[Jewelry making - Article 00023] - Re: [Orchid] Preparing pitch bowl

[brainnet]

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>     I've been quietly observing for some time and would really
>     appreciate some help. I bought pitch and was told to fill the bowl
>     partially with plaster and then add pitch. 

    Plaster filled pitch bowls are far too light to use properly and
    with time the plaster fractures and comes up making a mess in your
    nice pitch. You want the bowl as heavy as you can get it. I like to
    fill mine with lead, and take very good care not to breathe the
    fumes, in a fume hood or equivalent ventilation, Fill it almost full,
    a quarter inch below the rim. In Portugal I've seen granite balls
    used, flat topped like th bowling ball shown on this page at
    Ganoksin: 

    see http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/jeweler-pitch.htm for more
    on pitch bowls. 

    use a hair dryer (or heat gun) to heat the pitch, it is not runny at
    all, soft like clay and you can touch it, press it into shape. Let
    the heat percolate through slowly, very gently and slowly. Don't rush
    it. If it is glossy and sticks to your skin you are too hot. same
    with smoking and bubbling. 

best 
Charles

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