Brooches

Project: Spring 2022 / Late 2022

Writeup: May 2023

It's circles all the way down...

This design started off as a present for Nana's 80th birthday. Then Mum did the classic "I want one of those too", so my contemporary jeweley line now extends to two total pieces. It's a brooch made from brass and copper tubing. All the copper is recycled from the occasional lucky street find. But people don't tend to use solid brass for plumbing so that is unfortunately prime virgin tube.

Brainstorming

I had the idea for the construction one afternoon and put together a collection of round sections to play with. This symmetric design was the one I went with for V1. Everything was cut with one of those screw-in pipe cutter things. I don't think it would work as well if you only had a hacksaw.

Design Variant 2

This is Mum's asymmetrical version which she specifically requested. Here you can see the construction process: the bits are arranged on a piece of silicone sheet and then I hot-glue around the outer perimeter to seal it completely. Then I mix some GFlex epoxy with black pigment and carefully pour it into all the voids. Not pictured are the tiny little notches I make on the bottom of each round bit so the whole epoxy pour is one big piece. When dry, the whole thing pops off the silicone without issue. Some isopropanol takes off the hot glue and doesn't touch the epoxy. No drama. Also not pictured is the little brooch pin I epoxy to the back.

Presentation!

Nana's one got a special presentation plaque (June Something Something Morris) and a cute little box that a knife came in. I feel completely vindicated in hoarding all the nice boxes in my little secret avalanche cupboard when I have to give someone something like this. I need to get a picture of them now, because they've both developed the most delightful patina after a few months of being mildly handled. Not gross green patina like a 2p stuck in the washing machine filter, a really warm reddish shine. Need to work out how to replicate.