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.

News from one of our Wax Casting Workshops

We assembled, 6 old hands and 2 new chums with expectations of our normal routine – preparing,
investing and casting. The old chums gave Marijke and Effie plenty of tips and demos on
how we go about this and we progressed pretty much as normal until…..well one can only say
that Saturday finished as an hilarious farce. I was sure we had plenty of investment powder, but with
4 pots still to fill I was told we were running short. So the stirrers, Eric and Richard mixed all we had
left in the hope we might just make it. And there we were the stirrers, the pourer (me), the turner
(Barbara), the shaker (Bill), the marker (Bev) and rest of the troops all holding their breath as we
proceeded. We got to the last (Marijke’s). Not enough. We yanked it off its base, saved the mix
and the stirrers stirred while we put a smaller flask on the base and jammed it in. We repoured. Still
didn’t cover the wax. By this time we were all falling about laughing. But undeterred we yanked
it off again and luckily found it would fit into a still smaller flask. (The stirrers still stirring all of
us giggling) We poured again. It filled! But would it hang together, had the investment gone off too
much? We all went home wondering.

Sunday we felt would go as normal with the only concern that Marijke’s may not behave. But no,
there’s more! We ran out of oxygen. This shouldn’t have happened as the last bottle had had
very little use. However, with four pots to go Bruce and Tony sped up to Hornsby (thank
goodness for Kennards) hired another bottle and off we went again.

Herein lies the miracle! They all turned out!

This is Effie’s masterpiece.

It is a candlestick using seed pods, the sprue and sprue button. The
candle will sit in the pod on top. Have you ever seen anyone
use the whole of the casting before?
Isn’t it amazing what a novice can teach you!

Jean Macleay

Workshops General Information

Lost Wax Casting

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.

Wax Carving
Mark Young ran a series of wax carving lessons for us 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.
If another series is held next year a sheet will been placed on the notice board
for those who would be interested in attending, to add their name.

Beading
One of our talented members ran a wonderfull beading workshop.
This one day workshop was limited to 10 people and cost $10.00.

For future reference here are the details in case another day is held.

Please bring your lunch and a hand-towel along with a selection of beads
to make a necklace and 2 pair of earrings.
Beads can be purchased at a number of places including Spotlight & Big W.
There could be a nominal charge for other basic materials that the Club can supply.
Please contact Nivea for any additional information.
A list will be put on the notice board in the Cutting Room for those members
who are interested in attending.

Enamelling

Enamelling workshops have been run each year.
Members attending have sometimes 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.

Kevin Davey reports that a successful afternoon 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.

In an earlier enameling workshop members 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 precious metal clay 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 10 July, 2010 1:47 AM