knives I've sen from Mr.Morgan are well finished straight and he has paid attention to the small details such as filework on the spines on his knives and on other parts of the knives.

Forge lining

Ok there has been a change in plan. I am going to return the two bags of perlite. Considering a few factors I've changed my mind. After following a few conversations on iforgeiron.com  I found out that the pearlite/fircement mix takes longer to heat up = use more gas. It was also said many a time that the perlite melts at welding temperature. THEN I remebered that my friend Ruan told me about trident refractory specialist in camper down. They sell ceramic fibre wool, which is the alternative to the refractory cements and mixes. This is the white wool looking substance I was seeing in all the videos, I was always of the notion that it wasn't available in KZN, BUT IT IS! So I reserved a box at Trident refractory specialists. In this picture below you will see the ceramic fibre wool, in many of the damascus videos I've seen the  forges are lined with this ceramic fibre wool. SO that's the way I will go because  I too would like to be able to make damascus by the end of this year even if it is small a billet.

Forges

These are some ideas of forges that I have based my forge on. These are all open forges, they do not have doors on the front or the back. In my mind if the forge had a closed rear and a door on the front, the heat would be more contained and the temperature would rise faster. Faster rise in temperature would mean less gas being used.

http://www.cyphertext.net/~gfish/forge.html

http://www.zoellerforge.com/simplegasforge.html

http://www.chileforge.com/forges_habanero_details.html

Perlite

From the few videos I have watched about making a forge. I have heard that perlite is a good refractory mix ingredient. I was easily able to find some perlite at the local gardening supply center. It feels very lite weight  and crisp but I am sure this is  right material. So I bought two bags jus in case

The process of the Construction

I found a really cool series of pictures, displaying the process of how János Gábor Varga

goes about his process. It may not seem highly exciting but I love the different approach

Interesting patternations

I am really enjoying watching the ingenious methods of achieving pattern and constructing pieces by János Gábor Varga

Collage of the forge making process

This is a small collage I put together showing some of the process of forge making. I thought it would put into perspective the work that has gone into making this forge, even though it isn't complete yet.

Welding

As I reaching the end of the welding part of constructing my forge. I have taken note of the technique that I have been advised to use and have managed to produce a decent consistent bead. It always seems to happen a the end and mostly the last few welds are looking better. I am still struggling with welding two thicknesses together, it a play of adjusting the amperage and welding rod size that i need to figure out. Over all my welding experience has been a good one and started off with lots of practice. I have burned myself with hot flying flux twice and flashed burned my face ever so slightly. The technique is one of zig-zaging along the join at a steady speed. Slow enough to produce an even bead but not too slow as to melt through the piece unnecessarily. So I am learning a feel for the motion!