Question: How to keep gold locket from denting?

[mgdesigns]

I have a lady's gold locket (antique) to engrave on the backside a 3-letter inter-twined script monogram. It's slightly domed, and only opens up 90 degrees. I am just wondering if there is some way to fill the inside carefully to keep it more stable when engraving, and not cause and dents or dimples.

I've thought of removing the inside frames and celluloids and filling with modelling clay, or beeswax. What would you do? The metal thickness is ok (I've done this before, but it was a heart locket and less prone to damage).

Thanks for the help, ahead of time.

 

[Sam]

I normally use Thermo-Loc, but if it's got celluloid inside (which many antique lockets do) then that complicates things. You say the metal thickness is ok, so if that's the case I'd probably form a Thermo-Loc holder for the outside and then be super careful with the engraving. Ribbon-cut monograms are also safer on thin objects than deeper brightcut script.

 

[mgdesigns]

Thanks, Sam. WOW the Imperial Leader has replied to my meager thread. Thanks.

I think I'll fill the innards with melted flake shellac after removing the frames & celluloids. Then I may use Thermo-Loc on a stick to hold the bottom and outside. I've done a few of these over the past 8 years, but being so infrequent, every time I have to re-learn the technique. The thickness is better than the new ones, but still, I'll be very careful to to go lightly. Thanks again for the reply.

And also - I have been using CorelDraw 10 for layouts as per your class, and got Harold's Fonts which make the whole process very quick to layout. That and the Magic Transfer solution from Tom, and Epson Transparency stock, I can almost act like a real engraver. If nothing else, it's therapeutic.

Best wishes to all for the New Year, from Nashville, TN.

 

[mgdesigns]

Well, I got it done. Not my best work so far, but the customer will like it. The flake shellac I melted into the locket halves broke loose after I started to engrave. And I could not do the whole job attached to the shellac on a stick. It broke loose too. I ended up having to use the pin jaws and padded low pins, and kept turning the workpiece so I could get clear of the tops of the pins.


What's the trick to get that stuff to hold properly?


Would modelling clay filled inside work to keep dents and dimples from occurring? Sure would be easier that melting that flake shellac.

Luckily I've taken up woodworking and the pound of orange flake shellac can be dissolved in denatured alcohol and made into good guitar sanding sealer and French polish finish.

 

[monk]

i use a 6" wide x maybe 12" long board. i use a similar board to roll the heated thermoloc into "sausages" of whatever size i want. i coated the boards with varnish or something like that. you can use a ladys' blo dryer to heat the stuff, but the small "sausages" tend to blow away. best way-- set your microwave on low heat, and slowly just bring it to a pliable, working state. be careful-- when at the correct work temperature, it can be nasty on your fingers.

 

[Scratchmo]

As for your question on the flake shellac... If you're having problems getting the object to stick, then heat up the object a bit. I have a round disc of wood covered in it and just use a large tipped propane torch to soften it up and then after I stick the objects in it, I go over and heat a bit to make sure it sticks. I sounds like Thermo-Loc is the way to go these days.

 

[mgdesigns]

The main problem I had with this piece was the hinge would only allow 90 degrees of opening. So I could not lay it flat, and I had to try to fill the side I was engraving. The melted flake shellac on the inside stayed put for about half of the monogram, then it popped loose. At that point I just wanted to get her done, so I used the pin jaws on the GRS MagnaBlock with short padded pins and a shim of thin leather below. After it was done, the customer was quite happy. Thanks for the replies. I love having this resource to check ideas and learn from. Thanks SAM for providing this to all of us.