Finding Zen in the Jeweler’s Saw

First Exercise in the Class
Craftcast with Alison Lee is a really great online source for classes mostly about jewelry making.  I find myself signing up for almost all of them because they are so well done.  When the class ‘Zen and the Art of the Jeweler’s Saw’ with Michael David Sturlin was offered, I waited to take it.  I thought, ‘ok, I have a jeweler’s saw and I’ve used it and so why take a class?’  http://www.craftcast.com/
I’m going to Art Unraveled in Phoenix in August and I’m taking three classes in metal jewelry techniques.  Every one of them lists the jeweler’s saw as a necessary tool.   I got my saw out and tried it. ‘Hmmmmm’  I thought, ‘guess it is time to take the class’. There are recordings of the classes you can buy if you miss the live class and boy am I glad I signed up! http://www.artunraveled.com/
First of all my workspace is too low for correct posture and for keeping the saw vertical.  As you can see in the photo, Peter solved my problem.  He made a strong square arch that can be clamped to the worksurface and the bench pin can be clamped to the top.
Raising the Bench Pin to the Correct Height
The height for the bench pin is now 8 inches above the desk surface and I can sit in my chair with my feet on the floor and focus on the saw blade.
Pretty Close to the Correct Position for the Jeweler's Saw
 Unfortunately just focusing on the saw blade is not enough!  I’m supposed to let the saw blade do the work so that I get into a groove and find the ‘zen’ of it all.  That sounds good and will be my goal.  In the meantime, the blade gets stuck or I don’t keep the saw vertical or the blade breaks and any number of things happen to prevent my ‘zen’ from staying.  I know with practice I will improve.  And you can bet I’ll be practicing the exercises Michael gave in the class so I can look like I know what I’m doing by August in Art Unraveled classes!

I just had to share my first finished exercise.  Actually the saw blade did not break until I finished this.  Yea! 





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