Wow, it's been far too long since my last Instructable. How's everyone doing? This Instructable's been on my list of stuff to to for a long time, and i've only just got around to it. Eh, well.
Mokume-Gane is japanese in origin, and is a composite material formed from layers of metal of various compositions fused (welded) together through heat and pressure. High heat means you don't need high pressure, high pressure means you don't need high heat.
The whole point of making Mokume is to make an attractive metal that can be made into jewellery, ornaments, etc.
It's offensively simple to make. The setup i used to make mokume for this Instructable only cost a few pounds. (I already had the gas and the torch. Yes, you have to buy them.)
There's no picture on this page because i didn't get a picture of the finished product. It's pretty though.
A brief legal note. I am not associated with T-cut, or whichever company it is that makes is, etc.
You CAN make Mokume out of coins, but in the UK it's treason, and in the US it's scarily illegal. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying don't get caught.
Mokume-Gane is japanese in origin, and is a composite material formed from layers of metal of various compositions fused (welded) together through heat and pressure. High heat means you don't need high pressure, high pressure means you don't need high heat.
The whole point of making Mokume is to make an attractive metal that can be made into jewellery, ornaments, etc.
It's offensively simple to make. The setup i used to make mokume for this Instructable only cost a few pounds. (I already had the gas and the torch. Yes, you have to buy them.)
There's no picture on this page because i didn't get a picture of the finished product. It's pretty though.
A brief legal note. I am not associated with T-cut, or whichever company it is that makes is, etc.
You CAN make Mokume out of coins, but in the UK it's treason, and in the US it's scarily illegal. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying don't get caught.
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Signing UpStep 1: Make the Stack
WE're using cupro-nickel and brass for this. These two metals create a nice contrast and weld fairly easily, and are also readily available ;0
The really important thing in the process is to get good welds, and to stop the hot metal from squirting across the shop. To do this, we make a set of pressure plates, to keep everything locked still.
To make pressure plates, get some thin steel strap or strip, whatever you want to call it, (B+Q for UK readers) and cut about 2.5 inches off the end. Put it back onto the strip of steel, and drill holes, for rivets to go through. I think the pictures explain this best. After you've got the drilled plates, assemble a stack of alternating metals. The metals you use must have similar working properties and melting points.
Put the stack onto the bottom part of the pressure plate, put the top part of the pressure plate on top of the stack, and rivet them together. This is actually qiute tricky. My best advice to you: Be Creative.
The really important thing in the process is to get good welds, and to stop the hot metal from squirting across the shop. To do this, we make a set of pressure plates, to keep everything locked still.
To make pressure plates, get some thin steel strap or strip, whatever you want to call it, (B+Q for UK readers) and cut about 2.5 inches off the end. Put it back onto the strip of steel, and drill holes, for rivets to go through. I think the pictures explain this best. After you've got the drilled plates, assemble a stack of alternating metals. The metals you use must have similar working properties and melting points.
Put the stack onto the bottom part of the pressure plate, put the top part of the pressure plate on top of the stack, and rivet them together. This is actually qiute tricky. My best advice to you: Be Creative.
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U.S. pennies 1981 and earlier are definately copper and not zinc.
On an interesting side note, a coin dealer in the U.S. told me that legally pennies are "tax tokens" and thus not covered under the defacement laws. And those laws about defacement are about changing the face value of a coin or paper scrip, to prevent fraud. It's technically legal to do these various things to coins and many cut-coin jewelry necklaces exist due to the specific nature of the laws.
Just a note. IT IS NOT ILLEAGLE to deface British coins. I know several people who cut out details for jewellery or punch holes through pennies to use as cheap washers. Same for most EU regions.
Please fact check.
-ABS Bladesmith
Aurora
Aurora
http://www.mokume-gane.com/Pages/What_is_Mokume.html
We were once camping right next to a rail-way track with trains going past every ten minutes, so armed with a 10p. coin (I would of used a penny/2penny piece but 10 was the smallest amount I had) put it on the track with a leaf covering it (there was a footpath crossing there) and so the train went over it and I now have a nicely squashed 10p. =) ...and I still have it.
-I thought it was only "treason" if you defaced it, then tried using it again.? -not that it matters anyway. =)
Here and here.
Then again, there are exceptions made for jewelry and such...
Sorry, 30 years (here), which means that most of the copper pennies are out of circulation.
I'm planning on making a forge, propane powered, lined with Kaowool, with an inner chamber of 6" x ~12" (I think). I'd already have it done, but seeing as I only have $30, and I need $40- $47 worth of Kaowool, and the high pressure regulator, ITC-100, tank (of propane), hose, valve, and fittings, I think I'm gonna wait until Christmas.
What forge do you use (what does it run off of, and how big is it )?