Working on the chain gang, yay-eee-yayyy

Goodness the weeks are flying by!

This week presented a few new challenges for us which I welcomed with my usual dose of optimism and eager curiosity. I’m here to learn right? just call me sponge.

Our first tackle this week was a mans ring with a low bezel set “diamond” read: spinell since we’re still too new at setting for anyone at this respectable institution to hand us anything of value. Some people are still hammering like cavemen with clubs. Its completely understandable.The ring itself had a nice design with lots of soothing rigid crisp lines and grooves. Easy to file=low blood pressure. We had to set two stones total. The first stone was the smallest they’ve tasked us with so far, which was a 3mm, and we had to make the bezel for it, set, finish and do a bright cut. Then we had to get it signed off complete, go back, heat the damn thing up and remove that one, make a bezel for the modest 5.25 mm, solder, drill the seat which consequently widens the hole in the base of the ring for the stone, set that stone, finish completely and then turn in. Which I think took me about 10 or so hours of class to do. Keep in mind we make nearly everything from scratch, aside from the actual ring. And with 17 people on two rolling mills, it makes sense. Plus ive never done that type of setting. But as it turns out , I prefer bezel setting to prong any day.

Project 2 this week, which is flowing halfassedly into Monday of next week is “Kim Kelly’s chain”. It’s a 31 (oval) link bracelet with a sister hook. Here’s what my project bag came with:

• three feet of uninteresting wire,


• one flat 1”x1” sheet of metal,


• a tiny dinky linked safety chain


• and a pattern for the hook.


• Oh and some metal tube for the rivet for the hook.

I wouldn’t say that I was “excited” about this project, but I understand in order to move forward in life, one must tackle some unpleasantries along the way. Chaing making isn’t hard. I’m not complaining about that. What I dislike about it is it’s small and its hard to clean up and polish. Oh and the links are small. And they’re hard to hold because they’re small. Small things are hard to polish. Small small small small. My hands are still recovering this morning from being clenched up for two straight days. Seriously.

With this particular bracelet, you had to take the three feet of wire, trim it into three 1 foot sections, anneal it and then wind up each section on your oval link mandrel WHICH I insert, we had to make before starting this project. Then you have to saw each link off, true them up, solder roughly half together, link them in groups, link the groups to other groups repeat repeat until you have formed a chain. THEN you get to clean the little small tiny chain up. Good luck I say. Good luck. I’m still in progress with the bracelet and will be assembling my hook and safety chain Monday. SO maybe by next week I’ll have a picture for you. But I’ve clearly decided that if anyone asks me to make them a chain (pay attention here) ever, its going to cost like, $300 just to get me to consider making it. If you’re ok with that, well then, a-chain-a-making I will be!
sister hook example.

Overall this week was pretty cool. We got yet another instructor, Real Doug. There are 2 Doug instructors in the building. Real Doug has been there longer. Faux Doug has only been teaching there a little while. This guy’s pretty neat in his own way. You can tell he’s been doing this for a long time just because he has a bench tip for everything. And he has more handmade and altered tools then regular ones. He’s a very steady and knowledgeable man and again, I’m looking forward to picking his brain.

Injury tally week 9: (the category has expanded to include other body parts)

• (karmic) Diagonal slice on hand with 4/0 saw blade while laughing at classmate: 1
• Hands atrophied in the clench position: 2
• Neck spasms due to hovering over small chain links: 4
• Wrist pings: 1,256
  
  
  I know I say this every week, but it’s nuts how much we’re doing. Sometimes its hard for me to wrap my head around this school and the fact that I’m finally here doing this. I could have made a better decision to throw caution to the wind and come here. Its like every single day I feel blessed to be surrounded by so much talent, so much love from my family and friends, the support. Its humbling me in so many ways. I am so grateful. I am so grateful. I am so grateful. I write this blog because of that.

Next week we move into the double digit weeks! Week 10! Dang!
Until next week, be well.