Copper forming

[Jim Kelso]

Although this technique is not carving, I doubt the purists will object too strongly.

Here I have formed a frog, mostly with hammer and punch. Please feel free to jump in at any point with questions/comments.

 

Here is the finished piece in context on a carved Ebony box lid.

[Jim Kelso]

I started off by sinking a dome shape in a hardwood form with a wood punch. This is the quickest way I know to get this initial mass of the desired form up and out of the gate.

[Jim Kelso]

These pics show the initial refinement of the lumpy dome into the form of the frog, mostly with punching into pitch from the top. I did do some punching from the back to get the height of the one rear leg.

[Guest ford hallam]

Dick, the term "hatasu" I mentioned earlier refers to that natural, untouched, slightly orange peel effect you can discern inside menuki and clasp fittings.

[Guest ford hallam]

P.S. Jim,

 

thanks for the phone call earlier from Jean and yourself, as always, considerate.

It`s appreciated, especially right now.

 

regards, Ford

[Dick Bonham]

Thank you Jim and Ford,

Jim,I can't wait to see the rest of the frog tutorial. Ford, thank you for sharing your hard learned knoledge with us. I have learned more from you guys than you can imagine and I have been doing this stuff for almost forty years. Thank you both.

Dick

[Jim Kelso]

Ford, glad we got the chance to talk. It's been too long.

 

I remember the "hatasu" on the inside of the silver kagamibuta. It's a most beautiful visual effect, incidental to the intended goal of raising the form, but indicating immediately to one in the know how it was done.

 

Dick, I'm glad you enjoy this stuff.

 

Here's a shot of the sawn out form.

[sergey_osipov]

Jim,

 

This amazing to see the birth of the frog from the flat sheet of the metal!

 

Thank you for sharing!

[Tim Blades]

I have always wondered how far back piercing saws go. I know you can chisel cut out a piece but it makes quite a mess of the edge, anyone know? For instance in this piece it would warp it .

 

Tim.

[DanM]

Jim, what thickness of metal are you starting with? and what is the length of the finished frog?

 

Tim, i believe metal piercing blades like modern jewelers blades have been availible since around 1750,most likely further back in some fashion.

[Jim Kelso]

Tim, that's a good question. I've wondered about that. Never found a solid source for the answer.

Might find something in Diderot's Encyclopedie. I'm glad we have the modern ones available. I get a lot of mileage out of them.

 

Dan, the length from nose to bum is 25mm. I started with the thickness at 1.5mm, which was probably a little over thick, but I'd rather have a little too much than a little too little.

 

Here's a shot of my pitch-bowl setup. You can see more about pitch in Tools & Technical under the topic "resin bowls".

 

Also a shot of the eye-swells and the punch that made them(used from the back again.

[Dick Bonham]

Hi Tim,

In the book "Japanese Crafts, Materials and their Applications Edited by B. Hickman" 1892 and 1915, they discuss the piercing of tsubas. A thin wire coated with wax and a hard stone powder was used to do the fine piercing work. I am very happy we can use saw blades.

Jim, The frog is looking great.

Dick

[Doug Sanders]

Jim- that's been really helpful for a non-metal worker like myself. It'll add to my knowledge of technique and heighten my appreciation of the craft.

One question- piercing saws? I take it you're not refering to a jeweller's fret saw, but something different? like a miniature keyhole saw?

I think such a tool might be useful when cutting inlays...

 

-Doug

[Greg Delaunay]

Thank you for sharing, Jim!

(I like the texture of the leaf too)

The last year, a friend gave me a box, it belonged to his great-grandfather : this box contains approximately 700 different tools for embossing, manufactured by this man himself for his job! What a great present!!!!

[Tim Blades]

Hi Dick,

I have a copy of the Japanese Craft materials book, I suppose I should read it !

I can't believe how many times I have searched for a formula or technique and after a lot of hard work have later discovered that I already have it

 

Tim.

[Ekrem]

Hi Jim,

 

A fine piece of work, and very comprehensive explanation. Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

Best Regards

 

dagistanli

[Jim Kelso]

Jim- that's been really helpful for a non-metal worker like myself.  It'll add to my knowledge of technique and heighten my appreciation of the craft.

One question- piercing saws?  I take it you're not refering to a jeweller's fret saw, but something different?  like a miniature keyhole saw? 

I think such a tool might be useful when cutting inlays...

 

-Doug

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes, Doug, I just call it a jewelers' saw. I've heard the term fret-saw, but not sure what it refers to in this context. here's a shot of it(and me) in action.

 

Greg, that's a great gift. You couldn't buy such a thing.

[Dick Bonham]

Hi Jim,

I like your workbench. Did you build it? The circular shape with you in the middle looks like it would be very functional.

Dick

[Jim Kelso]

Hey Dick,

 

I did build it, thanks, after a nasty fire that toasted the legs off my last one.

The surround idea is just carrying a traditional jewelers' bench somewhat further. I like having my elbows supported during a lot of operations, especially chasing large areas of texture and the wrap-around is helpful, plus tools seem more easily at hand.

 

The surface is a textured faux-slate Formica. It's a nice background to look at work against. tools are nicely visible on it and there is no glare coming back into your eyes from the lighting source. Also the texture keeps tools from rolling around as much as on a smooth surface.

[Doug Sanders]

Thanks for the picture of your jeweler's saw. The one I've got isn't the best quality and keeps causing me hassle. I'll keep yours in mind when I go shopping for a new one.

[Jim Kelso]

Greetings Jim,

 

as you suggest, the initial volume of the intended shape is indeed created by pounding up from behind, using wood or horn punches. As you`ve done , a wooden die can be utilised, a lead block ( with a covering of plastic sheet, to avoid contamination ) or a sand bag. Incidentally, panels and other relatively flat items can be created by working solely from the back, and with steel tools, this is called "ura-dashi", ura , meaning "the back". The effect on the front, particularly if the metal was previously textured etc, can be very elegant and has a soft feeling.

 

One point I must make however is that in uchidachi the shape is initially defined by working the metal in from the sides, with the tools attacking at an almost horizontal angle. This is how menuki, and Dicks clasp, end up with such defined and vertical edges. If you only work by pushing the metal back you will inevitably strech and thus thin it. By compressing the metal inwards towards its final shape you actually thicken it and create that nice full effect.

 

I am not knocking your approach, it was absolutely appropriate for the result I imagine you wanted. Perhaps part of the misunderstanding of the terminology comes from what you`ve been told about the meaning of the word "uchidashi", "Uchi", means strike  ( we can assume in this instance, with a hammer ) but "dashi" does not mean down, it actually means "emerge" or "to put out", the suggested meaning is therefore slightly different. The form is really worked up, even though it all happens on the front, the form is slowly nudged up out of the sheet. 

Sorry to be so pedantic, but it`s part of my job

 

Dick, the term "hatasu" I mentioned earlier refers to that natural, untouched, slightly orange peel effect you can discern inside menuki and clasp fittings.

 

as always, Ford 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Quite right Ford. With all that, it looks like my frog is not uchidashi, or is perhaps a limited form. I did in fact push the sides in as well as down. Not sure what it would be called in Japanese. Sorry if I've misled anyone. I've edited the post taking this into account and left Ford's comments, as they are instructive as to the difference between my approach and that of full uchidashi. Hopefully one of us will make a piece, photograph it in progress and present it as the truely wonderful technique it is.

[Dick Bonham]

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the information. I have a huge old office desk that is my workbench with a 2"x3'x5' solid top that I could alter. What is the diameter if the circle on your desk?

Dick

[Jim Kelso]

Hi Dick,

 

It's about 18" diameter. If I had it to do over again, I think the only thing I would change is to wrap it even further around, and make the curve slightly spiraling so I could adjust it's tightness to me depending on where I am. Also, I don't have as much leg room underneath, because I put the legs too close to the perimeter. Live and learn, eh?

[Dick Bonham]

Tim,

Here are several types of jewelr's saw frames. I use the middle size for most of my work. I find it makes getting the correct tension on the blade easier and lets me cut wider material without changing frames. I have only used the large frame a few times but it's handy when needed. The blue wax makes cutting easier.

Jim,

This is my bench. I have 20" between the drawers. I think cutting a hole may work. Thanks.

Dick

[Jim Kelso]

Dick, you could also build a new top that extends out a way from the front edge of your current top, thereby not loosing a lot of surface. Not sure if that matters.