Kelly Parkes
Member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 24
What would be the best way to do a transfer from a wax seal to get the clearest transfer?
Transfer from a Wax Seal
- Thread starter Kelly Parkes
- Start date
mdengraver
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
See sams' tutorial under Tutorials above.
Coat of Arms
Follow along on a 25-photo tutorial of engraving a signet ring. They're challenging, exasperating, require a different approach than what you may be used to, and they'll make you a better engraver.
Coat of Arms
Follow along on a 25-photo tutorial of engraving a signet ring. They're challenging, exasperating, require a different approach than what you may be used to, and they'll make you a better engraver.
Do you mean press a seal into sealing wax? If so, try Faux Wax. It works pretty well. Also, GRS Thermo-Loc makes really nice impressions, but only comes in grey.
Kelly Parkes
Member
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 24
Hello Sam. What I mean is sometimes I get wax seals from my clients (they have no photo), and my clients want me to hand engrave that seal from the wax seal impression on to a signet ring. I was wanting to know if there is a good way to do a transfer from the actual wax seal impression, so I can do a clear transfer on to the signet ring.
Doc Mark
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Kelly,
Although I have not done any signet rings, I've needed to work with fragile and sometimes soft materials. I would make a polyvinylsiloxaine impression of the wax seal and then pour up a hard gypsum casting. Normal plaster will work but it chips easily and details can be lost with even minor wear. There are extremely hard dental "stones" that are easy to mix and pour. This way the was seal remains undamaged. Anyway, then you can ink the plaster cast and do a scotch tape transfer. Or you could either photograph or scan the cast and run it through a computer printshop program to make it any size you want. Then use Tom White's "Transfer Magic" and clear acetate sheets. Look though the Forum and you will find several threads on this transfer technique.
Now if, on the other hand, you receive several samples of the wax seals, then I would sacrifice one by simply embedding it in a hard dental stone directly. When the stone hardens remove the wax with boiling water and then no impressions need be taken.
Good Luck, let's see your work when done.
Mark
Although I have not done any signet rings, I've needed to work with fragile and sometimes soft materials. I would make a polyvinylsiloxaine impression of the wax seal and then pour up a hard gypsum casting. Normal plaster will work but it chips easily and details can be lost with even minor wear. There are extremely hard dental "stones" that are easy to mix and pour. This way the was seal remains undamaged. Anyway, then you can ink the plaster cast and do a scotch tape transfer. Or you could either photograph or scan the cast and run it through a computer printshop program to make it any size you want. Then use Tom White's "Transfer Magic" and clear acetate sheets. Look though the Forum and you will find several threads on this transfer technique.
Now if, on the other hand, you receive several samples of the wax seals, then I would sacrifice one by simply embedding it in a hard dental stone directly. When the stone hardens remove the wax with boiling water and then no impressions need be taken.
Good Luck, let's see your work when done.
Mark
Jim Sackett
Elite Cafe Member
Hi Kelly
Years ago I used to do a lot of flatware engraving, I would layout and cut the first one and rub black litho ink into the cuts. Press this into some modeling clay pull it out and put the next whited up piece into the clay it would pick up the ink.
I don't know how your wax seal would clean up from the ink. That might be a problem. Other then that I think this method will work. Good luck.
Jim Sackett
Years ago I used to do a lot of flatware engraving, I would layout and cut the first one and rub black litho ink into the cuts. Press this into some modeling clay pull it out and put the next whited up piece into the clay it would pick up the ink.
I don't know how your wax seal would clean up from the ink. That might be a problem. Other then that I think this method will work. Good luck.
Jim Sackett
Kelly: Transferring a 3D design from a wax seal to a flat surface sounds difficult or impossible. I understand what you're trying to do, but in this case I believe the best course is to draw the design directly onto the signet. I don't know of a way to effectively transfer this type of design.
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Maybe try this?
A wax seal can be fragile... IF you can get multiples of the seal you are trying to copy, and IF the wax is suitable to burnout - then casting a positive out of metal would be my first choice.
Now you have something durable to work with. You can take measurements with out worrying, and you can press the positive into clay, silly putty, thermoplastic or whatever you have handy to get a GOOD look at what the finished intaglio should look like.
Keep in mind that the casting process may give you a positive up to 2- 3% smaller, due to shrinkage of the metal. Usually not important, but something you should be aware of.
Lotsa casting houses will perforn this service, and there are probably a few forum members who cast?
Brian Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA USA 95209
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
A wax seal can be fragile... IF you can get multiples of the seal you are trying to copy, and IF the wax is suitable to burnout - then casting a positive out of metal would be my first choice.
Now you have something durable to work with. You can take measurements with out worrying, and you can press the positive into clay, silly putty, thermoplastic or whatever you have handy to get a GOOD look at what the finished intaglio should look like.
Keep in mind that the casting process may give you a positive up to 2- 3% smaller, due to shrinkage of the metal. Usually not important, but something you should be aware of.
Lotsa casting houses will perforn this service, and there are probably a few forum members who cast?
Brian Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA USA 95209
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
Last edited:
Take a picture of it. Be sure it is actual size or manipulate it on the computer, then flip it over on the computer and print it out. You might then do a scribing on acetate to transfer it to the metal. You might have to play with this technique a bit to get a good transfer, but dust a little graphite into the scratched acetate and wax the ring you are going to transfer the design to. Rub over acetate with burnisher to make the transfer.
Hope this helps.
Ron S
Hope this helps.
Ron S
Mike Cirelli
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Kelly try modeling clay. Fill the wax impresion then pull it out then lightly touch it to the top of the ring. Talcum powder on the signet ring to engrave may help get a better transfer.
Kelly Parkes
Member
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- Jan 28, 2007
- Messages
- 24
Thanks for all your help everyone. I appreciate it.
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