As a wire-jewelry instructor I travel all over the United States, quite often arriving at my destination the evening before a class.  These days, for a weekend of workshops I enjoy driving no more than a maximum of 12 hours one-way, so I fly a lot.  If I show up and my tools don’t, (because they were in a ‘lost’ piece of luggage), I’m almost devastated!  Therefore I carry most of my tools and jewelry-making supplies on the plane with me.  (I can always buy an extra outfit of clothing and personals if needed, but without my tools I am handicapped. )

When packing my carry-on, I do have to take its weight limit into consideration, by checking with whichever airline I’m using for a particular trip.  Just for this purpose, I have invested in a great bag with hard sides and really good wheels that is within the size requirements for all airlines.  Due to the size of some planes, often I have to check my bag plane-side while boarding, but I can also pick it up plane-side when I land, so my most important supplies are never really in a location to be opened without my knowledge!

To be able to pass through airport security easily, the way finished jewelry, tools and supplies are packed is extremely important!  I use a foot-long, heavy plastic pencil box with a sturdy snap-lock, (found at most office supply stores), to stack all of my hand tools in, making sure that my cutters have a plastic cap on them, and that they are on top of all of my other tools.  Also included in this box are a fool-long ruler, heavy emery board, marker, pin vise and a roll of tape, with a cushion-style mouse pad folded in the top to keep everything in place, (as well as being my favorite work-surface).  None of the included hand tools is more than seven inches long, and I do not carry scissors.  (Just for possible proof that I know what I am doing, I also print out and carry a copy of the TSA ‘tool rules’ with me.)   http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#7

When I go through security, I open this pencil box, exposing all of the tools inside, and place it into its own tub to go through the x-ray machine.  (Only once did a TSA agent remove one of the longest pliers and measure them, my Swanstrom flat-nose, only 6-1/8 inches!)

Traveling Toolbox

Because I totally believe that if one is totally prepared nothing will happen, I also carry a large, shark-skin, USPS Priority mailing envelope, self-addressed to my home, with prepaid postage on it, just in case I ever have something ‘not’ get through!

The items that I cannot take ona plane include my stainless steel ring mandrel, any power drills/screwdrivers, any mallet  or hammer and my favorite ‘ring-making’ knife.  These items I put into a large zip-loc bag, tape my business card inside with them and pack, under my pillow and on top of my clothes, in my checked luggage.   (If I am flying to a location for a long-term workshop, I find it easier to ship these items ahead of me.)

Tools in Checked Luggage

Packing my finished jewelry samples takes a bit more time, as I place each item including individual earrings, into its own small zip-loc bag and then put all of the baggies into another snap-loc, heavy plastic box.  My optivisors travel nicely wrapped in tissue paper in yet another box, with my digital camera nestled within the optivisors; while all of my sterling, argentium and 14kgf wire coils are in labeled manila envelopes, in one two-gallon zip-loc bag.  Loose gemstones, cabs, beads and findings are group-bagged and placed into a small, lock lid plastic container, which goes into a zip-loc bag, (just in-case).

Now for the fun!  Playing ‘Tetris’ with all of these boxes and my main carry-on.  Actually, packing all of my supplies in individual containers makes this job very easy, (as well as knowing ‘what is where’ when I need to unpack for classes).  Obviously the heavier supplies go across the bottom, the optivisor box near the top of the carry-on, and the bag of wire coils goes on top of everything else, just under the zipped cover!  In this way, when going through x-ray the coils are easily seen.  (I also pack the charger for my laptop in this bag.)

My second carry-on is usually my laptop and its case, which is also where I carry the above mentioned self-addressed, prepaid postage bag with a sheet of bubble wrap inside, my date book, cell phone and wall-charger, gum and wallet.  (If you have ever been seriously delayed in an airport, you will want your wall charger with you!  Who needs a hair brush?)

I go through security, in this order: I take my laptop out of its case and it goes into a plastic tub, http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/simplifying_laptop_bag_procedures.shtm

My boots and ‘quart-sized’ zip-loc go into another, http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm my opened toolbox into another, then the laptop case and finally my main carry-on.  When sending my things through in this order, I usually pass through the metal detector as my main bag is going through the x-ray machine, and if the TSA agent has any questions about the contents of my main bag, I am right there to request a Private Screening area, before they begin to open it in public.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1847.shtm It is your right to request a private screening!

Once I have successfully passed through security, I put my quart-sized zip-loc and my tool box into my main carry-on and continue schlepping on to the gate.

Yes, I have had to have many, MANY private screenings!  Whenever I fly out of Philly, I just plan extra time for one.  Out of a group of eight returning from a vacation to Thailand, whom do you think got pulled by US customs and had every single item removed from every single bag??  Yup, it was me.

Because I do spend a lot of time in airports, I often wonder just what some people were thinking as they dressed for their travels, as I have seen some really unusual ‘fashion statements’.  My advice is not only to dress comfortably, but also think about getting through security easily and not looking like a ‘mark’ to any unscrupulous individuals.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/screening_experience.shtm

All of this being said, I recommend that you always check for carry-on weight guidelines with whatever airline you are using, and that you be very familiar with all of the current TSA rules, before you leave for the airport!

Travel safe and ‘Stay Twisted’!   Dale/Cougar

At an early age, Suzanne was always busy in her dad’s shop, taking things apart just to see how they worked. The desire to work with tools has never left her. She blames Dale Armstrong for starting her down the seductively twisty wire path, and she hasn’t looked back since! Suzanne is a proud “Cougar Cub”.  She works with her husband in their family business in Gallatin, Tennessee and finds stress relief in beading and wire working. When Suzanne is not rescuing a stranded possum or bottle-feeding a calf, she also teaches classes at Beadin’ At The Barn.

She can be contacted via her website: http://www.suzannesjewelry.com/

Hello Wire-Artists !

I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to the many comments we have received from you through our ‘Tips of the Day’, regarding the fact that Wire-Sculpture is returning to the basics of the original site: Wire!

Yes, we will still be answering questions about gemstones, rocks, tumbling, cleaning techniques, show and sales tips, beads on wire, pricing, and anything that pertains to the many facets and various styles of wire jewelry design.

However, over the years “Wire”-Sculpture had begun to branch out into the huge arena of ‘jewelry-making’. As most of you know, there are many fabulous sites on the Internet today, hosted by experts in each individual aspect of the jewelry-making world, such as soldering; PMC; casting; watch-repairing; skills for the silversmith and goldsmith; and beading (both seed bead art and stringing), to name just a few. But, there is not one site dedicated to the Wire-Jewelry Artist, providing the supplies, resources, information and education for those interested and involved in wire jewelry design.

As the name implies, “Wire”-Sculpture was originally the one site I am speaking of and it is back to being this important resource that we are returning, to fill the needs of the Wire-Artist Jeweler.

I do appreciate your comments, and constructive critic. (You may already have noticed that many of our ‘jewelry-making’ supplies are on clearance right now, to make room for our awesome, NEW, Wire-Jewelry Designer Supplies!)

Stay ‘Twisted’!
Cougar

Searching for rocks and minerals can be an extremely gratifying pastime with many benefits such as: enjoying all that Mother Nature has to offer in her great outdoor arena,  (including rain, mud, and creatures); healthy treks through various terrains, (both above and under ground); quality time either alone or with family or friends; and re-experiencing the simple joy of discovering something ‘special’ ~ be it an amazing ‘find’ or a simple treasure.

There are many different categories for a rockhound.  Some folks are into the very broad field of minerals, and focus solely on finding the perfect specimen for their collection, (my personal obsession is wulfenite).  Fossils are fascinating and can be found all over the world, (in one form or another).  The connection to the Earths past, that one feels when they find or hold a fossil, can become a rockhound’s favorite reason to hunt them.  As children we are all drawn to shiny things; some folks retain that passion and collect nothing but crystals!  The lapidary rockhound is always hunting for cutting rough, to grind, cut, carve and form into new items of beauty.  There are as many different ‘types’ of rockhounds as there are rocks.  Walking through your own backyard and picking up a shiny stone that you search to identify is a ‘rockhound’ experience!

To begin, there are several things you need to know.  First of all is safety.  Always carry a well-stocked first aid kit, bug spray, a pocket knife, waterproof matches, plenty of water to drink, energy bars and a bandana or two, (I have no idea how many ways I have used a bandana while in the field).  These days, a cell phone is about indispensable, but may not always work in remote areas.  Be sure to tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back.  If you will be in a remote area, leave a note in your vehicle saying where you are and when you should be returning.  Be aware of your surroundings, will you need sunscreen or a hat too?  Never go alone!!

The equipment you will need depends on where you are going and what you are collecting.  Sometimes a couple of five gallon buckets are all you need, one to carry your supplies and equipment and the other to haul your booty.  Other times, a pack basket or stout backpack will do.  In addition to the items listed above, the equipment I carry may include: an Estwing medium weight hammer, a short handled 2-pound sledge, two chisels, a jeweler’s loupe, a pick-axe, plastic spray bottle of water, (yes, I have been known to lick rocks but this is a safer way to see the ‘real’ color of a rock), a 35 foot length of nylon rope, a potato rake or a small hand-held garden rake, leather gloves, a couple of small plastic bottles, (for tiny finds), and a partial roll of paper towels, (to wrap delicates in).  Sometimes I carry a rock and minerals field guidebook and my camera as well.  I know this seems like a lot of stuff to carry, but as I said before, what you need to carry depends on what you are searching for and where you are going to search for it!

One of my past excursions was with Ed Davis, (previous owner of The Purple Passion Mine), who had asked what level of rockhound I thought my husband and I were, with the number 1 meaning ‘open the car door, reach out and pick it up’, and the number 10 being serious, hard rock mining.  I told him we were probably around an 8.  Well after spending 12 plus hours together, that included hauling a gas power generator miles through the desert and into a tunnel, exploring four different locations, and then spent four hours digging out an amethyst chunk, (that BTW included some awesome amethyst phantom crystals), Ed said we were definitely number 13 = Serious Hard Core.  (Please remember that I have been raised in this hobby and have more than 35 years of experience!)

You will also need a good rock and minerals field guidebook that will help you identify what you find.  I like the Golden Guide to Rocks & Minerals, which is a small paperback I often throw into my pack.  For home use, I recommend, ‘Peterson First Guide to Rocks and Minerals’, by Frederick H. Pough.  This book will get you started and as you advance, you will discover your personal favorites among the many resources available today.

You can begin basic Rockhounding on your next trip to the beach or walk in the woods.  Pick up any rock that looks interesting.  When you take it home and begin looking through a book or two to identify it, you will begin reading and learning about all of the wonderful materials that are beneath our feet.

The next step will be deciding how you want to label and display your treasures.  A small collection can easily find a nice home in a bookcase, with each specimen labeled with its’ name and the location where it was found, maybe even the date.  After collecting a lot of material, your may wish to progress into lapidary work by purchasing a good tumbler, followed by a small saw, then a flat lap, cabbing machine, grinders, faceting machine. . . and soon your hobby takes over the back kitchen, or the basement or the garage; rocks begin to pile up both inside and outside of your house, and one day you realize ~ you are a rockhound!

Rockhounding can be a wonderful ‘family adventure’ with something for everyone!  Small children like crystals, teens love fossils and adults can either choose a specific area of interest or just collect everything, (like me).  An easy way to get your family involved is to take them to a paid location such as a gem sluice.  Yes, some of the buckets you may choose to buy have been ‘salted’ with materials from around the world, but finding colorful pieces of quartz, crystals and other colorful rocks is even fun for me!  The friendly folks at these locations will be happy to tell you what you have found after washing away the dirt.  (Sometimes I go and let my daughter sluice a ‘rainbow’ bucket because I find some great pieces of facet-grade rough!)

To plan your own rockhound excursions, I recommend that you pick up a ‘Gem Trails’ book, written for your region of the country.  These books are wonderfully complete, listing not only what you can expect to find, but many also include the equipment you may need, road conditions, hiking requirements, and pictures!  The authors have also written about their personal experiences at most locations and tell you what you may expect.  Due to the fact that land often changes hands, please read all of the warnings in the books as well, because new landowners may not want people to trespass!

This brings me to the part where I need to tell you about rules.  Legal rules and Moral rules.  Let’s begin with Legal rules and laws.  Of course, you should always check with the owners of private property to receive permission to dig on their land.  You also need to know if a miner’s claim has been filed, which gives all of the mineral rights to the person who has registered such a claim.  A visit to your local county clerk’s office and a call to your state’s Bureau of Land Management, (BLM), office will give you all of the information you may need.  Use common sense.  If an area is posted “No Trespassing”, that means stay out!

You also need to know where and what you cannot hunt.  It is against the federal law to remove rocks, fossils, artifacts, minerals etc. from any and all United States Parks Service properties, including parks, Monuments and Wilderness areas!  For full details please check out these government websites:

United States National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/

U. S. National Parks Geology
http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/

U. S. National Parks Paleontology
http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/paleontology/

Bureau of Land Management
http://www.blm.gov

U. S. D. A. National Forests
http://www.fs.fed.us/

U. S. D. A. National Grasslands
http://www.fs.fed.us/grasslands/

There are also specific rules for collecting petrified wood.  For personal use, you may collect up to 25 pounds per day, plus one additional piece, but no more than 250 pounds in a year.

Hunting for fossils also has its limitations, as you cannot collect any type of vertebrae fossil without a written permit from the BLM, however there are many, very cool, fossil specimens of non-vertebrae life forms that you can keep!  The best advice is to check the rules before planning a serious excursion.

Now for my personal favorites, the ‘moral’ rules.

•    Always fill any holes you dig back in and tamp down, especially those dug under and around tree roots.  (While you’re at it, fill any holes left by folks who came before you too!)  This can help to prevent damage to both your and other people’s lower extremities, as well as to any animals who live there.
•    Do not leave your non-organic trash.  If you carried it in, carry it out, along with any left behind by less conscious people.
•    Do not purposely cut, scar and or damage trees!  One can always find dry wood around if a small fire is needed, or a hiking staff.
•    If a fire is desired on a cold day or a long dig, build a small fire ring away from any shrubs or trees and be very sure to put out every ember and then cover the fire area with dirt when you are finished.
•    If needed, dig a small latrine and fill it in before you leave!
•    Do not harass local creatures ~ they were there first.
•    Do not allow children to run amuck!
•    At the end of the day, gather all of your finds and carefully sort through them, taking only those you really like/need for your collection or lapidary needs.
•    Leave only footprints behind.

And last but not least, my personal favorite rule:  ‘If you want it and you can haul it, you can have it.’  Just remember that heavy rocks get even heavier as you carry them back to your vehicle!

Here, I have given you just a taste of the information available; there is so much more to learn about collecting rocks and minerals!  Visit your local library and see what they have to offer.  Spend an afternoon at a local museum and check out their mineral display.  Use your favorite search engine to find the closest rock and mineral club to your hometown and pay them a visit.

Be safe, have fun, and remember the words of Chief Seattle:  “The Earth does not belong to us, We belong to the Earth!”

Sherrie Lingerfelt is a native of the Deep South and a full-time, high school math teacher who has always had her hands in one craft or another.  Her interest in jewelry making began more than twenty years ago, by mixing macramé with fossils and stones, which progressed into beading.  After discovering the Wire-Sculpture website many years ago, Sherrie’s fascination with wire led her to meet and take classes with Dale ‘Cougar’ Armstrong and her life changed forever.

Sherrie is now a wire jewelry artist who combines her Native American heritage with her love of geometry and nature, to create fabulous wire jewelry designs that have taken many awards.  Her inspiration comes from various sources, and she is often seen pulling out an ever present, mini-notebook to sketch lines from architecture as future ‘design fodder’.  Sherrie and her husband Larry live on their farm in Fyffe, Alabama.