Workshops

Throughout the year, workshops are run which teach you different and more advanced skills,
these include casting and enamelling. Usually, workshops will go over a weekend.

Next Workshops

Workshops for 2008!!!

Casting Weekends 2008
The dates have been set for the Casting Weekends during 2008. They are listed below:

• 17 & 18 May
• 21 & 22 June – Exhibition Casting
• 9 & 10 August
• 20 & 21 September

On Sunday 18 May while we are waiting for the kilns and flasks to do their thing,
we will be preparing a large number of articles in readiness for the June Exhibition Casting weekend.

Anyone to has had some experience and those who would like to learn
are asked to come and help with this project, bearing in mind that the equipment we use is all bought
with the proceeds of preceding exhibitions.

In the other workshops you will be encouraged to prepare items which will suit the competition schedule
for our exhibition. This is an opportunity to make a decent competition of the casting sections
and to find out if we come up to the mark according to the judges.
Sheets will be on the notice board at the club room to enter your name or
you can ring Jean Macleay.

Wax Carving Workshops 2008
Mark Young has again agreed to run a series of wax carving lessons.
These are to be run on Saturdays over 3 consecutive weeks. Those who attended the last series
enjoyed the classes, and thanks to Mark’s expert tuition came up with beautiful results.
Lessons were learnt about casting larger items, a technique we had not tried before,
and we will know how to go about this much better next time.
These are to be run on the following Saturdays. The dates are:
10 May 2008, 7 June 2008, 5 July 2008
A sheet has been placed on the notice board
for those who would be interested in attending, to add their name.

Workshops General Information

Lost Wax Casting

Members had a wonderful time at our most recent lost wax casting workshop in November this year.
Our skilled instructor Jean Macleay, assisted by some of our more experienced members,
gave the class another excellent weekend of patient and skilled training in this beautiful craft.
Our sincere thanks go to those members who helped with equipment and made the day such a success.

In these workshops you learn or improve your skills in the art of casting.
Casting is turning wax or a natural thing into silver.
The workshops are fun and exiting and the things you can make include;
rings, pendants, broochs and little "objects" to put around the house.
If you want to come, make sure you put your name down in the clubrooms.

Things to bring to lost wax casting workshops:

1. Small methylated spirit lamp. The finer the wick the better, as heat is more easily controlled.
2. Lecron Dental Tool. This tool is the most necessary tool for working wax.
3. Wax knife or small paring knife or small old kitchen knife or scalpel.
4. Two small sewing needles, one medium and one fine, set in cork "handle".
5. Cheap small paint brush also one about 0.7 to 1 cm wide.
6. Approx. 10cm (4") length of wooden dowel stick, diameter of students finger size. (Oil stick with any vegetable oil.)
8. Small piece of nylon panty hose.
9. Methylated Spirits.
10. 50 grams sterling silver casting granules or 50/50 scrap and new sterling silver.
11. Wax to make item to be cast. (Some is available for purchase from NDLC)
12. Old toothbrush and/or nailbrush
13. Little container to melt wax in, over your spirit lamp i.e. cut down beer can with wire saucepan type handle attached.
14. Tripod to sit on if possible
15. Any old dental tools you can get hold of.
16. Small Water bowl for melt/pour exercise.
17. Old wooden or nylon breadboard or piece of perspex for working surface.
18. Plasticine not Blue tack, or Modelling clay.
19. 1 Small bottle of eucalyptus oil (for smoothing wax)

NOTE: Please bring all of the above items or you may have difficulty producing a satisfactory result.

Previous Workshops

Enamelling
Enamelling day - 1 March 2008
An enameling workshop was held at the clubrooms on 1 March 2008.
A total of 9 members attended and found that working bowls was considerably
more difficult than working flat shapes. The challenges faced by all concerned were met
with some original thinking and the experience of Annette Clarke from
the Central Coast Lapidary Club, who we were fortunate to have with us for the day.
By the end of a long day we believe that most of the participants learned a lot
and were happy with the end results.

Wax Carving Course!
Over the last three months Mark Young has run what has proved to be a very successful wax carving course.
All attendees were delighted with their result achieved despite their protestations about lack of talent.
Under Mark’s professional guidance all were surprised at their individual creativity.
The resulting pieces were beautifully cast at our November workshop.
Mark is prepared to hold further course/s in 2008 and Jean Macleay would be pleased to receive
expressions of interest from those members who would like to attend.

Enameling 20 October 2007

Kevin Davey reports that a successful afternoon on Oct. 20th was spent
with our junior members with Barbara Try sharing her knowledge.
Some interesting and outstanding designs were produced in a short time,
our juniors are very enthusiastic and keen to absorb all aspects of lapidary.

Here is a photo of some items created during the afternoon.

Our previous enameling workshop was held in the Clubrooms on Saturday 28th July 2007.
Six members and one visitor spent a full day experimenting with colours and shapes.
From all reports it was a great day with first timers quickly grasping the processes required
while those who had been before reinforced techniques in preparation for future workshops
where more complicated methods and different pieces will be attempted.

Precious Metal Clay

Members attending our last workshop were impressed by the techniques
and success they enjoyed, guided by our Instructor Margaret Lightfoot.
A lovely and informative book titled "Introduction to Precious Metal Clay"
by Mary Ann Devos has been purchased for the members
and is now available for use within the club
from the reference section of the club's library.

Last updated 29 March, 2008 5:33 PM