VanOstrand Metal Studio - Roycroft Copper

New Tools

I recently acquired some new tools that are turn of the century vintage. These are some really great tools, there are some fine matting textures, liners, planishers, even a few raised wires. They needed a little cleaning up and I have only gotten through half of them so far (there were almost 300 tools). Here is a pic of the half that are still being cleaned up.

I wash the tools in WD40, then steel wool. A coating of paste wax will help them resist rusting in the future. Here are the tips of the half that I have cleaned up.

The larger round end ones are embossing tools. What is really neat about these old tools is that the ends that are struck with the chasing hammer have nicely rounded over into a "mushroom". I usually treat the tools that I make with a hardened end as well as tip. This eats up the hammer a little and are prone to cracking (so I am told I have not had one crack yet). I don't mind the hammer being eaten up as I really prefer the cheap Pakistani hammer heads over the hardened German ones. (The German ones look really cool though). Here are the mushroom ends.

New Website

I appreciate the feedback so far on the new site that I am developing for the studio (linked from my current website www.ronvano.com). I currently plan to list items in .pdf formats so that the pages can easily be downloaded and printed out. I would really like feedback on whether this is a desirable feature as an option or a standard format.

Thanks,
Ron

Roycroft Summer Festival

The summer is closing in and that can only mean one thing in East Aurora NY. The Roycroft Summer Festival is upon us. This years festival is June 24th and 25th on the Historic Roycroft Campus. Over 50 Craftsmen and Artisans will offer their wares (Including me). The event is put on by the Roycrofters At-Large Association. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm both days. Accross the street there is another two-dimensional art show sponsored by the East Aurora Art Society.

RVO

American Bungalow Article

The studio was recently featured in the Summer 2006 issue of American Bungalow Magazine. The article features exerpts from a phone interview and several shots of the studio work and one of Ron, Dawn, and the studio apprentices. One particular vase image is that of the "Sierra Juniper Vase". This vase was a private commision based off of the idea of the "Woodlands Vase". Also featured was a close-up shot of a "Cathedral Vase" and Ron working on some custom house numbers.