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Workshop Syllabus & Equipment/Tools/Materials Lists
As a service-to-the-field of metalsmithing, Marcia Lewis gives a variety of presentations on chasing and repoussé that can be as brief as a three-hour overview*, or a two-day, three-day or five-day hands-on workshop. Because a critical part of these workshops is the time she can spend with each individual student, enrollment should not exceed ten people (*exceptions are handled on a case by case discussion of needs). What follows are first, descriptions of these various workshops and second, lists of what the studio host should provide and what each student should bring.
THE THREE-HOUR OVERVIEW
PRESENTATION will provide students with samples of pieces to handle and ask
questions about. Design and use of hammers and the making of steel punches and
stamps will be demonstrated as well as their effect on sheet and cast metals.
Safety issues will be constantly woven into the presentation which will
culminate with a slide lecture.
The host studio should provide the
following items:
- a torch
- availability of electricity near where presentation is to be given
- slide projector with two empty carousels and a screen
- a large table covered with plain paper to display samples and write upon
- a demonstration table students can comfortably gather and sit around
- good lighting and ventilation
Marcia Lewis will use her TWO
DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOP to impart the most thorough introduction to the use
of chasing and repoussé into your current metal working skills. It is helpful if
you have taken a beginning metalworking course but it is not absolutely
necessary. This hands-on experience will enable you to continue on independently
and explore further uses of the tools you will make. She will bring numerous
samples and items to handle and examine and she will demonstrate the usefulness
of skills such as stamping, chasing on castings, die-forms and other limited
production ways of working. Safety issues will be constantly woven into the
presentation which will culminate in a slide/lecture. There is so much to see
and do in this brief time period be sure to come rested and prepared with
everything you will need. Asking questions and taking notes will pay dividends
in years to come.
First Day:
- Actual example pieces and samples for hands-on examination and questions.
- Introduction to setting up a pitch bowl and alternatives.
- Setting up a pitch bowl. Qualities of good pitch.
- The designing and manufacturing of punches and demonstration of their uses.
Qualities of superior tools and materials.
- Discussion of designing methods for good chasing and transferring images to
metal.
- Placing metal on the pitch bowl and beginning.
Second Day:
- Techniques in chasing on castings.
- Removing metal from the pitch bowl and removing pitch from the metal surfaces.
- Replacing metal on the pitch bowl for chasing and preventing air bubbles.
- Discussion about using die-forming and hydraulic press-forming as vehicles for
repoussé on a limited production basis, i.e. how to make a living using these
techniques.
- With time remaining, students will chase using punches they have made. Marcia
Lewis will chase on part of the design belonging to each individual and spend as
much time as possible to insure understanding and appreciation. A one-hour
slide-lecture will close the workshop following a brief period to account for
tools/materials and cleaning the studio.
Marcia Lewis will use her THREE
TO FIVE-DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOP to impart the most thorough introduction to
the use of chasing into your current metal working skills. It is helpful if you
have taken a beginning metalworking course but it is not absolutely necessary.
This hands-on experience will enable you to continue on independently and
explore further uses of the tools you will make. She will bring numerous samples
and items to handle and examine and she will demonstrate the usefulness of
skills such as stamping, chasing on castings, die-forms and other limited
production ways of working. The third day will be devoted to model making and
repoussé using hydraulic and/or Masonite die-forms. Safety issues will be
constantly woven into the presentation which will culminate in a slide/lecture.
There is so much to see and do in this brief time period be sure to come rested
and prepared with everything you will need. Asking questions and taking notes
will pay dividends in years to come.
Day One:
We will begin with examining and discussing the many examples and samples of
chasing and repoussé I shall have laid out on a large piece of plain paper for
the students. We will discuss methods of designing and model making and how to
transfer drawings to the metal surface. I will demonstrate ways to fill a brand
new pitch bowl and also discuss the characteristics of good pitch. I will
elaborate on the use of hammers and demonstrate ways to manufacture the steel
punches and stamps to be used and how to use them. The class will then break
down into smaller groups with one group using grinding wheels and belt sanders
to make punches and stamps while others will fill pitch bowls.
Day Two:
I will demonstrate various ways of transferring designs to metal and students
will begin to use the punches they have made to chase a simple form into a sheet
of copper. In the afternoon I will demonstrate various methods for putting
finishes on completed pieces using gravers, files, scrapers and flex-shaft
tools. During the last hour of the day I will show slides covering a history of
these techniques as well as a retrospective of my own work.
Day Three:
Students will learn how to make models for future work by using polymer clay and
a small toaster oven. Both Masonite Die-Forming and Hydraulic Die-Forming will
be discussed and demonstrated. Some students who are ready will transfer Celtic
designs, or ones of their own, to sheet copper for more complex chasing than
they did on Day Two. Others will be using existing die-forms or ones they will
make of their own to repoussé out forms to be filled with pitch and chased.
Others will be using their punches to chase upon cast metal pieces they have
produced prior to this workshop. During the last hour(s) of the workshop slides
of contemporary artists in chasing will be shown after a brief period to account
for tools and materials and to clean the studio.
Days Four & Five:
Students participating in a five-day workshop (or longer) will be able to ask
more questions, get more personalized attention, work at a somewhat more
leisurely pace, have more time to work to complete their designs and be treated
to some bonus information. Kumboo on silver pieces and using a torch to twist
and individualize steel punches are just two of many such bonus aspects of a
longer workshop period.
CHASING & REPOUSSÉ WORKSHOP -
STUDIO NEEDS LIST
EQUIPMENT:
- As many 1/2” bench grinders or belt sanders (220 or 180 grit) for making
steel punches as possible. 1” or 2” belt sanders with 180grit aluminum oxide
belts work the best. Each machine should have a tool rest properly adjusted
to 1/8”away from grinding surface. There should be one machine for every two
students attending the class to avoid the frustration of waiting in line and
wasting time. Remember clear Face Shields and good lighting are essential for
safety.
- Individual desk lamps. At least one per student.
- As many torches as possible for annealing & hardening steal punches and
copper.
- As many heat guns as possible. Two is minimum. Plus the electrical amps
to power them to run at the same time as the grinders and sanders. If need
be, to avoid breaking circuits, use heavy duty extension cords and pull power
from different breakers. It may have to come in through a window to another
room.
- Two regular 15oz. empty cans to quench and harden steel punches and
stamps.
- A chalk board and chalk.
- A table shear or several hand shears for cutting sheet metal.
- Mechanics Vices (at least one).
- A carousel slide projector Plus 2 empty (standard 80) carousels.
- A scroll saw (only if we are doing hands-on die-forming in this
workshop). Three or four inexpensive coping saw frames will do the job if a
scroll saw isn't available.
- A set of Steel Daps.
- A Hydraulic Press (only if we are doing hands-on hydraulic press work).
- Oven(s) which can maintain a low heat of 265° for hardening Polymer Clay.
A toaster oven will do but often gets too hot.
- In case students arrive without pitch bowls and/or hammers, have some 6”
or 8” half round, cast iron bowls with donuts available for them. The bowls
should contain either German pitch from Allcraft or Northwest Pitchworks
pitch. Please, no petroleum based product sold in a can. If there are
not enough pitch bowls to have one for each student, Please notify Marcia
Lewis for further instructions.
- Desks with adjustable seats to allow students to adjust for their
individual body types. The ideal posture is back straight, head up, elbows
down.
- Drill Rod: from ENCO Manufacturing Company, (800)965-5857. Order 0-1
Drill Rod at $1.50 for three feet. Cut into six 4” pieces per student.
#408-0009 = 3/16” and #408-0013 = 1/4” drill rod. * Marcia will provide this
item at cost, upon request.
- Bucket(s) of Sand: for slow cooling of drill rod after it has been made
into punches. Sand should be 5” or 6” deep. The bigger the class the more
buckets are needed.
- Face Shields: At least one per grinder/sander machine. Good clear plastic
is essential for safety and visibility.
- Flexshaft Machine: One is enough; set up at a bench with good lamp light
and a bench pin.
MATERIALS:
- One roll of absorbent toilet paper for removing pitch from metal.
- One package of jumbo cotton balls or cosmetic pads.
- A bottle of mineral oil from a drugstore.
- Delron Rods measuring 3/4” and 1/2” for making punches to sink Masonite
die-forms, we will cut these down into 4” lengths and shape them at the same
time we make our steel punches. (look under Plastics in the Yellow Pages for
a source). Get some 1/4” acrylic sheet out of the scrap bin for making
hydraulic press dies (optional).
- A table at least as big as a card table to be used for displaying
samples.
- White Butcher paper (or any light color) for covering the counter top or
table used for displaying samples and writing information for the students.
- A bag of quick setting cement or mortar mix from a building supply store
(to fill pitch bowls) not concrete. Quick-set concrete can be used but only
if we have a colander or mesh strainer of some kind to remove the little
rocks.
- Cheap Olive Oil (at least one quart) for quenching tool steel. Motor Oil
will work too.
** Workshops lasting less then 3 days duration will have to do some tool
grinding of punches and filling of pitch bowls before I arrive. All instructions
are contained in our book so ask Marcia to send a copy if you do not have one
available.
CHASING & REPOUSSÉ WORKSHOP -
STUDENT TOOL & MATERIAL NEEDS LIST
TOOLS:
- 1) a Cast Iron Pitch bowl. Half-round shape (any size 6” is standard).
Try to buy an empty pitch bowl and we will fill it during the workshop. Don’t
buy your pitch from the same place you buy your bowl (Allcraft Tools is the
exception, they sell German Pitch).
- 2) a Pitch bowl ‘Donut’. A 6” lawnmower wheel (Home Depot hardware store)
with the center removed makes the best donut. A sandbag will do okay.
- 3) Pitch Medium Grade. Petroleum based pitch known as Burgundy
or Swedish pitch is usually sold in a can and is dangerous to use.
It smokes, catches fire easily and if it gets on your skin it adheres there
causing severe blisters and burns. If you have such a product currently on
your pitch bowl we will remove it and put good German or Northwest pitch on
it during the workshop.
Purchase (order as a group to save costs) two pounds of pitch per 6” bowl and
three pounds per 8” bowl - minimum.
Medium pitch from Northwest Pitchworks 1317 Roland St.. Bellingham. WA 98226.
(306)715-1772. <gotovince@yahoo.com>
Or get German pitch from Tevel at Allcraft Tools (800)645-7124.
- A Chasing Hammer. Any style will do. Or bring a small ball peen hammer
(around 4 oz.)
- Magnifying Loops. Anything you have to ease eye strain will help your
work look better. I prefer ones that allow me to focus on the metal with my
head straight up on my shoulders. That’s a focal length of about 14 inches.
Even the inexpensive magnifying glasses you can purchase in a drug store help
a lot. Even young eyes will get tired.
- A Scriber. Something to scratch designs into the metal. An X-Acto knife
works well.
- A 1/2” Flat File. An old, beat up flat file (any size really) you will
only use on steel. This we will use to shape the punches and texture their
faces. If you have some needle file shapes you care to sacrifice to use on
steel, bring them too and we will try to make you your own makers mark punch.
- Needle or chain-nosed Pliers. A pair you don’t care about. I use old
fishing pliers.
- Eye Protection: Face shield or Goggles even if you wear glasses.
- Propane Torch. (optional based upon how many torches are available at the
studio) The ten dollar one from a hardware store will do fine. The studio has
torches, but to avoid waiting around, having one of your own is good. Check
with Marcia .
- Scotch Brite Pad for cleaning copper while working.
- Small 7 oz. Can . To hold punches with their faces up. No taller then 3”.
- Paper Dust Mask if dust from grinding steel is likely to cause you
discomfort.
- Pen & Paper for taking copious notes.
MATERIALS:
- 20 or 22 Gauge Sheet Metal. 2”x3” sheet of copper is great to learn on.
No thicker than 20 gauge.
For a nominal fee, the instructor will provide a kits containing:
- Steel for making punches. The toolkit contains 1/4" oil hardening tool
steel enough for seven punches. The cost is $3.00.
- Materials needed to make a Masonite die-form. The cost is $5.00.
There is no obligation to buy either toolkit.
* Feel free to contact Marcia at (562)498-0218 or send her a message anytime.
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