Photo trick

nhcowboy1961

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
174
Hi all, I just wanted to share something some members of the group may find useful someday. I make a lot of buckles and the clasp or even the curve of them make it difficult to have them sit straight when on a flat surface to shoot a photograph. I have some plasticene (oil based clay) I make little posts out of and secure to the backs of the buckles and push them down level in place to take a good picture of (not like my posted one :)
It works great to keep them level and not move around, and if desired they can even be tilted slightly toward the camera to reduce glare. In the past when I couldn't find my block of plasticene (available cheaply at a good art supply store) I made up some simple dough with flour and water to do the same thing-"PlayDo" would work too I suppose.
For a good positioning device to set odd angled ppieces at a level you want them to be it can't be beat! Thanks a lot and happy engraving.
Paul
PS: The buckle was just made today/yesterday and I like the scrolls to the sides-They were taken directly from Ron Smith's book of "advanced drawing of scrolls" - lots of uses for that book and if you don't have it it's a great addition to any reference collection and teaching aide-Thanks Ron!!!
 

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nhcowboy1961

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
174
domed brass center side note

I learned about making domed "things" at my GRS engraving course-such as the tiny brass center to the copper flower on my buckle. I use a brass dapping block with many different concave holes I got off eBay very reasonably. I use a circle temlate to trace the circle with a "Ultra fine Sharpie" onto my brass 22 gauge sheet and then cut it with my jewelers saw, then punch it domed in the dapping block

The tricky part is soldering it on the back. I use 220 grit emery sandpaper and with the tip of my fingernail drag it across to level out the base-as many times as it needs to get a decent flat surface to sit well and also solder well. Two ways I found to solder ("tin") the back. One is to use the same dapping punch you formed it with and punch a small depression into a piece of pine 2 X 4-soft enough to do that and readily available. Then I sink my domed half sphere into that-back side up and with my soldering gun (liquid flux rimmed around the top already) adhere a fine line of solder to it-being careful NOT to get too much on there and fill in the sphere as that will cause it to run when sioldered and make for a messy adhesion. It dioesn't take much at all.
The other way I do that being a lazy guy (or is that work smarter not harder?) is just to lay the piece on my soldering surface with the edges fluxed and with a very fine needle or pin ( I use a small welding rod ground to a point) hold the sphere down with the pin in the middle and have at it-that works well too.
To solder it to my piece I use a fresh rod with no solder on it already and smoothed well at the tip to hold the sphere in place as I use my torch to gently heat the solder to melting. I find optivsior magnifying glasses come in handy to know when it's melted and stop right away before heating up the entire piece too much-it'll happen anyway usually but I have a wet paper towel on hand to immeditaley quench the piece being careful not to move it as I do.
Paul
Paul
 

Ron Smith

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Apr 6, 2007
Messages
1,455
Very attractive buckle Paul.

Did you make that one as a practice piece? Buckles are good advertising. People notice them quickly when you are wearing them. Good conversation piece too, and you carry your advertising with you everywhere you go.

Unique and nice piece!

Thanks for the credit, and Your welcome.

Ron S
 

nhcowboy1961

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
174
Very attractive buckle Paul.

Did you make that one as a practice piece? Buckles are good advertising. People notice them quickly when you are wearing them. Good conversation piece too, and you carry your advertising with you everywhere you go.

Unique and nice piece!

Thanks for the credit, and Your welcome.

Ron S

Thanks Ron, it's quite a thrill to know you're in here and actually looking at my work, I'd better be on my toes, lol. That buckle is one of two ( a set) for spur straps and in a way it was a practice buckle since I was working out your pattern for a buckle set. I learned a lot-it was awesome to do; I was really "in the zone"! First one or not I'm happy with how it turned out all things considered. Buckles are great advertising-you're 100% correct about that. I've given a few to the PBR bull riders and they get seen wherever they wear them. I stamp my web-site name alongside my name so in a way it's a huge business card that won't get thrown away. One of the riders gave the buckle I made for him to his young son and he won't part with it for anything so that was a neat story to have him tell me-now he's ordering four more, one for him and others for friends :)

My style seems to be a blend of what I see and like-from bright cutting to gun style engraving, to traditional western imagery all thrown into the mix. In this forum I get plenty of inspiration and it's just awesome!!! Being inspired by other peoples ideas and working them out in metal I learn a lot and as is usually the case it leads me into another direction where my own style kicks in and it becomes something different in the process. I look though your book and dream up all kinds of great engravings yet to be made and utilized, and believe me there are zillions of "Ah Ha!" moments, thanks again, you'll keep me busy and inspired for life.
Paul
 
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