Ramblin' Dan's Workshop Blog
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Ramblin' Dan's Workshop Blog
A Familiar Ring
I am presently working on hand carving an Amateur Radio callsign ring for myself. This a really wide band style ring 13 mm wide. My callsign is W5EHS. It wont be something I wear all the time but it will flash a little bling at ham radio activities. It is also intended to be some advertisement that I make call sign rings.
Here you can see how I hold the ring when I am carving it. This is 100% hand carved and not made on my CNC mill. I admit the mill will make a lot more accurate design, but it would not have the same feeling (spirit) as being hand carved.
The letters are close to being as I want. I my want to lower the height a bit more. I am also contemplating a little more detail on the back side. Maybe an inscription of some kind.
As I have said many times, I really enjoy the wax carving and also the lost wax casting process that turns my designs into solid silver.
Comments 1
Update 3/27/15
The ring is in the kiln stage with the flask soaking at 1350 degrees Fahrenheit for the next three hours. The casting will be poured about noon time. I like this first high energy very hot stage of the process. Nothing for me to DO actually, but a long wait. The kiln is controlled by a processor in a very defined heat up and then cool down to casting temperature (800 degrees). Some of the fantasy or magic with LWC (Lost Wax Casting) is working with the high heat... born from the fire, kind of thing. Next is melting the silver into its fiery hot liquid stage. All a centuries old process. There is definitely a mystique.
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