Rotating Rings on the Rise

Hello all!
Well, poor old Mr CAM hasn't had a look in over the last couple of weeks, the main reason being that we're just so bloomin' busy! Between sending out huge orders of Kilt Pins and getting our Caledonia Gold out to shops, not to mention the odd rotating ring!
Yep, Rotator Season is here again and I'm so glad as they're my favourite thing to make. For those not familiar with Rotators, read Fidget Ring of Spinning Ring or, check them out here. They have a central gold band which rotates inside a contrasting coloured band, like so:

0145R: 9ct Gold Rotator - Yellow Celtic Decoration on White Inner/Bands.

Cool, eh? Well, I like 'em - They look even smarter in 18ct gold, the larger contrast between the white and yellow metals means they look even bolder. Plus they're fun to play with!

Next week I'm going to have some pictures relating to our new Caledonia Gold range.

Ta for now,
S.

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Scottish Jewellery Made Easy (Well, sort of!)

Ok, here we go! I've gotten my act together and have some pics of our new Roland iModela Milling machine in action. along with the results. I'll combine it with a (very!) brief overview of the processes involved in CAD/CAM design, in this instance of a small charm that we'll be using in our new product: Caledonia Gold.

Step 1 -Make a 3 Dimensional model in software (in this case Rhino.)

As you can see, it's a small, D-shaped bar with "Mo Ghaol" (My Love) engraved into it.

Modelling time - around 25 minutes (I'm getting quicker - the learning curve is pretty steep!)

Step 2 -Render the model.

This is really more of a check to make sure it's not gone completely wrong!

Render time - a matter of seconds (but this increases with the complexity of the model.)

Step 3 - Load 3D file into Machining Software and create toolpaths.

This is where we set up the software which drives the Milling Machine. A toolpath

is just what it sounds like - it's where the software is going to tell the Machine to move the tool on

our piece of wax and the toolpath is generated almost completely automatically - very clever!

Toolpath creation time - approx 1 minute for this, but as above, this increases sharply with model complexity.

Step 4 - Simulate the output.

Geek-speak for click the button that shows you what your final piece will look like. This is immensly

useful as it lets you know very accuratley what you're going to get (ie, a lovely piece of jewellery or a pile of wax shavings!)

Step 5 - Send your toolpath to the machine.

Once the machine (isn't it dinky?!) has had all it's coordinates  adjusted and set to 0,0,0 (x, y and z axis) it's just a case of pressing a button and the toolpath is sent from the PC to the Milling Machine (via standard USB cable.) Queue massive amounts of whirring and buzzing (and the odd nervous bead of sweat...)

Step 6 - The initial cut.

As you can see, the initial cuts are for getting rid of the bulk of the wax before it gets into the nitty-gritty of carving out curves and letter, etc.

Note the green fan pushed onto the bur - as the bur spins (at around 6000rpm) the fan blows the debris out the way - nifty but not especially effective!

Step 7 - The nitty-gritty.

 You can just about make out the lettering now - it's all there it just needs a wee blow from our compressed air line.

Step 8 - Say "Woah, cool! I can't believe it can actually do that!"

That's what I do anyway but I'm a simple soul. This is just about ready to be cast - all it needs is to be cut out of the block of wax and have a sprue attached.

Total cutting time - a measly 27 minutes! I'm still stunned that it can reel stuff like this off so quickly.

Step 9 - Cast, rub down, polish. (The bit we're good at!)

 ...and in this case, attach a fitting to one end and solder a matching piece reading "My Love" to the reverse.

Easy-peasy! A few more hours modelling practice and some smaller burs and we'll be laughing.

Ta for now,
S.


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Hooray! New toys for Wallis Hunter!

Well, our little Roland DG iModela milling machine has arrived and it's very, very sweet!
The dinky little machine has been the cause of much excitement here in the Carradale workshop not to mention a lot of whirring!
Here's a standard press photo for now but once it's FINISHED MILLING I'll plug the camera in and take some pics of it at work.

It's currently machining out some wax to give us a new celtic pattern for a ring, perhaps for our amazing new range, Caledonia Gold which incorporates Scottish Gold!


We've just gotten word from the Edinburgh Assay Office that our new stamp for the Caledonia Gold has been made, so we can finally get orders shifting out the door! Hooray again!

Anyway, I've got a casting to do (it seems that jewellery casting is a fine place to be at the moment, all those Scottish Jewellers must be having a whale of a time!) and, as always, a machine to sort (this time, fitting a new pressure switch to out mega air compressor - we can't get cross at it though because it runs all day, every day and doesn't even stop for lunch!)

See you soon with more news on our adventures in CAD/CAM :)

S.

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21st Century, Here we come!

Here at Wallis Hunter, we've always had our finger on the pulse of new technology - we're a bit nerdy like that. But for the past ten years or so we've been standing on the sidelines of the CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture) world - awaiting the right time to have a go ourselves. We've had a few tasters with companies like the wonderful Delcam in Birmingham but didn't really catch the bug the way we hoped.
Well, now all that could change with the arrival of an exciting new machine!
Here's a sneaky peek at what it is:

It's not here yet but should be with us in the next few weeks. Until then, I'm keeping everything else under wraps but it's going to make for some exciting changes in this little Scottish workshop.
Speak soon,
S.



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Caledonia Gold has Arrived! Kilt pins and more...

Howdy!
It's been another long while - what a busy winter we've been having here in Carradale!
We've spent most of the last couple of months working through new designs to add to our sets of Jewellery and Kilt Pins but also working on an entirely new product!
It's called Caledonia Gold an we're quite excited about it - especially since it got a wonderful reception at the Scottish International Trade Fair this week!
Caledonia Gold  is 9ct gold with a touch of rare, panned Scottish gold. So far we have a small but nicely formed set of silver and gold celtic and traditional jewellery and also a couple of super looking kilt pins. You can check out the full set on the Wallis Hunter Jewellery site. I'll post a couple of pics to whet your appetite though...

 

Quarter Winds - Sterling Silver Kiltpin with Caledonia Gold Insert.

 

Caledonia Ring - Sterling Silver Ring with Caledonia Gold Shoulders.

 

Charles Rennie Mackintosh Rails - Sterling Silver Pendant Caledonia Gold CRM Rose.

 

Celtic Drop Ear Hangers - Gold Earrings with Caledonia Gold.

 

Caledonia Gold Wedding Band - 5mm

 

Solid Celtic Circle - Sterling silver pendant with Caledonia Gold insert.

Coming soon: A new group of pewter kilt pins (not necessarily as traditional as they sound!)

Take care!


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Back in Action

Order has been restored here at Wallis Hunter. Trish is home! Hooray! I'm sure she'll post up here all about her escapades if she feels like it.
We've been working on yet more kilt pin designs here in the workshop and also some interesting "shapes". Something a little abstract and fluid but I'll leave it at that for now, I'll get pics up here as soon as they start looking more like a set of jewellery.
Has anyone noticed that it's nearly Christmas?? I don't know if Fatherhood comes with some kind of life accelerant or I've just not been paying attention but this year seems to have flown in!
Just as well we're all geared up here so you can get a hold of jewellery and kilt pins from our sites and they'll be with you in plenty of time.

Ta for now.

PS - It's finally winter here in Carradale - I had to scrape ice off the windscreen this morning! Woohoo!

As always, we want to hear from you so please comment but if you'd like to email us click, click, click away! :D

A Small Departure

With the moulding machine back in action (thanks to some oven wire from a catering supplies company on eBay!) we can get going moulding the new kilt pins we've been working on. Not to mention a small backlog of jewellery from our customers.
In the interim we've had to keep ourselves occupied - personally I've been up on "The Roof" with Mike tacking down some Tyvek waterproofing and last week I even had the good fortune of trying out his new mower - a Viking beastie with a one touch handle that lets you alter the height of the machine - highly recommended!
But our small departure is over and now it's time to get going with what we do best - making kiltpins and jewellery. :D
Ta for now!
PS - Congratulations to Lynsay on passing her driving test! The roads will never be safe again... ;)



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It never rains...

In a small addition to my previous bemoaning of machinery - the heater plates in our mould press (vulcanizer) have packed in! Just when I was putting the finishing touches to the new kilt pin for one our customers (a Fairbairn & Sykes Commando Knife no less!) which means we've had a weeks delay in being able to make a rubber mould of and consequently, casting it! Urgh.

Not to worry, the new heaters should arrive today or tomorrow from the always wonderful H.S. Walsh. Thank you!

Better go and get this casting on the go - Cath's off on holiday for the week so we're all having to work three times as hard to make up for her lack of presence!

Ta ta!


PS - Can anyone confirm that we've had more than 60 days of rain here in Kintyre?? Well, the sun's out today - hip, hip, hip, hooray! (Sorry Trish!)

As always, we want to hear from you so please comment but if you'd like to email us click, click, click away! :D

Bronze and Pewter Kilt Pins: The New Hotcakes?

It would seem that pewter kilt pins are the order of the day here in Bonny Scotland. They're being shipped to suppliers faster than we can count! Despite only having four kiltpins in the range, people seem to have fallen for them instantly - which makes us all feel a little more worthwhile and with a further four designs being worked on as I type, it's exciting to think that more of our humble workshops' wares are being admired and enjoyed across the world.

Almost equally popular are our new Bronze and Silver kilt pins. You all seem to be quite enamoured with the juxtaposition of the copper-coloured metal with our trademark highly-polished silver.

Well, better trundle off down the stairs - I feel a new design coming on...

Ta for now.

PS - It's jaggy bunnet weather here in Carradale. The whole West Coast of Scotland seems to be struggling to get round the concept of having an Indian Summer. Well, just as well we don't mind the rain.


As always, we want to hear from you so please comment but if you'd like to email us click, click, click away! :D

A Kiln, A Kiln, my Kingdom for a Kiln!

Have you ever noticed that sometimes technology just fights back? We've had a wee spate of the infernal machines not doing what they're supposed to recently. The relay on our main kiln, "Big Red" started chattering - a common issue with large contactors (as they're known, apparently!) So, no problem - ordered a new one and got 'er back up and running.

Minimal fuss and we caught it in time so that there was no delay in getting kilt pins out to customers!

But then...

The "flipping" coils decided to arc onto one of the flasks the very next week! Burning a nice hole in 1/4" of steel and eventually melting said coil! OK, so, we need to let it cool down, take the flasks out and replace (from stock thank goodness!) the coil bank. Up and running and casting was only delayed by about 12 hours.

Phew - I'm glad that's over and done with.

Oh, wait a minute - why isn't our secondary kiln firing up? That's right - Ol' Greeny (that's the kiln...) decided to melt the wire going from her thermocouple (read: heavy duty thermometer) to the kiln controller and fried the processor which is now no longer made!


Well, at least I now have a firm grasp of the workings of the kilns and their controllers, contactors and their love of failing on you when deadlines are tight!


Yours, more informed,
Sandy.


PS - Mike: "Sandy, you'd better order a new relay - Big Red's just blown her shiny new one..."



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