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Sawing is an easy-to-learn skill but you'll get much better with practice. This book started out as a sawing exercise, but, me being me, the sawing challenge turned into a book. Note, this should be considered an advanced project. The cover of this book took several days to make.

Technique

• Print the template onto sticker paper
  

• Peel the backing from the sticker paper and stick it to the copper sheet

• You will be sawing out the white sections of the template so use the flex shaft and 1/16" drill bit to drill holes in some of the white areas

• Saw out the white areas of the template. You may need to simplify the design a little in order to have a stable piece

• Use flat, round and other shaped files to file contours onto all edges of the scrollwork and the border of the design (you'll really appreciate the mini needle files for this job)

• Use the mini blow torch to color the copper the way you'd like it (and burn off the sticker paper). You may also want to color the white brass

• Use the center punch and rawhide mallet to mark places for rivets (the widest areas of the pattern)

• Use the flex-shaft and drill bit to drill one hole for a rivet through the white brass cover and the copper at the same time

• File the end of a piece of copper wire to a point

• Insert the wire into the hole you drilled previously

• File the end so that it's flat and cut off the other end of the wire so that it is sticking through the metal and about 1/32" is showing on either side

• On a bench block, use the riveting hammer to form heads on both ends of the wire

• Punch and drill another hole, prepare another piece of wire and repeat the riveting procedure.

• Now that you have 2 rivets holding the metal together you can drill several holes and make several rivets at once.

• File the corners round so that they aren't sharp

• Sand the piece using progressively finer grits of paper until the copper is the finish you want

• Assemble the rest of the book following the directions in the kit.

Questions about this book or any of the tools? Email Christine

Scrollwork Book 9/03

Materials:

• Original Metal and Leather Journal Kit
  Portrait, white brass, dark brown leather
• 1 pc. 20 ga. copper sheet 6" X 3"
• PVA
• Scrollwork Template
• Sticker Paper
• 14 ga. Copper Wire
• Polishing Papers

Tools:

• Flex Shaft
• Needle Files
• Mini Needle Files
• Flat File
• Center Punch
• Rawhide Mallet
• 1/16" Drill Bit
• Riveting Hammer
• Mini Blow Torch
• Bench Block
• Bone Folder or Folding Rib
• Large Eye Needle
• Hole Punching Cradle (or your favorite hole punching set-up)
• Awl
• Hand File
• Pencil
• Saw Frame and Blades

Find out how to achieve the color on this book cover our new booklet Coloring Base Metals: A Practical Guide by Christine Cox.

Christine Cox teaches metalsmithing and bookbinding classes in our Studio in Volcano, CA.