Richter's Spag - Along Workshop

[Richter]

For your amusement, inspiration, and education, here's stuff I've made up for one reason or another.

I've been messing around making penannular broaches out of brass rod stock for a few weeks.  The more recent version on the left has amber set into the terminals.  Mostly made for myself or for small gifts.  They all have a rougher, more "antique" look because I HATE polishing anything tarnishable if I intend to use it.



These have been posted before, the dog tags I made for my Battlestar Galactica costume.  I cut them out of a brass kickplate, shaped, weathered, and applied labels that Suu shooped up. 



The workbench.  I've set up 3, yes 3 work areas in the past year.  I keep moving around, so until I'm settled for a bit, I'm just making do with this tiny thing.  Not spacious, but handy and portable.  Plays host to such oft - moved items as much lunch case and long - suffering water bottle.

[Suu]

Do you want a pic of my torc?

[Raphaella]

Awesome metal working!! Those penannular broaches are fantastic.   

[Richter]

My "trench spike".  The idea came from my grandfather's USA made 1917 pattern trench knife / spike.  It's a heavy steel carabiner (locking) welded to a SKS spike bayonet.  The carabiner locks shut, and I've spent some time hitting a heavy bag with it, so it's quite safe as a knuckleduster.  One of few things I've designed solely as a weapon.

[Richter]

Brass torc, commissioned by Suu.
The terminals (ends) are amber and copper wire. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

My "trench spike".  The idea came from my grandfather's USA made 1917 pattern trench knife / spike.  It's a heavy steel carabiner (locking) welded to a SKS spike bayonet.  The carabiner locks shut, and I've spent some time hitting a heavy bag with it, so it's quite safe as a knuckleduster.  One of few things I've designed solely as a weapon.

I want to order 20 of those things.  But they should fly, and be controlled by my hate.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

My "trench spike".  The idea came from my grandfather's USA made 1917 pattern trench knife / spike.  It's a heavy steel carabiner (locking) welded to a SKS spike bayonet.  The carabiner locks shut, and I've spent some time hitting a heavy bag with it, so it's quite safe as a knuckleduster.  One of few things I've designed solely as a weapon.

I want to order 20 of those things.  But they should fly, and be controlled by my hate.

Oh, such a sweet mental image.

Richter, I love your brass work! The brooch set with amber is AWESOME. I love them because they look like authentic OLD pieces.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

this is neat stuff man 

[AFK]

Richter, the MacGuyver of PD.COM

[Richter]

Nigel / Raphella / Squid:  Thanks!  I'm still playing around with the different things I can pull off.
Brass kind of became the metal to use when I had to move away from a fireproof place where I could have a vise and grinder set up.

Suu's father is a metalurgical / chemical guru, and gave me some sound advice about getting the cheap alloys most commonly available to cooperate.  


TGRR: No welder.    I'll let you know when I can lay hands on one.
If the job will let you take a steam cleaner to clean Sister Gothique's bathroom, then there's got to be someone you could talk into messing with a welder...
 

This IS a longstanding annoyance with city life: though I am BADLY tempted to put a small oxy / acetylene, or simple electric rig in the apartment, the place is a tinderbox.  It would cross the line from crazy awesome to crazy stupid REAL fast.  
I need to start bugging the friends that have garage space, or check out the metal / glass studio across the tracks.  

[Richter]

Richter, the MacGuyver of PD.COM

Shit, thanks

[Suu]

Speaking of which...sent pics to my dad. No response yet but I'm sure he'll be interested in checking them out.

Wearing the torc to work today too. LOL.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

So at the shire meeting this week, a couple of the blacksmiths were showing off metal clay. Have you played with any of it yet? They had silver and bronze.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I heard that the PMC people had come out with bronze metal clay, I didn't know about the copper... that's cool!

Richter if you do get a shop space, let me know if you have any interest in glass.

Edit: apparently I am not at all awake, you said nothing about copper in your post. Maybe wishful thinking on my part?

[Richter]

So at the shire meeting this week, a couple of the blacksmiths were showing off metal clay. Have you played with any of it yet? They had silver and bronze.

Casting in REVERSE!  That looks like fun stuff. 
I wonder about the fusing process though.  Seems like it would be easy to get a brittle piece with too little heat (insufficient fusing of metalic particles as the binder leaves, or have the whole project "run" if it's too hot. 
HUGE advantage for small, detailed pieces.  I'd want to play around with it for strength / durability, whereas anything I torch, bend, or hammer I KNOW is solid.