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Titanium Cup Bangle |
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Ok, so these are not ground
breaking techniques, but this is how I do it. Keep in mind that this works for
me and might not necessarily work exactly the same for you. Having said that,
you are welcome to use this information as you wish and you also welcome to
e-mail me with any questions. |
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I use pink dental wax as my base
layer for all bangles of this type. 1.7mm thick… I love the stuff, especially
when you work under hot lights. It becomes almost like putty and you can mould
it and form it really easy. The blue is wax wire 8 gauge or about 3.5mm in
diameter. |
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I made a Brass mandrel bigger than the shape of the bangle that I want. The
reason is that it is always easier to size something down than
up…. I tape paper around the brass mandrel and then I …. |
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Gently file the excess off. |
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The pink Dental wax sheet is
then slightly warmed under a light and is formed over the mandrel.
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The Titanium cup is pierced out of plate and formed to the shape that you
want. This is a cup, but it could be anything your good friend with a
hydraulic press can make for you. Also, I like to finish the titanium to a
high degree, and even get it to the colour that I want, because I remove it
from the wax before I cast. In the old days I used to cast it in place, but
unless the design calls for that, I don’t anymore. It is a major, major
mission to finish titanium off after it has been in the burn-out oven. This
is not to say that it can’t be done. By definition the blue colour which is
brought on by heat is subject to wear. So normally it has to be recessed or
protected in some manner. |
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The first wax wire holding the whole catastrophe in place (grin)
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Lots more wax wire. All the
outer wax wires are fused onto the pink wax. The reason for this is because,
if you don’t the plaster gets in between and causes a lousy join between the
two waxes. That leads to lots of fixing up, or even rejection.
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Side note: I use one of those trigger electric solder guns. I have modified
the bit and replaced it with fine silver wire. I know, it’s heavy, clumsy,
cheap and nasty, but it supplies heat in industrial quantities…and in short
bursts. |
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Cutting away the excess wax |
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Now I have cut away the excess wax and when I remove the tape at the bottom
of the mandrel, the paper slides off without the wax sticking to it. It is
then easy to peal the paper off from the inside without damaging or bending
the wax. I sprue up and cast…
and finish off the Bangle |
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The titanium gets polished and rouged and the cleaned to medical standards.
If it has but one spot of dirt on it, it will leave an imperfection on the
surface. Then I heat it with a bushy flame—SLOWLY, until I have the right
colour.
Then I quench in water, as this stops the
colouring process without affecting the hue. |
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Final product---and sold to a really cool guy in the
Music bizzz!!!!! Yeah…. |
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Even though this is a free Tutorial, there remains a contractual obligation to the
intellectual property of Hans Meevis. It is not permitted to copy this tutorial content in any manner whatsoever,
be it in print or otherwise, nor be published online regardless as to whether a back link is included. |
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