Zac Tedrow | Fordite Flourishes: it’s not your father’s car anymore | Monday, February 5, 2024 | 6pm – 9pm |

$105.00

It is true what they say, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

In the early days of automobile manufacturing cars were painted on tracks and skids, and the excess build up of the enamel paint would form multicolored layered masses.

Clever lapidary artists realized this otherwise worthless slag could be shaped and polished to expose the fine paint layers and form stunningly attractive cabochons.

These cabochons came to be known as Fordite, or Motor City agate, as a nod to the Detroit Ford plants that produced millions and millions of automobiles.

The process for painting cars has since changed, meaning the raw material for these beautiful cabochons is only becoming more elusive!

In this class, we will use metalsmithing techniques like sawing, sanding, soldering, prong setting, and polishing to create a pendant to display a unique fordite cabochon…a true piece of American history

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Description

Title of Class: Fordite Flourishes

Instructor: Zac Tedrow

Date of Class:  Monday, February 5, 2024

Time: 6 pm until 9 pm

Level: advanced beginner to intermediate

Type: soldering, prong setting, sawing, sanding, and polishing

Class Fee: $105

Kit Fee: $75

Kit Includes

One fordite cabochon, roughly 1” x 1”

1 foot 18-gauge sterling silver round wire

1* x 1* sterling silver 24-gauge sheet

Use of studio tools (you can include this or not, whatever you think is best)

Instructor will have the following for use in class

Flexshafts (I’ll bring one for personal use that can be shared, but 3 or 4 more flexshaft stations will be necessary depending on enrollment)

Foredom hammer handpiece

Extra Flexshaft bits for finishing (If some of the bristle discs are available from last year, that would be great)

Student Supply List

Eye protection

Jeweler’s saw

Saw blades

Scribe

Solder pick or tweezers

Easy, Medium, and Hard Solder

Wire cutters

Large flat file

Needle files (triangle, flat, square, half round, etc)

Benchpin and c-clamp

Nylon Pliers

Flat-nose Pliers

Sandpaper (400, 600, 1000)

Flexshaft bits for finishing (bristle discs, muslin buffs, sanding bits, etc)

Bezel setting tool or tools of choice (rocker, burnisher, pusher, etc)

Optional Supply List

Work light and extension cord

Magnification if required

Additional Class Comments: none

Instructor Email Address: Lefthandmetalworks@gmail.com

Instructor Website: @lefthandmetalworks on Facebook and Instagram