Ringlemere/Rillaton Cup

I started a new project a while ago, a cup in the style of the Ringlemere gold cup.  It started as a simple raising demonstration at Pennsic last year during the metalworking day in the A+S area, just a simple copper cup.  Never finished it, threw it in a box and forgot about it for a couple of months.  When I pulled it out later  the shape reminded me of the Ringlemere cup that I had just been looking at online.  So I thought it would be fun.
I created a new page for the Ringlemere Cup where I will post some pictures of my progress.

A computer generated image of what the cup would like like un-crushed, from the British Museum's web site.  

Precision and Splendor: Clocks and Watches at The Frick Collection

Just found out about this exhibit that I will try and make it to if at all possible!

The Frick collection

An exhibition of clocks and watches from 1500 to 1830!

Thanks to the Linkspages at larsdatter.com for this info!

Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings

Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings

A show on the history of illuminated manuscripts on you tube.

This has nothing to do really with what I am doing, but I just finished watching it and it was very entertaining/informative/educational etc.

I was entertained and informed.
(looks like a great winter project when its too cold at the barn!!!)

Pennsic 41

My clock made it through Pennsic! Through rain, hail, lightning, wind, dust, rust, mud etc!  It was a big hit! So much fun bringing something not many people have seen or even knew about before! Now I feel like I have to out-do myself for next year....no ideas....

**Edit 8-26-12 Thanks to Cateline la broderesse of the East Kingdom for another pic at the A+S display

Mutton and Mead

Had a lot of fun at the Mutton and Mead Ren Fair last weekend, got to talk with lots of people about my clock and do some demos of repousse, file cutting, and raising!

here is a link to lots more pics of the event

Mutton and Mead Medieval Festival

handmade files

I made a few more files today, and remembered to take pictures of cutting the teeth.  The chisel I use is made from mild steel with a high carbon steel edge welded on.  Cut the teeth on the edge of the file first so you can hold it in a vise without ruining the teeth.

The file is placed on a lead block and held down with some rope looped over my feet.  The lead block keeps the teeth that you already have cut on the other side from getting ruined.

The only 'trick' to it is being consistent.  Holding the chisel at the same angle, hitting the hammer same way every time....you strike, then drag the chisel back to rest against the raised edge of the last tooth you made and strike again... wash, rinse, repeat...

Coating the file blank with a little oil seems to help.

Here is a link to a YouTube video that someone posted File Cutting.

You can see that I wasn't being very consistent on this file, I kept stopping to take some pictures.  Its hard to get back into the rhythm of it if you stop in the middle, best to do it all at once.

Here they are all coated with pig fat, wrapped in leather, and encased in the clay horse poo mixture! hooray. I will let them dry overnight and into the fire in the morning.

The Almanus Manuscrpit

Why why why didn't I know about this book??  I just added it to the medieval clocks page, thank you Robert MacPherson for pointing it out to me!