Etched Copper Pendants

Finished my two dozen earrings with the etched formed and patina'd with liver of sulpher and dipped into the permalac ef

 so now onto  two dozen etched pendants

I took 2" copper circles and used my zentangle stamp and applied the stazon
Into the etch bath

Used acetone to clean off the tape glue and the stazon - then cleaned up with some penny brite.

I then used liver of sulpher to patina (make sure you use hot water , I am using something new a product called Grobet  Liver of Sulphu Extended Life Gel - Its a premix gel you add a dab -add your hot water. I use a cue tip and soak it and drag it down the piece - I get some nice colors .  Once applied when done wash off and dry.   I then used my dremal and sandpaper and cleaned the raised surfaces and back.

 punched a hole -

 I had to switch back from the hand held hole pliers (which I broke) to the  heavy duty hole punch - which I beleive is the best hole punch of all - I have one of just about everything and this is easy to use - less power of the hand necessary etc... I put it in my vice  (bottom handle) and I place my copper piece precissly where I want it and tap with my hand down - hardly any pressure



Once the hole is in I dapped them for effect using my Pepe large dapping set

I put a piece of copper wire in hole and dipped into the permalac ef to seal and hung on a rod to dry

 (I apply two coats)

Still Working on 2 dozen Etched Copper Earrings

Getting close to finishing the two dozen - but the studio is so hot and humid.


  I decided to change from store bought ear wires to handmade but I only had sterling silver  rather than fine silver. A little extra work removing firescale but worth it - they look much better.

still using the Ranger Patina's - love them  and they are dipped in the Permalac EF

The final ones I am going to use liver of sulpher to patina - I also bent them on the former  so tomorrow I'll finish them off 

Etched Copper Zentangle Earrings

Finally got all the earrings etched - the final 18 sets.

Started cleaning -

If you are working with copper - one of the best cleaners to make it easier is something called Penny Brite -
(forgive the terrible pics - it was so hot in the studio I was rushing)

 it does what it says - I use a toothbrush and just dip it in water and then into the penny brite and lightly scrub - you dont have to do too much more than that - then just wash off - especially when your making zentangle patterns - this cleans out the areas that have been etched out very easily

I still use the dremel and sandpaper to take off the stazon and it smooths the surface and takes off any burs

very dark and patina'd (before penny brite) 

less than a minute later - bright as a new penny 

I finished them all rather quickly (needed to I had sweat dripping off me from the heat)

I decided to mix  the colors of the ranger patinas just to see what would happen 

I lay it on heavy so that I get it in all the grooves 

I put a drop of one colour and then another - then used the cue tip and dabbed till it was covered 

 Then I used my dremel and sandpaper and sanded the raised areas  (terrible pic) but I liked the results

I forgot to punch holes so I put them in and cleaned the backs and dipped into my permalac EF and left them to dry - I'll dip in the morning again  and put on my earring findings.  I think I am going to change the store bought ones for silver wire ones that I will make  

Hadar Jacobson Metal Clay - New News on my "About Face" piece

Hadar Jacobson called me to day and asked that I send a pic of my Clay face I made in Class ( I took a class at Bead FX at the end of  March this year) as she is going to include it in her new book -   Very Exciting News.   I'll have to go home and find a good copy or retake and send to her tonight so she can meet her deadline.

Batch 1 - Finished Zentangle Copper Earrings

Took the unfinished and cleaned them up using the dremel and sandpaper  and filed the edges with a nail file and prepped them for a patina.

I decided I wanted to try the ranger patina's I got at the Toronto Bead Society in the spring.

Here are the first colours I used.

Well here they are - they turned out pretty well.

I used a cue tip  to dab it all over then used my dremel and sandpaper to sand off the raised areas and then dipped them in the Permalac EF  let dry and then dipped again.

The patinas are sort of like enamels and easier to work with.

so six sets of earrings down, another batch etched and tomorrow I hope to have the final batches done and  another six sets  finished tomorrow night 

Batch 2- Etched Copper Zentangle Earrings

Got home and put a batch in so I could have them out by 9pm

again unfinished - right out of the acid bath, still with the stazon. To clean up tomorrow

Etched Copper Earrings using Stazon - Batch 1

Out of the Ferric Chloride - Took only 1-1/2  waiting to be cleaned up tonight-  My previous ones I left longer and had a dep etch which caused problems cleaning - deep means rough sharp edges to try and clean and when they are patterns its really hard.

These are right out of th acid, washed in a solution of baking soda and water to halt the etching acid and then washed under clear running water.  The stazon is still showing and the copper after a night of sitting is starting to patina on its own.  I'll clean with acetone then start to file any rough edges and use a wire brush, stel wool and then put a hole in them - Patina will come after cleaning and I'll decide then what I'll use.

I have to decide on what will be flat and what will be formed , the colours of the patinas etc..