What to do What to do

I have started this year being rather lazy and not working on any jewelery -  playing with paper and my cutting machine but other things are on my mind

I want to go to studio and play

I've ordered stencils for fusing, watching niobium anodizing videos (I've had the stuff to do this for over 12 years - so I want to get on this

and I am so interested in making my own metal stamps -   so today I ordered the tool steel
I had to find out what  O1  vs A2 meant when I called in  - so I ordered 3 ft of the O1 - 1/4" round  (oil harden tool steel - used for this type of work )  so here in canada the total came to 16.24   plus tax  for a 3ft piece cut for me in 3"  lengths (4" looks too long for holding control- but we will find out )  so that gives me 12 pieces to cut and play with

Evidently the tool steel comes soft  to work with  and I have watched how to harden the ends by torching them so they become non magnetic  and then how to harden the shaft without softening the design end that you have hardend  (you want the whole piece hardened so it does not shatter - that sounds dangerous)  I have to check in to kiln hardening the whole thing at once as that sounds actually better -

by the time I get to that stage I want to have some designs done at least on the tips

Yet another craft to take on but its needed to add to my own designs - if you can make your own punches I say go for it - and basically the price is right for me  as it works out to  1.35 each of raw material plus kiln/torch

picking up the pieces today - probably wont play till the weekend - and hoping maybe since its milder out I could make a trip to the studio

best part too is that I have all the tools - (or so I think) to start this project - so I only had to buy the raw material to start - we shall see -