Back Steps

I didn't have much time to work on my pins yesterday, but I did get the backs measured and my rod marked so that I can coil my hinge. It's actually a tube through which the pin will pass, but I decided I would make it from a coil of silver rather than pulling a tube of the appropriate diameter (the lack of a stump and a drawbench made my decision on a coil much easier). I'll use 20 gauge sterling wire for the coil and the two catches, but I'll try and get the top coils turned and fitted this morning and if we're still really slow this afternoon, I might grab an hour at the bench and get the tops and bottoms soldered on. The bottoms will be made in a similar manner, but I'll saw the bottom coils open so that they can be used to catch the pin. But, the bottoms may also be made from sheet - I haven't made up my mind 100% on the bottoms yet.

I want to get the back finished on the pins so that I can solder the bezels onto the front and finish the pins. But I also don't want to hurry and skip a step. Don't you often find yourself rushing to finish something and looking back, realizing that something should have been done between steps 2 and 3? It is one reason why I am careful about what I make and why I try and think things through carefully. (The other reason that I think things through is that I spend a lot of time packaging beads and findings - boring - and that allows me lots of time to think about projects.) Do you visualize your projects before you begin them? People create in different ways, but I always see the completed item before I ever pick up my pencil or my saw. Then my goal is to make that mental image come true - MUCH easier to say than to do!