98

Wood Origin

Working with all the woods I do it's easy to forget just where that piece of wood came from. I work with many exotic woods that come from all over the world. When I start working with a new type of wood I will look up just what that woods properties are, but mostly just glance over where it came from and what kind of tree it came from. I thought it would be nice to do a little more in depth research on just where my wood comes from, and just what the tree it comes from looks like.

Guayacan

Location: West Indes, Central America, northern South America

Ebony

Location: Western Africa

Redheart

Location: Southern Mexico to southern Brazil and Paraguay

 Cant seem to find a picture of this tree. 

Tulipwood

Location: Northeastern Brazil

 

Pink Ivory

Location: Southern Africa

Mopani

Location: Southern Africa

Tamboti

Location: South African Lowveld and Swaziland

Osage Orange

Location: Tropical America (West Indies, Central and South America)

Well that's about all I think I will do for now. I would like to map out where all my woods com from. Maybe in a later post I'll create a map showing just where all my woods come from. 

97

How To Order A Custom Ring

I though I would share with you just how simple and easy it is to order a custom ring from me. First I thought I would address one of the biggest hurdles in ordering a custom ring, knowing your ring size. Most people don't know what their ring size is. The best way to figure out your ring size would be to use a finger gauge. This simply uses metal bands that are measured and numbered so you just keep trying until one fits then read off the number. Most jewelry shops will let you test your ring size for free, as they hope you are looking to buy a ring from them. Just play it cool and keep up that act until you've figured out your ring size. If you have too much of a guilty conscience to pull this off then there are other ways to measure your ring size. You can either take a strip of paper or some non-stretch string and wrap it around the finger you want to measure. Mark where two points meet on the paper or string then remove and lay out flat. Measure between those two points and you've just figured out what the inside circumference of your ring should be. Using a conversion chart you can then determine what your ring size is.

Once you've determined your ring size it's then really simple to order a custom wood ring. 

Once you find yourself in my Etsy Shop look for a ring you like, if you don't have a favorite one already. 

Once you see a ring you like, click on it to enter into its page.

Once on the page you can determine if this ring will fit you. If it's the right size for you the GREAT, you can follow through with check out. If it's not the correct size then you can easily order a custom one. 

Bellow the description there is a link where you can contact me.

Once you click on the link below the description it will automatically copy the page into the message. This is very helpful to let me know exactly which ring you want me to make in your size.

You don't need to write anything more then just what size you would like to order. 

After I get your message I can determine if I have any of that wood in stock and I will then send you back a message telling you if I can make that ring for you in your size, and just how long it will take me. 

As soon as I have your ring made I will post it in a custom listing reserved in your name. This gives you a chance to look it over and decided if it is what you are looking for. I don't force you into making any commitment to buying the ring. I will even try a second time if the first ring I make doesn't meet your expectations. 

Ordering a custom ring from me really is that simple. So why haven't you ordered one already. Head over to my shop and start ordering.

96

Possible Studio Space

I've had a possible studio space on my radar for over a year now. It's a space that is in the same building as John's studio. The building managers seem pretty content to just let it sit empty at the moment. But hopefully John can work his magic and persuade them to rent it out to me and a few other people who work for John. his space would be really convenient for me seeing how it's right next to John. It would also be great having a separate space from my apartment and having a more defined work space and living space. Also I wouldn't cover my apartment in sawdust all the time. I hope it works out.

95

An Old Friend

I've had the same bench pin since I began making Jewelry back in 2005. A bench pin is what you use to saw on with your jewelry saw. It's basically a piece of wood used to support your work. In my metals studio class we were told you can buy one at a jewelry supply shop for around $15, but seeing how at that time I had no money I just cut off a board from a pallet I found in the alley. I've been using that piece of wood for all these years now. Pretty much every thing I have ever made, using my saw at least, has been cut on this bench pin. There is a lot of history there, but it's starting to wear out.

It first started out looking like a regular bench pin with two fingers coming out where you could have your saw in the middle. About a year ago one of the fingers broke off so I was left with just one, which still worked great. Over the years I have sawed, drilled, and sanded a  lot of the wood away. The edges of this wood use to be strait. I have a feeling that pretty soon the whole thing is just going to fall apart. I have some big plans coming up in a few days and I hope that it last until then, but I'm pretty sure that it will be it's last job that I ask of it. After next Monday I'm going to be retiring this bench pin. Here are some photos of this old friend.

Here is a photo of how it looked a little over a year ago when it still had both it's fingers.

And how it looks today

Hang in there little guy, just a few more days to go.

94

In The Studio

I've had a bunch of small timelases I took last year of work being done in the studio. I recently got around to putting them together. Here they are in a quick rough edit.

93

Rear Window Timelapse

This video is amazing. It consists of all the footage in Rear Window compiled and edited together to make a timelaspe video. Rear Window is one of my favorite Hitchcock movies, this timelaspe does it great justice. I recommend you watch on a full screen.

Rear Window Timelapse from Jeff Desom on Vimeo.
All footage taken from the original Rear Window (1954) directed by Alfred Hitchcock.



The order of events is pretty much as seen in the movie.



more info: http://www.jeffdesom.com/hitch/



Hungarian Dance No. 5

composed by Johannes Brahms

arranged for easy listening by Hugo Winterhalter

92

Imaginary Ring

My ring for the day. The fist ring of April.

This is a beautiful imaginary wood ring. Made from the toughest and strongest imaginary wood in the world this ring is sure to last a life time. A perfect gift for your imaginary friend, or the girlfriend you made up to keep your mom off your back. Great for planning your imaginary wedding. Would also make a perfect accessory to the finger you lost in that clown school accident. Whoever it will be for, they are sure to love and cherish this special gift.

Still available in my shop, snag it before someone else does.