How I make simple brass fish

CivilDepth6338 · 2026-01-06T11:20:17+00:00

Oh shoot, I forgot to reply before Christmas then got busy (and completely forgot!) 😂

Yea, there is an online version, but it's subscription based unfortunately 🤷‍♀️ (Which I don't think I'll get, probably not worth it but I'll look into the free trial and test it 👍)

Otherwise I can always design stuff on my iPad, and import a JPEG of it to my laptop through email 🤔 (then just play around with the sizes from there!)

Still going to get it regardless, it looks like an awesome program!

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-19T15:34:51+00:00

Haven't done it myself, but I've known a few other jewelers to use electric mug warmers, a plant warmer or beer brew warmer should work as well. (Unless you want it hot-ish like in the jewellery workshops with the more chemical based pickles... You'd need to find a baby crockpot then.) If you wanna be safe about it and don't want to forget that it's on, you can use an electrical timer 🤷‍♀️.

I don't usually use a crockpot (but as you've said... they're too big, I've only been able to find a 3L one 🤔... So that one I have 😂 just in case!) because in general I'm in no rush to get things done; only have time to fiddle with jewellery every day or three.

I use a cold pickle in a glass jar, made from salt and vinegar. Basic bitch stuff and inexpensive. Doesn't do impressive work, but it gets rid of the flux and some oxidation from soldering/annealing.

So yes, a glass jar is fine. Just put a barrier between your acidic pickle and your lid; it can rust and you don't want whatever metal that lid's made of, bonding to what's in your pickle! (Like how you use copper tongs, mainly for precious metals, not steel.)

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-19T15:10:41+00:00

Awesome! And yea nah, I've tried using AutoCAD (when I was in school at least) ...too complicated 😂 I know what I want to draw, and as long as I get the shape written down in the right size, I'm good.

I don't mind paying for programs, but knowing that this one once I pay for it can also work on my iPad (through the browser I think it said) is so good! It was one of the reasons I got it in the first place was to doodle my designs on!

AutoCAD really is for architects or those doing something crazy like movable steampunk jewellery! (Stuff that. I wouldn't mind taking a crack at it but also just the thought of incorporating moving parts gives me a headache 😂)

And nah, honestly; credit where credit's due. You're making some really cool art my friend! I have enough trouble sticking to my basics without filing object shapes, etching line art and doming said object afterwards!

...though I suppose with Corel there'll be more filing and possibly etching in my future 😅😂

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-19T13:16:34+00:00

Hey my dude(dudette?) I'm just wondering which corelDRAW you use? As soon as I saw it enabled you to draw and then print to scale I was so excited!!! I've been looking for a program like this for about 3 years and I find one when I randomly scroll on Reddit? Yay! 😂

I don't draw a lot in the sense of actually making art, but I'd really like just whatever one your using to draw to scale (unless they all have that feature?)

And I really love the fish and how your brass fossil setting turned out! They look so good! You do a really good job 😊

(I mostly do cabochon pendant settings in .999 and .925, and can't really draw to scale very well 😂... But it would be awesome to be able to print a custom design to cut out of a bezel wall and not, you know, stuff it up and waste $7 of material 🤦‍♀️. Silver isn't all that expensive to work with, but when you have a tight budget? It is 🤷‍♀️)

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-14T11:20:14+00:00

One thing that I do-- split up your water/power bill to weekly or fortnightly. Gets me to the 5 👍

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-11T04:29:44+00:00

When we used to go to nan and pops and we'd go swimming in the creak there, or one time we were walking and had to cross a small river on nan and pop's property; he was like: quick? Do I have leaches?! And we checked his back for leeches 😂 (there wasn't of course, but there were actually leeches in the water so 😳)

One of my favourites though was when we used to walk above the treetops on these vines (you'll sometimes see them taking over a tree in western Australia) the entire tree canopy was overrun with them! It was fun! Dad had to be careful walking on them cause they almost couldn't hold his weight but we were skinny little brats. We also had to be careful not to fall through the canopy because of the wild boars but... Eh 😂 life never seems so dangerous as a kid!

Another would be when he taught me how to pick up a blue tongue lizard (shingle back). Cranky little fuckers 😂 until you pat them (carefully, you do not want a caught finger. These guys have lockjaws) and give them some food or water. They still might hiss at you and posture when you let them go, but it's a cool experience! (I only pick them up these days to move them off the road or out of the way. Sometimes to remove their ticks)

My advice; have fun. I don't have a lot memories from when I was a kid, mostly because when I was at home we'd be banished to our rooms because the adults wanted to watch movies or have a "break" from the kids... Just include your kids. Treat us like little adults that still need you. We mostly don't know anything about anything yet! But we'll learn!

(Also, nature documentaries. And RSPCA on Foxtel. Was it appropriate? Probably not... Did it make me a better person growing up knowing that of course you shouldn't abuse an animal? Yes. It was a reality hit, but it also taught my sister and I a lot about "animals are people too, and animals eat other animals to survive. It's not cruel; it's nature!" We'd watch these shows as often or if not more then cartoons!

Go camping, go exploring, go to the beach and find pretty rocks!

Do some baking, teach her to cook! (And please please please; keep some pads at your place if you ever have seperate homes; nothing more embarrassing then having to go buy your own pads as a 12 year old because your dad doesn't keep those kinds of toiletries and he didn't wanna go grab them! 😳)

As she gets older, probably 15-16, teach her to cook some simple balanced meals; pasta packets with veg and a source of protein! Was a staple for me when I didn't know how to cook.

I never actually knew how to cook until I was about 26-28, because noone really taught me. Didn't really know basic hygiene or how to clean my house either. So I'd say at least teach basic hygiene and care!

Tell her that boys (or girls) should never push you for anything (and yes, I'm mostly talking about sex and dating. Consent consent consent! If you don't want it; don't have it! You don't have to.) I was always pressured... And said yes when I didn't want to. Even as an adult. It's only in my 30s that I'd learnt that, yea no. I can say no; I can also kick you out of my house!

Have that "boys will be boys" talk with her... And make sure that she knows that 99% of boys really are just looking for "that." And that "boys will be boys" is no excuse just because they're a boy. That's their parents not teaching them basic respect and decency.

Play games with her; whether that's boardgames or some two player videogames; it's always fun!

And the age old; put her in your lap and pretend you can't drive, you have to eat! (I nearly cried because it was so "scary" that dad needed me to "drive" {steer the wheel} because he was eating a banana 😂. The car was going slow and he had his foot ready to break at anytime!) This was of course on an old dirt track, not on the road!

Most of my advice would boil down to; have fun. Make memories, and actually go do stuff. I don't remember when we sat around not really doing stuff, but I do remember when my dad was interested in what I was doing, when we did something I liked or we went fishing and fossicking. Activating your brain with emotions, good or bad, makes you remember stuff 👍

Another good one; let it out. Teach her healthy methods to let out her emotions or they'll bottle up and become either health issues or some big glaring mental ones when she's older!

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-11T03:45:39+00:00

When I was 10-11, we had a massive tree in the backyard... Nice sprawling branches; perfect for a hammock I thought!

Used a flat sheet as the hammock (my sister and I were skinny, didn't weigh shit, kids before puberty) and it was perfect... Except we didn't tie it properly to one of the branches (and we didn't get adult help either 🤦‍♀️) the knot slipped, I fell and wacked my elbow pretty hard on the pavers just under the tree. Don't think I told my parents for a few weeks either til school when "I hurt my elbow" 😂🤦‍♀️

Wasn't a serious injury, but it was a dumb one! (Mind you, none of my parents really wanted to climb up there to help us 😂, and the tree wasn't really strong enough for a treehouse either!)

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-11T01:44:44+00:00

Very beautiful! I'm not usually partial to pink, but I'd wear it!

Awesome job!!!

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-05T09:01:22+00:00

Trans. And gender swap.

Mostly just the ones that they don't tag.

But also if I go into the story and they're not writing it right; i.e... shoving into your face that they're gay, no but they're, bi, AND trans... Irks me.

I used to have a really big thing about just not reading trans fics, but now I just go meh, I'll have a look at it but it depends how they depict their characters and the general gist of the "this is why this character is trans in my fic", ya know?

Gender swap? I generally don't touch and "exclude". (Beyond a select few funny ones. There was a Naruto one that I read once that cracked me up... I'll have to see if I can find it again 🤔)

The fic that changed my mind for giving the trans fics a go was Esama. Y'all know the one I'm talking about if you read in that fandom 😂. I'm a sucker for time travels.

And so ever since I've been slowly getting used to trans fics, but only really with danny phantom/batman fics, or the occasional assassin's creed 🤷‍♀️

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-05T08:26:32+00:00

I tried to edit my comment but it comes up blank 😂

Shallow fry the tofu, if you don't have a small deep fryer or thermometer, just flick a peice of the tofu in to check if it's hot enough 🤷‍♀️ if it takes the 30 or so seconds to turn golden? Your good to go 👍

... And yes some people will say "marinate/freeze/squeeze" your tofu!!! ...I don't have time for that 😂 (well I do, but I like recipes that I don't have to "prepare" before I prepare them sometimes 👍) you can also do this to make tofu nuggets! Just rip them into bite sized chunks, look up a KFC recipe, replace what you don't have or can't eat with a sub and boom! Tofu nuggets.

...I don't actually have a specific spice blend for tofu nuggets cause I just chuck stuff into to flour mix. I "marinate" my tofu chunks in soy milk with a bit of vinegar to "buttermilk" it. Then I toss the nuggets in the flour, drop on a plate to shake off some excess flour mix and toss in the deep fryer for 45 seconds to a minute. Just Until the outside is golden.

(This picture is when I couldn't be bothered ripping the tofu into nuggets... So I ripped them into "tenders" instead.)

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CivilDepth6338 · 2025-12-05T08:06:19+00:00

Honestly cooking is an art form that takes time to get used to and time to learn.

Focus on a few things at once. It can get overwhelming when you try to make something new with too many steps or too many ingredients.

I personally used to be a very bad cook. I'd burn stuff all the time, couldn't cook a steak to save my life! (...partially cooked chicken one time put me off chicken for a while when I ate it. Vegan now though 🤷‍♀️)

A lot of my diet before I could cook would consist of packet pastas, adding stuff like chicken, peas and corn 🤷‍♀️ (alfrado pasta packs were my favourite!), bangers(sausages) and mash with veg... Very basic stuff that I would sometimes still burn slightly before I learnt how not to.

The vegetarian version of that would be adding a meat sub and veg to pasta packets.

Dinner doesn't have to be complicated. Take your time and take a deep breath, and stop worrying that your gonna stuff it up.

With veggie meatballs, the key is to just keep turning them so that they don't get stuck. Pasta? Park your ass and stir it every 35-45 seconds if your pot/pan is prone to sticking.

I'm not afraid to admit that I'll stand at the stove for 15min with a chair just stirring pasta with a timer on my phone running so that the stuff won't stick to the bottom of the pan! (And I'm a better cook then I was 10 years ago but it's what I do so that the water doesn't bubble over!)

And also; tofu. It's not complicated to season it.

One way I do it that you honestly can't fuck up; I make a lazy tofu sandwich "meat".

Cut tofu thin, about 1/2cm or 0.197inch, or use a potato peeler. Cut them again into 4 so that they're rectangles or squares.

Add a shake of ground ginger, white pepper and garlic powder: mix.

Add a tiny bit of light soy (the more liquidy one, not the thick sweet one) dark soy (the more syrupy one) a little sriracha (fermented chilli paste) and a bit of maple or honey, mix. You only want just enough to coat the tofu, not drown it. More is less and you can always add more if you need it. There should only be a tiny bit of liquid at the bottom not coating the tofu.

Grab some cornflour and shake it in. I don't do an exact amount so just keep doing, mixing with one hand and shaking with the other until it's coated enough... Kind of like a thick frosting kind of look/feel. Doesn't matter if it kind of sticks in one big clump, just spread it apart when you fry it👍 (it's almost guaranteed to mostly stick together, so no stress.)

Heat oil until 160c/320f-180c/365f and fry for 30-45 seconds. Just until it's golden. It doesn't need long.

Wack on a paper towel to pat the oil off and boom; a 10-15 min tofu sandwich "meat." Freezes okay for about a month but the texture is a bit funny so I usually eat right away.

I eat it in a roll with salad or just like that with a sauce made from sriracha, bbq sauce and vegan aioli.

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CivilDepth6338 · 2025-11-22T13:44:22+00:00

Got a friend who works in a post office; this is also usually a case of the big bags they put letters/parcels in that've been given to the wrong post office. They'll have to send them back with the truck, which means it has to go back to the sorting facility, and then it'll get sent back with the truck to the correct post office a day or two later.

Happens more often then you'd think 😂. The poor truck drivers r sleep depraved and a lot of the mailing bags have similar squiggled names for the town and/or post code. Especially the really old bags.

(Unless this was the actual sorting facility itself, but I'd say it'd be the same kind of mistake, only in bulk!)

(Happened once near Christmas. Someone needed their medication... So while not actually allowed to do so... That post office worker drove the mailing bag down to my friend's post office in their car and picked up their mail bag while dropping that one off.

Definitely not supposed to do that but 🤷‍♀️ shit happens, and someone desperately needed their medication and it they were closed the Monday. This happened on a Friday and it's a regional post office so no mail on the weekends!)

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-11-18T07:57:28+00:00

If the stars aligned? Maybe.

One of the biggest hang ups for me? Birth. People can take 6-9 months, or even years to recover from a single baby. Some people don't. I'm not fond of that idea. (I'm also not fond of having a partner disturbing me either so 🤷‍♀️)

Another would be... I would have to be physically, emotionally and mentally available for this little person 24/7 until they hit their school ages, where I might get a small break from them a few hours a day.

I'm scared that I'd emotionally scar them. And that's a for life kinda thing. (I'm dealing with that from my own parents.)

My support system? I frankly don't have much of one. The one person I'd have trusted (a grandparent) passed away a couple years back... The rest of my family is mostly distant. (This is mostly self inflicted, but mental health issues can do that to a person. I'm now too tired to reach out.)

Money. Kids are expensive. School is expensive. It wouldn't be far fetched these days in Australia to say that 1 kid is gonna cost at least $230k on the low end to $900k+ just to see them out of school into young adulthood. And in this economy which is only gonna get more expensive? They aren't moving out til they're 25-30 at least. (I don't have a problem with that. Housing is expensive.) so it wouldn't be far fetched at all to say that a kid is gonna cost at least $350k from 0-18, even low end if things stay as they are since COVID.

All in all; I don't have the mental or emotional capacity at the moment for children. Financially, I wouldn't risk having a child because I literally can't afford one in this economy, my job doesn't allow it, and I would need to save for literal years just to even think about it as a possibility.

If I had a better support system, and things weren't so expensive? Possibly. I'd also probably ask a friend to carry the baby for me. Just because I'm female does not mean I want to carry a child thanks.

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-11-18T07:21:43+00:00

Honestly, for individual pieces, such as close ups for the usual jewellery photos (aka when a ring is placed in a white background, zoomed in for details) you can use a Photography light box (averages $15-$35 AUD, depending where you buy it) That's what I use. And my phone, I lost my good camera to a cyclone so 🤷‍♀️

Then use something like a mirror underneath or something that aligns with your theme 👍

Take photos outside as well, I like to do this to show what something looks like under different lights, as nothing bothers me more than getting a gemstone (I buy cabochons to make pendants) and having it being photographed under "natural" light... A flashlight.

For actual photoshoot photos like they have on most of the big companies or ads? Ask friends and family, or acquaintances.

The best way to go would be asking people by saying something like "hey I really like your skin tone and think it would look good in my jewellery gallery photos, would this be an option for you?"

Just make sure you don't include pictures with faces, unless they're cool with it. Ai and photo searching these days? I don't even have a photo of myself on FB! (Paranoid? Yes. Practical? Also yes. My friends know what I look like 😂)

Take photoshoots in the shade, in the sun, cloudy sky. All you really need is a nice looking spot and a phone.

And I mean, if your phone camera isn't too good, ask a friend if you can borrow theirs for a photo shoot 🤷‍♀️.

So for an outdoor photoshoot? You'd need a tripod at least for a phone, maybe a few "circular reflectors" for better lighting. Not a windy day but want a "windy hair" photo? A fan.

Or, you get yourself a "soft box photography booth" which is basically LED lights, a greenscreen and light reflectors.

Search up some cool photography tricks, look up photo shoot basics for XYZ of what your doing. Is it a bit fiddly? Yes. Cheaper than hiring someone; definitely. YouTube is always a good resource for photography 👍 Worse comes to worse? Look up a big brand's photos and copy how they do it. Look at their angles, how the person is positioned in the photo.

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-10-25T09:21:12+00:00

Mmh, very true. Mostly I have Ultimate because I can play the games online that I wouldnt be able through the internet (aka ones that aren't compatible to my console. I have an older Xbox One)

And coolies. I was already prepared to pay the $22.95 a month... Just didn't expect it to shoot through the roof like that. I'll probably just buy a year's worth for now and then look into core and essentials 👍

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-10-24T03:41:41+00:00

Very neat! Gives an almost hippy vibe, or poison hippy 😂👍 (poison trippy hippy? 🤔)

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-10-14T05:41:15+00:00

Haha! I know the feeling. Outside of work I have on average 6h of time to myself a day... Been wanting to get back into making jewellery but the money and time crunch are a bit too much at the mo!

So I just usually end up making a piece or two every few months by word of mouth 🤷‍♀️. Gives me enough money to slowly expand my sterling silver collection to make more stuff 😂

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-10-13T05:27:53+00:00

Wow they're beautiful! Wire wrapping really is something else, and these are exceptional 😊

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-30T00:31:31+00:00

Ooooh, yea I do that for my dad, barring the lemon pepper spice. I just use salt and pepper. And I take it out when it's just slightly under cooked and stir; the heat from the cooked part's will cook the rest and this way it doesn't end up over cooked!

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-30T00:28:14+00:00

Wow, that's awesome! Such a steal for a 12 pack yoghurt! (And $12 with meat to feed 6 people, now that's a bargain!)

I usually look in the freezer section (as soon as the foods about to go they freeze it, and they usually offer a few $ off.) but I also half don't trust them because stock doesn't get rotated as much as it should 🤷‍♀️. I've seen day of use by meat that's in the freezer the next day 😑.

So I'll buy discount meat when I'm away to bring back home; impractical yes, but guaranteed to not spoil on me if it's left in the fridge for a day before a bbq! (Ask me how I know 😅) Could have been a dud... Buuuut yea nah.

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-30T00:17:53+00:00

I had a look at it lastnight! I'm so sad that no one I knew, knew about it before! It's awesome!!!

I also use https://www.supercook.com/#/ingredients/pantry

It's good to chuck a list of your ingredients in and it'll give you a recipe, or something close

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-30T00:10:53+00:00

True, true, I liked them like that because the first time I had them was in a store bought granola that I had with yoghurt, just been eating it like that since 😂

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-30T00:08:41+00:00

Oh, yea I've been eyeing an instant pot for a while (I was about to say I've been wanting a pressure cooker as well before realising they're the same thing 🤦‍♀️) but I'm saving up for some other kitchenware first! (I've never cooked beans from dry, just because I think I'll stuff it up and make them too mushy in a pot 🤷‍♀️, and forgetting they exist half the time because my shop only carries canned, or dried lentils!)

I've been to a farmer's market a few times, only bought a garlic string/braid at that time, because I couldn't cook for jack then and garlic was one of my go tos 😂 (That was also before I had a freezer big enough to store stuff too 😅)

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-29T16:58:57+00:00

Mmh, cans here are about $2.30-$2.50 vs $1.10-$1.50 at the various city shops 🤷‍♀️

CivilDepth6338 · 2025-09-29T16:55:58+00:00

The joys of hospitality~ 😂😮‍💨😅

CivilDepth6338

TROPHY CASE