Mike Robinson Making the Phoenix - a Mini Series

[klewis]

I just had to share these progression pics because I found it so interesting myself. Strictly speaking this is not the correct thread for this but I hope you'll be lenient, since this is more-or-less where it started.

I decided to include all Mike's photos and his comments but rather than do it all in one go, I thought it would be easier to spread it over 4 days.
There are about 45 individual pieces that make up this ring.


18ct yellow gold bar I used to make your ring from, your entire ring in this bar.



All the pieces I make start off in a square bar like this. This pic shows the first small piece of gold cut off to form the under bezel for your Spess

 

[klewis]

The first thing I always make when starting a project is the setting for the main gem, I very carefully trace around the stone and cut it out from a flat plate. Another way would be to bend up a piece of wire to the correct shape and solder the ends together to form the bezel, but by cutting out of a plate like this it saves having a join in the bezel and makes for a stronger piece.




Bezel cut out from the piece of 18ct.

 

[klewis]

The inside of the bezel is cut out to allow the stone to sit inside it.





Next I cut a bevel on the inside of the bezel to allow the stone to sit lower within it.

 

[klewis]

Now with the under bezel done I can start building out from it. This is the start of one of the wing pieces, I draw the shape on allowing a little room for final fitting.




then cut the piece out and start bending it to fit with the under bezel and also to form the dome shape I want on the final ring.

 

[klewis]

Next I cut out all the individual wing feathers ready to be soldered to the wing.

 

[klewis]

One of the wings with all the feathers soldered in place



This photo shows the wings set in wax, the wax hold the pieces safely while drilling the holes for the small sapphires.

 

[klewis]

This pic shows the back or inside of the wings after drilling holes for the pave work on the front.



I like to make sure my pieces look as good as they can from all angles so I finish the back holes by cutting small cells that give them a more finished look. This is done by inserting a small saw blade and carefully cutting on just the correct angle that opens the back without affecting the roundness of the hole at the front. If you cut on the wrong angle and cut into the hole on the front you will not be able to set a stone in it and will have to remake the piece. The difficult thing is you can't see what's happening on the front while you are cutting the back.

 

[klewis]

The inside of the wings, pre-polished before assembly.

 

[klewis]

Next I can start on the head, again by cutting it from a flat plate of 18ct.



cut a few lines in the head to allow me to put a tight bend on the piece.




I'll post some more tomorrow

 

[megeve]

Wow klewis, that is so interesting! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Treenbean]

I would love to be able to do that. Such fine work! What an amazing piece, congrats Klewis

 

[Kismet]

That is so neat. I love being taken through the process of making a ring.

 

[chrono]

Mike R. is truly a master craftsman; the level of care and detail taken in the process of making the ring is mind boggling. Thank you for the step by step of your ring. I look forward to reading this thread everyday as you update it.

 

[Aoife]

This is fascinating, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the process.

Klewis, do you know if he is using a pattern for each piece that he traces on the gold, or is he free-handing the design? In other words, does he have a paper template, or does he look at the original drawing and draw without having to trace around something?

 

[GliderPoss]

Wow this is terrific! Can't wait to see tomorrows pictures.... such amazing craftsmanship.

 

[Fly Girl]

This is a really great thread about your beautiful ring. Love it, and looking forward to future installments.

 

[klewis]

This is fascinating, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the process.

Klewis, do you know if he is using a pattern for each piece that he traces on the gold, or is he free-handing the design? In other words, does he have a paper template, or does he look at the original drawing and draw without having to trace around something?

Hello Aoife - I emailed Mike with your question. He said he works with the design drawing on the bench for reference but draws the design onto the metal, free-hand. He cuts the piece out to the outside of the drawn line so that there's room to fine tune the piece to the correct shape with a file.

 

[klewis]

Here's another installment of pics.



Once I had the piece bent to shape I soldered the cut lines back up and filed a little shape to the piece



In this pic is the beak for the Phoenix cut from a small piece of 18ct rose gold.

 

[klewis]

The beak is now soldered to the head.




To make sure once all the pieces are soldered together I end up with a pleasant shape to the ring I first made a wax model of a ring in the correct finger size to use as a guide. This is a similar method as when people papemache over a balloon and then pop the balloon to be left with a hollow dome. The wax will not be used to make any piece of the ring, it is just a form guide.

 

[klewis]

 

[klewis]

In this pic I have just soldered the wings to the underbezel, the wings become a semi bezel for the spess.

 

[klewis]

Underside of the setting.



In this pic I have tack soldered the head to the right wing, I can then bend it to the correct angle and solder it to the left wing.

 

[klewis]

This is the start of one of the tail feathers, first I will solder on the 18ct rose gold spine.

 

[klewis]

The piece is cut out and ready to be soldered to the feather. You can also see the back of the tip of the feather.



The first half of the feather is now soldered in place.

 

[klewis]

Once both halves of the feather are soldered to the spine I then cut the individual tail feathers with a 8/0 saw blade.

 

[klewis]

The tail feathers are then soldered to the head of the ring. Great care is needed during soldering as the heat needed can easily melt the fine tail feathers or let one of the previous solder joints come undone.



Test fitting to make sure I am keeping to the correct overall shape for the ring

 

[klewis]

I hope this isn't turning into too much of a marathon for you. I'll post more tomorrow.

 

[Imdanny]

Of course not! This is great.

I love handmade jewelry and seeing how it's done is very inspiring.

 

[virgoruby]

This is a fantastic thread! I look forward to the next instalment.
Mike is such a talented artist and craftsman, and you are so lucky to have such a wonderful jeweller, who is also local (right?) to you..

 

[JewelFreak]

I'm looking forward to more! Absolutely fascinating & informative. Can't help thinking about his process when he first figured out how to make this design. Thanks for posting.

--- Laurie