Machines in the Making

Spring is sprung and I have been busy...

After a fair amount of research I bit the bullet and bought a brand new motor and an inverter to make my own spin caster with. Now they are with an engineer friend who is making the adaptations I need. 

You might ask why I didn't just go and buy the machine ready-made… The reason is that I don't think you can! All the spin casters I have seen are either really small, for dentists, jewellers and war-gamers, and are designed to cast molten metal at high speeds, or they are much larger and more complex than I need, and cost thousands of pounds. (That was my experience anyway. I'm not sure if I want anyone to tell me anything to the contrary...) 

Above is the motor. Below is the inverter, which will control the speed and direction the motor shaft turns in and tell you the revolutions per minute that it's doing. My friend is mounting the motor with the shaft pointing upwards. On top of the shaft will be a fitting to hold on the aluminium disc onto which will be bolted the circular two-part mold, made in a spring-form cake tin.  That's the plan, anyway!

And I have bought a vacuum chamber (for taking air bubbes out of the resin). 

And I have bought some exceedingly expensive silicon rubber, some resin and some sulfur-free clay for the mold-making. I can't afford to get this wrong too often, not at the amount the rubber and resin cost! It's all taking for ever, but I am really looking forward to having a go at making the Twelvemo Figures myself, again, finally, at last….

Other News?

I am joining in a One-Day Only Pop-Up Shop at the Birdcage Pub in Pottergate (Norwich, UK) Saturday 5th April, with some bits and pieces of stuff… 

Bony bits of jewellery and  other interesting items including the most delicious-looking SKELLIE FRIDGE MAGNETS (Like boiled sweets!)

Some things have NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE and others are at REDUCED PRICES, so if there were some things you fancied but couldn't afford back in November you might be able to manage it this time.

And Finally...

Nah… There isn't anything else to add at present, so I'll bid you goodbye for now!

A Week of Shop-Keeping

Hurrah, I did it. And it was a laugh, sitting in the shop all week, if a bit chilly! 

The shop/gallery is in a pretty old street in a slightly shabby part of town, but let's think of it as a little bit 'Rive Gauche' `(as in Paris) rather than shabby, shall we?

It was in Nunns Yard on St Augustines Street: http://www.nunnsyard.co.uk/




 

Interesting to see what people liked, bought, thought about, talked about.  I had a couple of very interesting conversations with random passers-by. One was with a man who spent £3000 on a piece of art last year and hasn't told his wife, and doesn't know what to do with it (the artwork). And he thought my work was too expensive! (I had things from £1.00 up to £950).  And he kept asking 'What d'you do with it though? What's it for?' He got slightly annoyed with me because I wouldn't tell him how much my laser cutter cost. Bless him though. I can't tell you more or it might identify him and then he'd be in trouble with the missus!

 

Do visit my Etsy shop if you want to do some Christmas shopping. Or if you are in the ast of England come and see me and you can have a cuppa and browse the items in my front room!

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/Twelvemo 

  
How many of your 'rellies could you sort out for Christmas with a few Skellies? Or flat-pack snowflakes, candelabra and Christmas trees? Easy!

Bright Little Skellies £10 each  (3 inches)
Middle Sized white Skellies £30
Colourful Skull brooches £20 (not on Etsy yet, you'll have to private message me about these if you want one.)

Here are some photos of the inside of the shop and the goods for sale. 

 

 

  

 Christmas Skellie bauble £90, not on Etsy yet

 

Enlarged parchment roses... Well, why not? Eh?

 

 

 

Twelvmemo Glass Casts which are from an artist's residency I did for the Millenium!  Some one with exquisite taste bought two of these (£50 each, but she got a little discount, just a little one.)

People did seem to like these acrylic and mdf in-laid feathers and I sold several of these at £10 each

Simply haven't ever managed to get a good photo of this piece of work, so a couple of details are all I shall give you for the mo!

(It's the piece in the middle of the wall, below the beam in this picture. Trouble is there is so much mirror that you can't take the whole thing without being in the picture too, which ain't quite what I want!)

 

So, just thought I'd let you know how that went. Now I have done it I need to get on with a few other things. 

Like Twelvemo manufacture! 
And making a centrifugal casting machine! 

Went and spoke to a chap in a proper, clanky, messy, greasy engineering shop, out of town, where they actually make engines of various kinds. Anyway, I think I may have found the motor and interrupter that I need for my machine. 

I almost forgot to write this development up so if you read all the way this far I'd like to congratulate and thank you!

The motor is nice. Not too loud,  with a longish shaft ( the bit with red tape on sticking out to the left. The motor needs to be mounted to point upright.

 

The other thing, the interrupter, is way more expensive. That's the bit I really want. It will allow anything from 1 rev per minute, up to 3000 revs per minute, controlled by a dial that feels smooth and nice.  Have sent the info to my engineer friend who will help me adapt it. 

Will keep you posted on what happens next.

Don't forget to go shopping. You know it makes sense!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Twelvemo

Please spread the word! 
Please pass it on! 
Please show and tell! 

I am so sticking my neck out on this self employment lark I have got to make it work! You  people can help!