{"id":106,"date":"2009-02-24T02:21:30","date_gmt":"2009-02-24T06:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/patpruitt.userblogs.ganoksin.coms\/?p=106"},"modified":"2009-02-24T02:21:30","modified_gmt":"2009-02-24T06:21:30","slug":"sometimes-fear-is-all-you-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/patpruitt\/2009\/02\/24\/sometimes-fear-is-all-you-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Sometimes fear is all you need…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Personally, I try and approach these show pieces as creations that truly flex the skills.\u00a0 Riding the edge of impracticality, form v.s function, and all that other art school rhetoric.\u00a0\u00a0 At the same time, building something memorable and stunning….this time, the flexing of the skills came with something we all take for granted…polishing.<\/p>\n

This go around I was perplexed what to do, I wanted to build another vessel but in a fashion that I had not tried before.\u00a0 This time the piece resulted as a bowl, raised anticlastic style (this is open for interpretation) but super tricked out with hot rod flames…a Hot Rod Fruit Basket if you would….<\/p>\n

Cutting the shape was “fairly” easy, about 5 hours on the CNC, not counting several days on tweaking the design.\u00a0 After the shape was cut (approx 16″ in diameter) the next task was to carve into the 1\/8″ thick stainless steel plate to give the flames more body, making them three dimensional if you would.\u00a0 I gotta say, I’m pretty lucky I get to use air grinders on my work, nothing more satisfying as seeing metal being removed with sparks and what not.\u00a0 From here came the never ending hand sanding to remove all the grind marks.\u00a0 It then occurred to me, polishing this thing is going to be one super scary endeavor.\u00a0 So the next step, before any raising was to commence, was to polish the flat, carved plate to a flawless polish.<\/p>\n

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” – FDR<\/strong>
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I gotta tell you something, polishing this evoked a never ending, god instilling, honest to goodness FEAR!!!<\/p>\n

I have been polishing in one form or another, either professionally, or just goofing around for about 20 years.\u00a0 I know what a polisher can do….I also know what it can do when things go wrong.\u00a0 Having seen first hand what kind of damage a flung piece of jewelry can have on the body, in addition to the many stories right here on Orchid of mis-haps on the buffer.<\/p>\n

Now imagine holding a piece of sheet stainless 1\/8″ thick, 16″ in diameter, that, at this point, looks like a ninja star from hell, and approaching a buffer equipped with an extended spindle turning at 3400 RPM, with a ton of edges for that 6″ muslin buff just waiting to grab a hold of and fling into my jugular vein…I proceeded with caution.\u00a0 I was scared, and this wouldn’t be the first time on this project….<\/p>\n

Hands gloved with fingerless gloves (yes, I know this isn’t recommended, but I needed to hold this securely, and my hands were no where near the wheel, and in my opinion was the right choice) the journey began.\u00a0 Concentrating, using immense body control and embarking on the first aspect of this polishing job, it began.\u00a0 8 grueling hours later, it was over…I was spent, I mean exhausted..that was that for the day, I called it an early night and was grateful I pulled this off…for now…<\/p>\n

The next day came the raising, not too much excitement here, but watching the vessel take shape was amazing, I kept thinking of all the old smiths and their trials and tribulations as they created their master pieces…not that mine will be any where close to that, but that’s all I could think of.\u00a0 A leather covered mallet, along with sand bags, and leather covered stakes brought the vessel to form…A hot rod fruit bowl with integral legs (this was the anticlastic part).<\/p>\n

Now the second phase of polishing came…so instead of a ninja star from hell, I had a bowl of death, just itching to be flung accross the room…or into my chest.\u00a0 Again with the gloves and a small 4″ wheel, the final clean up and polish was done…this time only two hours….luck me.\u00a0 After the polish, simple edge detailing was given to the piece and a good cleaning.<\/p>\n

All this, for something that is somewhat practical, but in my mind a stunning piece worthy to show the world and be judged…I still have not conquered my fear…but I do have respect, and more importantly the experience with this particular machine has paid off….I do not recommend an inexperienced metal smith attempt this.<\/p>\n

Enjoy….<\/p>\n

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