Mental Blocks

I've always been a little ditzy, but as I get older it gets worse.  It's like my mind says...... I'm done thinking.  I won't do it and you can't make me.  (Hey, that's what my last piece of jewelry told me too...... must be a conspiracy.)

That's why I do something the minute I think of it.  If I don't,  the thought will be gone and it won't get done.

There are certain things that I seem to have a mental block about.  No matter how hard I work at it, I just can't seem to remember certain things . One of those things is the order in which to use the Tri-M-ite polishing papers.  (I do remember that green is first, followed by gray, then blue.)  The papers are colored as to their coarseness.  When sanding dry clay or polishing fired clay the papers are used in order from the coarsest paper to the finest paper.  

To help you see  if you've sanded enough, it is recommended to sand in opposite directions which each paper.  In other words, sand vertically with the first paper and horizontally with the next paper.  The third paper will be used vertically and the fourth horizontally and so forth.  

At the last PMC Connection Retreat at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, TN, Ruth Greening taught a class on using the Flex Shaft.   She provided each of us with a kit that included a set of 3-M radial bristle disks.  Inside the lid of the set was a chart showing the location of each disk, it's color and it's order of use.   When I sit down to use my Flex Shaft (I don't have a Flex Shaft but I'm having a mental block to the generic name for that tool.)  I always use that chart.  

At the PMC Conference this past summer, Rio Grande gave everyone a little packet of Tri-M-ite papers with an insert that explained the coarseness and order in which to use them.  So....... following Ruth's idea, I taped that little insert to the lid of my tool box.  Bam!  One less mental block to deal with.  Now, if all those blocks were that easy to solve.

The finishing touch

The Flex Shaft is a great tool (if you use it and I finally am.)

The past May I took a class at The PMC Retreat at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, TN.  It was a short class that gave us an overview of how to use our Flex Shafts.  (Seems I wasn't the only one to own one and not use it.)  Ruth Greening taught the class and made up kits that included rubber wheels, sanding drums and 3-M wheels.   Basically, the class consisted of us trying out the different wheels on a scrap of copper sheet.

My favorite is the 3-M wheels.  They are rather expensive and you don't use just one.  A minimum of three wheels are used on the mandrel that is inserted into the Flex Shaft.  Luckily they last a long time.

The wheels are used progressively from the coarsest (the white) to the finest (the green) to clean and polish the metal.

Another reason I like the 3-M wheels so much is that they don't hurt your fingers if you happen to hit them.  (Unlike the sandpaper wrapped around the split mandrel.)  I'm such a klutz.  

Where does the time go?

Life has been so busy lately.  I just noticed that it's been a long time since I've posted.  Sorry about that!

Grandpa helping Cody

We've been remodeling a couple of bedrooms and that's been taking up my time.  Then last Wednesday through Friday we were at Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio with my son and his family.  (This old lady can still go down a water slide and live to tell about it.)

It's not that I haven't been in the studio working.   But, what I was working on did not work out.  It's embarrassing to mention that I experienced one of those "Senior Moments" when I was planning my piece.

Captured Fire by Ruth Greening

For some reason (don't ask me why) I was thinking that holes would become larger when the clay shrank.  (The knowledge that we make rings two sizes bigger because of the shrinkage, never entered my head.)  I was trying a piece that Ruth Greening taught a class in at the Arrowmont Retreat.  (I did not take the class, although I should have.  Was a money thing!)

Now, I've  had three honkers of CZ's (12 mm in size) for several years and haven't used them yet.  (10 mm ones yes, but not the 12 mm.)  Her project looked like a good use for them so I went ahead (without any instructions) and tried to make one.  That was my first mistake.  The second mistake was thinking I could just go out and buy mini bolts and nuts.  (Nada on that one.)

So now I have three pieces of silver, two with holes in them (that are too small) sitting on my workbench.  Things are looking up though as I've ordered the nuts and bolts and can adjust the holes (but not without work.)

I'm also almost done with a piece I started in Linda Kline's bezel setting class at the 2009 PMC Conference at Perdue.  (Hey, better late than never.)  Will share a picture of this piece Thursday night as it should be done by then.


Also, bring on the hot weather.  My studio now has air conditioning.  (Sure needed it last summer...... hope this summer is hot too.)

The Big Finish

Jude Carmona testing out the 3-M wheels

Glenda Hinson showing off her Bling Ring after the Big finish with the 3-M wheels.

For me this class was the Big Finish; my last one.

Thursday night Ruth Greening taught a class on finishing metal clay pieces. The class was a chance to play with our Flex Shafts or Dremel tools and try out different finishing wheels.

I sold my floor loom a while back so I could buy a jump ring maker and a flex shaft. Also, got a book about flex shafts when I ordered them. It has nice pictures! (That's as far as I got.) Up to this point I was only using it to cut jump rings.

We got a small kit with several wheels in them so we could practice on a piece of copper before we used them on our silver.

I took only one heavy duty class (Holly's) this year. My other classes were not as intensive (but every bit as informative.) Two years ago I wore myself out taking heavy duty classes every day so this year I took it easy. (It was also easier on my pocketbook.)

Already looking forward to the next one.