Vol-080 Faux Fordite Wire Weave Pendant PcT Tute (Intro)
Video #609: Also known as Detroit Agate, Fordite is a now scarce byproduct from the vintage automotive industry.
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** This post is an introduction to one of our paid tutorials.
To kick off the New Year I thought it would be fun to do a tutorial that has been requested by several loyal members over the past 12 months… Faux Fordite.
Now Fordite is a man-made stone crafted from the layers and layers of colorful paint over-spray that used to accumulate in the large paint booths/ovens of the vintage automotive industry… hence the namesake references to Ford and Detroit … otherwise know as the Motor City where many, many cars have been manufactured over the years.
Back when the automobile mass production factories still employed humans to hand paint the car bodies one at a time, the over spray would accumulate on the floor and on the assembly line racks. The different colors of paint would be built up in large chunks consisting of 100’s and 100’s of layers. These accumulations would get baked and re-baked into rock hard shiny composites, very much like real gemstones found in nature. When the paint accumulations became too thick, the workers would chip it off and toss the unique material into waste bins.
Eventually, some clever crafty workers decided it was too beautiful to trash, and decided to collect the pieces to cut into stones and beads for jewelry. Today, however, production car painting uses magnetic electrolysis techniques… which means no over-spray… and therefore… no more Fordite! It is for this reason that “Detroit Agate” Jewelry has now become highly valued by collectors all around the world.
Posted just below are a couple of videos that will give you a quick summary (as well as some visual inspiration) about the history of Fordite.
Polymer clay, being an excellent imitator, is the perfect material to mimic the concept and look of Fordite. It’s ability to be custom colored and layered, cut and sanded, and polished to a high shine, makes it the perfect candidate for creating a faux version of this unique material. So in essence, by making a copy of the Fordite in polymer clay, it is essentially making a Faux of a Faux. Just the type of challenge I love!
With this member's tutorial, you will be able to create your own Faux Fordite Cabochons out of polymer clay, that you can use to make a gorgeous wire weave pendant… and all sorts of other unique beads for your jewelry creations. Included in this tutorial is my own wire weave bezel design, to capture your Faux Fordite Cabochon and create a cool looking pendant that you are just going to love!
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Great tute, Cindy! Love the faux Fordite but didn't think I was going to bother with the wire wrap... until I saw it done. Ya done made a believer out of me again. And now I have an excuse to buy that vise I've been avoiding. LOL.
Peg C
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Cindy, You are entirely responsible for me getting once more involved with polymer clay (after a hiatus of many years). This is a HUGE deal, as I am very much hampered by ill health, and never thought I'd manage it again! Your skill as a teacher gave me the courage to try again. Gratefully.
Julia G
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Love discovering the new things you think up.
Hermine R
Transcript coming soon...
Transcript coming soon...
Our goal is to translate these videos into as many languages as possible. If you are interested in helping with this initiative, then please do contact us and we will figure out a way to make it worth your while :)
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Want to chat about today’s post? That’s what the comment section below is for. Scroll Down… We’d love to hear from you!
Or... if you would like to request a topic for a future post, here is the link to do that… PcT Suggestion Box
Loved your faux fordite videos. How much of the Premo clay do I use for each color? Thanks.
Hi Randi, this is one of those things where all I can say is… that depends… It really depends on how many colors you decide to use, how big you want to make the stones and how many. I believe I used about a 1/4 section of each color that I used in my sample on the video. I suggest you watch Vol-080-2 (Video #610) again and you will see what I mean. Have fun with the tutorial!
The Fordite went over well with my brother and others. I give out many of my fordite stones with a little leaflet about the history of Fordite. I liked that you showed how to wire wrap as well. Thank you.
NEW WORKS FRESH OFF THE BENCH
Motor Agate Fordite Jewelry
Thrilled with how my faux fordite turned out last nite. This tute is the bomb. Now, for the scrap roses……
Thank you for always including so much history and background information and links when you cover a tute. Oggled all the links. I have adored fordite for years, put off purchasing, and now it is totally priced out of my market, lol. Only going to get more valuable, too.
But now, thanks to you, I can duplicate it at home, in the model year car colors that mean something to me personally (and your color recipes). And I can make big chunks of it!
Once the JoolTool system arrives, I’ll be able to buff it so that it looks like the same thing. How cool is that?
That is very cool Jocelyn! So happy that you’re having fun with this one. I know you had been bugging me (as well as a few others) to make a Fordite Tutorial, so it is a pleasure to hear that it is up to your standards and you are having fun with it!!
Love your tutorials. Have only started playing with clay very recently but am totally hooked. So different from the glass/wire/metalwork/paper jewelry I have been making for years.
I really like the faux gemstones and am practicing like mad! Love to sand and polish by hand. Very relaxing!
Thanks,
Jo
How refreshing to hear someone who loves the sanding process! I agree it can be very relaxing and the reward is well worth the effort! Happy to know you are having fun!
Hi Cindy,
I am glad you liked the Fordite photo I had sent to you the other day. As I said, your “Fordite” looked a lot better, but it was fun to see the “real” thing. Unfortunately I can’t find a link for it to let you put it on Pinterest. I found the photo on the Reddit website quite a while ago and took a screen shot, thereby putting it into my IPad’s photo album. Later I emailed that to you. I can no longer find it on Reddit, and the photo I have gives me no clue as to where it originated from. I wish I could be a more helpful.
Cindy, I want you to know that you are entirely responsible for me getting once more (after a hiatus of many years) involved with polymer clay. This is a HUGE deal, as I am very much hampered by ill health, and never thought I’d manage it again! Your skill as a teacher gave me the courage to try, and though I am very SLOW I am loving every minute I spend at my “clay” desk, as well as the time I spend learning even more! I know that you and Doug have to work VERY hard to produce all the videos that you do. There must be times when your schedule makes you want to tear your hair out. Please don’t! I don’t know what I’d do without you??. There is NO NEED ( and I truly mean this) to answer this comment….I just wish I could have found a way for you to “Pin” the Fordite photo!
I can hardly wait for the first Friday of next month!
Gratefully,
Julia
Great tut.. I really enjoyed it. Thank you :)
I actually just bought a piece of the real Fordite and made my husband (a real car buff and die hard Ford man) a nice keychain from it for this past Fathers day. He loved it. But all I could get was a small piece. So now I can make my own Fordite and use bigger size pieces. Thanks Cindy!!?
Cattywampus, LOL!!! Love this technique, loved the wire weaving. Thank you and Happy New Year!!!!
Did she show how to make the scrap hearts or did I miss it somehow?
Hi Jon, Cindy didn’t show us in these videos, but said she would put out a ‘follow-up’ to show us how it’s done.
Dawn is right Jon… we actually filmed the Scrap Heart Tutorial already and it will be out for free for everyone later this week so stay tuned for that!
Just watched all the videos at a stretch and can’t wait to try it! Love this technique! Just a quick request though, I’d love to see how you made those scrap heart beads. I’d definitely come up with something to do with the scraps, but those heart beads just look spectacular and very un-scrappy!
Thanks Krithika! In fact that scrap clay heart bead tutorial will be going out later this week so stay tuned! :)
Yay!! I can’t wait!
Hi Cindy,
I love the tut. Especially the wire wrapping. I had looked at pictures using the wire weaving and skipped over them thinking it would be too difficult. Inspired to have a go now and a great way to use some of those spare beads accumulating on my work table.
Pam
Wow! This tutorial was soup to nuts! What great information. I just love all the detail, tips and tricks you give us every time. Thanks and Happy 2015 to you and all of Team Lietz!
Cindy – I am fascinated with this faux project and can’t wait to try it! My favorite videos from you are the faux stones and shells. Keep up the great work!!!
Janet
Thank you so much Cindy… I was one of your members who requested this technique and I am not disappointed. Fabulous tutorial and easy to follow. I can’t pick your Fordite from the original and I particularly like the small earring cabochons. Thanks so much again…cara
Oh how Fun! Our first car, after we married, was 1950 Ford. So I need to do some research, which I love) and find out what colors were popular in the Ford lines………. A blast from the Past.!
Happy New Year to you and your family. The same for all the polymer clay friends……….What a way to start the new year…………..
Thanks Cindy. Loved this tute. Learned a lot in this great tutorial. Always wondered how the great looking bezel might be made. Never saw it demonstrated and now I can’t wait to start playing. Hope you have a great new year.
I am looking forward to trying this great technique Cindy. I had never heard of Fordite but have now done my research after seeing the videos.
I hope you and Doug enjoyed your New Year holiday
Great tute, Cindy! One comment…I have no idea what wasabi tape is (something to do with scrapbooking, I’m sure) but florist tape will work as well. I keep a pair of sewing snips in my purse and I use florist tape on the tips so I don’t get stabbed and my purse stays in one piece. Just thought I would share. Love the faux faux but didn’t think I was going to bother wih the wire wrap. Until I saw it done. Ya done made a believer out of me again. And now I have an excuse to buy that vise I’ve been avoiding. LOL
Happy New Year everyone!
Hi Cindy
I had never known about fordite what a fantasic story behind this medium
Great tutorial as always Thank you again Happy New Year to you all
Here in the UK “FORDS” of Dagenham opened in 1931 on reclaimed Marshland by the River Thames.
Mainly employing men, but women had jobs sewing the upholstery (at a lower rate of pay). The whole factory came to a stanstill in 1968 when these ladies went on strike for equal pay.
A film called “Made In Dagenham” about this came out in 2010 and now also a Musical.
Who would have thought that Cindy would have come up with this clever technique to make faux fordite from polymer clay. The patterns look so organic and I love the wired cab cage. A great way to use up all those odd bits and pieces of coloured scraps that seem to just cry out to be used to make a beautiful pendant. So once again Cindy a great new set of videos…..cheers xx……..
Fantastic videos Cindy and Doug, thank you so much! I love that you included the wire wrapping in your video, so generous, we’d have been delighted with just the ‘Fordite’ cabachon! Never heard of this stuff – and the colour range is unlimited! I look forward to making things to match my outfits, great stuff. Thank you again, and a very happy 2015 to you both.
Marion
I believe the correct term for this tutorial is “Freakin’ Awesome!!” Can’t wait to play with this!!
Cindy,
What a terrific technique! It really showcases one of the things I love about PC, you can plan and expect, but never really know exactly what you will get (kind of like life, eh?). I plan on having lots of fun with this one. Thank you thank you. And Happy New Year to you and everyone.
Fran
I may live in Michigan, for over ten years now, and I’m from Toledo, Ohio, I never heard of Fordite! Love the look! This maybe a favorite of mine! This new year will be busy! Hoping to meet up with the Leitz Team in late Summer! So, happy new year my Polymer Clay Family!
Well, that is just fascinating history! Who woulda thunk, huh? Can’t wait to get my hands on this tutorial to see what I come up with! I also love the fact you are teaching the wire-woven pendant setting!
Who knew there was such a thing? I had to Google after watching your videos. It’s very unique and beautiful. This is going to be fun!
Oh my, tomorrow is going to be great! I really liked the two visual aid videos you guys included. Looking forward to your take on this Cindy, thank you for putting that creative brain of yours to work on this beautiful new faux for us!
Happy New Year Everyone!
You are so welcome Sherry! I hope you have a lot of fun with this tutorial. Have a very happy new year!
Happy New Year to both of you!
Love discovering the new things you think up.
Thanks Hermine! Happy New year to you Too!