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Enigmatic Instrument
Published: 2007-03-24 02:50:50 +0000 UTC; Views: 42781; Favourites: 1732; Downloads: 879
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Description
Not an astrolabe.
Process:
The "Cosmolabe" was made of layered brass sheets:
I did the designs for the markings in Illustrator, printed them out reversed and inverted on a transparency from a laser printer, ironed them onto the brass (with judicious use of a sharpie for clean-up) and acid etched them with the circuit board fluid you can get at Radio Shack. Then I cut out the pieces with a jeweler's saw and filed them smooth. The permanently fixed pieces were riveted together using small brass brads.
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Comments: 384
it's such a beautiful piece of work
everytime i look at it
it amazes me !
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the 90 hrs of labor was worth it! That looks AMAZING.
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That's amazing. Love the details. Does that middle piece move?
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Thank you! Yes, the beam and dial on the front move, as well as the three dials on the back.
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Not the original, but there will be reproductions available soon.
I will make an announcement here on DA.
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The stuff you get at radioshack is such a good thing to know this is fantastic! I really enjoyed this as i'm sure you do too!
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Thanks for the pointer on the circuit board etcher fluid. Its a pain geting nitric or sulfuric acid shiped to you these days.
nice piece btw - i'm also a metelsmith so I appreciate the labor. turned out well
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Thank you!
I used to do steel etching, too. But, yeah... getting hold of nitric and sulfuric is too much of a hassle now.
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LOL WUT. Circuit board juice!? I never knew! We had acid vats in our studio and that's all I've ever used. But you are the McGuyver of metalsmithing
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You'd be amazed at what I can do with a stone knife and a bearskin...
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I meant to ask you awhile ago, guage sheet metal do you use on average?
I just purchased a lot of scrap metal and have a bit of different mm thicknesses to work with.
I'll probably set up a set of test pieces ,and do a timed application on a few drops, applied to a set interval of time, measure end results- to estimate how long I want to leave etchant solution for desired depth of recess. ect.
But would love some tips on thicknesses to start off with....
Thanks in advance.
Mike
[link]
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The stuff I've been working with is usually 16 to 14 gauge. Brass come in all sorts of thicknesses, so that's just a rough estimate... I usually use scraps, too!
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I've seen that circuit board acid etching done before, but this is one of the best examples of it.
I have half a mind to try this myself, actually.
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I am at a loss of words here... Just stunning. Such detail, such beauty. I am inlove.
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your welcome n_n anytime
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Beautiful work! It looks exceptionally complicated
Do you happen to know of the Antikythera Mechanism, perchance?
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Thank you! Yes, I've seen a lot of photos of it. Intriguing....
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Sweet piece, man!
And, of course, YKYITSCAW you see brass etching on DA and think, "Hmmm... That would look awesome on my helm..."
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I featured this in my journal: [link]
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That is amazing, it's very beautiful, I love the detailing ^_^
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Very nice. The inscriptions are Voynich, correct? Yes...yes they are. Very well done.
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Yes, Voynich. Thank you!
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...beautiful piece of work...
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