**Elk Ivory Ring Process Thread **
- Thread starter 25contender
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schlaggerman
Member
- Mar 10, 2011
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Obviously the wax for the elk's head and antlers was added to the basic ring wax. My question is how do you carve the elk antlers in wax without breaking them? Do you have a form you rest the wax against to prevent breakage? Would be interested in seeing that process.
- Mar 20, 2013
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Very good questions. The wax is actually a low temp plastic/ paraffin mix but they call it a high temp wax if that makes sense. It is tougher than it looks and carves nicely. It is the same pastic I use to do prototyping on my CNC. after the initial carving of the base I leave the Elk ivory in place. I then build up the wax with a wax melting tool to form the basic shape of the elk and the horns which hold the Ivory in place. The wax does not get hot enough to damage or mare the ivory. Then I use engraving tools of different shapes to carve away the unwanted wax from the model. I can get very detailed with the engraving tools. They are much like a gunsmiths manual engraving tools.
Once the carving is to my liking I then use a scalpel to detach the tips of the horns from the base so that I can remove the ivory. Great care must be taken as you don't want to break the horns off the elk carving while removing the ivory.
The ivory is the form as you want the carving to follow the same curvatures. You just have to use caution not to damage the ivory while hand carving the Elk image.
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wolftalonID
Very Active Member
What did you do??? Take the weekend off????? We want shiny object pics!!!!!! Its Monday alreadyyyy?
So any updates?
So any updates?
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
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Oh yea I was out scouting for Turkey Season this past weekend!! I don't work weekends anymore except in December. I will probably have some more pics tomorrow!!
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
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Well today the ring starts to look like a ring. As you can see it is quite the process due to all the hand carving and hand done detail yet to come. here is what was accomplished today.
1. After casting I soften the gold some by heating the gold to a dull red in color. Care is taken not to have a melt down!!
2. After softening the metal I bend the antlers out of the way for the fitting process of the Elk Ivory. You don't want to bend them to much just enough to fit the Ivory in place. There is a little shrinkage that takes place in the casting process so some metal is removed slowly for the fitting.
3. After fitting the Ivory in the mounting the Ivory is removed and the pre-polishing begins starting with the detail polishing at the bench then the polishing of the inside of the ring shown below.
4.After the inside of the ring is polished I then do a pre-polish on the outside of the ring. The final polish will be done after the Ivory's final setting and after the hand detail to the elk and antlers is complete.
1. After casting I soften the gold some by heating the gold to a dull red in color. Care is taken not to have a melt down!!
2. After softening the metal I bend the antlers out of the way for the fitting process of the Elk Ivory. You don't want to bend them to much just enough to fit the Ivory in place. There is a little shrinkage that takes place in the casting process so some metal is removed slowly for the fitting.
3. After fitting the Ivory in the mounting the Ivory is removed and the pre-polishing begins starting with the detail polishing at the bench then the polishing of the inside of the ring shown below.
4.After the inside of the ring is polished I then do a pre-polish on the outside of the ring. The final polish will be done after the Ivory's final setting and after the hand detail to the elk and antlers is complete.
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libidilatimmy
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
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After the pre-polish all the polish is removed and the mounting is inspected for any flaws. Now it is time to bed the Ivory. Believe it or not the Elk Ivory is fairly fragile so I bed the Ivory with a slow set epoxy. This not only holds the Ivory in place while I bend the 1.antlers back over the ivory but protects the edges of the Ivory. The epoxy cannot be seen.
2.Now that the bead of Epoxy is in place the Ivory is placed in position. The ring is flipped upside down and held with locking tweezers. The ring will set for 12 hours allowing the Epoxy set properly.
2.Now that the bead of Epoxy is in place the Ivory is placed in position. The ring is flipped upside down and held with locking tweezers. The ring will set for 12 hours allowing the Epoxy set properly.
- Mar 20, 2013
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Hilltop
Veteran member
I have never been a ring person but I think this is realy cool. I'm excited to see the end result!
- Mar 20, 2013
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Well today is the day when this project is finished.
1. This morning I finished the final setting of the Ivory. The horns have been bent back over the Ivory and another polishing was done to remove any marring from the setting process. You can see the entire ring is fully polished and ready for the detail and texture to be done.
1. This morning I finished the final setting of the Ivory. The horns have been bent back over the Ivory and another polishing was done to remove any marring from the setting process. You can see the entire ring is fully polished and ready for the detail and texture to be done.
- Mar 20, 2013
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Here is the final photos of Tim's ring which will be shipped out tomorrow. The detail and texture has been completed. I also darkened the Elk and horns a little to give it some contrast. I appreciate all the Stories and photos that were submitted to the give away and enjoyed doing the custom ring. I will be willing to donate another custom ring this year if the Eastmans wish to do it again this season. Good luck with your hunts this season!! Mark.M.
Timberstalker
Veteran member
sjsmallfield
Veteran member
tdub24
Veteran member
Amazing process, enjoyed following the whole time. Now I am going to look into prices on the world wide web to possibly get mine done. Well done Mark, congrats Tim!
- Mar 20, 2013
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BucksnBulls
Member
Thank you for including us in this remarkable process. Im not a jewelry guy but that I would wear!
Kevin Root
Very Active Member
That's simply an awesome idea and ring. Well done Mark and thanks for showing us the process and the transformation. It turned out beautiful and it is a piece of art.