JEWELRY

Fundamentals of Metalsmithing

Tim McCreight

Hand Books Press

ROCKPORT, MASSACHUSETTS
Introduction

ach of' us comes to craft work in a different way. These pages contain nothing magical. In them

E Some approach it and for others it

as a business,
is mostly a personal— sometimes introspective
—
activity. For all of us, it is to some degree a form of
you'll find procedures and tools invented by ordinary
people over the last thousand years. Given enough
time, you might have invented them yourself, but in
therapy, a chance to stare the world in the eye and the interest of efficiency I've collected the tricks and
say, “I made this." Whether we're holding a master- tecdmiques consider most useful, and arranged them
I

piece or a crude first attempt, the value lies less in the in a logical sequence.
object than in the fact that w^e made it. Because this Jew'elry making is fun to teach because the tech-
showdown with the universe can be a bit scary, it's niques exist as more or less separate components. This
useful to equip yourself with some information that means you can make a finished piece using only one
will make the creative work a little less chancy and the or two procedures— simple, but infused with your
results more resolved. That is the reason for a book unique vision. With time, you can acquire more skills
like this. and increase your versatility. The processes covered
here are ''fundamental" in that they provide a solid
foundation for further instruction and experimenta-
tion, and while this book is written for beginners, it
contains techniques intermediate jewelers will find
challenging.
What distinguishes book from others is the
this
huge collection of photographs, most taken just for this
use. You'll find clear, grab-it-in-a-giance illustrations
that will move you from reader to worker in minutes.
The work of scores of talented jewelers fills the book
from cover to cover, offering a fresh jolt of inspiration
with every rereading.
I've tried to present information in a logical order,
but when all is said and done, technique, science and
design merge and cross reference, so feel free to jump
in anywhere and revisit sections every once in a while.
Some details that are elusive at first will be helpful
once you've had some time bench.
at the
I didn't learn to make jew^elry so could write a
I

book, or even so 1 could teach though I've been

it,

teaching metalwork for 25 years. My work at the

bench is my response to a universe that sa\''s, "Who are
3'^ou?” hope you can find the same kind of discovery
I

and fulfillment that the craft has provided for me.

Cabrielle Could, Waiting #/ neckpiece. Sterling, turquoise egg. 1 x 2”.

Author’s Note

erhaps the two most important tools you can

P bring with you as you undertake jewelry making

are common sense and creativity. Think of
these qualities as favorite pets. Feed them well, give
them a chance to exercise daily, and honor their
needs. Common sense will help you through the
places where a book like this is necessarily brief. It's
just plain impossible to describe every step in every
process, and while be thorough, I bet there
I've tried to
will come a time when you scratch vour head and sav,
"How did he get from this step to that one?" wish I I

could be over your shoulder to answer, but since 1

can’t, my advice is to use your common sense. How do
you think I’d get from this to that? You're probably
right.
Creative thinking is the ability to see a connection
between elements that are not usually associated. Cre-
ativity usually starts by asking the right question, or
asking a question in the right way. You might not use
the traditional method, but what you discover might
work better for you. And how do 3^)11 think all those
traditional methods were invented in the first place?
For some, this book will be best used in conjunction
with a class, which you might find offered at a local
college, craft school or civic program. The advantage
of learning in a group is the breadth of exposure and
the opportunity to share questions and discoveries. It
is entirely possible, though, to learn by ^murself— as I

did. The basic tools are pretty cheap, a work space can
Beth River, Substantial Presence (being) brooch. Mixed metals, paint,
be small, and you can practice on inexpensive metals
photograph. 4 x 234 x V2". Photo by Jerry Anthony.
like copper and brass. All told, ^mu can start a reward-
ing hobbjr or promising career in jewelr^'^ making in a
corner of your basement for about the cost of a set of
tires for your car.

One more bit of common sense: take care of 3n)ur- you are tired or unfocused, don't use power equip-
self.Jewelry making is not terribly dangerous, but any ment. you don’t understand how a tool works, seek
If
time you use tools and chemicals, there is the poten- advice, either through books or from local experts. You
tial for accidents. Wear goggles wdren using power do not have the option of ignoring these precautions.
equipment, and a respirator around dust or vapors. If It's 3"our health, and you must take responsibility^ for it.
Cutting & Bending
like to teaching Jewelry
begin
making with cutting and bend-
I ing, which are fundamental to al-

most every project you'll undertake.

You'll need to start with a little infor-
mation about the tools, the materials
and the techniques— then dig in! /\s
you go along, of course, you'll learn
more about each of these areas. Sup-
plement this chapter with the brief
section on metals in the appendix.

Now that voLiVe decided to make

jewelry and bought this nifty book,
should you hock the rancii to pay
for your new endeavor? No, that's
not necessary. There are several
reasons why working in precious
metals doesn't cost as much as you
might fear.
jewelry is usually
First of all,
Douglas Marling, Royal Ghosts brooch/pendant. 22K, garnets. V2 x V'.
small. Even though you may be
1

working in a precious material,

vou don't need lots of it. In addi-
tion, there are creative ways to see how approachable jewelry mak- tobe reclaimed. The amount you'll
combine the really pricey goods ing is. In the appendix you'll find a get back depends on the size and
(gold) with less costly metals like list consider most im-
of the tools 1 condition of your scraps, hut as a
silver or copper. And because cop- portant for Jewelry making. Write rule of thumb you can estimate
per and brass have similar working away for catalogs from several of that you'll receive between one-
properties to sterling and gold, you the suppliers you’ll find listed half and three-fourths of the mar-
can practice your craft on those there, and use them to sort out ket value back from your precious
less expensive materials. your needs. Bear in mind that each waste.
Regarding the studio, again jeweler has unique ideas about
we're fortunate, because our space which tools are most important.
reciuiremcnt is slight and we work Finally, there is virtually no Measurement
primarily with small tools. Com- waste in jewelry making. Almost
pare that to the potter's kiln or the all scrap, even the dust and floor Most linear measurement in the
woodworker's table saw, and you’ll sweepings, can be sent to a refiner jewelry world is metric— a system
 Metal thickness, while occasion- other measuring system you might
ally described metrically, more is encounter, especially in the indus-
often metasured on the Brown and marketplace, is thousandths of
trial

Sharpe or B&S gauge. This system, an inch, written as a three-digit

which is used for both sheet and number such as .040.
wire, runs from 0 (about the thick-
ness of a pencil) to 36 (finer than a
hair). Usually only the even num-
Layout
bers are used, with 10 through 22
being the most common sizes. An- while the term design refers to de-
cisions about shape, composition,
texture and scale, layout means the
engineering of parts and relation-
ships. This is the time to calculate
thickness, location of holes, and
the sequence of operations. Some
pieces require great precision in as-
sembly; others are more casual. If
a design requires exact measure-
ments, apply the same level of pre-
cision to every aspect of the job,
from the sharpness of your pencil
point to the quality of your ruler. It

doesn't work to be "sort of accu-

Joan Parcher, earrings. Sterling, oxidized and Donald Frtedlich, /nferference Series brooch. rate.” Precision is an attitude as
gold plated. 3V4 x 5/e". 18K, slate. 21/4 x Vk". much as a skill; when it matters, it
Photo by James Beards. Photo by James Beards.
matters from the very beginning.

Using a B&S gauge to measure the thickness

of sheet.

that lends itself to small scaleand

easy calculations. One of the most
useful tools on the jeweler’s bench
is a small steel ruler showing met-

ric increments. Other useful mea-

suring devices are calipers, either

the sliding or the spring version,
but to get started a well-sharpened
divider, used in conjunction with
the ruler, will suffice. Grady Alexander, Frog Paradise pin. Sterling, natural stones. 4 x 5V2",
 Sawing Tools
Danielle Berlin, Little Old
Man brooch. Sterling, The equipment for sawing is sim-
bronze. 6 x 2". ple, consisting of three elements:
saw frame, bench pin and blades. A
Jeweler's saw frame is made of
steel with a wooden handle, and is
sized according to its throat— the
reach from the blade to the back of
the frame. A typical size for most
jewelry work is 3 or 4 inches.
This
Sefectine a Saw Blade piece of equipment will be with
you for years, so avoid skimping. A
blade size use with
good frame will cost about $15.
B&S gauge
The bench pin is a wooden sup-
port on which sawing and filing are
finest 8/0 26
done. It is nothing more than a
6/0 24 block of wood, firmly anchored to
4/0 22 the bench, shaped by each jeweler
to suit individual needs. Bench
2/0 22
pins can be purchased or made, but
0 20
either way you'll need to cut away
1 20 some areas to make the pin ideally
2 16/18 suited for your posture and needs.
Notice the photograph on page 11;
3 12/14
it shows the proper position for
4 10
sawing, with the hand directly be-
coarsest 5 8 neath the bench pin.
Saw blades are available in a
dizzying array of brands and sizes.
Let’s make it easy: You get what
Man}? people find it helpful to Once your idea is worked out, you pay for. A dozen blades can
make paper or cardboard models, transfer onto the adhesive paper,
it cost anywhere from 75C to S4.00,
especially for complicated struc- first in pencil, then in ink. Clean and with a little experience you
tures. It's easier and a lot cheaper the metal with soap and water, or will be able to tell the difference.
to do your thinking in paper than with a Scotch-Prite pad, to remove Cheap blades are imperfectly cut,
in silver, and faster too. File folder finger oils. Then peel the backing poorly tempered, and inconsistent.
stock is a good weight. Useful tools off the paper and press it onto the Buy at least a mid-range quality to
for layout include a steel ruler, a metal. Saw right through the paper; avoid frustration.
compass, a pair of dividers, and when done, peel or burn it off.
plastic templates for familiar Blade Sizes
shapes like circles, squares and To cut properly, blades should be
ovals— but use whichever tools matched to the thickness of the
Sawing
work, fi'om a computer program to materials being cut. The ideal rela-
a reducing photocopier. Sawing is one of the most basic of tionship v^dlI allow three teeth to
Pencil or ink lines drawn on alljewmlry fabrication techniques, touch the metal at any time. The
metal are hard to see, so I use ad- You will use it to cut out decorative result is a cleaner cut, improved
hesive-backed paper (e.g.. Crack 'n shapes, to make openings, and to control, and longer blade life. The
Peel) available from office supply prepare metal for other processes. chart above shows ideal sizes, hut
companies and print shops. This Because of its simplicity, it offers a you can be off a size in either di-
shows a drawn line clearlv and has directness that allows each work- rection and still saw smoothly.
an added advantage of being eras- er’s gesture to show, not unlike a Sawing goes best when you
able like any other paper. brush stroke or signature. don’t think too much about it. With
a simple vertical rhythm, the blade 4 Ti'ack the blade vertically. Don't
slides through the metal with ap- let it seesaw or stab the metal.
parent ease, able to cut out minute 5 Use the entire length of the saw
details and bold forms. At least blade, with long, relaxed strokes.
that's the idea. It may seem a little 6 Keep the cut moving straight
jerky but with an hour or
at first, away from you, turning the
two of practice, you will be able to work— not the saw— as 3^011 go.
guide the blade where you want it
to go. The process of sawing relies To insert the blade, rest the
on the senses of touch, vision and front tip of the frame on the edge
hearing to find a perfect stroke. of the workbench and lean against
This kind of synthesis
^ can only be 1^' the handle with your chest just
found through practice. enough to hold the frame in place.
With both hands free, pick up a
blade and lay it into one of the grip-
The Sawing Process
ping plates.
1 Secure the blade firmly in the In order to cut on the down
frame, teeth pointing toward the saw blade
stroke, the teeth of the
handle. must point toward the handle. To
2 Hold the saw frame so the blade ensure this, look at the blade close-
is yertical. This grip will feel as 13^ or slide it lightl3^ along a piece of
if you are reaching under the fabric, like your shirt. You'll notice
workbench. the blade snags in one direction
3 Don't grip the handle too stren- but not in the other— the direction
uously. Be relaxed, let the tool of the snag is the wa3' the teeth are
do the work. pointing.
Jan Baum, Plumb Pearl. Bronze, copper,
cultured pearls. 25/3 x 19/ig x 1 V2 ". © 1994.

SAWING

1 Lay out the design on label paper. This 2 Support the saw frame against your chest 3 The proper posture for sawing: Keep the
design is traced from a photograph. as you insert the blade. blade vertical.
 To make the blade taut, lean
against the saw frame as it is sup-
ported against the bench. While it
is in this slightly "collapsed” state,
tighten the free end of the blade in
its gripping plate. When you lean
back, the frame will Hex and the
blade will pull tight. When piercing
(cutting a section from within a
piece), the process is identical, ex-
cept that the blade is inserted
through a hole drilled in the sheet
before being fixed in the frame.

Drilling

Holes can be made by hammering

a pointed tool through a sheet, but
Nicole Danielle Jacquard, Window Series: Home, Church, Shop, Sterling, acrylic frame
a drill bit provides much more con-
4 X 2V2" each. Photo by Kevin Montague.
trol. Bits can be used with any sort

of drill, from the traditional bow

drill to the simple "egg-beater" style Drilling in metal should always Some people like to lubricate
to an electric hand drill or flexible be at a slow speed. It is tempting to saw blades and drill bits with
shaft machine. Whatever the tool, push the tool into the metal, as if beeswax or a synthetic alternative.
start by making a shallow dimple more force will facilitate the pene- This process is made easy by at-
with a center punch where the tration, but just the opposite is taching a liunp of wax to the front
hole will be. This provides a grip true.Slow down and give the cut- of the bench near the bench pin,
for the drill bit, which tends to ting edges time to shear off thin where the tool can be touched
twirl sideways unless anchored. shavings of metal. against the wax ever^^ so often.

SAWING f(contiruedJ

4 Drill a hole in eachcompartment of the

design, and thread the saw blade.

5 Rotate the work as needed while sawing,

working in the center of the bench pin.

6 Use small files to refine the shape.

7 The finished pin, with a round wire

soldered onto the edge.
Devta Doolan, cuff links. 22K, diamond crystals (loose inside)
Photo by Robert DIamonte.

Pauline Warg, wedding rings. 14K rose and green gold. Heather Croston, March pendant Sterling, paint, wood. 2 x 13/4 ".

Use a push-and-slide
stroke to file a flat edge.

Filing

As simple as they are, files are

among the most important tools in
the jeweler's arsenal. They can be
used to create forms, refine shapes
and alter surfaces. Proper use of
files can often make the difference

between an acceptable piece and

one that is truly special; time spent
mastering the use of your files will
be repaid many times over.
Sam Shaw, three brooches. 14K white and yellow gold, diamond, tourmaline. Shown actual size.

Files numbers are used on files of all Probably the most frequently used
sizes and shapes. shapes are flat and half round, but
We all know that files are lengths of On larger files, length is mea- square, round and triangular are
steel covered with cutting teeth, sured along the cutting surface, A also very useful, especially in the
liut did you know that every aspect 6" file, for instance, has an overall small sizes. It is impossible to pre-

of a file reflects a choice, from the length of about 9", including the scribe a single “best" file to own,
quality of the steel to the overall tang, the pointed section that is in- but these will get your collection
length to the shape of each individ- serted into a handle, .lust to keep started.
ual tooth? you on your toes, smaller files such Large files should be fitted with
American files are described by as needle files or riffJers are identi- handles to protect your palm from
names, from coarse to line: Rough, fiedby their overall length, onl^/ injury and to achieve maximum
Bastard, Second Cut, Smooth and about half of which is a cutting sur- leverage and control. Handles are
Stipe rSmooth. European files are face. wherever files are sold, in
available
generally considered of better qual- Perhaps more important than both wood and plastic, and can be
ity, and are available in a wider size is the shape of a file. Use a file removed and reused. Be sure the
range of sizes. They are calibrated that best matches the intended handle has a hole equal to the
by numeral, starting with 00 (coars- shape, for instance a flat file to width of the tang at about mid-
est) through 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on, up make an edge straight and a half- length (most come this way), and
to 8, which is very fine. These round file when refining curves. drive the handle onto the file with
 Michael Swanson,
Fish Brooch. Brass.
2 X 3V2".

a mallet. Some plastic handles are Wire Work

made to screw onto the tang, and
these also work well. Wire is available in several shapes,
or cross-sections, all described with
The Filing Process the same numerical system used
To get the most from a file, you'll for sheet metal: the Brown and
want to develop proper filing
a Sharpe gauge. metal is
I’recious
stroke. Be sure the piece being filed sold in any desired length, priced
is well anchored against the bench; by weight, while base metals like
if it drifts away with each stroke, copper and brass are usually avail-
you are not getting the most for able on spools or in coils. Precious Dfaw tongs pull a wire through tapered
holes of decreasing size in a drawplate.
your effort. This is a cutting action, metals arc always supplied fully
so the file must be pushed force- annealed— in at their most malle-
fully against the metal. Put your in- able state— unless specifically re-
dex finger on the top of the file to quested otherwise. Base metals are duty pliers called draw tongs that
press down as you slide it forward, usually sold half-hard. have a coarse Jaw and curved han-
and don't be afraid to put some dle for a strong grip.
muscle into the stroke. A drawplate is a bar of hardened
Drawing Wire
The teeth on all files are angled steel with holes of decreasing size.
away from the handle, meaning Though you can purchase almost Each hole is shaped like a funnel,
that all cutting is done v^dth a push every size and shape of wire, hav- having its larger opening at the
action. Dragging the file on the ing a drawplate makes it possible to backside. The plate is used to re-
backstroke serves only to wear it buy only a couple of sizes and cre- duce the size of wire, and it can
down, so use a push-and-lift stroke. ate what you need when you need also alter its shape. Drawplatcs are
Start with the largest and coarsest it. A drawplate is expensive, but a made in many shapes; the most
tool needed, then move systemati- serious Jeweder will find it a very common is round.
cally to finer files as the shape is useful addition to the studio. It is When using a drawplate, first

refined. used in conjunction with a heavy- mount it in a bench vise so the

 .

holes being used are close to the

vise. File a gradual taper onto the It's worthwhile to
invest in good
last half inch of a wire and poke it
quality pliers.
through the largest hole possible. A box joint, like
Grasp the wire with the tongs and the one shown,
pull through the plate. Try to
it is superior to
the simpler
keep the wire perpendicular to the
overlapping joint
drawplate, and use a smooth, even
because of its
pull. Move down the line through
greater strength.
successively smaller holes until the The four most
wire reaches the desired size. It popular jaw styles

may be necessary to re file the ta- are shown in the

cross section
per or anneal the wire after go-
to
detail: chain, flat,
ing through four or five holes. round and ring-

forming.

Bending Wire
whenever bend wire with
possible,
your fingers; they are unmatched
for dexterity and control. When
Forming
more leverage is necessary, choose Pliers shapes Common uses
it’s typical for a jeweler's early
a pair of pliers with smooth jaws Most common
Chain-nose versatile,
be primarily two-dimen-
work to
that match the desired bend. Pliers bending and gripping
sional as, for instance, in a flat
are available in a wide price range, Opening curves, hardy
Fiat-nose an interest- sawn
piece of sheet to
and generally you get what you grip, making square
ing shape. Here are a few basic
pay for. Because these tools are an bends
techniques that push the metal for-
intimate part of the process, avoid Round-nose Small curves
ward, providing depth to make a
the least expensive— they will wear Ring-forming Large curves
fully three-dimensional object.
out quickly.

1 File a groove in the bench pin to secure

wire for filing.

2 Use round-nose pliers to bend small

curves . .

3 . . . and ring-forming pliers for larger

curves.

4 Precision and care are evident in this

simple exercise.
j.e. Paterak, earrings. Sterling, pearls.

Dapping

A dapping block is a steel cube into

which hemispherical cavities of
various sizes have been cut. It is

used in conjunction with dapping Micki Lippe, Four Corners brooch. Sterling, 22K. 3 x 3".
punches, steel rods with rounded
tips corresponding to the various
depressions. Think of a steel mor-
tar and pestle in which the two
parts together closely.
fit It’s possible to dap metal that
To use the dapping block, cut a has been textured, but this will
circle from sheet metal and set it usually decrease the depth of the
into the cavity that is slightly larger marks slightly.Compensate when-
than the disk. Set the correspond- ever possible by making the texture
ing punch on the center of the disk, especially coarse begin with.
to
and strike it firmly with a Sr-
hammer When doming a pierced disk, dap-
or mallet, stopping when the tool ping may distort the form.
makes a thudding sound — probably
0 nly a f cw b 1 (.) ws . I f m o re cu rva t u re The top drawing shows a groove cut with a
is wanted, move to a smaller cavi-
Scoring triangular file. Follow up with a square file, to
create a 90“ opening.
ty, select the corresponding tool, To achieve a crisp right-angled cor-
and repeat the process. Continue ner, it is necessary to remove some
until you have the desired shape. metal, creating a miter, as with a
Domes can be soldered to-
like this wooden frame. This process, called
gether to make beads, or used in a scorbig a groove or simply scoring,
wide variety of other applications. can be done on wire or sheet, and
is used in making boxes, frames, corner of a large flat file) to enlarge Although every metal has a dis-
settings and mechanisms. the groove. To test for readiness, tinct malleability range,they all
When scoring for a right-angled bend the sheet slightly and look at have their limits. If you go too far—
corner, use a square file to make a the reverse side. When a crisp line that is, if you continue to strike or
notch that extends almost all the is revealed along the score, the bend or stress a metal after a cer-
way through the piece. When prop- sheet may be bent. With sheet, as tain point— it will break. The solu-
erly made, a faint outline of the with wire, follow this step by sol- tion to this situation is the con-
groove will show through on the dering the corner to strengthen trolled heating process called tin-
back side. At this point the metal and protect it. nealing. Precious metals are usual-
can be folded easily. Because this ly sold in their vSoft state, a condi-
joint is fragile, you’ll need to rein- tion called fiiUij annealed or dead
force the corner with solder imme- Annealing soft. Copper and brass are usually
diately after bending. sold half-hard— positioned in the
Scoring a strip of sheet metal as, Most jewelry metals have the abili- middle of the continuum.
for instance, when making the ty to be rigid or malleable or, as we To anneal, set your piece on a
walls of a box, calls for a special say in ever^'day usage, hard or soft. clean firebrick or pan of pumice,
trick. Start by holding the triangu- Picture a continuum with maxi- preferably in a darkened corner of
lar file at a steep angle on the edge mum malleability on one end and the studio where you can see the
of the strip, where it will make a maximum toughness on the other. heat-colors clearly. Heat gold and
deep, decisive notch. On each suc- For some metals, copper for exam- silver alloys to 1100°F (6()0°C), a
ceeding stroke, lo\ver the tile slow- ple, this is a long scale— copper can temperature which white paste
at
ly until it is parallel to the sheet. By be very malleable or very tough. flux turns liquid and clear. This
this time there will be a groove For others, such as nickel silver, flux is a useful temperature indica-
deep enough to guide the file and the scale is shorter— there is not a tor. Copper should be heated to a
prevent it from slipping side to dramatic difference between the dull red, and brass until it glows a
side. Switch to a square file for the two states. clearly visible red.

SCORING

1"2 File a notch in preparation for a mitered 3-4 File until the two vertical legs are 5 The finished frame and a small box made
corner. Bend the corner in your fingers, then identical Set the two pieces together; note by the same process.
reinforce the area by soldering. that the sides are automatically parallel.
 With most precious metals, and
with copper, allow the piece to cool
until the faint red color of anneal-
ing has clearlj^ disappeared. Then
promptly quench it in water. White
gold and brass should be allowed to
cool for an extra minute before
quenching. Allowing any metal to
air-cool entirely will actually in-
crease hardness.
In most cases vouk-/'
be able to
will
ieel the effect of annealing by
bending the sheet or wire in ^''our
hands. If the metal is too thick for
that test, strike a hammer blow and
listen to the sound. Annealed met-
als will give a soft "thunk," rather
than a ringing noise.

Kate Wagle, Timepiece: Memento Vita #/. Sterling, Lucite, paint. 3" diameter.
 2
Pattern, Tfexture & Contour

he real drama of jewelry de-

T
ture
sign

and
comes from altering the
metal by giving it pattern, tex-
contour. This is vast and
vital territory, and will engage your
imagination for as long as you make
jewelry. In this chapter we’ll stick to
the basics of surface design. That
alone is enough to boggle the mind. A wedge-shaped peen hammer moves
cross
the metal in only two directions. A ball peen
pushes the metal outward in all directions.

Hammers
ioLis textured surfaces. Clean the
The word "smith" (as in metal- hammered area with steel wool or
smith) comes from the verb “to Scotch-Brite to see the effect of the
smite,” an old-fashioned term for a marks.
strong blow, so it come as
should Hammer faces can he carved to
no surprise that hammering is an create patterns for impact textures
essential part of metalworking. as well. Grip a hammer face-up in a
Hammers come in different sizes bench and work the face with
vise,
and shapes, and can be made of punches, files, saws, drills and chis-
better or lesser steels, but for the els. The patterns can, of course, be
purposc;s of decoration, any ham- regular or random, and used alone
mer that gives the desired mark is or in combination.
the right one for the job.
Even the most tool-challenged
Planishing
person can operate a hammer.
Practice on scrap metal to discover The fastest way to alter the shape
the of various hammers
effects of metal is to strike it with a ham-
and to develop a rhythm; then shift mer. On a large scale, this is called
to the workpiece. Besides studying Dawn Eileen Nakanishi, Zephyr brooch. forging, a technique used by black-
the marks made directly by ham- Sterling. 5 x 1 'b"- smiths and silversmiths. A small-
mers, investigate the wealth of tex- scale version used in jewelry mak-
tures you can create by hammering ing is called planishing. Planishing
annealed mcUal against concrete, isused to shape metal, at the same
rusty steel, machine parts, and var- time polishing the surface.
Examples of hammered textures.

I^lanishing hamincrs have a pol-

Roll Printing
ished face that is slightly crowned
(curved). They can be purchased This process uses a roUing miU, a
or improvised from any hammer of heavy-duty, bench-mounted tool
a convenient weight. Prepare the with tw'o hardened steel cylinders Edie Armstrong, earrings. Sterling,

face by using files, sandpaper and a amethyst.

held parallel in a sturdy fraine. The
leather stick as described in Chap- gap between the rollers is adjusted
ter 5. Planish on a heav^? piece of to the desired thickness, and the
steel— a section of railroad track or metal is rolled through under great
a heavy stake can be used. This pressure. The usual state of the out of the rolling mill is unblem-
should be mounted at a convenient rollers is mirror-finished,which ished. The substantial pressure of
height on a stable surface. ensures that sheet metal coming the mill, which is usually used to
thin a sheet, can imprint a texture
as well. Follow these guidelines in
order to keep the machine in good
condition.

Roll Printing Guidelines

• Never force the action.

• Never use wet metal— the rollers

will rust.

• Never use steel, titanium, or other

tough materials that will scar the
rollers.

• When roll printing, always protect

the rollers with brass or copper.

The Roll Printing Process

Anneal a piece of metal to prepare
it for taking an imprc-ssion. This

process will work on sterling, gold,

Examples of planishing. aluminum, brass and copper; it is
 not recommc’nded platinum,
for
white gold, nickel silver or bronze,
left: Shana Astrachan,
which are too tough to permit a sat-
fibula. Sterling. 3" wide.
isfactory imprint. Any reasonable
Photo by Robert Diomonte.
thickness can be used, but some-
below: Peggy Johnson, Leaf thing in the range of 6 to 22 gauge
1

with Interior Heart brooch. is most common. Thinner material

Sterling, fine silver, 18K,
takes a sharper impression.
14K, wood. 2 V4 X 1 Va".
Textures can be imprinted from
Photo by Sarah Carson.
fabric, lace, screen, sandpaper, and
tough plant materials like bark,
woody leaves and dried grasses.
Experimentation will be needed
and is part of the fun. Cut a sample
of the texturing material large
enough cover the metal and set
to
it into place. Cover this with a sim-

ilar-sized piece of brass to protect

the rollers. This sandwich can be
fed into the rollers either side up,
and should pass through just once,
in a smooth, continuous motion.
To determine the correct gap,
insert the assembly between the
rollers, going Just far enough to feel
the strain on the handle. The pres-
sure necessary to force the packet
through the mill should be consid-
erable, but not Herculean. If you
have to stand on the handle to

ROLL PRINTING

1 Use a sharp knife to cut a paper template.

Z Sterling, paper and brass are pulled at

great pressure through the mill...

3 ...where the impression of the paper is

pressed into the metal.

4 The finished impression.

 Merideth
Young, fibula.

Sterling.

2 X 3".

Alan Perry, pin. Sterling, pearl. 2x2".

make it move, the gap is too nar-

row. Retract the packett, open the
gap slightly, and try again.

Roll Printing with a Paper Matrix

The effects possible with textures
are endless all by themselves, but
another way to approach roll print- Meta) matrix
ing is to make templates in a de- and tissue

sired pattern. Pieces of fabric or pa- ready to be

roll printed.
per can be u.sed for this purpose,
and will give surprising results. In
the example shown, used a I've
piece of typing paper, but jmu
should experiment with all kinds of
materials.
1 Cut a piece of paper a bit larger
than the metal to be printed.
2 Use away
a razor knife to cut
pieces to make a pattern. Where
precision is important, draw the
shapes in pencil first.

3 Sandwich the paper between printed by the paper is textured, rolling or piercing. This matrix can
the workpiece and a protective usually frosted, as if sandblasted. be used directly on a workpiece, or
piece of brass. Remember that Makes you remember that paper is in conjunction with paper, which
imprints will be reversed with made of wood, doesn't it? If the will create a matte texture. For in-
this process, so double check originalpiece was polished to a stance, you might pierce a pattern
the orientation of the template. high shine before printing, areas of squares in a brass sheet, cover it
This is particularly important by holes in the paper
left will re- with a tissue, and set a piece of
with letter forms. main mirror bright. sterling on top of that. The impres-
4 T^st the gap in the rolling mill. sion will have a soft matte texture
When but not impossi-
it is tight Roll Printing with a Metal Matrix where the brass pressed against the
ble to operate, turn the handle In this variation, start by creating a silver (yes, even with a tissue), but
in a smooth, continuous motion. pattern on a tough metal, such as no texture where the pierced holes
You'll notice that the area im- brass, by stamping, hammering, kept the paper from impact. Metal
 above: Elizabeth Prior, pin. Sterling, 18 K. 2 x 2". Photo by Jon Bonjour.

left: Kathleen Browne, Need and Abundance pin. Sterling, lead,

photograph. SVj x 31/4".

your gaze to the top of the tool, and

give it a single crisp blow. Avoid
tapping repeatedly— it’s likely to
it

skitter around and leave an indis-

tinct mark. If the stamping needs
to be in a straight line, you can
clamp a strip of wood onto the met-
al as a guide.

Stamping with Solder Inlay

matrices can be used several times, and they can be used
tailed figure,
though they will distort a little with in endless combinations. Stamping Most stampings are darkened by
each pass through the mill. punches are available through jew- dipping the work into a patina so-
elry suppliers. They can also be lution and then pthishing the areas
made in the studio to meet your
Stamping personal aesthetics; see the section
in the appendix on making tools.
Like hammering, stamping deliv- The process of stamping could
ers Just what you’d expect— strike hardly be simpler: Set and strike.
a square tool and leave a square Work on a smooth hard surface
mark. It's quick, easy, and nobody such as an anvil or surface block,
gets hurt! Stamps are rods of hard- and use a hammer that is heavy
ened steel about the size of a short enough to do the Job, but not so
pencil, carved with a specific shape large that it wobbles in your hand.
on one end. Grip the tool firmly? and anchor the
Stamp patterns can be as simple heel of your hand on the anvil.
as a line or as complicated as a de- Once the tool is in place, direct Stamping tools and samples.
in high relief to increase their con- that each indentation is completely
trast. Here’s another possibility: it’s filled. Pickle the piece and rinse as
called solder inlay. usual, then file the surface, to re-
Clean a piece of copper or brass move the solder that overflowed
sheet with Scotch-Brite, then stamp the stamped areas. Sand and polish
a pattern, taking care that the in- as desired, using a liver of sulfur
dentations are deep and crisp. Coat patina (see Chapter This will
5).

the surface with flux and flood the darken the base metal and make
recesses with hard solder. Be sure the solder stand out in contrast.

SOLDER INLAY

Kathleen Browne, Accusations: I Sow You

Following Her. Sterling, wood, agate, glass.
4 X 23/4".

Chasing is an ancient technique in

which steel tools very much like

stamping punches are used to
press down
selected areas of metal
sheet to create a pattern or image.
Historically, this techniciue was al-

most universal, appearing in the

work of diverse cultures from all
around the globe. Though little-
used today, there was a time when
chasing was considered an essen-
tial part of metalsmithing.
Chasing creates pattern and im-
1 Stamp dear-edged marks on a dean sheet age b\f pressing some areas down
of copper.
more than others, and some not at
2 Flood the depressions with solder. all. The process of stamping con-

3 File away excess solder. The pattern will sists of separate discrete blows: po-
be hard to see at this stage. sition the tool, strike it, reposition
it, strike again. In contrast, chasing
4 The finished piece.
employs continuous tapping mo-
a
tion as the punch is swept across
the surface.
 3

Anne Allen, Patera brooch. Sterling, fine silver, stainless steel. Jeff Wise, Diminutive Infinity brooch. 18K, opal, tourmaline, pearl.
21/2 X 2V2".

Some chasing have a fine

tools dreds of light blows every hour, it's Working on a hard surface such
texture on their working surface to easy to understand why a comfort- as steel, hardwood or pitch,
create a matte finish. Others are able hammer is so important. strike the punch lightly to press
polished and resemble miniature down the area around a design.
planishing hammers, both in shape This will make unham-
the
and in the shiny marks they make. mered area appear raised. The
The Chasing Process
In chasing, the impressions left by process involves repeated light
the tools overlap, so the shape of 1 Draw an outline of the desired tapping of the tool as it is guided
the tool is determined not bv the form onto an annealed sheet of over the surface, almost the way
mark being made, but by the shape metal, probably about 18 gauge. a pneumatic hammer bounces
needed to reach into the contours Use a steel point to lightly in- on pavement during road repair.
of the work. scribe the line.
Chasing is traditionally done 2 To more permanently emboss
with a specialized hammer that the outline use a This tool
liner.
Repousse
combines a broad face, a comfort- has a screwdriver-shaped blade,
able handle and a springy shaft. In sharpened enough to bite into This time-honored process takes its

Japan, the traditional tool has a the metal, but not so much that name from the French word for
hammerhead and
short cvlindrical it might cut through. With the “pushed out” and is often seen in
a thin bamboo handle. Any light metal well secured, tap the liner conjunction with chasing. In this
hammer can be used to get started, lightly as you steer it along the case, blunt steel tools (you guessed
but when you consider that a pro- line. Ideally, each blow slightly it; repousse punches) are used to
fessional chaser might strike hun- overlaps the last one. give contour to metal sheet before
 lasts along time. Though the pitch
can be used in any container, the
vessel made ftjr the job is a thick-
walled hemispherical steel pot. Its
weight keeps it from sliding
around, and when set into a ring-
shaped holder made of leather, rub-
ber or rope, a pitch pot can be ro-
tated to any convenient angle.

The Repousse Process

1 Anneal a piece of metal that is
at least U) percent larger than
the intended result. This will ac-
commodate the material taken
up in height.
2 Use a soft torch flame to warm
the surface of a pitch-filled pot
Grady Alexander, Mona Lisa pin. Sterling. and press the metal into posi-
21/4 X 2".
tion, giving it a slight twist to
ensure that no air pockets are
trapped under the sheet.
3 Draw the intended image onto
the sheet with a pencil or pen,
Steve Midgett, The Jungle Inside My Heart
ial that achieves this is called pitch, then emboss it with a liner, as
Sterling, titanium, shakudo, 4 X 1
1
/2 ".
a dark-colored resin mixture that is described above. This will make
gooey when warmed, but semi- the line pcnnianent, and starts
hard room temperature. Histori-
at the bulging-out process.
cally, pitch was made in the studio, 4 To release the metal, warm it

chasing used to give detail. I\tr-

is but nowadays it can be purchased slightly. Then remove the pitch
haps an analogy from woodw^ork- ready-to-Lise from jewelry tool sup- residue with turpentine. Soften
ing would help. Imagine a sign- pliers. It’s worth investing in top- the pitch again with a bushy
maker using chisels to carve away quality pitch, particularly since it torch flame and set the metal
sections of a board to leave letters
at the original height. That is like

chasing, etxcept that in metalwork-

ing we can simply press the mater-
down rather than cut it away.
ial

Now imagine that a woodworker Nancy Megan

starts not with a flat board, but by Corwin,
carving a rounded, bulging form. Epidural
That would be analogous to re- brooch.
Sterling.
pousse. If the sculptor went on to
3 X 3".
decorate the curved form with chis-
would be like
eled details, that a
mix of chasing and repousse, a
common combination.
Repousse requires a surface that
is soft enough to yield, but hard
enough to localize the force of a
blow, while at the same time an-
choring the workpiece. The mater-
 back into it, this time upside-
down. The outline will be visi-
ble on the back.
5 Use repousse punches or simi- Lorraine Lenskold,
lar rounded tools to pound the Sedona brooch.
metal into a rounded contour a Oxidized sterling,
sugelite,
little higher than the ultimate
carved bone.
desired height. 31/2 X 2V2".
6 Release the work from the pitch
(if it hasn’t torn loose already)
and anneal it, taking time to re-
move the pitch first with tur-
pentine. Reheat the pitch until
the surface is fluid, then set the
piece hack into place, right-side
up. Be sure there are no air
pockets beneath raised areas of
the piece.
7 Continue to use chasing and re-
pousse tools to press the metal

down and refine the form. Mrrve Heat Scarring

the work from back to front to
back again, as needed to fully Heat scarring is a vaguely defined
develop the relief. When it is process of using a torch and steel
complete, any extra metal can tools to texture metal when it is

be sawn off and the edges filed semifluid. The process is sponta-
smooth. In some cases a Hat neous, random, unpredictable, and
sheet of metal is soldered on to a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it only

cover the back. w'orks on sterling, so you really

can’t practice on copper and brass
as vou can with most other tech-
niques. However, you can practice
Heat Textures
with your scraps, and if the results
Every student of jewelry making are disappointing, you simply send
learns, to his or her dismay, that them to the refiner as vou were in-
i_p‘

when sterling silver gets hot tending anyway. Nothing ventured,

enough, it curls into a boring little nothing lost.
blob. This is bad, and in the next This process depends on the
Marcia MacDonald, Shaken ... Not Stirred fact that between being hard and
chapter we'll look at ways to avoid
neckpiece. Broomstraw, sterling, cast silver
it. But along the way to that disas-
being Huid, sterling silver exists in
spoon, ball bearings (movable), rusted
ter lies an opportunity for some in- a "slushv" state where it can be
cheese grater, rusted steel. 4 x 2V2".
Photo by Richard Gehrke, teresting surfaces. pushed around like putty. Flux the
metal and use a large bushy flame,
moving it around to ensure even
heating, until the surface of the
metal starts to shimmer. If the
torch is removed at exactly that Julie M. Gauthier, Wave
moment, the skin of the metal will necklace. Sterling,
reticulation silver,
contract, creating an attractive sur-
16 X 1 1/4".
face of lines and vallevs.
Photo by Richard Nicol.
You can create heat textures by
using the torch alone, but I like to
poke at the metal with a steel
tool— a piece of coat hanger will
work well. At the correct tempera-
ture, sterling is soft enough to pick
up every mark, responding more
like clay than metal. If too much
heat is applied, the grooves and
textures will melt into a smooth
lump, so you'll need to be quick in
your actions.
When the texture is right, with-
draw the torch immediately. A cou-
ple of seconds delay is all it takes to
lose a great texture. For some of us,
that's part of the excitement!

Variations on Torch Textures

• Sprinkle sterling or gold filings onto

a molten surface.
Bruce Anderson, brooch.
• Drop pieces of shot (pre-melted
Sterling, 14K.
spheres) onto the work. 21/4x1 1/4".

• Heat pieces over a carved firebrick Photo by Ralph Cabriner.

or a lump of clean steel wool until
they slump to create a domed form.

Reticulation

This variation on torch texturing is

more controlled and viclds a more

dramatic texture than the process
just described. It depends on the
different melting points of fine sil-

ver and a copper-silver alloy. The

first step is to create a metal with a
high-melting "skin." This metal is
then heated to a point where the
interior collapses.
Reticulation can be done on
sterling (92.5 percent silver and 7.5
percent copper), but it is most ef-
fective with an alloy containing
more copper. The preferred mix
has only 82 percent silver, with the
balance being copper. It can be
purchased from some suppliers or
made in the shop (see "Pouring an
Ingot” in the appendix). Either
Jung-Hoo Kim,
way, the first step is to heat a sheet
Some News
to its annealing point and quench it brooch. Sterling,
in fresh pickle. This will leach the 24K used
foil,

copper oxides from the surface, stamp.

41/2x1 r/2".
creating a skin of fine (pure) silver.
Rinse the metal in water and re-
peat the process at least five times,
to thicken the fine silver layer as
much as possible.

The Reticulation Process

Set the prepared sheet onto a clean
fire brick and beat it with a bushy
flame held vertically just above the
sheet. If the torch has separate fuel
and air valves (which is preferred
for this technique), add enough air
that the flame is almost blown out.
Move the torch over the surface to
create the texture, noting that the
height and angle of the torch will
affect the result.
Reticulation is a fairly chancy
process, so start with a pane! large
enough that you can later select
the best sections to incorporate
into a Jewelry piece. Reticulation
silver has a lower melting point
than sterling, so subsequent assem-
bhf should be done with easy and
medium solder (sec Chapter 3). Be-
cause the interior of a reticulated
piece is porous, it's best to burnish
or press down an exposed edge be- with traditional soldering. Pieces parts. Now imagine that the parts
fore soldering it. can be simply cut and placed side are cut from metals of contrasting
by side or on top of each other to color, and you have the essence of
create richly colored material. Be- puzzle inlay. Begin by cutting one
cause most alloys are available in unit. Refine; its shape with files,
Mixed Metals
several colors, the range is excep- then trace it with a sharp scribe
As evident from the wtmk shown tional. onto the other piece. Saw carefully,
throughout this book, jewelers take and trim as needed to make the
full advantage of the rich palette sections fit closcby together. Solder
Puzzle Inlay
available through metals of con- as explained in Chapter 3, using
trasting colors. Gold, sterling, fine Imagine a very well made jigsaw hard solder.
silver, copper, brass, bronze and puzzle in which the pieces snap to-
nickel silver can all be combined gether with no space between the
 Mary Hughes,
brooch, 18K,
white and colored
diamonds, 4 x 2",

Alice Carroll, brooch- Sterling, 18K solder.

Photo by Tom Mills.

Lamination Inlay

This creates an effect similar to

puzzle inlay, but is easier. The only
disadvantage of lamination inlay is

that shapes become distorted, so it

won't work for all designs. Start

with thick and thin sheets— say, 18
and 24 gauge— of contrasting met-
als. Cut the thinner piece to the de-

sired shape and solder it onto the

thicker piece. Run the joined met-
als through the rolling mill until

the two pieces are Hush. This can

be done in several passes, and the
metal can be annealed if needed.

Kum Boo
This Korean process
traditional quench it in pickle and rinse in wa- Turn on the hot plate and allow
takes advantage of the tendency of ter. This process, called depletion the sterling piece to heat up to
pure precious metals to bond to- gilding, leaches copper from the around 50()°-700°F (2B0°-37t)°C), a
gether. You'll need a very thin outer layer of the work, leaving a point where it would be too hot to
piece of pure (24K) gold, thicker skin of pure silver. Repeat the heat- touch without gloves, but not hot
than gold leaf, but still much thin- pickle-rinse c^nde at least five enough to discolor. Press on the
ner than tissue paper. Buy the times. gold with a burnisher; if the tem-
thinnest stock sold, then set it be- After rinsing and drying, set the perature is correct, the gold will
tween two sheets of copper and roll piece on an electric hot plate, Use bond. Continue rubbing with a bur-
it through the mill until the rollers small scissors to cut the gold into nisher, and increase pressure slow-
cannot be brought any closer to- the desired shape and lay it into ]y as the bond is confirmed. Dip
gether. position, using a thin film of water the burnisher in water every cou-
Complete all soldering on a to hold it innecessar 3c
place if ple of minutes to be sure it doesn't
piece made of sterling and pickle it Wear cotton gloves for the next get too hot.
well in a fresh solution. Heat the step to protect your hands from
piece again until it discolors, then discomfort.
Fusing ^ Soldering

A lthough it's possible to make Fusing

jewelrij from single units, it

be long before you en-

iivon't Imagine two droplets of water on
counter the need to join elements to- the kitchen counter. If these two
gether permanently. The ability to beads of lluid come close enough
do this with confidence will put you to touch, they will merge together
a long way ahead in your jewelry to become a single droplet. That’s

nuiking career. Fusing and soldering /using. When a piece of metal ap-
are among the most engaging as- proaches melting point, the out-
its

pects of the field; they both call for a er surface becomes liquid, a phe-
mix of scientific understanding and nomenon that enables this basic
intuitive response. joining technique. Jenepher Burton, ring. 18K.

Photo by Robert Diamante.

FUSING

mm

1-2 Set clean, fluxed pieces of sterling on a 3-4 You can use a steel rod to poke and 5 The finished example.
firebrick. Apply heat so that all pieces reach prod the surface. If you wait too long, the

melting temperature at the same time. rich textures will roll up into a blob.
 Stephani Briggs, Cloud Nine pin/pendant.
22K, 18K, Mabe and blue baroque pearls.
3 X 21/2".

Photo by Cary Sheppard.

Some alloys fuse more easily

than others, primarily because an
oxide skin— if it forms— will pre-
vent Joining. And it will form, par-
ticularly in alloys that contain cop-
per. This explains why pure, nonre-
active metals like silver and gold
fuse easily, while allcjys with only a
small amount of copper— such as
22 K gold (with 4 percent copper)
and sterling (71/2 percent copper)—
do not. Base metals like copper and
brass are at the bottom of the list,

almost impossible to fuse cxeept in

a controlled environment.
Work on a clean soldering sur-
face, preferably in dim light, so
that colors are easily read as the
metal starts to melt. Chum and flux
the and beat the pieces
metal,
evenly with a bushy flame; ele-
ments must reach the same tem-
perature (color) at the same time. alteniiUivn, I guess we'd get good at metal. But just before that point,
Look for the moment when the fusing and learn to make the best what happens?
surface shimmers like mercury, of its accidents. But tliere is a bet- As precious metals approach
which is the point where the outer ter alternative. their melting point, the grains
skin of each piece is fluid. Pieces in (clusters of crystals) of which they
contact at that moment will be are made pull apart and create mi-
joined. croscopic spaces within the struc-
Soldering
Fusing is often used in conjunc- ture. Soldering (more correctly
tion with heat scarring or reticula- In the case of fusing, increased called silver brazing) is the process
tion, surface embellishment tech- temperatures break down the of introducing an alloy (solder)
niques that can simultaneously bonds between crystals, eventually that is fluid at precisely this tem-
weld pieces together. And therein causing the metal pieces to lose perature. Becaustt the soldcir is flu-

lies problem of fusing: It risks

the structural integrity. In other words, id, capillary action draws it into
creating an irregular surface or they melt into formless blobs. This these spaces in the same way water
worse, altering the shapes of ele- process begins on the surface, is drawn into a sponge. Because it
ments being joined. If there was no which swims in a flash of molten is bonded with the parent nnital at
 Aaron Macsai, Spring Bar Pin.
18K, 14K, diamond, tanzanite.
21/2 X 21/2".

Sotde

1 Pieces to be joined must be clean

and must make a good fit.

2 Use flux.

3 Heat the area around the joint to

direct the flow of heat to the seam.

4 All pieces being soldered should
reach temperature simultaneously.
5 Do not overheat the metal or
prolong the process. Hit and run.

Pieces to be joined must be clean and

must make a good fit. Because solder
will not fill you can’t use it to
a gap,
fill in a space between elements.
Remember that the solder is enter-
ing microscopic voids, not sitting
on the surface. (Keep this in mind
when you’re thinking about how
much solder to use— a little goes a
long way.)
Cleanliness good
is critical to a
solder joint. Unseen oxides and fin-
ger oils will prevent solder from
flowing into the structure. I always
this internal level, the joint is very and observation. It’s like driving. scrub elements with Scotch-Brite
hard and almost invisible. For cen- In one sense, once you’ve learned or clean surfaces with sandpaper
turies, this is what has held jewelry ho\A' to operate a car you can pretty just before soldering.
together. much go anywhere. But every mo-
ment of driving requires subtle in- Use flux. Flux is a chemical formu-
tuitiveadjustments to a unique lated to prevent the creation of ox-
Soldering Overview
combination of circumstances. ides during a heating operation.
Soldering is as simple as heat and The following guidelines are im- Very simply, we can think of flux
as complicated as physics. On the portant to proper soldering, but as an air-hungry compound that
one hand, get it hot, introduce sol- they are only abbreviated descrip- absorbs oxygen before it has a
der and hey, presto! The job is tions of the process and its permu- chance to combine with metals to
done. On the other, each assembly tations. There is no substitute for make an oxide layer (tarnish) that
is unique and requires delicate ad- practice. would inhibit soldering. There are
justments in timing, flame control many fluxes, each with its own ac-
 All pieces should reach temperature
simultaneously. Ta understand the
importance of this, remember that
solder works by entering the struc-
ture of the metal, a situation that is

only possible’ at high temperatures.

If a piece is not hot (mough, there

will be no spaces between the crys-

tals. If one piece an assembly
in
fails to reach the necessary tem-

perature, the solder will not pene-

trate that srxttion, and the joint will
fail.

workshop, temperature is
In the
read through color changes. Be-
cause these are easiest to see in a
dim light, most soldering areas arc
shielded from bright or changing
light. Having your solder bench in
front of a window might allow for a
pretty view, but the glare of sun-
light will make soldering a lot more
Andrew Phares, Two Stories rings. Sterling, copper. Photo by Tom Brown. difficult.

Do not overheat the metal or prolong

tiverange— the temperature win- haps an inch or two away from the the process. Solders melt at very
dow in which it will do its job. Be seam, slowly narrowing the target specific temperatures. Period. It’s
certain to use a jeweler's flux with as the metal warms so that when an exact science, and one you
a range of 1100® to l.SOO®F (600° to the piece
approaches soldering should learn to trust. Heating the
800°C). temperature the llame is almost on metal to temperatures above the
Jewelry fluxes fall into two the joint. melting point of solder is unneces-
broad families: fluoride-based and
borax-based. As a general rule, the
former (often a white paste) is
messy but has a longer active range
than the liquid, fluoride-based flux-
es. There are many commercial
brands, all of them good and each Kiff Slemmons,
with its supporters. Try a few to de- Hand Tools box
termine which you prefer. with 5 rings.
Sterling.

13/4 X 31/4 X 1 V2".

Heat the area around the joint to di-
Photo by Rod
rect the flow of heat to the seam. Slemmons.
Heat flows to a cooler zone. If you
do what seems obvious and point
the torch flame directly at a joint,
the heat instantly heads away from
where you want it. To outsmart the
heat, start by directing the flame
aroimd the seam. Think of a target
of concentric circk’s in which the
bull's eye is the joint you are sol-
dering. Heat the outer ring, per-
sary and will do damage. If the sol-
when Popular Jewelry Solder Alloys
der hasn’t flowed the color
indicates the correct temperature,
something else is wrong. More heat
alloy flow point
won't fix it.

It's also harmful to extend sol-

SILVER
dering time. As mentioned, flux is
introduced to absorb oxygen before Extra Easy 1 200°F 6520C
it attacks the alloy, but just like a
Easy 1325 718
sponge soaking up a spill, flux has
a saturation point. After this is Medium 1360 737
reached, oxygen will rapidly com-
Hard 1450 787
bine with copper to create stains
that penetrate and can ruin a 809
IT 1490
piece, while also weakening the
joint. Good soldering calls for care-
ful preparation, controlled heating,
*
and a prompt exit. Get in, get the
COLD
job done and get out.
lOK 1350 732

14K 1375 746

Grades of Solder
16K 1490 810
Because you are heating every-
thing but the joint itself, areas that * Each refiner sells slightly different
have been previously soldered risk have different melting
alloys that
coming undone when new seams Stephan i Briggs, Amour pin/pendant.
points. Request a chart when you
are being joined. The solution to 22K, 18K pearl, boulder opal, tourmalines. 4".
purchase gold solders.
this problem is to use solders of Photo by Robert Diamante.

slightly differentmelting points.

Gold solder is made mostly of
gold, and silver solder is mostly sil-
ver. In both cases, a small amount work as a solder for 18K. Because Chip Soldering
of base metal (usually xinc or cop- this lowers the purity of the final Sheet solder is used by cutting it
per) is added to lower the melting piece significantly, it's often prefer- into tiny squares or rectangles
point. As the proportion increases, able to join gold with a solder man- ("chips") that are set into position
the melting point is lowered. In a ufactured for that specific purpose. straddling a seam. The advantage
piece with several joints, the first is Ill other words, you should usually of this approach is that the solder
made with a high-melting solder, buy 18K solder to work with 18K acts as temperature indicator:
a
the next with a solder that melts stock. When the metal is at the correct
about 50® F lower, and the last with temperature, the solder flows. The
the lowest-melting solder. These disadvantage of chip soldering is
The Soldering Process
arc called hard, medium, and easy that it's time consuming, first in
solder, respectively. Solder is sold in sheet and wire, positioning the solder pieces, then
In bygone days, meuilsmiths just like precious metals them- in the slow heating necessary to
made their own solder as they selves. The alloys are the same for prevent the boiling action of flux
needed it. Today we buy solder both forms, so melting tempera- from tossing the pieces aside.
from suppliers of precious metals, tures and rules apply equally. Why
and can rely on consistent melting would you chose one shape over Wire Soldering
temperatures. In the case of gold, the other? Mostly it's a matter of For these reasons, many jewelers
there's another option. A tiny piece personal choice, and relates to the prefer to use wire solder, which
of gold of a lower karat can be used process of soldering rather than the can be introduced into the joint at
as solder for liigher-karat gold— for result. The effect will he the same the moment of proper heat. The ef-
example, a bit of standard 14K, will either way. ficiency of this method is dear, but
 CHIP SOLDERING WIRE SOLDERING because it requires a pre.cise read-
ing of soldering temperatures, it
takes a little more experience to
master. The trick is to touch the tip
of a solder wire to the joint at ex-
aetlv die moment when the metal
isready to accept it. If the solder is
brought in too soon, either the Joint
won't be made at all, or a blob of
solder will fall onto the piece.

Pick Soldering

This useful alternative combines

advantages of the first two methods
by using pre-sized pieces but avoid-
ing the need to set each chip into
place. In this method, sheet solder
is cut into tiny pieces that are
sprinkled onto the soldering block.
A piece of solder is heated with the
Chips of solder span a fluxed joint Wire solder touches the joint just as it
torch, which will make draw up
it

reaches temperature. into a sphere. It's then picked up

with a steel rod like a potter's nee-
dle tool or a sharpened piece of
coat hanger. The fluxed workpiece
is heahtcl to soldering temperature,

and the solder is touched to the

joint. If the temperature is correct,
the solder will jump off the pick to
fill the joint. The process is a deli-
cate ballet that requires a little

practice, but is very efficient once

you get the rhythm. It's especially
good for production situations, or
multiples like chain links.
1 A needle tool is used to pick up tiny 2 Solder is brought into contact just as the
spheres of solder work reaches soldering temperature.
Sweat Soldering
Sweat soldering is a two-step pro-
SWEAT SOLDERING cess that can be done with any •t-*

grade of solder, and with either

sheet or wire. The smaller unit is

fluxed and solder melted onto its

is

surface. The piece can be allowed

to cool down or vou can continue
directly to the next step. The metal
is refluxed, laid into position, and
the whole assembly is heated until
the solder flows a second time. As
shown, sweat solder is very useful
for overlay and when attaching
1 In sweat soldering, start by melting solder 2 ...then set that piece onto another. Heat
onto the back of one piece... the whole assembly until the solder flows. findings.
Soldering Aids
It'salways best to keep the solder-
ing setup as simple as possible, but
sometimes elements need tempo-
rary support until the solder flows.
Objects in the soldering zone will
absorb (or “rob") heat From the
workpiece; they're often called
"heat sinks". Keep props to a mini-
mum in both size and number, un-
less your intention is to protect an
area from overheating.
Locking Jlveezers— These, are
handy to hold pieces in positions
that would otherwise succumb to
gravity. The tweezers open when
Third hand and cross-lock tweezers. It's sometimes helpful to have pieces clamped into place
pinched, but spring closed at rest, pins and bobby pins.
for soldering. Other tools that can be improvised are paper clips, straight
so you can grip a piece and set it
onto the block. Use large bolts or
similar pieces of steel to weight the
handle end of the tweezers for in-
creased stability.
Third If and— This device has a
heavy base and ball-socket
steel
coupling that holds a pair of lock-
ing tweezers.

Susan Silver Brown, Spirit House Shrine brooch. Sterling, magnet, Dominque Giordano, necklace & earrings. Sterling, epoxy, gold leaf, pearl.

copper, 14K, amethyst, brass, paint. 2 1/4 x 31/4". 1 5/4 X 7/g”. Photo by Ralph Gabriner.
 Binding iy?re— Any steel wire
can be used to lash pieces together
for soldering. Brass or nickel silver
wire will work in a pinch, but steel Stephani Briggs,
is preferable due to its high melting Sunburst pin,

point. Wrap the pieces loosely and 22K 18K South

Sea pearls. 4'\
twist the ends of the wire together,
Photo by Robert
then give the wire a half turn with Diamonte.
llat-nose pliers to make a “Z" This
will tighten the wire, but still allow

it to expand during heating.

Soldering Investment— For very

complicated assemblies, the pieces
can be pressed into wax or glued
together, then coated with a plas-
ter-like material called investment.
Once the investment has hardened
and dried, the wax can be pulled
awat' or the glue burned off, and
the pieces soldered as usual. After
soldering, the investment breaks
down when the piece is quenched.
It can then be scrubbed off with a
toothbrush.

Pickle

Pickle is an acidic solvent that is

used after soldering to remove flux

residue and oxides. Most studios
use a commercial product called
Sparex. This is sold as dry granules
and mixed with water as needed.
As with any strong chemical, mark
containers and keep them
well
safely away from children and
pets.

Pickle will do its work at room

temperature, but is much faster
when warm, ideally about like a
hot bath. An easy way to sustain
this temperature is with a crock
pot, which can be purchased from

a housewares supplier. The pot will

corrode with use, and must never
be used for food again. Before us-
ing it in the studio, seal all the
seams with bathtub caulking so
pickle cannot spill into the interior
heating element.
Though less dangerous than
strong acids, pickle does irritate Mary Hughes, bracelet. 18K, white and colored diamonds, Tahitian pearls.
 left: Suzanne Taetzsch, Mourning brooch. Sterling, 14K.
31 /2 " high. Photo by Allen Bryan.

below: fWary Hughes, earrings. 18K, Mabe pearls, diamonds.

2 3/4 X 1
".

skin, especially skin that is cut or Pickle Contamination Because the reaction of steel to
chapped. To avoid splashing pickle acid will create a tiny electrical
in your eyes, quench hot metal Pickle does its by leaching out
job charge, never reach into the pickle
first in water; that \va5y if there's a copper oxides, and in most studios, with steel tweezers or introduce a

splash it will be messy, but not the same pickle is used for sterling, steel wire or attachment into the
dangerous. From there, the piece gold, copper and brass. After a cou- mix. If you do, anx'thing in the
can be dropped into the pickle, ple of uses, pickle becomes a cop- pickle at that moment will become
which usually takes just a couple of per plating solution— a saturated copper plated, the effect being sub-
minutes to dissolve oxides. Pro- acid with excess free copper ions. tle or dramatic depending on the

longed exposure to pickle will not Those ions are swimming around degree of saturation of the pickle.
hurt sterling or other metals, but it in there, just itching for a chance to Once the steel object is removed,
will corrupt soldered joints. For bond with something, and if an the pickle is fine again.
this reason, don't leave a fabricated electrical charge is introduced, This plating action is usually
piece in pickle for longer than a thc}'^ jump onto ever^? metal sur- unwanted but there are times
couple of hours. face available. when it can be turned to advan-
 It is often possible to find clues about what went wrong by examining a failed joint

effect possible cause

Solder never flowed. Metal or solder was dirty, oily or tarnished.

Forgot the flux.

Not enough heat.

Solder all went to one piece. That piece was much hotter than the other(s).

Solder balls up. Solder is tarnished; scrub tarnished sheets and wires with Scotch-Brite
before using them again.

Metal has roughened surface. Too much heat.

Metal has a dark stain. Too much heat for too long a time.

Joint seemed OK, but later broke. Heat removed a split second too soon, just as the solder flowed.

Joint was moved just as the solder was hardening.

Piece left in the pickle too long.

tage, as, for instance, when color- of course, be plated. However, dur- into a bucket set in a sink, and
ing brass or gold. Both these metals ing polishing the higher surfaces sprinkle in baking soda. This will
are difficult to blacken, but copper can be returned to their original make a dramatic Captain Chem-
darkens easily. color, so that copper is left only in istry froth, often in a loveU^ aqua
To copper plate a piece, wrap it the recesses. color. When mix stops bub-
the
lightly in steel wire (a couple of pa- Gems and nonmetals
other bling, the acid has been neutralized
per clips will do) and drop it into should never go into the pickle. To and the solution can be safely
used pickle. The entire piece will, safely dispose of old pickle, pour it flushed down the drain.
 he term “cold joining" means a

T wide range of devices and tech-

niques that secure two or more
pieces together with a mechanical—
rather than a heat-induced— connec-
tion. Though the term may be unfa-
miliar, we ail use cold connections
every day. Paper elips are an exam-
ple, as are staples,
rubber bands,
buttons, shoelaces and Velcro. This
chapter describes some of the most
popular cold connections for metals,
hut they are merely points of depar-
ture. There is nothing here that can't

be modij'ied to suit your particular

needs. Look around you, not just at
jewelry, hut at hardware, automo-
biles, housewares and, well, look at

everything!

Despite the thousands of uses tbr

fusing and soldering, there are oc-
casions when the heat of soldering
will damage a piece, In these cases,
a mechanical (cold) connection is
needed. Generally, the reasons to
use a non-soldered joint falls into
one of these categories.

Use cold connections when;

• The material being connected-

stones, plastic, and so on-would
be damaged by heat.
• The parts will be easier to polish,
patina or set before final assembly,
• The heat of soldering would
damage a desired temper. Jung-Hoo Kim, Humanbeing-Tree brooch. Sterling, fossilized ivory, sugelite, 24 K foil
3 1/2 X 21/2",
 Thomas Mann,
Japanese Stone
Fetish. Steel,
stone, brass.
2 X 3 V-
Photo by Will

Crocker.

Cleo (Claire Dinsmore), Autumnal Vestige

neckpiece. Bronze, copper, sterling, steel,
18K, leather, secrets (contents), Colorcore,
3" diameter.

Staples and Tabs

We commonly think of staples as
squarish bits of fine wire that pop
out of a dispenser we keep in a
desk drawer. More broadly, 3''ou
might consider a staple a simple
device that relies on two (or more)
legs that penetrate layers of mater-
ialand are bent over to secure the
elements. There is nothing in that
definition that limits size, shape, SLirements. If in doubt, experi- Rivets
height or complexity. The demon- ment with a cardboard model.
stration photos in this chapter 2 Saw out the pieces and file the A rivet nothing more than a
is

show a simple, fabricated staple, edges smooth. Solder elements piece of metal — usually a rod or
but your imagination should guide into place if needed. wire — that penetrates all the layers
you as you explore the wealth of 3 Bend the legs to 90® to get them of an assembly and is bulged out
possibilities. ready for the final assemblv. on each end to create a head, like
Tabs are a lot like staples, except 4 Finish the piece as called for by the head on a nail. We see rivets in
they usually wrap around a piece the design, using patinas, pol- bridges and machinery, and attach-
rather than through it. Be-
pass ishing, etc. ing handles on our kitchen uten-
cause of this, tabs can be sawn to 5 Laj^ the pieces together and be- sils. They also reinforce our blue
interesting shapes that contribute gin to press the legs into place. jeans. Read^^-made copper and alu-
to the design. Startby getting everything half- minum rivets can be purchased
way pressed over to ensure the from a hardware store, but most
proper fit. When are sure jewelers create copper, sterling or
Process for Staples
everjdhing is in order, press the gold rivets as needed for a specific
T Lay out the design carefully, legs down with a blunt tool or project.
paying close attention to rnea- pliers.
 Riveting Guidelines

1 The rivet material should be

annealed.
2 Location of holes is critical; don't
hurry.

3 The rivet must make a tight fit in

the hole.
4 Provide enough material, but not
more.

The rivet material should be annealed.

The holding power of a rivet comes
from the head, which formed by is

tapping directly down on the verti-

cal axis of the rod. This is a process
called upsetting, and it willbe more
effective and easier if the metal is
as malleable as possible.

Julie Flanigan Hill, Cuff Link Series: Contains Recycled Materials. Location of the holes is critical. Rivet-
Sterling, recycled materials. diameter
Photo by Bobby Honsson,
ing often comes toward the end of
a process, after time has been
spent creating, ornamenting and
finishing a shape. Don't risk sacri-
ficing that work by rushing through
the vital step of locating holes for
rivets. When several rivets are be-
ing used, as is often the case, avoid

MAKING A STAPLE

1 To solder the legs of the staple, attach

an inverted "U," then cut the curved section.

2 Mark the location carefully, then drill

holes.

3 Use pliers or a blunt rod to press the legs

of the staple over.

4 The finished piece. Sterling elements

secure black vinyl (record) to copper base.
Julie Flanigan Hill, Fortune Series: If You Can
Decide What Really Is. Sterling, rusted tin,
rusted steel, lacquered answer from
tin, a
fortune telling machine. 3V2 x 1 '/2".
Photo by Bobby Hansson.

the temptation to simply hold the

units together and start drilling; al-
most inevitably, pieces shift just
enough to ruin the alignment. In-
stead, use the following process. Judith Hoffman, Bird Goddess brooch. Sterling, 18 K, copper, enamels, 4 x 3V4 x 3/4”.

Mark, centerpunch and drill all Photo by Patrick Sumner.

the holes in the top piece. Then set

it into position and use a needle or
similar tin3/ point to mark the loca-
tion of one hole in the next lower
piece. Separate the pieces, center- second rivet, which will clasp the choice, like bending off to the side.
punch the mark, and drill. Repeat assembly together so it can neither To force this situation, the rivet
the process for each layer. Now, shift nor rotate. Now it’s safe to wire must be snugly confined b}'^
make the first rivet, which will drill all remaining holes
the at the hole that contains it. One way
start to lock the pieces together. once, and complete the riveting. to accomplish this is to use drill
Note that although they can no bits that match conventional wire
longer slide left and right, the The rivet must make a tight fit in the sizes or are even a touch small. It’s
pieces can still pivot. hole. Riveting depends on the abili- easy enough to enlarge a hole with
Hold the assembly tightly and ty of metal to upset, or compress a round needle file.
mark a second hole, then carefully down onto itself.This only hap- Another strategy is to drill the
drill through all layers. Make the pens when the metal has no other holes smaller than the wire you
 Jenepher Burton, pins. Sterling, tin and
escutcheon nails. 3" diameter.

Photo by Robert Dlaroortte.

have on hand and file a gradual ta- Provide enough material, but not rather than mushroom to create a

per in the wire. This wire can be more. A because of its

rivet holds head. If you notice this starting to
inserted into the hole until it head, the lump that sits on top of happen, use pliers to straighten the
makes a tight grip, and then cut off the assembly. No head, no rivet. wire, and file it. The rule of thumb
at the correct length. If the hole is It's clearly possible to cut a rivet calls for half the diameter of the

too large, planish the area around too short, but it's also possible; to wire to extend above the surface to
the hole in order to push the metal cut it too long. Too much material become the rivet head. If a rivet

inward. here will allow the wire to curl wire is 2 millimeters in diameter.

RIVETING

I Riveting starts with careful layout. 2 Use a needle to carefully locate a hole; 3 Insert a snug-fitting wire and trim it to the

Centerpunch and drill holes in the top piece. then centerpunch and drill. proper height.
 -

about 1 millimeter should extend

from the top and bottom at the be-
ginning of the riveting process.
The top of the rivet should have
a flat surface so it will not deflect
the hammer blows that give it its
Steve Midgett, shape. If snipping with wire cut-
Cold Hard Cash,
ters, remember to file the wirtfs
Hold Cash Hard.
Steel, sterling,
tips enough to remove the pointed
SlO bill, ends always left by that tool.
1 V2 X 1 1/4".

The Riveting Process

1 Prepare the pieces following the
guidelines above, then slide a
piece of annealed wire into the
first rivet hole. Snip the wire to
the correct length and file it to

flatten both ends.

2 Set the assemblv on a sturdy
Steel surfece. The tool for this is

called a bench but an}/

block,
handy pieet; of steel will work; a
square hammerhead or a small
vise are good substitutes.
3 Hold the work so the tip of tht;
rivet wire on the underside is
the only touching the
thing
bench block. Using a small ball
peen or cross peem hammer,
strike several light blows against
the exposed tip of the rivet.
4 Flip the piece: over and re.peat
the process. It won't take long
bc:fore the upsetting of the rivet
is enough to hold it in place.

Continue flipping the piece,

working on both sides as the riv-
et head grows. If using a cross
peen hammer, alter the position
of the hammer so the marks are
at right angles to e.ach other.
'That is, make the form of a "
1
- ’’

on the top of the wire. This will

4 Elevate the piece slightly so the wire
projects from both sides; tap lightly. push the metal outward S 3un-
metrically and result in a large,
5 Drill the second hole, taking care that even rivet.
the elements have not pivoted.
5 As the rivet nears completion,
use a small, flat, polished ham-
6 Rivets can be shaped with a cup bur
(right) or beading tool (here, made from
mer to smooth and shape it.
a nail). Further shaping can be done
with a heading punch, a cup bur
or sandpaper.
Finishing Rivet Heads top piece, the rivet will blend into
the sheet with the usual finishing
Because rivets are formed with a steps. Hence the name: disappear-
hammer, it stands to reason they ing, Amaze your friends!
will show haiTune-r marks. In some
cases, these random marks con- Tube Rivets
tribute to a design, and may even This variation is recommended
be exaggerated with stamping tools. when joining a fragile material
Another alternative is to shape the such as enamel, shell or ceramic,
rivet heads into delicate symmetri- because it involves less tapping
cal domes. This can be done with
than a conventional rivet. It also
careful use of files and sandpaper, has the advantage of leaving an
but when more than a couple of opening in a piece that can be used
rivetsneed finishing, use a cup bur for either ornamentation or for a
or beading punch, or both. functional requirement like hang-
Arline Fisch, Pleated Mesh. Sterling, 18 K,
Beading punches are short steel stainless mesh. 41/2 x 4 ”. ing a pendant.
rods, usually only a couple of inch- The idea is simple: Instead of a
es long, with a polished hemispher- solid wire, a section of tubing is
ical depression in one end. They
used to make Copper and
the rivet.
are used primarily to harden and work by cutting away excess metal brass tubes can be purchased at a
shape the tips of prongs in stone to leave a uniform dome, which hobby shop, and most suppliers of
setting and are, unfortunately, too can then be polished with a bead- sterling and gold sheet also sell a
small for some rivets. To make a ing punch, sandpaper or buff. few sizes of tubing. If \u)u have a
larger beading tool, saw the point drawplate, it's not difficult to make
off a steel carpenter's nail and use your own tubing, as explained in
a drill bit or a ball bur to create a Chapter 7.
Specialty Rivets
depression in the sawn end.

Disappearing (Invisible) Rivets

This variation is made just like a
standard rivet, but the material be-
ing joined is prepared differently.
Tube rivet.
Holes are drilled in the usual wav,
but before riveting, the. edge of the
hole is beveled with a file or bur to
As before, holes arc drilled care-
fully and must be a snug fit. The
create a funnel-shaped opening.
tube is annealed and slipped into
Riveting proceeds as usual, but in
Left to right: cup bur, beading punch, ball bur. position, then trimmed at the same
this case the lump of metal that is
upset fills the opening, so that the Itmgth as a standard rivet. Here’s
Beading tools can be used man- rivet head is formed flush with the
where the similarity ends. With the
ually or with a drill press or elec- rivet in position, insert a scribe or
surface. Any excess material can be
tric drill. Either way, rotate the tool similar pointed steel object into the
filed away without danger of weak-
aggressively while rocking it back neck of the tube and twirl it around
ening the rivet. If the rivet wirti is
and forth. Use a tool that is slightly to curl the lip of the tube outward.
of a contrasting color, say, a copper
smaller than the rivet head: in this rivet in a sterling sheet, the result
Flip the work over and repeat the
way it will not scratch the jewelry process on the reverse side, contin-
is a dot of inlaid color. If the rivet is

even when it is rocked side to side. made of the same material as the
uing until the tube starts to flare
Many people recommend lubricat- out like the bell of a trumpet.
ing the action with a tiny bit of wax Grasp dapping punch vertical-
a

or oil. ly in the jaws of a vise. Sandwich

A cup bur is a steel. tool with the rivet between this and another,

teeth that remove metal. Unlike similar, punch on top. This process
z
beading tools, these are almost im- is easiest if someone holds the

possible to make yourself. They Invisible rivet.

work for you as you manipulate
 the tools and a hammer. Tap lightly
to curl the rivet outward and cinch

it tight. If you don't have the cor-

rect size dapping punch, it’s easy

enough to file a chamfer or bevel
on a steel rod (e.g., a nail), which
will do the same thing. Tap on the
David and
rivet just until it seats against the
Roberta
workpiece, to avoid stressing the Williamson,
pieces being Joined. Fitz pin.

Sterling,

Nailhead Rivets found

objects.
This variation calls for an extra
3 X 2V2".
step as the rivet is prepared, and
results in a rivet head that is either
larger than usual, or requires no
hammering, or both. Start by se-
lecting a wire as before, and drill a
hole that makes
snug fit. Draw a
a
bead on the wire by holding it ver-
tically into a flame, taking care to
withdraw the flame slowdy so as to
ensure a smooth surface. Quench
the wire in w'ater and dry it off.

RIVET

The next step typically uses a Square Rivets

drawplate, but you can also make A single rivet allows elements to
the toolvou need by drilling a hole pivot, which is, of course, some-
the same diameter as the wire in times desirable. In those cases
an eighth-inch or thicker piece of where the pieces must remain sta-
steel. Rest this jig, or a drawplate ble, the usual solution is to use at
facing right side up, on the slightly least two rivets. An alternate
opened jaws of a vise, and slide the method is to make the rivet from
wire into the hole until the balled- square or rectangular wire. Every-
up end sits against the plate. Use a thing proceeds as described above,
light hammer to flatten the bead, except that the hole is pierced with
and you'll have wdnat looks like a a saw and refined with a file to
nail.This rivet is finished in the make a snug fit on the rivet.
conventional way, but has the ad-
vantage of having one end pre- Washers
formed. This makes it useful for When joining two rigid materials—
situations when access one end
to say metal and shell— a couple of
1 Rotate a scribe in the mouth of the tube of a rivet is difficult. Because the rivets arc enough to make a solid
to bend outward.
it
head is larger than usual, a nail- connection, But when attaching a
2 Gentle tapping with a rounded punch will head rivet lends itself to being tex- soft material such as leather, use
curl the lip out and down. tured, shaped or ornamented. washers to increase holding power.
 individually or in sets. Hardware
stores carry sizes down to i/je" (1.5
mm); jewelry suppliers can pro-
vide much smaller sizes. Taps and
Stacey Lane, dies are sold with special handles
bracelet.
that are worth buying if ^mu plan to
Sterling, pearls.
use them often.
21/2 X 221/4’'.

Photo by Gregory The first step in using a tap is to

Staley. drill exactly the correct size hole.

Charts provided with the tap will
tell you which drill bit to use. Once
the hole is drilled, grip the metal
firmly (e.g., in a vise) and screw
the tap into the hole, using a for-
ward-and-reverse motion; this will
clear the tiny chips being cut as
you go. Turn chjckwise a half turn,
then counter clockwise a quarter
turn, always keeping the tap per-
pendicular to the sheet. Don’t rush
it, and don't use much force. Just

guide the tool along until it spins

easily in W-'
vour hand.
k-'

When
threading a rod, it's again
important to start with raw mate-
rial of a correct size. Dies are brittle
We all know what washers look and solders mentioned in the last and will break if you try to thread
like: disks of steel with a round chapter, but if you use steel, do not an oversized rod, Use a file if nec-
hole in the center. Well, when it put the piece in pickle. It can be
comes to jewelry, forget that. They rinsed in very hot water to dissolve
can be but they can also be
steel, the flux, then cleaned with Scotch-
gold. They can be smooth, round Brite.
and symmetrical, or they can be The advantage of using bolts to
highly integrated ornamental ele- hold pieces together is that the ele-
ments. Once the washer is in place, ments can be removed— handy M*
if

the process is exactly the same as repairs or cleaning are necessary.

above, and the decorative potential The disadvantage is the possibility
is enormous. that the nut might wiggle loose as a
piece is worn. One way to guard
against this is to put a tiny drop of
glue into the nut after assembly.
Threaded Connections
The bond can be broken with a
The easiest kinds of threaded con- sharp twist if the nut needs to be
nections to buy and use are small unscrewed. Alternately, strike the
nuts and bolts from your local nut with a steel hammer while it
hardware store. You'll find them in sits on an anvil or similar sup-

brass, steel and stainless steel, all port— this will crimp it slightly,
of which can be used for jewelry. making it more difficult to turn,
Smaller bolts are often available both going on and coming off.
through hobby shops, especially To cut j'our own threads you’ll
those that supply model train en- need and die. These tools cut
a tap
j‘.e. Paterak, pendant. Sterling, 14K
thusiasts. Anv
of these metals can
•1^
internal and external threads re- engagement ring, mica, moonstone,
be soldered using the same flux spectively, and can be purchased printed paper. I V4 x I V4".
 essary to make the diameter equal
to the diameter of the
largest
screw, which you can determine by
measuring the tap. Grip the rod ei-
ther verticalhr or horizontally and
use the same screw-unscrew mo-
tion to guide the die down the rod.
Again, make an effort to keep the
die perpendicular to the axis of the
rod.

Adhesives
It’s traditionally considered a sign
of poor craftsmanship to use glue—
and sometimes it is. If solder or a
mechanical connection can be
used, that's probably the route to
go. But there are cases where adhe-
sives are acceptable, and many in-
stances when adhesives can be
used to supplement mechanical
joints. Perhaps the best rule of
thumb is this; Whatever technique
you use, the same high standards
of craftsmanship should apply.
Glues are only as strong as the
bond they make on the materials
3mu're joining. Clean metal sur-
faces, with either sandpaper or a
solvent like nail polish remover, to
ensure an oxide-free surface. Fol-
low manufacturers' directions care-
fully to guarantee good results. In
the case of epoxies, this includes
thorough mixing of the two compo-
nents. Use a toolyou can actually •m'

grip (not a broken toothpick) and

massage the epoxy from several di-
rections for a couple of minutes.
With the cyanoacrylates (Super
Glue), bonding is achieved not b\^
'
Robert Ebendorf, pin. Tin, tintype, tap, coin. 2 x 3".
drying, but when air is excluded.
That'swhy this glue is not recom-
mended for porous materials, but
works so quickly when 3U)u pinch
3mur fingers together. Here again
the rules of cleanliness apply.
 inishing not just a matter of
is

F
which
creating a bright shine; it in-
volves sensitive decisions about
color, finish and degree of res-
olution is appropriate for each piece.
Sometimes the traditional high pol-
ish of silver or gold is desired, some-
times not, hut hear in mind that
each case deserves individual con-
sideration. The following pages de-
scribe a process that systematically
flattens a surface to create a
mirror-bright shine, hut remember
that you can stop any step along
at
the way. Finishing is more than a
process: It is an attitude.

Proper finishing begins with the

first mark made on a piece of met-

al, or more correctly, from the first

mark not made. Store metal sepa-

rately from tools that might dam-
age it, and think twice before mak-
ing any permanent impressions. Of
course, forming processes such as
hammering, sawing and stamping
inevitably leave marks; when these
are not wanted, the process of fin-
ishing gets started in earnest.
Finishing involves a progression
from coarse media. With ex-
to fine
perience you'll develop a sense of
flow'from one step to the next. The
absence of this intuitive under-
standing can make finishing frus- Andrew Cooperman, Truss Series #/ brooch. Bronze, 22K, 18K, 14K, opal. 3” diameter.
trating for a beginner, but stick
with your craft and the under-
standing will develop.
Aaron Macsai, Panels of Movement bracelet. 18K golds, 14K golds, sterling, copper. 7/8 X 7".

Most finishing operations in- White diamond or tripoli izedand sold as a coarse powder at
volve at least one selection from Scotch-Brite or similar nylon pad hardware and paint stores, where
each of the following groups. Leather stick with compound you'll find it with the furniture re-
finishing supplies.
Group I Group IV Pour some pumice sand into a
Medium or coarse files Brass scratchbrush lubricated with shallow dish. Hold a completed ob-
100-series grit abrasive paper, soapy water ject over the dish and rub with a
e.g., 100, 120, 140, etc. Rouge handful of pumice, allowing the ex-
(or 80 p [microns]) Polishing papers: 600 grit, 1
5 p, tra to fall back into the dish. Repeat
Brightboy or a similar wheel or 0000 crocus as necessary to achieve the intend-
Planishing hammer Fine steel wool (0000) ed look. Pumice leaves a soft matte
Hand cloth finish on sterling and gold, and is
Group II coarse enough to vSoften edges and
Fine files remove fine scratches. It can be
200-series grit abrasive paper, reused indefinitely, and can be
220, 240, 260, etc. (or 60 p)
e.g.,
Abrasive Media mixed wdth water to make a paste if
Pumice (cuts faster dampened desired; damp pumice cuts a little
with water) From earliest times,metalworkers faster than drv. Pumice can be
Bobbing or Lea compound have used rocks and sands of dif- used as a preliminary step to other
Scraper ferent size and hardness to polish polishing or as a final step by itself.

metal. That hasn’t changed much, Another popular natural abra-

Group IN though nowadays we do our min- sive is garnet, sometimes known as
Fine abrasive paper, e.g., 300, 320, ing at the local hardware store. One crocus. It can be bought on both
360 (or 40 p) ancient abrasive that is still widely cloth and paper, the former being
Dry pumice used is pumice, a rough, gray rock useful when finishing a rounded
Pumice/ rubber wheel formed by volcanoes. It is pulver- surface like a spoon bowl.
Abrasive Papers

Naturally occurring grits used in

finishing havebeen supplemented
by synthetic materials— most im-
portantly a very tough grit called
on sandpa-
silicon carbide, available
per through jewelry supply compa-
nies and hardware stores. The grit
is sized by a S 3^stem of numbers

corresponding to the mesh used to

sort the particles. A
high number
like 400 identifies a very small par-
ticle size, while a number like 120
identifies a coarse grit. As a gener-
al rule of thumb, you'll want pa-

pers in the 100s, 200s and .300s, as

well as number 400.
The latest thing in abrasive pa-
pers is a high-tech product that Micki Lippe, Jungle earrings. Sterling, 22K. 1 V2 x 1 V2 ".

1 Lay masking tape along the edges of a 3 Various molding strips provide a range of
sheet of sandpaper. shapes. Remember to mark the grit.

2 Score a line with a blunt point to create a 4 Use plexiglass or masonite to make wide
crisp bend. sanding boards. Rub polishing compounds
on cotton string to reach into tight corners.
 uses particles or a precise grit size.
This, along with a plastic backing
and improved adhesives to bond
the particles, yields a coated stock
(the term “sandpaper" no longer
applies) that is significantly more
aggressive and durable, and yields
a finer finish, all the way up to a
high shine. Particles in these prod-
ucts are described by micron size
(abbreviated as the larger the
number, the coarser the abrasive.
These products cost several times
more than conventional abrasive
papers, but since they last so long,
they work out to be a good value.
For improved control, greater
efficiency, and longer wear, abra-
sive papers should be attached to a
stiff backing. Note that while al-

most any abrasive will accomplish

something on metal, sandpapers
made for wood or plastic break
apart quickly and are therefore not
recommended for jewelry making.
By contrast, papers made for metal,
when used in proper sequence,
will last a long time. Many are wa-
terproof and can be rinsed under
running water to flush away clog-
ging debris.

Abrasive Compounds
When particles are extremely fine
and can no longer be attached to
paper, they are mixed with a greasy
binder and formed into bricks that
are used to coat (or charge] felt or
The range of abrasive
fabric buffs.
compounds is large and confusing,
but here are a couple of favorites to
get you started.

Bobbing
This popular tan-colored compound
contains naturally occurring sand-
stone and is an aggressive abrasive.
It will remove scratches and leave
a semi-polished surface.

White Diamond
This commercial product contains David and Roberta Williamson, Welcome pin. Sterling, copper, found object 3 x 1 V4 ".
no diamond, but nevertheless a
is looks like BBs) in a rotating or vi- For instance, if you want a surface
very fast cutting agent. It leaves a brating drum to achieve a similar flat and shiny, make it flat with
brighter shine than bobbing. effect. files and sandpaper, then turn to
the burnisher to make it shiny.
Rouge Burnishing an uneven surface will
Hand Burnishing
This also contains a naturally oc- create a shiny uneven surface.
curring compound— iron oxide, bet- A burnishing nothing more
tool is A polishing stick uses leather
ter known as rust. Rouge does not than a comfortable handle fitted imbedded with rouge. While slower
remove material, but burnishes a with a short, tapered steel rod than machine buffing, this method
surface to create a warm shine. about the size of your little finger. is nevertheless very effective and

To work properly it must remain provides great control.

highly polished; wrap it in an oiled To make a polishing stick, glue a
Burnishing Media cloth when not in use to protect piece of leather firmly/ onto a
against rust. A burnisher can be straight flat stick about a foot long
Burnishing is distinguished from made from any piece of steel; a sat- and an inch wide. Use epoxy or
abrading in that no material is re- isfactory tool can be made by cut- hide glue and weight the assembly
moved. Instead, the surface is ting the tip from a screwdriver and to be certain the leather is attached
rubbed with a hard tool that pushes rounding the end. all the way to its edges. The leather
the raised areas down, flattening To use a burnisher, rub the tool can be either smooth or suede and
the "peaks" into the "valleys" to cre- over a surface, pressing down firm- doesn’t need to be anything fancy;
ate smooth, reflective surface.
a ly and moving the tool in several I usually use belts or purse straps
This ancient technique uses pol- directions. A light lubricant such as from used-clothing stores. Once
ished tools of brass, bronze, steel saliva or a fine oil is typically used. the glue has set, rub rouge or ant'^
and stone. A modern process called Most important, don't rely on bur- other compound into the leather.
tumbling uses steel shot (which nishing to alter surface contour. Use a different stick for each abra-

Dawn Eiieen
Nakanishi,
Flotation brooch.
Sterling, 14K.
4 X 5".

Photo by Helen Shirk.

sive, recharging as necessary. Fol- smaller bench-side machine called complete machine includes a pre-
ishing sticks are usually used like a flexible shaft. But before describ- cision motor, a flexible shaft with
sanding sticks— rubbed against the ing specifics, it’s worthwdiile to dis- handpiece, and a foot rheostat to
work as it is supported by the cuss safety. provide variable speed. Tools for
bench pin. For small objects, it's the flex shaft, called mandrels, are
also possible to set the stick down made in a dizzying collection of
on the bench top and rub the piece styles. Consult a jevA'elry supply
• Tie back long hair and loose
against it. catalog for details and plan on ex-
clothing.
perimenting to find the ones that
• Wear eye protection.
work best for you. In some cases
Scratch Brushing • Use a respirator.
the working part of the tool, such
• Hold work in a "breakaway" grip.
This popular tool has bristles of iMiHimuuii'iiii iP-»j»w4UWinnBsg^wgniMaiMPi^— as a grinding wheel or brass brush,
thin brass or stainless steel wire, might be permanently bonded to
and is develop a soft glow-
used to Given the chance, a buffing ma- the shaft of the mandrel. Other
ing shine. Use a brass brush on chine will snag long hair or loose tools, like muslin buffs or sanding
gold, silver, copper or brass, reserv- clothing, with disastrous conse- disks, are sold separately and can
ing the less versatile steel brush for quences. If the machine grabs be replaced as they wear out.
nickel silverand steel. In all cases, something, you simply do not have
use soapy water to lubricate the time to respond. It is therefore crit-
Buffing Machines
burnishing action. Rub the brush ical to always keep hair tied back

on a cake of soap, dip it into a pan and remove jewelry, scarves, etc. The ideal machine for buffing is
of suds, or dribble a line of dish- Follow this rule without exception! sealed to from dust and
protect it

washing detergent on the bristles, Buffing machines throw up a lot grit, but unseated motors are com-

and work at the sink in a trickle of of grit and dust. Wear goggles and monly used too, especially since
water. Scrub the work in all direc- protect your lungs and nasal pas- they are a lot cheaper and easier to
tions, continuing until the desired sages with a respirator. The best de- acquire. The best motor for polish-
shine is achieved. vice is one fitted with appropriate, ing runs at 1725 revolutions per
Scratch brushes are also made disposable cartridges, but at the minute (rpmj and is 1/4 horsepow-
for use with both flexible shaft and very least, wear a disposable paper er in strength. Conveniently for us,
bench-mounted polishing motors. mask. Replace the paper mask or that’s the motor used in washing
In both cases, care should be taken cartridge as soon as it becomes sat- machines, refrigerators, furnaces,
to run at slower speeds than with Lirated with dust. and clothes dryers— which is to
other kinds of polishing. With the Always grip work in such a way sav, there are a lot of them out
flex shaft this can be done by care- that it can be pulled from your there. Used motors are available
ful control of the foot pedal that hands with little resistance. The from appliance repair companies,
controls speed, but a fixed rpm mo- opposite of this would be to put a and new motors are sold through
tor willneed to be outfitted with a ring on your finger, or to grasp a jewelry suppliers.
pair of V-wheels and a belt to re- bracelet by sliding your fingers Either a single or double spindle
duce the speed to around 800 rpm. through the piece. If the spinning motor can be used, and should be
This is not as difficult as it might buff snags on the piece in these sit- mounted comfortable height
at a
sound— seek help from a local in- uations, your hand is at risk of seri- on a sturdy table or counter. Buffs
are available in many sizes, with 6
"
dustrial supplier. ous injury.
If you do not intend to follow these diameter being the most popular.
important guidelines, do not use a To provide clearance between the
Machine Finishing buffing machme. edge of the buff and the tabletop,
mount the motor so the spindle is
It is entirely possible to get excel- at least 5" above the surface.
Flexible Shaft Machine
lent resultsthrough hand finishing, The motor must be situated so
but many jewelers use machines, This popular and versatile tool is the direction of rotation is down
especially when the goal is a high used for polishing. It also comes in and away from the worker. Mea-
polish. For most polishing, you can handy for drilling holes, setting sure the spindle diameter and or-
use either a bench-mounted motor, stones, grinding off rough edges, der an attachment called a threaded
usually 172.5 rpm or faster, or the and carving soft materials. The tapered spindle, being careful to
specify spindle diameter ( usually
1/2" or Va"), as well as the side of
the motor— left Thisor right.
adapter allows varit^us buffs to be
quickly fitted onto the machine. It
is designed to tighten the hold of

the buff as it is used, which is why

it is side-specific. If a right-hand ta-
pered spindle is used on a left-hand
machinci, buffs will loosen and lly

off as soon as a piece is brought

into contact.
To catch the dust of machine
buffing, make or buy a polishing
hood behind the wheel. In a
to set
light-use situation, this can be as
simple as a box to catch flying lint
and particles, but a much better so-
lution is to attach a vacuum clean-
er to the outlet of this hood. This
will not only prevent dust from fill-

ing the air, but will collect the dust

for reclamation. In the case of gold,
even an expensive system will pay
for itself quickly as scrap is refined.

USES OF THE FLEXIBLE SHAFT

1 Drilling. 3 Carving. 5 Stone setting.

2 Sanding. 4 Grinding. 6 Buffing.
 Deborah Krupenia,
Em Brooch.
Colored golds, fine silver,

Japanese copper alloys,

sterling. 3 %x 23/4".

Photo by Dean Powell.

Buffs and Attachments ically described by diameter (in buffs wear down detail, erode tex-
In the case of sandpaper, we can inches) and the number of layers, tures and generally take the life out
easily visualize the two elements with 50 or 60 layers of fabric being of a piece. That's bad. Only experi-
involved; sand and paper, one do- most popular. A 6" wheel is a good ence will clarify the uses of each
ing the cutting and the other carry- all purpose starter, and will soon buff and compound, but you can
ing the grit to the piece. The same wear down to become smaller and accelerate your learning by pa^dng
concept is at work in machine buff- therefore useful for reaching into ckise attention to the results you
ing, but the carrier is usually made tight areas. Even with the speed of get in every instance.
of fabric and shaped like an over- the motor constant, the size of the Before its first use, a muslin buff
sized hockey puck. Here again, a wheel determines the surface feet should be raked to remove some of
glance at a catalog might confound per minute (sfm), which, in turn, its lint. This will come off in the

you with the range of buffs avail- determines how fast a wheel cuts. first 10 minutes of use anyway, so
able. Take heart. For most studios The larger the wheel, the faster it you might as well get the shedding
and situations, a couple of basic will cut. done before starting to work. Use
buffs will suffice. Muslin wheels are used to re- an old kitchen fork, or make a rake
You willneed at least two sepa- move scratches, round off edges, by driving a dozen nails through
rate buffs for each compound, usu- and increase shine. They have the the last 2 inches of a 10-inch strip
ally one made of felt and one of ability to blend elements together of wood. Put on goggles and a res-
muslin. A muslin buff is made of and, used sparingly, tend to ho- pirator, and with the buff mounted
disks of coarse fabric stacked up mogenize a piece. That's good. and spinning on the machine, hold
and stitched together. Buffs are typ- When overused, however, muslin the rake against the wheel for a
 I

Thomas Mann,
Rusted Wire Frame
Wheel with Stone.
Steel, stone.
35/4" diameter.

Photo by Gerard
Perrone.
couple ot minutes. Both lint and
loose threads will be pulled from
the buff. Stop the wheel and use
scissors to trim the threads. Now
Robert Ebendorf,
you can charge the buff with com-
ring. 18K, iron
pound and put it into use. Remem-
wire, diamond.
ber to mark each buff clearlv so
you won't contaminate it with the
wrong compound.
Felt buffs are similar to muslin
and shape, but are much
in size
more dense, and less likely to
drape themselves over a surface.
For this reason they are preferred
for angular pieces, and when the
polishing action needs to be con-
fined to an isolated area. Felt buffs
do not need be raked like their
to
muslin cousins, but they some-
times cake solid on their outer cir-
cumference and need to be scraped
clean. To achieve this, have the
buff running on the motor and
hold a fiat piece of scrap steel per-
pendicular to the wdieel. Of course,
goggles and a respirator should he
worn for this.

To Glove or Not to Glove

Buffing is a hot, dirty business— no
way around it. To protect against
the heat of friction, and to mini- compound scraped off the wheel
is hands Combine a
after polishing.
mize the tenacious smudge that as it rubs against metal, but you small amount of ammonia with liq-
will penetrate skin, some people have the opportunity to renew it as uid soap, like dishwashing deter-
like to wear cloth gardening gloves needed. With the motor running, gent, and thin with water. The
this
when buffing. These accomplish hold the bar of compound firmly proportions are not important, but
the protection they promise, but against the wheel for a second to this is the mix that will cut the
make the wearer’s grip clumsy and load it. At 1725 rpm, a buff rotates compounds. Drop the piece in a
insensitive. It’s a matter of taste; almost 30 times in that second, so dish of this mixture soak for a
to

and experience, I don’t wear gloves it doesn’t take long to expose the few minutes while you use some
because want
I to know how hot circumference of the wheel to ail more to clean your hands. Then
the metal is getting, and I like to the compound it can hold. Applj/- use a toothbrush and the soapy
“steer" the work against the wheel ing more is simply going to make a mix to scrub the work, continuing
with subtle movements that gloves mess as the excess compound falls until the soap foam is no longer
make difficult. middleA useful off. Better to reapply every couple colored by the compound. Rinse
course is to use medicaTstvle rub- of minutes than overdo it at a sin- and dry the work. It's important to
her gloves. These don’t protect gle charging. clean a piece after each stage of
against heat, but they will keep polishing to prevent contamination
vour hands clean, Clean Up of the wheels.
Because the binder in compounds Now that you've got that piece
Applying Compound is a mixture of grease and wax, it sparkling bright and free of all the
Think of a buffing wheel as sand- takes more than Just a light pass compounds picked up during
it

paper that you keep renewing. The through the sink to clean your polishing, you dry it on a fuzzy
towel, right? Not right— unleSvS you pleasant-sounding) and are the re- on the three funda-
Let’s tocLis
want vour work to turn into Chi a sult of chemical activity on the mental elements of patinas: appli-
Jewelry. Lint from a cloth will grab metal surface. We see patinas all cation methods, recipes, and vari-
onto textures vou didn’t even know around us,from rusty machinery ables. In the end your results will
you had, so find another solution! to crusty green statues on the town depend on the interaction of these
Air drying
not ideal, since it
is square. These are typically caused ingredients.
can leave water spots. A time-hon- by a slow, natural process. In the
ored method of drying jewelry is to studio, the chemical reaction is
Application Methods
toss it into a box of fine sawdust usually the same. We just take the
(available from any woodshop). Af- place of weather and pollution to Probably the most common appli-
ter a few minutes, you can pull it create more or less predictable— cation method, at least for jewelry-
out and blow to remove any cling- and accelerated— results. sized work, is to simply drop the
ing sawdust. Another method is to The color achieved by a specific piece into a container of the appro-
set the work on a cloth and dry it patina solution will depend on the priate solution. Sounds easy, right?
with a hair dryer; turn the work as alloy to which it’s applied, the age Well, it is, but there are a few im-
needed expose each surface.
to and strength of the mixture, the portant tips to bear in mind.
This method doesn’t have the me- time and temperature of the expo- With all patina applications,
dieval charm of sawdust drying, sure, and the process used to apply clean metal is very important.
but it's faster! the solution. Once the work is free of grease and
Depending upon your frame of oxides, avoid touching it with your
mind, the interaction of these fac- fingers. Secure each piece with a
tors can add up to an exciting dis- wire handle so ^mu can lower it
Patinas
covery or a huge frustration. If you into the bath efficiently.
It'shard to beat the warm, lustrous approach patinas in the spirit of se- In many cases, it’s helpful to
beauty of polished metal— hard, lecting paint swatches— anticipat- have the work slightly warm. I ac-
but not impossible. In addition to ing uniform colors and consistent complish this by holding the piece
its ability to achieve a highly re- results— you are bound to be disap- (in its wire handle) under hot run-
flective shine, metal offers a wealth pointed. But when you realize that ning tap water before plunging it
of color options through the forma- patinas are the result of a progres- into the patina solution. It is usual-
tion of colored layers we call pati- sive chemical action, a sort of "liv- lywise to develop a patina slowly—
nas. In reality, patinas are usually ing thing," you open yourself to ex- with several immersions of just a
corrosion products (not nearly as citing possibilities. few seconds each— partly because

PATINA APPLICATION METHODS

To contain a piece in afuming environment, either set it above a pool of solution or hang it from a lid with string and tape. To create a random
speckled pattern, bury pieces in sawdust that has been saturated with patina solution.
 Patricia Telesco,

Series XXVI, #7
brooch. Bronze,
nicke!, 18K, 14K.
2 X 2".

1
^:

i Photo by Charlie
Seifried

you can seo the various stages of develop drip pattc-rns. To contain standard kitchen oven set at 350“F.
color transition, and partly because the overspray, set the work in a Check it every 10 minutes, and
a color developed slowly is usually disposable cardboard box. you'll see the surface go from a lus-
more permanent. The sequence trous nutty brown to a brilliant
should be: warm, dip, rinse. Repeat Heat crimson, and eventuall}^ to bright
this as many as a do?^en times to Heating metal with a torch will cre- blue. The patina usuallj^ takes
achieve the color you want. ate patina, btit the process is usual- about 20-30 minutes, though both
ly difficult to control. One specific the time and temperature vary de-
Spray heat patina— copper in an oven — is pending on the kind of oven and
Use a spray bottle from the drug- an exception and worth describing. the size of the piece. When the cor-
store to lightly spritj^ patina chemi- After all soldering, texturing and rect patina has been achieved, re-
cals onto a clean surface. Gravity filing have been completed, clean move the piece and allow it to air
being what it is, this method can the piece thoroughly in soapy wa- cool. This finish is fragile and not
also be used with some solutions to ter, rinse it, dry it, and set it in a recommended for bracelets or oth-
 Jenepher Burton, brooch.
Sterling, copper, brass,
18K, turquoise. 2 x 21 /2 ".
Photo by Robert Diamante.

er jewftlry that will get a lot of bucket or a draped plastic sheet. A situation is a plastic bag of sawdust,
wear, but I've had good luck with transparent material has the ad- stirred until evenly moist with a so-
earrings and brooches, especially if vantage of allowing you to assess lution like the one for Green Patina
they’ve been stored in plastic bags progress of the patina without dis- (see the recipe on page 66).
when not being worn. turbing the environment. When the sawdust is uniformly
Within this environment, the at- dampened, push a piece into the
Atmosphere mosphere will thicken with fumes center of the mass and tightly seal
The wonderful patinas we see on from the dish of solution, and the up the bag. Now comes the hard
copper drain spouts and outdoor fumes will condense on the metal part: don’t disturb it for several
statuary are the result of a delicate object and work tbeir magic. Space, days. When you can't take the sus-

attack by airborne vapors. It's a sit- materials, and the shape of your pense any longer, open the bag to
uation we can recreate in the stu- piece all intluence the result. De- ch(m,k the progress. You will proba-
dio with a container or a plastic pending on the alloy, the solution bly see a speckled pattern, the re-
bag. Begin by setting a small dish and the weather, you may wait as sult of separate bits of sawdust
of the patina chemical (e.g., ammo- long as several days for the patina c:oming into direct contact with the
nia) in an out-of-the-way place, to develop. metal and holding the patina solu-
preferably in a warm spot since tion against the surface. For this
heat accelerates most corrosive re- Burying reason, different size chips or parti-
actions. Have your clean metal In this case an absorbent granular cles will have dramatically differ-
piece nearby, ideally suspended material is saturated with a patina ent results. Other surrounding ma-
above the dish of solution, then solution and used to completely terials include dried leaves, cat lit-

cover the arrangement with a surround a metal object. A typical ter, and shredded paper.
Patina Solutions

Over the centuries, metalsmiths

have developed hundreds, maybe
thousands, of recipes for patina so-
To do these recipes Justice
lutions.
would take several volumes— each
larger than this one— and more John Cogswell,
knowledge of chemistry than 1
Shield Brooch.
have. But with the understanding Sterling, 14K.

that even a few formulas will pro- 4 X 1 1

/2 ".

vide a wide range of options, let's

proceed. I’ve ruled out solutions
that involve dangerous, expensive
or rare chemicals, and present only
those with the highest rate of suc-
cess, the sure-fire winners.

Patina

• Mark patina containers clearly.

• Keep solutions safely stored away

from children and pets.

• Wear rubber gloves and goggles

when using strong chemicals.
• Use ventilation when applying
patinas.

Liver of Sulfur on Sterling

This perhaps the most widely

is

used patina chemical among jewel-

ers who work in sterling silver. For
the best results, mix a fresh solu-
tion of liver of sulfur foreverv use.
It’s usually sold in the form of grav-

el, but sometimes comes ready-to-

use as an amber-colored liquid.

Liver of sulfur (potassium sul-
fide) breaks down when exposed to
air keep it tightly sealed
or light, so
in an opaque container. If pur-
chased dry, be careful that no ature,and can be used in any sort sume your chemicals are stale and
moisture or air enters the jar. If of container and without ventila- must be discarded. If you know
you drop of water or leave
spill a tion. If the piece is difficult to re- you want the maximum gray, you
the top off overnight, the batch will trieve from the container, hook it can drop the piece in and let it
soon be useless. onto a scrap of w'ire so you can sus- soak. However, a better apprf)ach,
Liver of sulfur is used through pend it in the bath and remove it is to dip the piece quickly, then
immersion. Clean your finished promptly. rinse it in running water to check
piece and hold it under hot run- If the mix is fresh, sterling will the effect. turning gray,
Before
ning tap water, then drop it into a turn dark gray in about a minute. A sterling progresses through these
container of livcm of sulfur solu- VA'eak or over-strong solution will colors: yellow, brown, crimson,
tion. Though the mixture smells take perhaps twice that long. If and electric blue. Though none are
foul, it is not toxic at room temper- nothing is happening by then, as- as durable as the gray, these colors
can last quite a while on pins and
earrings, and are worth consider-
ing. Dip and rinse repeatedly, until
the work achieves the desired col-
or, then give a thorough rinse in

running water to remove every

trace ofliver of sulfur.
To darken selected areas, first

make the entire piece gray, then

use pumice or a polishing com-
pound to remove the patina from
raised areas. If you darken a piece
and don’t like the result, heat the
piece slightly with a torch, then
drop it in warm pickle.

Green Patina on Copper

1 tablespoon ammonium chloride
(sal ammoniac)
1 tablespoon salt
1 ounce plain ammonia
1 quart water Photo by Jonathan Quick.
Mix these chemicals in a plastic
container and mark it clearly so it
will never be confused with food.
Warm water speeds the dissolving,
hut cool water can be used. If local torch or a hair dryer. Don't. The chain, pour some gun bluing into a
tap water is laced with minerals, green crust that forms in this way small dish and toss in some bits of
use bottled water. The mixture is will not be bonded to the copper steel — nails, staples or paper clips
colorless, but you might want to beneath it and will wipe off at the willwork. Immerse the piece for a
add a couple of drops of green food lightest touch. Be patient and do it few minutes, then flush it well in
color to make the chemical easily right, which means 24 to 48 hours, running water.
recognizable. depending on weather conditions.
This compound, unlike liver of To increase the blue tones, increase
Sealing Patinas
sulfur, takes a while to show its ef- the amount of salt in the solution,
fects. Clean the item and set it in or sprinkle salt directly onto the As mentioned, patinas are the re-

an isolated area, preferably one wet surface. sult of air, air-borne chemicals, and
with some light ventilation and moisture, all interacting chemical-
warm air. Brush or spray the solu- Gun Bluing on Steel, Brass or Bronze ly with metals. As long as the piece
tion on to achieve a thin coating. This commercial product is used to is exposed to air, the action is likely
The piece; will look wet, but noth- create a patina on firearms, which to continue. Again, this can be an
ing more dramatic will occur. Al- arc, of course, made of steel. It can exciting part of the process or a
low the piece to dry naturally, after be purchased in sporting goods frustration,depending on your atti-
which you might see a pale gray stores, and, like liver of sulfur, tude. Steps can be taken to protect
film starting to form. Brush or gives immediate results. To achieve a patina, but they are best viewed
spray the piece again (which will a deep blue-black on steel, simply as retarding— rather than halting—
“erase" what little patina you had), follow the directions. To create a a natural process of corrosion.
and again allow the piece to air purple-gray on brass or bronze, use Sealing a patina from the atmos-
dry. Repeat this process for at least the solution straight from the bot- phere has an inherent problem in
five cycles to create a lichen-col- tle. Apply with a bit of steel wool, that you must inevitably add a lay-
ored green crust. either held in the hands or as a er of something to the patina. Even
tempting to accelerate; the
It's small pad gripped with tweezers. if what you add is perfectly clear, it

process by drying the piet;e with a To color a delicate object like a will alter the way light is reflected,
 Deborah Krupenia,
Mismatched Fazzoletti It

Earrings.
Colored golds, Japanese
copper alloys, sterling.

Photo by Dean Powell.

which is the essence of color per- light-duty variety used to protect solution. This can be found at hard-
ception. As a result, a piece that charcoal and pastel drawings. Set ware stores (one brand is called
was a bright blue might appear as a or suspend the work in a well-ven- Butchers Wax), Apply the wax with
dull purple. tilated area and spray a thin coat- a soft cloth and allow it to dry for a
Patina coatings two cat-
fall into ing following the directions on the few minutes, then gently wipe it
egories— hard and soft. Hard coat- can. Resist the urge to spray too off. This step can be alarming in
ings, like lacquer, are strong and ef- much, because the excess will drip. the case of green patina, which of-
fective, but can chip if the metal is Allow the work to dry, which ten starts to come off on the cloth.
flexed or bumped. Soft coatings, might take only a few minutes, and If the patina was properly devel-
like wax, move with the metal, but repeat the process. At least five oped, though, there will be enough
eventually rub off, not only leaving layers will be needed to protect a remaining to color the piece. To
the patina exposed, but possibly patina. make the wax easier to apply,
staining a garment in the process. Car wax can be used to protect a warm the work slightly with a hair
Spray lacquer is available from patina, but a gentler wax used for dryer at the start of the process, or
art supply companies; look for the furniture protection offers a better wmrk in a sunny spot.
stone Setting

rom its earliest origins, jewelry

F has been linked to the incredi-

ble bounty of the earth, espe-
cially gemstones, which have long
been associated with magical prop-
erties, healing power and wealth. Of
course, it's make jewelry
possible to
without gemstones, hut who would
want to!

Because most gems will not with-

stand the heat of soldering, the tech-
niques described in this chapter are
specific kinds of cold connections.
a look at the categories of
We’ll take
gemstones and describe a few of the
most popular setting styles, but here
again an innovative jeweler will take
these standard settings as a starting
point for his or her own ideas.

A Word About Gemstones

The art of cutting and polishing
gems is called lapidary, and is a Stephani Briggs, Pathfinder pin/pendant. 22K, 18K, Maine tourmalines. 3 x 4".

rich and rewarding field all by it-

self. Gems are usually mineral ma-

terials formed through

in the earth
the actions of chemicals, water, technology. Synthetic stones are generally accepted. Whenever a
pressure and heat, and as we know, sometimes frowned upon for seri- synthetic is used, any reference to
they present a wealth of color and ous Jewelry. This is true, for exam- the gem must make its origin clear.
pattern. Some organic (once-living) ple, with synthetic garnets and A full description ofgemology is
materials, such as coral, amber and amethysts; the natural stones are outside the scope of this book, but
pearls, are also considered gems. both readily available and not sig- as you pursue jewelry making,
This natural trove has been aug- nificantly more expensive than you'll want to familiarize yourself
mented by synthetic stones and, their synthetic counterparts. In with the names and qualities of
not surprisingly, the range of these other cases, as with emeralds and stones. You'll also learn about color
has only increased with advanced diamonds, synthetics are more variations, hardness and idiosyn-
 crasit;s that contribute to the value
of a gem. Gradually vou'll select
some favorites and decide which
stones themselves to your
lend
work. You can start by reading the
captions in this book to learn the
names of a few stones you might
not have seen before.

Types of Stones

Since our earliest ancestors picked

up brightly colored rocks along the
beat:h, people have been shaping,
polishing and collecting stones.
While lapidary is a complex art, for
our purposes we can divide the
universe of cut stones into three
broad categories: tumbled, cahnchon
and faceted.

Tumbled
These stones are free-form lumps
that are mass-finished by tumbling
them in a drum with water and
abrasive particles. They can be
pretty, but are difficult to set well.

Cabochon
These stones are smooth, convex
forms, usually with flat undersides.
They may be round, oval, square
or any other shape when viewed
from the top, but from the side
they take the shape of a rounded
mound. Some translucent (see-
through) stones are cut as cabo-
chons, but most stones cut this way
are opaque. This name is typically
shortened to cab.

Faceted
A facet, or face, is a small flat plane
cut on a stone. Facets arc arranged
geometrically over the entire sur-
face of a transparent or translucent
gem to focus light into the stone
and reflect it back. All of this en-
hances the natural sparkle of the
stone, which can be round, oval or
any of dozens of other shapes.
Faceted stones are no more diffi-
cult to set than cabs, though they
 ^ b
Micki Lippe, earrings.
Sterling, 22K, red jasper. 3 x 3".

metals sell strips of fine silver and

gold called bezel wire. While these
are a convenient size and shape for
stone stflting, don’t neglect the op-
portunities prr^sented by using oth-
er stock to make bezels.
Bezels can be made from any of
the usual Jew'ehy metals (gold,
sterling, silver, copper and brass)
and can be thick or thin, plain or
decorated. They can be
hr*
cut from
sheet stock, hammered from wire
or purchased as ready-made bezel
strip. Bezelsalmost always
are
used for cabochons, but they work
well on faceted stones too. In order
to lift the culet, faceted stones usu-
ally require a tall bezel wuth an in-
ner step or ledge.
Bezel wire is shown in the pho-
to sequence starting on page 72,
w'here it is used on a sterling base
to make a box bezel — solid-backed
container that holds the stone. A
usually require precision to proper- variation known as or ledge
ly complement the extreme geom- bezel is a strip of metal that is thin-
• The stone must be securely held. very top, with an inner
etry of the cut. ner at the
• The setting should complement the
In order to understand the di- ledge where the stone can rest. In
stone.
rections that follow, you'll need to this case no sheet is needed below
• The setting must not snag on
know the parts of a faceted stone, the stone, which means weight and
clothing or hair.
as shown in the diagram here. The cost of the setting are reduced. Be-
• The setting should relate to the
widest part is called the girdle, the cause the ledge is small, this
piece around it.
area above the girdle is the crown, method requires careful fitting,
and the area below is called the and is not recommended for large
pcwilion. The flat surface on the top stones or for situations— as with a
is the tcible and the point at the ring— where the setting might take
Basic Bezels
very bottom is the culet. a lot of stress.
A bezel is a strip of metal that sur- Another variation, caWed gcdlery
table rounds a stone and is pressed down wire, bezel wire decorated with
is

/
I
^
V
^ crown over its sloping contour to secure it an ornamental pattern. Both shelf
bezel and gallery wire were origi-
^girdle
in place. A bezel is constructed as a
^ thin, low wall that stands vertical- nally made by hand for each pro-
ly, and perfectly encases the stone. ject and and of course that
setting,
N. pavillion After all soldering and finishing is can still be done. Fancy commer-
complete, the stone is placed into cial bezels can be very attractive,
position and the bezel pressed
is although overuse tends to make
culet
against it. All suppliers of precious them less appealing.
 maKing a box tiezei

1 Fit the bezel to the stone.

2 Solder on a backing, trim and dean
the seam.
3 Adjust the height of the bezel walls.
4 Set the stone.
5 Smooth and shape the bezel.

Fit the bezel to the stone. Examine

the stone, noting particularly the
Claire
angle where the flat bottom meets
Sanford,
the curving top. This angle, more three pins.
than anything else, determines the Sterling,

height of the bezel. If you are unfa- 22 K,

miliar with the stone, stones.
and if the
4 to 7" tall.
back will be hiddrm in a box bezel,
scratch the flat surface with the tip
of a determine its hardness.
file to

In the photo sequence starting

on page 72, used commercially
1

purchased eighth-inch bezel wire

made of fine silver, could have I

made a similar strip by cutting sil-

ver sheet or rolling out a wire. Fine
silver is used because it’s malleable
enough to press safely over the
stone. Sterling, gold, copper and
brass can also be used.
Bend the wire into a loop that
will fit snugly around the stone,
avoiding kinks and pliers marks. I
usually do this by eye, checking
it against the stone periodically.
Large or asymmetrical stones can
be attached to the table with dou-
ble-stick tape and worked over di-
rectly. Proper fit at this stage is
critical, so take your time and
make it right. When it is, use scis-
sors or wire cutters to snip the
bezel, file the ends so they meet the bezel, but once there it should last step described below— is very .

neatly, and solder the bezel closed not rattle around. If the bezel is too easy when the bezel fits well and
with a tiny piece of hard solder. large, cut a piece out at the seam quite frustrating when it doesn't.
Solder is significantly less mal- and resolder. If it is a little too Some people ask which is better,
leable than most bezel materials, small, put the bezel on a mandrel too loose or too tight? The answer
so using too much will make a and slide along the taper to
it is neither. Time spent making it
tough section that resists pressing stretch it. Test frequently so you right at this stage will save twice
against the stone. don't go too far. If the bezel is sig- the time later on, and yield a better !

Test the bezel by pressing it gen- nificantly too small, start over. Ei- setting, ets well.
tly over the stone. The should be
fit ther way, don't proceed until you
like a hand in a glove: the stone get it right. Solder on a backing. When the fit is

shouldn't be difficult to push into The actual setting process— the right, rub the bezel lightly on sand-
paper to make its lower edge flat
and dean. Check to be certain it
hasn’t distorted, and set it on a
piece of sheet metal just slightly
larger than the stone. The thick-
ness of the sheet will depend on
the size of the stone, but it doesn't
have tobe very thick to do its job.
Stones under 5 mm might l^e set on
24-gauge sheet, with large stones
needing something like 20-gaugc,
Clean the metal with Scotch-
Brite and prop it at a slight angle by
setting it on a pumice pebble or ex-
tra bit of firebrick. This will allow
the heat of the torch to reach be-
neath the sheet and minimize the
heat drawn off bv the firebrick.
Flux the sheet and set the bezel Patty Bolz, brooch. 22 K, boulder opal, tsavorite garnets, grossular garnet. 1 x 31 /2 ".

into place so it has a couple of mil- Photo by Witllom Thuss Photography.

limeters clearance on all sides. It's

typical for the bezel to slide a little
during soldering; this allowance Heat the assemblv uniformly, quemch the piece in water and then
will accommodate that. Set two or SO the solder flows all the way pickle it to remove oxides and flux ,

three pieces of medium solder so around the bezel in a single sweep- residue. Pat yourself on the back,
they touch both the bezel and the ing motion. Keep the torch moving, taut resist the urge to test the stone
sheet; they can be on either the in- focusing the flame on the sheet in position! It fit a minute ago, so
side or the outside of the bezel. Re- rather than the beztd. As soon as you can be pretty confident that it

member, it won’t take much. the solder hows, remove the flame. still fits.

MAKING A BOX BEZEL

1 Bend a loop of flattened wire around the

stone.

2 Solder the bezel dosed, using a small

piece of hard solder.

5 After testing the fit, solder the bezel to a

backing sheet.

4 In this case, wire was added for

decoration. Trim away extra sheet

5 Stamps are used to ornament the wire.

 Sam Shaw, two rings. 22K, baroque pearls,
beach stones.

damaged or lost as you complete

the assembly.

Adjust the height of the bezel walls.

The correct height of a bezel is de-
termined by the height of the
stone, the wear the jewelry is likely
to take, and the thickness of the
bezel. A large, tall stone on a ring,
for instance, will need more bezel
than a shallow stone on an earring.
Trim the area outside the bezel At this point, you can attach the Shallow stones require less bezel
with a saw or shea ns. In the exam- bezel to a piece of jewelry, using because the metal is pressed over
ple, left a ledge of metal around
I easy solder. Each situation will dic- the gem at a sharp angle. Tall
the bezel to hold a decorative’ strip; tate its own placement of pieces stones, on the other hand, have lit-
in most cases the sheet is trimmed and solder chips. Throughout these tle allowance for the metal to press

flush with the bezel wall. File and steps, set the gemstone safely out down on them and, because they
sand to make the seam disappear. of the way, udiere it will not get are tall, are more likely to be

6 Working side-to-side, use a bezel pusher

to press the bezel against the stone.

7 The bezel can be smoothed and polished

with a pumice wheel, followed by light
buffing,

8 The finished piece.

 ial one spot on the bezel. This
at
will be the result if you move con-
centricalljr around the circle, so
don't do that. Instead, start by
pressing the bezel over the stone at
each of the four compass points or,
if you imagine the face of a clock,

at .3, 6, 9 and 12. It doesn't matter

where you start, but use this back
and forth method throughout the
setting to evenly distribute the
compression of the bezel as it leans
inward.
After making the first four
bends, double check that the stone
is level, that the bezel is the right
height, and you have complet-
that
ed all soldering. If you need to re-
move the stone, use a thin blade to
pry the bends back, and pop the
stone out by holding the piece in
Patty Bolz, earrings. 22K, boulder opals, pink sapphires. Photo by Robert Diamonte. your hand and rapping it with a
piece of wood (like a file handle).
If everything is in order, contin-
ue the pressing, this time working
bumped. Th(;se bezels, therefore, Set the stone. Working on a cush- at spots midway between each of
need tobe tall and sturdy. ioned surface (a folded cloth vvorks the first four. Continue in this way,
To determine height, lav the well), press the stone into place. always jumping across the stone to
stone beside the bezel, remember- Make sure it's seated all the way address an area opposite the last
ing to take into account the thick- into the bezel. If it doesn't fit, ex- pressing point. Stick with it until
ness of the bottom sheet, which amine the situation carefully— all the bumps have been pressed

will raise the stone slightly. Note preferably with magnification— to

the angle of the stone and make a determine where the trouble lies.
guess about how much bezel will Don’t do anything until you've
be needed to secure it. Of course, identified the problem. Then file,
this gets easier with experience. If scrape or sand the bezel as neces-
the bezel is too tall, either trim it sary to fit the stone.
down \Adth a file, or raise the stone The used to press the bezel
too!
within the bezel by inserting a loop onto the stone is called a bezel
of wire or a piece of sheet. pusher. It is nothing more than a
After all construction and pati- short steel rod set into a comfort-
nation— as well as most polishing- able, bulbous handle. Bezel pushers
are complete, the stone is pressed can be purchased or made— a sim-
into the bezel. Before attempting ple version uses a nail pounded
this, use a blunt tool like the han- into a golf ball and trimmed to a
dle of a needle file or a pliers, to comfortable length. The tip of the
roll the bezel wall slightly outward. bezel pusher should be flat, smooth
This simple step might save you a and slightly textured in order to
moment of panic. It's common for avoid slipping on the bezel. Tfue it
the bezel to have closed somewhat up periodically with medium grit
during the finishing process, and it sandpaper.
Devta Doolan, brooch. 22K, diamond crystals.
might at first appear to have The trick in setting is to avoid 2" diameter.

shrunk. creating a pucker of excess mater- Photo by Robert Diamante.

 Kristin Diener, Icon/Attar: Elements pendant.
Sterling, brass, copper, drawing by S. Barnes,
carnelian, moonstone, sunstone, and other
gems. 4 X 4".
Photo by Dean Powell

switch to a burnisher or a leather

polishing stick to give the setting
its final finish. Once you’ve gone
through the process a half dozen
times, you'll be surprised how
quickly bezels come together.

Fancy Bezels
After you’ve made
few standarda
bezels and understand the process,
turn your imagination loose. Bezels
lend themselves to all sorts of vari-
ations, including pattern, shape,
color and ornamentation.

Carved Edge
Make the bezel in the usual waj^,
then use and a saw to cut
files
lines, scallops and other shapes
into the edge. Setting proceeds as
usual.

Wide Edge
down. This process could involve a short by hurrying through the Make the bezel from thick stock, ei-
dozen pushes or a hundred; it de^ clean-up stage. ther by cutting it from sheet or by
pends on the size of the stone, An important note: Most gem- planishing a section of wire. For a
height of the bezel and the power stones can withstand the touch of a small stone, you’ll want something
of each push. as long as not pressed too
file, it's around 20 gauge, a medium size
hard, but virtually anything will be stone needs a piece about 18 gauge,
Smooth and shape the bezel. Use a scratched by silicon carbide sand- and the bezel for a large stone
fine needle file and/or a pumice paper. Even the apparently harm- could be made of 14 or 16 gauge.
wheel on the flex shaft to smooth less fine papers are made of the The bezel will be more difficult to
and shape the bezel. This requires same tough stuff as coarser grits, so form and siz.e, but the principle is
a light touch, but can make the dif- never use sandpapers near a stone. the same. Setting will require a
ference between a mediocre and a Never! hammer and punch to move the
stunning bezel. After putting in Now that the shape of the bezel thicker metal, but otherwise the se-
this much time, don’t sell the gem has been made uniformly graceful. quence of events is identical.
 is tight, you won't
need to solder this
inner bezel in posi-
Use a small tion— the same ac-
chisel to strike
tion that sets the
pattern lines
into a wide-
stone will also se-

edge bezel. cure the supporting

inner bezel.
You can achieve
the same resultby
soldering a narrow
strip or wire onto a
slightly wider one in
such a way that a
ledge or step is cre-
ated. As mentioned Step bezel.

Secure the completed jewelry

piece to a scrap ol’ wood with hot
glue (it can be warmed later with a
hair dryer to release it), or ask a
friend to hold it firmly in place.
Use ablunt punch and a light ham-
mer to press the bezel over, again
Beth Fein,
moving alternately from one side Dog Takes a Spin on
of the bezel to the other as you go. Pi ®. Sterling, 14K,

Start with the tool at a 45° angle, diamond, Chinese

writing stone.
raising it during later stages until,
3V2 X 1 X Y15".
by the last planishing, the tool is al-
most vertical. As above, use a fine
file and a pumice wheel to smooth

and shape the bezel. To create a

patterned bezel, follow the same
directions, including the clean up
procedure, then use a sharp stamp
t(3 create a texture. Any stone can
withstand this process when it's
done right because all the force is

on the bezel, not the stone. Having

said that, I recommend trying it

first on a tough stone like agate,

onyx or quartz.

Step Bezel
To make a shallow stone stand up
tall, use a second, internal bezel to
lift it above the level of the base.

This can be done by making the ba-

sic bezel described above, then fit-
ting a shorter bezel inside. If the fit
 .

above, this material, called shelf or

ledge bezel, can be purchased, but
onl}^ in a small size. For larger
stones you'll need to make your Robert Grey
own, and of course when jmu are Kaylor,

building this at the bench, you earrings.

have control over the height and 18K, opal.

2 X 3/4".
thickness as well. Once the stock is
Photo by
made, form the bezel in the usual Ralph
way, omitting the base. Cabriner

Tube Setting
This variation is usually used for
small faceted and starts
stones,
with a piece of tubing whose Inner
diameter is smaller than the stone,
but whose outer diameter is larger.
Tlibing can be made your
to suit
needs, as explained in Chapter 7.
Cut a length of tubing of the de-
sired height and solder it into place
on the jewelry piece. After making
certain the topedge of the tube is
flat and even, use a setting bur to

carve a notch around its inner cir-

cumference. This is called a bear-
ing, and makes a place hm the
stone to i‘(ist. In a well-cut setting,
the gem snaps into place, making
the setting process easier.
Use a bezel pusher and burnish-
er to set the stone, following the
guidelines given above. It’s often
possible to use round-nose pliers as
an alternate setting tool. Use the
base of the jaws, where tlie tapers

are largest, to squeeze two opposite

poi nts sim ul taneously

Fitting Bezels to Curved

Surfaces
When mounting a bezel on a ring
shank or bracelet, it's nece^ssary to
file the underside of the bezel wall
to match the circular contour. In
these cases, the bezel won't need a
sheet bottom, since it sits directly

on the shank. The filing action

Use sandpaper wrapped around a qrlinder to shape the underside of a bezel wail so it
a file or
might feel a little awkward, taut
conforms to the shape of a ring or bracelet. In this situation, no bottom is needed for the bezel. perseverance will be repaid with a
 strong clean joint. Use a halt-round
file, or wrap sandpaper around a

cylinder with a radius similar to

the piece being fit. Place the bezel
into position periodically to check
the fit, and keep sanding until no
light shows beneath the bezel. The
setting can usually be balanced for
soldering, but necessary it can be
if

tied in place with steel binding

wire.
Stones can be set as usual, but
of course the Hat underside of the
stone risks seesawing in the set-
ting. Sprinkle a little wood sawdust
into the bezel and tamp it down to
make a level bed to support the
stone.

Prong Settings
Prongs are no more difficult than
bezels, either to construct or to set,
but they require a little more preci-
sion. There are dozens of varia-
tions, not counting the ones you're
about to dream up. This chapter
describes a couple of the most ba-
sic styles, but first let's look at
some guidelines that applj'^ to all

prong settings.

Prong Setting Guidelines

• Use strong metals.

• Prongs must be symmetrical.
• Fit is critical.

Use strong metals. Prongs do a lot ot

work with a small amount of metal,
so the metal must be tough. Copper
just isn’t hard enough for prongs,
and brass or sterling should be
used only when the size of the
stone allows a hefty gauge and
broad shape. Most prong settings
are made of gold, but you can prac-

Adam Clark, pendant. Sterling, bone, amethyst, citrine. 2 x 3". tice with sterling while you devel-
op skill and confidence.

Prongs must be symmetrical, botli to

look good and to properly secure a
 .

stone.Not sort-of svmmetncaL but Making a Crown Setting arc, and connect this point to
dead-on accurate. At each step of the original center point. Trans-
the process, examine the work This all-purpose setting is available fer this shape to sheet metal and
from all angles to be sure it's just commercially, but it's well worth- saw it out.
right. while to make at least a couple
from scratch. And of course, there
Fit Is Stone setting is a
critical. are cases when commercial
the
breeze if the prongs are properly version isn't exactly what you
fitted to the stone. A proper fit need. The example shown below
refers to both the diameter and the uses a 5-millimeter stone and 20-
depth of the stone (distance from gauge sterling. When working in
table to ciilet), as well as the con- gold, 22 gauge will provide suffi-
tour of the pavilion. cient strength.
Get into the habit of examining
each stone before determining
Fabrication Process
what kind of setting it needs. Hold
a stone in tweezers and examine it 1 Lay out the pattern for a cone
under magnification to become fa- by drawing the side view of the
miliar with its idiosyncrasies. Fav intended shape. Extend the
particular attention to the girdle edges, then place a compass 2 Bend the cone^ with round-nose,
and the area just below it, since point on that intersection and pliers. Use a file to prepare the
the part of the stone that
this is draw arcs from the top and bot- seam, and solder the cone
touches the setting. If it is irregu- tom of the cone. Use the com- closed with hard solder.
lar, your job in setting will be more pass to step off the stone diame- 3 Make the cone round by work-
difficult. ter three times along the larger ing it with scribes, punches and
dapping tools. Set the gem into
position to be certain the size is!

accurate, and cut awav excess

MAKING A CROWN SETTING on the top or bottom, File the.
bottom (the tip of the cone) fiat.
4 Use a saw to carefully remove
the bottom section of the cone.
5 Divide the base into four or six
(xiual units and make a notch!
with a triangular file. These
notches should not on the.
fall

solder stram, which means most

of the soldered area will he cut
away: see step 7, below. Once
the V-shapes are cut, use a file
to angle them gracefully' out-!
ward. The object is to preserve
strength while making the set-,
ting appear delicate.
6 Reattach the base.
7 Invert the setting and use a saw
to cut awav the areas between
•i.**

the ornamental notches just

made. Use small files and/or
1 Template for a cone, and sheet metal 3 Reattach the base and saw triangles to burs to make these openings
piece ready to form. form prongs. uniform and graceful.
2 Cut off the bottom section and file small 4 The finished crown setting. 8 Finish the crown with sandpa-
notches around the lower part of the cone. per to make it smooth and deli-
 cate. Then solder it into position 8 Snap the stone into place and
on a jewelry piece. use a bezel pusher or pliers to
press each prong tip inward.
Press each of the prongs
Setting a Stone in Prongs
halfway, check the stone, then
1 Using a rod of sticky wax to grip complete the setting process.
the stone, hold it in position in Use magnification to check each
the setting to check the height. prong and to ensure that the
If the stone is sitting too high, stone is level.
the setting can be expanded a 9 Use a ball bur or a beading tool
little by pressing a dapping to shape each prong. The for-
punch into it. use a file or bur to adjust the mer is a cutting tool, so go slow-
2 For roitml stones: Select a setting notches as needed to correct the ly. Beading tools require pres-
bur that perfectly matches the problem, but go slowly so you sure, so again, go slowly, revolv-
diameter of the stone. If a per- don’t cut away too much. ing the tool to shape and harden
fcn;t match is not available, 6 With the stone properly seated, each prong. Use a bristle brush
choose a smaller bur. use wire cutters to snip off each and white diamond on the Hex
With the bur mounted in a prong at the height of the table shaft to polish the prongs, and
hold the tool vertical-
flex shaft, on the stone. This can be done you're done! (Exhale.)
ly and lower it into the setting with the stone in position if you
with the bur turning as slowly hold it in place with your finger.
Pedestal Prong Setting
as possible. As soon as it touch- 7 Remove the stone and file the
es the prongs, remove the tool tops of the prongs to make them This versatile, hybrid setting lends
and check to see that the bur even, then shape each one indi- itself to cabs and faceted stones,
has made identical marks on vidually, usually with a slight large and small, symmetrical and
each prong. If one is untouched, taper. irregular. It’s not accurate to say it's
or cut deeper than the others,
use pliers to move the prong to
the correct angle. Cut notches
that will seat the stone and aid
in bending over the prong.
Notches should be cut about
one-third of the way through
the prong
3 For oval and other shapes: Use a
Hart bur or small spherical bur
to make the following cuts.
With the stone in position,
use a felt tip pen to mark a loca-
tion on each prong just below
the point where the stone
touches it. With the bur turning
as slowly as possible, cut away
about one-third of each prong at
the marked location,
4 Use a small blade or a fine file
to scrape the: sides of each
prong, removing burs formed in
the last process.
5 Set the stone into place, ideally
with a snap fit. Check ensure to
that it is level and equally en-
gaged in all the prongs. If not,
Rebecca Kraemer, Fickle Fate
necklace. Fine silver, sterling,

gemstones, brass, copper,

13/4x1 1/2".

Photo by Brett Bennett.

the only setting 3^ou’ll ever need,
but it’s close. The first step is to
make a “pedestal” that supports the
stone from underneath. This can
be as shallow as a millimeter or as
deep as jmu want it. Whatever the
choice, the pedestal should be
shaped exactly like the footprint of
the stone. Once it's made, set the
stone on the pedestal and view it
from directly overhead. No metal
should be visible. If setting a
faceted stone, use a bur or round
needle file to cut a chamfer or bev-
el around the inner edge of the top

side of the pedestal.

This is one of the few settings
that can accommodate asymmetri-
A fabricated prong setting. This simple, elegant setting starts with pieces of round wire bent to
cal stones and odd numbers of look like the They are soldered side-by-side, then bent into a cylinder that is soldered
letter "U."

prongs. Choose whatever configu- closed. Attach a small ring to the base and bend each prong outward to create a cone shape.

ration best secures the stone, and The prongs are then notched and the stone is set as described in the text.

cut that number of prongs. Nearly

an\' wire can be used, but with
round wire, I like to file a flat facet
on one side to ensure a stronger
grip against the side of thc
pedestal. 'The example shown on A pedestal prong
page 83 uses a rectangular strip setting.

made by hammering a piece of 16-

gauge wire, Cut prongs that are
about three times the finished
length, and make a point on the
bottom of each one.
Clean up the outside surface of
the pedestal, coat it wnth flux, and
set it onto a soft firebrick or similar
soldering surface. Gripping each
prong with pliers, press it firmly When the unit is assembled and With the stone in position, use
into the brick so it stands in posi- pickled, use snips to cut off the wire cutters to snip off excess ma-
tion around the pedestal. Apph' part of each prong that projected terial. Remove the stone and file

small pieces of hard solder to each into the brick. File the underside of the top of each prong to guarantee
prong, and heat. the setting to an attractive shape. a uniform height. Then shape the

If a prong is tilted, grip the set- Test the stone in position and make prongs, reinsert the stone, and
ting in cross-lock tweezers to se- adjustments as necessary. If the fit press the prongs over, using a bezel
cure it, reflux the piece, and heat it is too tight, file the inner surface of pusher or pliers depending on the
until the solder becomes molten. the prongs with a small flat file. amount of force required. After set-

Gently grab the prong with tweez- Check the fit frequently so you ting, use a pumice wheel and felt

ers and reposition it as necessary don't go too far. If the fit is a little buff to refine and polish each
to ensure that it is vertical and loose, grip the pedestal with ring- prong.
properly spaced. This sounds hard- forming pliers and bend a couple of
er than it is. the prongs inw'ard.
 Bdsha BurwelL
bracelet Sterling,
beach stones. Photo
by Robert Diamante.

MAKING A PEDESTAL PRONG

1 Position sharpened wire prongs around 3 Complete other soldering, in this case 5 ...or with pliers, as shown
the pedestal. Press into fire brick for adding a decorative bail,
6 The finished piece.
soldering.
4 Set the stone with a bezel pusher...
2 Trim off extra length on the prongs and
file the underside smooth.
 f

Mechanisms

art of the pleasure of making

P
brings with
comes from its use as
jewelrij
personal adornment.
it
This
several parameters, or
constraints on design, such as ap-
propriate size, weight and shape, ft

also means that a piece needs to

function, with trustworthij hinges,

secure catches, and chains with just
the right amount of flexibility. For
the true craftsman, these are not
problems to he dodged, but chal-
lenges that energize the process.

Pin Findings

Pin Finding Guidelines «

• The clasp must hold the jewelry

securely.
• Its design should be consistent with
the character of the piece.
• It should be easy to latch and
unlatch.
• The pin should not damage fabric.

The attachments for a pin or

brooch usually consist of three ele-
ments: hinge, catch and pin stem.
All can be made at the bench or
purchased ready-made, and a com-
bination of the two can be used.
Pin findings should be placed near
the top of the pin and as far apart
as possible for maximum stability.
A well-designed pin joint will hold
 the pin stem slightly above the
back of the brooch, so that it needs
a little dov^mw^ard pressure to se-
cure it in the catch.

Shaping the Pin Stem

The of the stem, the part that
tip
penetrates the wearer's clothing,
should be pointed without being
pointy. Instead of a thin, danger-
ous point that will snag fabric,
shape the tip to resemble a bullet,
curving to a point only for the last
3 or 4 millimeters. Use a file, rotat-
ing the wire freely, then smooth off
any marks with fine sandpaper. To
further polish and harden the tip,
stroke it with a burnisher (the tip
of your round-nose pliers will do)
as if j'^ou were whittling a point on
The resulting tip will find
a stick.

its way between threads rather

than through them, and leave a
garment unharmed.

Pin Enclosure

This basic pin catch is versatile and

secure. encloses the tip of the
It

pin, and lends itself to decoration

to make coordinate with the
it

overall design. Follow the pho-

tographs on page 86 for construc-
tion information, but keep in mind
that the simple box can be
stamped, pierced or shaped.

Pin Joints

A good pin joint should allow the

pin stem to open fully, stop at the
correct height to create tension in
the catch, and adjust easily when
the tolerances begin to wear out.
Commercially made pin Joints are
quick to apply, reliable and effi-
cient, but sometimes a design calls
for a unique arrangement. Atten-
tion given to a rarely seen detail
like this is sometimes what distin- David Peterson, fibula. Sterling, titanium, niobium, 14 K, parcel gilt. 31/2 x IV2".
guishes a really special piece.
Pendants
The word pendant is derived from
the Latin word for hanging down,
and describes an ornament that is
suspended from a cord or chain.
Though it’s a fine distinction, this
is different from a necklace in the
relativeimportance of the hanging
element to the cord or chain that
supports it. In the case of a pen-
dant, decisions about size, color,
finish and detail of the cord or
chain are determined by what will
best complement the pendant. In
the case of a necklace, the whole
unit conceived as being of equal
is

importance.
In many ctises the best option
for a pendant is a machinc'-made
chain, which can be bought fin-
ished in several popular lengths or
b\f the inch. You get what 3^)11 pay

for in chains, so avoid the super-

low-price models; they are made of Jan Baum, Structure pendant/locket. Nickel silver,

bronze, plated chain. 2 Ye x V4 x Ye". ©1996.

extremely thin metal and tend to 1

The closed piece is shown at right.

kink and break easiljc Remember
Photo by Phil Harris.
that commercial chain can be pati-
nated, which is sometimes useful

1 Use dividers to mark off lines parallel to

the edge.

2 Use a needle file to cut two deep grooves.

3 Reinforce the bends and comers with

solder.

4 The catch and pin joint are soldered onto

the back of a brooch.

5 The assembled pin finding.

 • A wide bail makes a pendant less

likely to flip over.

• A lightweight pendant requires a

very flexible chain or cord, along
with a delicate bail.

• Sharp edges on a bail will fray a

cord and wear out a chain.

Clasps
what could be more frustrciting
than having a beautiful piece of
jewelry you are afraid to wear be-
cause you don't trust the clasp? It’s
important— both functionally and
visually— that clasps be secure.
Many fine machine-made clasps
are available, and in many cases
they are the best choice. Don’t
skimp on quality, and remember
that you can alter a commercial
clasp to make it best meet your
specific needs.
Even with the many good com-
mercial options available, there are
still situations that call for a bench-

Here are a few of the thousands of possibilities for attaching a pendant to a cord. , . ,
, .

Joana Kao, / Never Liked Musical Chairs.

Sterling, 24 K. 2V4 x 1^4".

Photo by Doug Yaple.

in making the chain relate to your

handmade pendant. Similarly, a
handmade clasp can enhance an
otherwise commonplace chain.

Bails

The connects a pendant to the

hciil

chain that supports it. It can be as

simple as a jump ring or as fancy
as your imagination can dream up;
the decision should be dictated by
the pendant design and the overall
effectyou are trying to achieve. In-
clude the bail in your design from
the veiy beginning, keeping the
following genera] rules in mind.
 The steps in making an S-hook

the other tip, placing it on the

same side as the large loop.
5 Bend a second large loop, again
A good clasp is secure, easy to operate, and in harmony with the rest
reversing the direction of the
of the piece.
curl at the tip.
6 Use a polished hammer to plan-
ish the apex of the two large
made iilternative, and there's noth- S-Hook curves slightly. This makes the
ing like the snap of a well-fitted This is about as basic as it gets— cross section in these areas rec-
clasp to boost your confidence as a easy to make, secure, attractive tangular, which, in turn, makes
jeweler. These general guidelines and relatively easy to operate. The the curve rigid,
apply to all clasps. key to a graceful shape lies in mak- 7 Adjust the gap at each end to be
ing a smooth taper; the strength slightly smaller than the ring
Clasp Guidelines comes from planishing the curve. that will go into the hook. The
1 For a medium-size hook, cut a ring should snap into place, and
• They must be secure.
piece of 16-gauge round wire resist coming out without some
• They must be manageable, even at
1
1
/2 " (40 mm) long. effort.
the back of the neck.
2 File a taper from the center to-
• They should harmonize with the
ward each end; smooth with T-Bar
rest of the piece.
sandpaper This is another classic, and lends
• They should have a mechanism to
3 Bend one tip into a tiny half cir- The
itself especially to bracelets.
allow tightening when they loosen
cle, then bend that half of the two elements are nothing more
through wear.
wire into a loop that curves in than a straight rod and a loop;
• They should be made of a durable
the opposite direction. these can be miniature or massive
metal-usually sterling or gold.
4 Make a small half-circle bend in depending on the needs of the
piece, and can be made from any
sort of wire.
Start by cutting a rod and at-

taching a small jump ring at its

midpoint. The chain is connected

to the jump ring so that the bar can
pivot to the point where it falls par-

allel to the chain. In this position it

can be easily fed through a loop on

the other end of the chain. Once
through, the bar falls to a perpen-
dicular position and secures the
closure.

left: AutumnDawnGriffiths, chairs.

Sterling, stone beads.
Photo by Dean Powell, Newton, MA.

below: Christopher Hentz, Aura necklace.

Sterling, hand-wrapped cables in fine silver.
20 X 1 V2 " diameter. Photo by Ralph Cabriner.
 The lengths of with a heavy pair of pliers that will
various elements of get a solid grip. Pull the wire
a T-bar are critical, straight outward, away from the
but not difficult to vise, until you feel it stretch. The
understand or cor- effect is usually dramatic.
rect. The bar, with To make wrap therings,
its small loop, must straightened wire around a man-
pass tlirough the large loop freely. th e piece, and should coordinate drel of the appropriate diameter. A
The length of the bar must be such with the lines of the pendant. mandrel is nothing more than a rod
that even when slid all the way to of dense material; nails, spikes,
one side of the large loop, it cannot knitting necidles, welding rods and
Making Jump Rings
come back through. The best bet is similar found objects are all useful
to start oversized and trim the bar Jump rings are small circles of as jump-ring mandrels. A graduat-
as needed. wire.They have dozens of uses, ed collection of drill bits can also
among tliem "jumping’' the gap be- come in handy— wrap the wire
tween parts, as for instance when a around the solid shaft, not the
charm is attached to a bracedet grooved, cutting end of the bit.

Chains chain. Because it’s usually easier to And what is the "appropriate’’
make a few rings than a single one, diameter? When making chain,
There's something almost magical make extras and set them aside for guess at the size links you think
about making a flexible, slinky future use. Always open jump would look good, and start there.
thing like a chain from a rigid ma- rings by twisting them front-to- Because it’s not a science, I usually
terial like metal. Chains are one of back rather than by spreading make up a few inches of chain—
those delightful parts of jeweliy them open; a spread ring will nev- maybe 20 to 30 links— in copper or
making that can challenge and re- er return to a perfect circle. brass to test a size without incur-
ward a person at every stage of de- If using wire that
you're is ring the cost of precious metal.
velopment. In addition, chain mak- curled or kinked, start by making it Make a tidy coil by wrapping
ing offers rich opportunity for sol- really straight. Clamp one end in a the wire around the rod, taking
dering practice and teaches the val- bench vise and grab the other end pains to lay each w-ire snugly
ue of working methodically.
Chains are often worn bv them- •ip*

selves, and of course are used to

carry charms, watches and pen-
dants. Just as a frame should com-
plement but not dominate a paint-
ing, a chain should be neither so
bland that it lessens the other com-
ponents, nor so fancy that it over-
powers them. I find it helpful to
have a collection of chains around
to test with a pendant. Broken or
base-metal chains will suffice and
can be found at discount stores and
Ilea markets.
same way
In the that a painting
looks funny if hung too high or too
low on the wall, the length of a
chain should be carefully chosen to
show the pendant to best advan-
tage. The longer the chain, the
deeper the angle of the “V" made
by the chain on the wearer. This
angle is part of the appearance of
things up when you’re making
hundreds of loops, you can secure
the rod in a variable speed hand
drill, but be careful to run the drill

at the slowest possible speed. Do

not use a drill press, which doesn’t
offer the sensitive speed control
vou’ll need.
Rings made of fine wire, say,
under 24 gauge, can be cut with
scissors; other jump rings should
be cut from the coil with the jewel-
er's saw. Use a fine blade, mounted
in the usual way, and work over a
sweeps drawer or with a towel
spread across your lap to catch the
rings as they fall. Some people
slide the coil off the mandrel and
hold it in their fingers while cut-
ting,while others prefer to cut on
the mandrel, sliding the coil off the
end as each ring is cut. Either way,
angle the blade so that a groove is

cut into the second loop before the

first loop is cut through. In this
way the blade is always securely
tracked and the task moves ahead
quickljc
An alternate method uses a thin
disk of silicon carbide called a sepa-
rating disk. This wafer of abrasive is

mounted on mandrel and put in

a
the flexible shaft. Wear goggles and
use the tool to cut a line along the
coiled wire.
The best way to make oval rings
is to create and solder the rings as Joana Kao, Search brooch. Sterling, 18K. 43/^ x 1". Photo by Doug Yaple.

circles,then stretch each link on a

pair of round-nose pliers after the
chain is assembled. In cases where
the links are not going to be sol-
dered, it's two
possible to tape variable, the possibilities are liter-
Constructing a Basic Chain
round mandrels together and wrap ally endless.Imagine, you could
the wire around that. You’ll find The most basic family of chains, make a chain a day for the rest of
that the wire grabs onto the man- called cable chains, consists of a se- your life and still have no two
drel, so you'll have to work a bit to ries of rings,each passing through alike!
pull it off.A separating disk is es- its immediate neighbor. This is the The most efficient way to as-
pecially recommended for this sit- kind of basic chain vou might semble a cable chain involves a
uation because it cuts the links make with strips of paper to hang systematic sequence that combines
without needing have the to coil re- on a Christmas tree. Because size, increasingly larger sub-units, as de-
moved from the mandrel. shape, material, and surface are all scribed below.
 Constructing a Basic Chain
1 Wrap a wire around a mandrel
and cut links. A lot of links.
2 Close half of the links and set
them aside in a separate pile.
Lorraine
Lenskold,
3 Solder each of the remaining
kon links, preferably with hard sol-
brooch/ der. Make each link a separate,
necklace. closed loop.
Oxidized
4 Slide two of the soldered links
sterling,

brass, copper,
onto one of the open ones.
carved bone. Close it and lav it on the solder-
2 X 21/3". ing block so the joint is exposed.
Do this with all the soldered
links, then solder the exposed
joints.
5 Slide two of these groups of
three onto one of the remaining
open loops. Close it and set it on
the soldering block. Repeat un-
til all the three-groups have be-
come incorporated into groups
of seven.
6 Continue this way until all the
links have been used. When all
soldering is completed, pickle
the chain to clean it.

7 After soldering, the links can be

manipulated by bending, ham-
mering, stamping and coloring.

MAKING A LOOP-IN-LOOP CHAIN

I Pick-solder with tiny chips to close links,

Z Stretch each link into a long oval.

J Pinch the links and feed each one through

the next.

4 Some links will need to be stretched to

allow the next link to pass through.

5 Press each link onto a scribe to refine the

shape and make the chain more flexible.
 1

Finishing of chains— this one

and every other— must only be Recommended Wire and Mandrel Sizes for Loop-in-Loop Links
done by hand. Polishing chains [inches (mm)]
on a machine risks serious dam-
age to both you and the chain!
style 18 gauge 20 gauge 22 gauge 24 gauge

Loop-in-Loop Chain Single 2/32" (9.5) 1 0/32" (7.9) 8/32" (6.3) 6/32" (4,7)

This beautiful chain is also called Pinched 20/32" (16) 15/32" (10.3) 13/32" (10.3) 8/32" (6.3)
Roman, Etruscan, sailors' or mon-
Double 12/32" (9.5) 10/32" (79) 8/32" (6.3) 6/32" (4.7)
ey chain. It’s flexible and versatile,
and can be made in dense or open (From Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains by J.R. Stark and J,R, Smith. Used with permission-)
variations. Even the most basic ver-
sion offers a wealth of options by
simply changing the size of the
wire and the loop. The distinguish-
ing feature of all these variations is
the building block of a soldered or
fused long oval link. These are pre-
pared as individual units, from
which the chain is assembled with
no further soldering needed.

Constructing Loop-in-Loop Chain

1 Make jump rings as described
above. With loop-in-loop chain,
it's especially important to start

with a couple of dozen links to

be sure vou have the wire and
k/-'

loop size you want. Almost any

combination will make a work-
able chain; consult the chart on
page 94 for examples of wire-
loop relationships.
2 Links can be fused or soldered: r

cither way, the goal is to avoid a

lump at the seam. Fusing is
fastest, and fairly easy with fine
silver or high-karat gold, but for
sterling, I use tiny bits of hard
solder. How tiny? I roll the sol-
der as thin as the rolling mill
will go, then double the sheet
and roll it again. Then I cut the
smallest pieces possible. Really
tiny! Use a needle tool as a pick
when soldering.
3 Stretch the rings on round-nose
pliers by tugging the plier han-
dles open.
4 Bend one of the loops in half
and secure it on a twist of wire Rebecca Reimers CristoL Nurture V: Ovum, Oxidized sterling and fine silver, 18K, 22K,
that will act as a handle until handcarved Chinese turquoise. Vig x 1 /4 ".
1
 the chain is long enough to be twist of wire to the bottom to serve

easily held. Feed a loop through as a handle until the chain is long
the two "wickets" at the top of enough provide a suitable grip.
to

the chain. Fold this new loop in Continue threading loops, one
half to create two new wickets, after the next, always passing
through which the next loop is through a "double" wicket. The re-
passed. Continue in this way sult is a more complex-looking
until the chain is complete. Pinched loop. chain, with a distinct herringbone
Some people like to bend all pattern.
the loops into the V shape as a
separate step, then feed these with the flats. Lightly planish the Two-Way Single Loop-in-Loop
into place. Try both methods to rounded ends of each loop, then as- Solder two links together in the
see which you prefer. The end semble the chain as usual. form of a " -r ” and solder on a han-
results are identical. dle of some sort for easier grip-
5 Anneal the chain, then refine Double Loop-in-Loop ping— it can be sawn off and
the shape of each link by press- Start by putting one loop through cleaned later. Cur! up the ends of
ing over a scribe. Set a pol-
it another as you would to start the both loops to form a basket shape
ished, tapered scribe point verti- basic loop-in-loop chain described
cally in a vise and slide each above. Press the two loops together
link do\vn on it as shown, rotat- so their "mid-sections” are com-
ing the link and pressing it pressed. Use a scribe to open a pas-
down four times. This will make sage here (arrow), through which
more sense when you have the the third loop will be inserted. It
chain in your hand— you’ll see might be helpful to attach a short
that each link has, in effect, four
sides. The process goes faster
than you might think, and has Two-way single

dramatic results as it turns a loop-in-loop.

lumpy stiff chain into a smooth-

ly articulate marvel.
Note: Don't leave the scribe
and drive a new loop (#3) through
unattended, even for a minute.
the wickets of the lower loop. Ro-
Ifyou are not actively using it,
assembly and insert a loop
tate the
remove it from the vise so no
(#^4) through the wickets of what is
one gets hurt.
now the lower of the two available
wickets. Continue in this way until
Loop-in-Loop Variations you're done.

There are many beautiful varia-

tions of loop-in-loop chain. For our
purposes here I’ll only hint at what
can he done, with a nod to chain Examples of Link-to-Chain l^portions for Single Loop-in-Loop
addicts to explore on their own. In
every case these variations start
wire loop inside chain links per
with the long oval links described
(B&S) diameter diameter inch
above.

22 10 mm 5 mm 13
Pinched Loop (Sailor's Knot)
Shape the links into a "barbell'' by 24 7 mm 4 mm 18
using flat-nose pliers and round-
26 6 mm 3.5 mm 20
nose pliers at the same time. Hold
the loop in the opened round pli- 28 5 mm 3 mm 24
ers, then squeeze the midsection
 This chain, in effect, weaves ing, not quite the same. As with
it’s Constructing Woven Chain
two basic chains together, one in- the other chains mentioned so far, 1 Starting with a two-foot length
side the other. Unlike the chains it presents a wide range of possibil- of wirt3 bend a series of up and
,

mentioned above, the proportions ities. The tools are simple, and be- down arcs that looks like the
of this variation are important. If cause no soldering is needed, this photo. The goal in this example
the loops are too large or the wire is a technique you can do as easily is have three "peaks" and two
to
too small the result can look dis- on the living room couch as in the "valleys," each about an inch
torted, even if the craftsmanship is studio. tall. One end of the VAure should
flawless. Use the suggestions from You’ll need a pair of chain-nose be short, no more than two
the chart on page 94 to get started, wire cutters and a scribe or
pliers, inches.
then do some tests of your own. other tapered point. If you don’t 2 Squeeze the wire together and
The two-way single loop-in-loop have a point, a suitable tool can be wrap the short end around it un-
works nicely with mixed colors. If made by grinding or filing a taper til it is used up. The result will

you make links of two metals, say, on the two inches of a 3-inch
last look like a hank of rope,
silver and gold, you can either al- piece of coat hanger or similar 3 Pull the three loops at the top
ternate every pair (gold, gold, sil- wire. suggest wrapping the wire
1
(the “peaks" in step 1) into a ra-
ver, silver, gold, gold), which gives with tape to make a comfortable dially symmetrical pattern. In
a sort of checkered effect, or alter- handle. other words, twist them until
nate every loop (gold, silver, gold, the three loops lean outward
silver, gold) which make a square Woven C G from a central point. They will
chain with two gold faces and two resemble the pistil of a flower.
• Try to keep the loops the same size.
silver faces. 4 Take up the long wire and feed
• Use pliers to pull the wire. Using
it through any one of the loops,
your fingers will stress the wire and
Woven Chain going from the inside to the out-
cause it to harden and break.
side. Pull it up snugly so no ad-
• Smaller loops are easier to work
This textile-like chain is not made ditional loop is made.
with than large loops, especially
of links, but created by threading a At this point you should have
when getting started.
single wire back and forth on itself. a structure of three loops with a
• Use each loop only once.
Though it resembles spool weav- wire projecting out from one

1 The chain starts with bends pulled into a

wrapped bunch.

2 Feed the wire back into the loop it comes

out of, then out through an adjacent loop.

3 Use a tight twist to splice in a new section

of wire. Trim to about half the size shown.

4 Roll the chain over a wooden cylinder to

make it more flexible.
 Samples of 3-, 4-, 5-,
6- and 7-loop chains,
in this case all made
with 26-gauge wire.

loop. This is home base; from loop being used once and giving chain, though thisvery approxi-
is

now on your structure should rise to a new loop that projects mate and depends on the size of
always have three loops with a out from it. the loops, the diameter of the wire,
wire leaving. When the original two feet of and the tightness of the weave.
5 Feed the end of the wire back wire almost used up, it's time
is

into the loop it is coming out of, to add another length. With the FinisKing the Chain
and go out through one of the last inch or so, make a half This chain doesn't unravel, so you
other loops. Pull the wire to take stitch— that is, go into the loop don’t need to tie it off when done.
Lip some of the slack, then set from which the wire projects, Just stop weaving and that's that.
the tip of your scribe in the loop but do not continue on out the This also means you can cut off the
and pull the wire tight onto it. adjacent loop. Instead, feed the starting section, not only the han-
Notice that if the scribe were end of a two-foot piece of wire dle area from steps 1-.3 above, but
not there, the loop would be into the adjacent loop and twist also the “practice” section you may
pulled through and would disap- it together with the remaining have made before finding your
pear. It doesn’t matter whether bit of the original wire. Use pli- rhythm.
the chain grows clockwise or ers to make the connection The chain can be pulled lightly
counterclockwise, but once you tight, then snip off the excess, through a draw plate to make it
get started you'll need to be con- leaving no more than a quarter more even. If you don't have one, a
sistent. inch of twist. You are now back simple drawplate can be made by
6 Before removing the scribe from on track: three loops with a wire drilling a series of holes of decreas-
the newly formed loop, lift the leaving. Continue weaving as ing size in a small, fiat piece of
scribe so it levers the loop into a before, pains that the
taking hardv/ood. You can also roll the
"standing" position. Rotate the twist stays safely tucked into chain on a table top under a piece
chain in your fingers so the loop the core of the chain, of wood. Either way, follow that
with the wire leaving is facing step by annealing. To avoid uneven
you and repeat steps and 6. 4, 5, As a rule of thumb, a foot of heating, lay the chain on the solder
The chain growes spirally, each wire equals an inch of woven block so it doesn't overlap itself
 you won't be able to pull a tapered,
chain through a draw pi ate, so take
care to keep the weaving symmet-
rical as you go.

Hinges
Hinges have scores of uses in jew-
elry, from lockets to bracelets to
poison rings. They allow an other-
wise oversi/'cd piece to flex with
the body, and can add excitement’
and mystery to a design. The possi-
bilities are vast.

inee Cuidetines

• Prepare a precise seat for the

tubing; time spent here will always !

be rewarded.
• Be certain every surface is clean
before soldering.
• Trim all edges to remove burs, even
the tiniest ones.
Hinge variations. The idea of a hinge is simple and open to many creative alternatives. • Do not overheat a joint-remove the
torch as soon as the solder starts to !

flow.
• Confidence is a valuable ally.
Grip a woodnn dowel or ham- For instance, after starting with a
mer handle in a vise and, wrapping d-loop chain, add a loop by simply
the chain around it loosely, stroke creating one with the wire. Weave
it back and forth to ilex the weave. this 4-loop chain for several stitch-
Making Tubes
After a few minutes of this, anneal es, then add another, and so on. Hinges consist of /cm (ck/f,\s— sec-
one more time and you're done. To reduce the taper, skip a loop tions of tubing that are Joined alter-
periodically, folding it into the nat(dy to two halves being
the
Woven Chain Variations center of the chain. Of course, hinged— and hinge pins. Knuckles
The chain just described uses the
minimum number of loops, but
any additional number can be
used. To make a four-loop chain,
simply make four "peaks" in step
one. Or make five, or six or more.
The more loops you have, the larg- A woven taper.
er the hollow core in the etmter, Additional loops are
and of course the larger the chain added as the chain
itself. The chain can be made of al- grows to create an
expanding form. This
most any size wire, though I rarely
example was made by
go larger than 22 gauge and usually
Mark Leahy.
prefer sometliing around 26. Alter-
nate metals can be spliced in to
create a banded chain.
To make a tapered woven struc-
ture, add loops as the. chain grows.
 I
- . ...
Wilt”
e Blank Sizes

inside gauge of sheet (B&5)

diameter 24 26 28

3mm 1 1 mm 10.7mm 10.5mm

4mm 14 13.8 13.6

5mm 17.3 17 16.7

6mm 20.5 20 19.9

arc usually all the same size and also times when it's handy to know'
traditionally appear in odd num- how to make your own tubing, for
bers, usually three or five. They are instance when using an unusual
typically made of tubing, but you metal or a size that is not commer-
can also make a coil of wire (as for cially available.
jump rings), flood it with solder,
and cut off sections to be used for a Tube Making Process
hinge. 1 Roll or planish a strip of sheet
and gold tubing can be
Sterling metal until very thin, some-
purchased from any company that where around 26 gauge or finer.

supplies precious metal, while cop- 2 Cut and file a straight edge,,

per and brass tubes are often sold then use dividers todrag out a
in hobby and craft stores. The parallel line. The width of this
range of sizes might be limited, but strip should be a little more
Sara Shepherd, This Book's Cover brooch.
Sterling, 1 4K. 1 V3 x 1 V4 ". you can reduce tubing to a desired than three times the intended
Photo by Douglas Yaple. size with a drawplate. There are inside diameter of the tube. For

1 The tubing blank is prepared with srnooth,

parallel edges.

2 Begin the form by tapping the blank into a

wooden groove.

3 Draw the tube through the drawplate;

keep the motion perpendicular to the plate.

4 Solder the tube seam with hard solder.

 5

j.e. Paterak, Epiphany locket. Sterling. 1 3/4" diameter.

a 3-millimeter tube, for in-

stance, make a strip that is 10 or
11millimeters wide. Cut neatly,
and file the edges so they are
true. Cut a point on one end to
allow the strip to be inserted
through a hole in the drtiwplate.
3 Form the strip into a channel by
striking a metal rod set on the
strip as it lays in a wooden
groove. Neither the groove nor smaller holes until seam
the Making a Standard Hinge
the rod need be exactly the size iH*
closes. Anneal if necessary; it

of the final tube, as long as they usually isn't. 1 Prepare the seat by first filing
arc of a similar scale. Use pliers As soon as the edges touch, an estimated 45° angle on each
to ensure that the metal curls at stop drawing, and solder the surface. When laid beside each
least three-quarters of the way seam, using solder chips placed other, the two pieces will form a
around the rod, paying special at half-inch intervals. V-groove for the tubing. Hold
attention to the pointed end of After soldering and pickling, the the two pieces together and use
the strip. tube can be drawn down further a round file to convert this
4 Pull the tube through a draw- if desired. This will not only re- straight-sided groove into a
plate, keeping it perpendicular duce the diameter, but thicken curved bearing that matches the
to the plate. Move frf)m larger to the tube wall, as well. contour of the tubing.
m
 2
Clean finger oils off the tubing
with Scotch-Brite while the tube
is long and easy to hold on to,

then cut off the intended num-

ber of knuckles.
Because tubing cut freehand
tends to have an angled end,
use a jig to help hold the saw
blade vertical. Examine each
knuckle after sawing and re-
move an}/ burs that might cling
to the ends.

Hinge seat.

3 Flux both sides of the workpiece

I File the edges of the pieces at an angle; 2 Use a round needle file to give the groove
and set the tubes into place so
when laid together they should form a "V." a rounded contour matching the knuckles.
they touch each other. Now you
can see the importance of prop-
er filing: if the groove is exactly
the size of the tube, the knuck-
les will go just where you want
them to.

4 Place a small piece of solder on

eacli knuckle so it bridges the
piece and the tubing. Heat one
side until the solder flows, then
heat the other side. In both cas-
es, remove the torch as soon as
the solder starts to move.
5 After pickling, slide a snug fit-
ting wire into the tubes, check-
ing each side independently to
confirm alignment before at-
tempting a complete assembly.
If a lot of work is still needed,

you might want to leave a piece

of base metal wire in place to
3-4 Use a tube-cutting jig to ensure straight 5 The ends of the hinge pin are lightly
protect the tubes from being ac-
edges and uniform size. Set a small piece of riveted to secure it in place, cidentally squashed.
solder onto each knuckle. 6 Make the final assembly only af-
ter all soldering is done, all

stones are set, and any patina is

complete. A light riveting action

on the ends of the hinge pin will
hold it in place.
 asting a significanthj differ-
is

C ent approach to jewelry mak-

ing— one in which the princi-
pal design work is done not in metal,
hut in a softer, more easily shaped
material such as wax. Typically,
from this “pattern" a mold is made
that has the exact shapes, textures
and dimensions of the intended ob-
ject— in reverse. Molten metal is then
forced into the mold, where it as-
sumes the contours and surface of
the original object. The process
called “direct casting” is a bit differ-

ent, and we'll cover it first.

Direct Casting MetKods

When the earliest metalsmiths re-
fined their material from ore, they
realized that it took the shape of
the gouge in the ground into which
it was poured. It was a short step
from that realization to the idea of
pouring not just a crude ingot, but
a shape that closely resembled the
intended form.
In that tradition, the first form
of direct casting is to make an ingot
(a process illustrated in the appen-
dix). Scraps of metal are melted
and poured into a flat-walled vessel
called an ingot mold. The resulting
piece can be thinned, smoothed
and otherwise shaped to create
stock for fabrication. Though not
an essential skill for a Jeweler, Joana Kao, Keep in Touch pin. Sterling, 18 K, bronze. 22/4 x 13/4". Photo by Richard Nicol.
making ingots orrers the double ad- over the centuries. The most com- are available from jewelry suppli-
vantage of reusing scraps while at mon are clay, sand, soft stone ers for about a dollar apiece. You’ll
the same time providing a fuller (tufa and the skeleton of a marine
), need pouring crucible, a little cast-
a
understanding of our material. animal called a cuttlefish. Each of ing flux (such as powdered borax),
To create a mold that takes a these deserves experi-
materials and a torch capable of melting the
shape other than a simple geomet- mentation, and each has unique metal you intend to use. The mold
ric ingot, you’ll want a material advantages. We’ll focus here on di- is held upright in a dish of sand.

that is soft enough to be cut or rect casting into cuttlefish.

pressed to a desired shape, yet suf- The Cuttlefish Casting Process
ficiently heat-resistant to hold its 1 For this example. I’ll use a sin-
Cuttlefish
form for at least a few seconds gle bone, cutting it in half to
while the metal solidifies. Several Small cuttlefish can he purchased make the two parts of the mold.
materials these needs and
fulfill from a pet store (they're used in For a larger Jewelry pieee, use
have been used by various cultures parakeet cages) and larger pieces two cuttlefish. With a hacksaw

MAKING A CUTTLEFISH CASTING

1 Cut off the tips and divide the bone into 3 Shape by compressing or scraping the 5 The mold can be opened right away to
two equal sections. bone away. The funnel shape is also reveal the result.
hollowed out.
2 Rub each section on sandpaper to make 6 The finished cuttlefish casting.
the bone perfectly flat. 4 Tie the pieces together, melt the metal in
a pouring crucible, and pour it into the mold.
 or jeweler's saw, square off the
tips and cut the bone in half.
You'll see that the bone is a very
soft, porous material with a
on one side.
plastic-like layer
2 Rub each half of the bone on a
piece of coarse sandpaper to
make it flat. You’ll make a mess,
so have a wastebasket nearby.
Make the two surfaces so flat
that when held together no light
can be seen between them.
3 Working about an inch from the
broad end of the mold, create
the negative of the shape you
want: where you want a projec-
tion in metal, make a depres-
sion in the mold. Particles can
be compacted into the bone or
scraped away; in either case,
you can use very basic tools like
nails, toothpicks and twigs. If
you want to exaggerate the
wood-grain texturr; of the bone,
use a soft, dry paint brush to re-
move additional material from
between the harder ridges.
4 Carve or press a channel to cre-
ate an entrance for the molten
metal. This is called a sprue, or
gate, and it must be at least as

thick as the thickest section of

the object being cast. Enlarge
this into a funnel opening at the
top of the mold.
5 This is a one-shot technique, so
look carefully to be sure you
like what you've carved and are
certain no constricted areas will
stop the flow of metal through
the mold. Set the mold halves
together and check the sprue
passage to be sure it's large
enough to allow the metal to
flow in. Err on the side of cau-
tion here, making the sprue at

Jung-Hoo Kim, The Connection J brooch. Sterling, lapis lazuli, 24K foil. 3 V4 x 2".
least an eighth inch in diameter.
Bind the pieces together with
wire or heavy tape and set the
mold vertically into a dish of
sand or pumice pebbles.
6 If this is the first time the cru-
cible is being used, first heat it
Vlartha Williford Avrett, An die Musik #/ pendant. Sterling, glass, mica, found objects, cast elements, photo. 3 x 23/4".
 The steps of the casting process.

with a torch and sprinkle a warded with the foul smell of the way. Each model can be used
quarter teaspoon of borax into burning bone. Just once,
the bowl. This creates a glassy 8 Allow the metal to cool for a The waste mold part of the name
coating that keeps the metal minute or so, then cut the wire tells us this of the mold as
is triu;
from sticking. Place metal into or tape to open the mold. Use well— it too must be destroyed (or
the pouring crucible, guessing tweezers to lift the hot piece "wasted”) to retrieve the casting.
generously at the amount so from the mold. Remember that Like the model, this mold can be
you won't run short. Use a torch this is solid metal, and can be used onlv once.
to heat the metal until it forms a hammered, filed and soldered We know from tire section on
rounded blob (it should look like any other piece. fusing that some metals, including
like mercury). Add a pinch of silver and gold, will draw up into a
flux midway in the melting sphere when heated. This explains
process to protect the metal
Lost Wax Casting why gravity alone is not sufficient
from oxides. Keep the torch on to fill a large, detailed mold. And
the molten mass continuously By most common form of
far the here the word centrifugal tells us
while making the pour. casting in contemporary jewelry what kind of force is used to push
Hold the crucible just above the making is lost wax waste mold cen- the molten metal into the cavity.
cuttlefish, tilted and poised on trifugal casting. It's a long name, Lost wax. Waste mold. Centrifugal
the lip of the dish, ready to go. but worth understanding because it casting. Got it?
When the metal spins and vi- tells us a lot about the process. The
brates, pour it into the mold word wax tells us the model, or
with a smooth even motion —
Overview
replica, is made of wax, while lost
don't throw it, but don't stop refers to the fact that the model Lost wax casting is not difficult, but
midway, either. You will be re- will disappear somewhere along it involves a lot of steps and can
seem overwhelming at first. Each
of the following procedures is de-
scribed at length later on, but let’s

first how they work together,

see
and pick up some casting vocabu-
lary as we go.

Model making
An exact model of the intended
piece is made, usually in wax.

Spruing
Wax rods are attached to the model
to create passageways that will lead
metal into the mold cavity.

Mounting
The sprued model is secured on a
rubber base that positions it in the
flask, a short stainless steel tube,.

Investing
After the flask pressed onto the
is

base, a plaster-like material called

investment is mixed, freed of bub-
Linda Hesh, Head for News earrings. Sterling. IVs x Vs x Vs". Photo by Ralph Cabriner.
bles, and poured over the model to
encase it in what we can now call
the molcL

Burnout sprues are then cut away, the cast- to melt locally and flow together.
After hours drying, the
several ing is cleaned up with files and An electric pen with a heat control
mold is heated to a high tempera- sandpaper, and the final steps are is also useful for working soft wax,

ture. The mold is cured (hardened) taken to complete the piece. but not necessary unless you in-
and the wax model burns away, tend to make wax modeling a large
leaving the cavity and sprue chan- part of your work.
Waxes and Model Making
nels (jpen. Model making is the most cre-
Any kind of wax can be used to ative part of casting, and the ele-
Throwing make models, but most people pre- ment that deserves your highest at-
The hot mold is mounted into a fer to use the highly refined, color- tention. Other steps must be done
spring-driven machine, where a ce- enhanced materials made specifi- light, but this must be done well.
ramic crucible is used to contain cally for this purpose. These fall Failure to master the technical as-
the metal for casting. The metal is into two families; soft and hard, or pects described below may result
melted with a torch, the mecha- modeling and cnru?>ig. The former is in a spoiled casting and great disap-
nism is tripped, and the casting sold in sheet and wire, like metal, pointment, but with care you can
machine whirls forcefully, slinging while carving waxes are sold in hol- correct technical mistakes. 1 lowev-
the molten metal into the mold. low cylinders and solid blocks. cr, even masterful casting of a
Tools for wax working include mediocre model will yield only a
Quench coarse, open-toothed files and burs mediocre object.
After a few minutes of cooling for hard wax, and delicate needles On the bright side, wax is cheap
down, the flask and mold arc and dental tools for modeling wax. and fun to play with, so make a lot
plunged into a bucket of water, in The latter tools are heated in the of models, free from the notion
which the hot investment breaks flame of a small alcohol lamp, and, that they must all be cast. Learn to
apart and frees the casting. The when touched to the wax, cause it manipulate the wax, pay attention
Darrien S. Segal, Mangrove Series flower pendants. Sterling. 1 x 7/e", Photo by Mark Johnston.

MAKING A WAX MODEL

1 Hard wax can be cut with a bandsaw. Drill

finger holes with a large spade bit,

2 Use coarse files to rough out a form, then 3 Mount the model onto
ring a rubber
refine it with fine files and sandpaper. sprue base.
to its unique possibilities, and save
the best examples for later. In the
meantime, use your experiments
to test your skills at spruing, in-
vesting and casting, so when the
time is riglit, you’ll be confident of
vour abilities.
it's also worth noting that there

are companies business of

in the
casting other people's models, so
you don't necessarily need to mas-
ter the process to add casting to
your repertoire of jewelry making
options. Of course, you will pay for
this service, and lose the start-to-
f'mish control, but commercial cast-
ers offer a useful way to get started:
look for addresses in the appendix.
Model making is a personal and
vast territory, and stretches far be-
Xueli Shi, ring. Sterling.
yond the scope of this book. do 1

want to point out, however, that

whatever you put into the model
• No part of the casting can be hefty sizes. I suggest something
will come through. If the model
"upstream" from the point of around 8 gauge, particularly since
has scratches, they’ll be there in
attachment. this wax is easil^^ rolled out be-
the casting. If the model seems
• Avoid sharp turns, abrupt edges tween the palms to make it thinner
awkward or out of balance, the
and narrow joints. when needed. One advantage of
same will be true of the casting,
using a soft wax is that the sprues
darn it. Of course, you want to see
The sprue is the channel that can be bent after attachment for
the piece in metal, so it's tempting
feeds molten metal into the mold subtle corrections.
to move on to the next step quick-
cavity, If it is poor 1
3/ arranged, the Determine the ideal location for
ly, but remind yourself that a cor-
mold won't fill, so its importance the sprue and hold it in position to
rection or refinement that takes
cannot be overstated. select the correct angle. Warm the
Just a few minutes in wax might
Although the sprue impor- is needle then touch it to the
tool,
take ten times as long in metal. Re-
tant, it is not necessarily compli- bottom of the sprue rod and press
fine soft waxes with a warm needle
cated. Just remember that at the the rod genth'^ onto the model.
drifted lightly across the surface of
moment the metal enters the mold, Hold the pieces steadj? for a few
the form. Carving waxes can be
it is fluid, so you can use what you seconds and the job is done. The
smoothed by rubbing them with a
know about Huids inform \mur to same technique is used to secure
piece of fabric or Scotch-Brite.
process. For instance, liquids do the other end of the sprue to the
not flow uphill, so arrange the base.
Spruing sprues in such a way that the en- It's important that the sprue
tire downstream from the
piece is flare slightly \Adiere it attaches to

point of entry. Keep the sprue both the piece and the base. To
walls smooth, so the mcnal is not achieve this, warm a needle, point
• Attach sprues to the thickest section stirred up as it enters but, rather, it at the junction area, and touch a

of the casting. flows as efficiently as possible. piece of wax to the needle about a
• Keep sprues as short as possible. Sprues can be made of any kind half inch from its tip. The wax will
• Attach sprues where they will be of wax, but I recommend using the melt onto the needle, forming a
easiest to remove. soft wax made just for this purpose. droplet that will slide to the end of
• Use a sprue for each major section It's called, guess what, sjjriie wax, the too! and drop onto the sprue.
of a piece. and comes in round rods of several
 .

Specific Gravity of Popular

Jewelry Metals
Stacey Lane,
ring. Sterling, Brass 8.7
14K, peridot.
Photo by Gregory Bronze 8.8
Staley.
18K yellow gold 15.5

14K yellow gold 13.4

10K yellow gold 11.6

Fine silver 10.6

Sterling 10.4

Determining the Amount

OF Metal

It'salways possible to guess at tlie

amount of metal yoLi'll need for a
casting, but there are a couple of
more scientific solutions. The first

requires an accurate balance scale.

Weigh the sprued model and multi-
Sprued models.
ply that figure by the specific grav-
It is typical to cast
itjr of the metal being cast. The to-
several models in

the same flask. tal will be the exact weight of the

Allow at least 1
/4
"
metal object and sprues. Add at
between pieces, least half that again to allow for the
and be sure each button — the excess lump that will
model is properly
supply the casting with additional
sprued. Notice the
use of a secondary metal as it cools.
sprue on the piece If you don't have a balance, fill a
to the right. small Jar with water and stick a .

piece of tape vertically along the

side. Mark the water level on the
jar, then attach the model to a wire

and plunge it into the water, mak-

ing another mark to note the rise of
the water level. Remove the model
and drop metal scraps into the Jar .

until the level returns to the high

mark, then add a little more to al-
low for the sprue and button.

Investing

The piece can be invested as soon

as it is mounted onto the sprue
base, a hard rubber disk with a lip
that secures it to Most
a flask.
sprue bases have a hemispherical
 rules can lead to serious respirato-
ry difficulties over time.
Investment powder is hydro-
scopic, which means it is eager to
combine with moisture. For this
reason, keep it tightly sealed and
be careful not water
to spill anj^
into the container. To prepare in-
vestment for casting, start by filling
a rubber bow] with clean water
equivalent to at least two-thirds of
the flask volume. If the tap water
in your area is loaded with miner-
als, use b{>ttled water.

Note the time on a clock and

start to sprinkle investment pow-
der into the water, where it will
sink. Continue sifting, keeping an
eye out for lumps and discarding
any you find. The powder will
eventually start to show, just be-
neath the surface, as the mixture
becomes saturated. Add a little
more investment until the powder
forms an island in the center of the
bowl, then it's time to mix. use I

my fingers, but some people feel a

spatula is the proper tool. Try both
to see which works better for vou, I

like the feel of the stuff, and use

the stirring action to look for any
lumps that might have missed be-
I

fore. Either way, be sure to mix the

investment and water with slow
Nancy E. Fleming, Waiting for Guinevere brooch. Cast sterling twig, brass, 14K, boulder opal
3 X 1 1/4".
strokes to avoid whipping air into
the mixture.
Bubbles in the investment tend
lump in the center upon which to Investing is a messy process to attach themselves to the model
mount the models. Several models and a dangerous one for the unpro- like bubbles in soda collect on a
can be cast in the same flask as tected. Work on a cleanable surface straw. After burnout, when the wax
long as you can follow these rules: like plastic, and expect to spend a is gtme, these bubbles become
little time cleaning up at the end of voidvS connected to the area that
the process. YouTl be using rela- was the model, and it all looks the
tively harsh chemicals, so it’s wise same to the molten metal as it
• Each piece must have sufficient
sprue to supply
to wear rubber gloves. Investment comes barreling into the mold. The
all the metal It

needs.
powder contains plaster and sili- metal will fill both the model and
con, which are harmful to the the sphenical bubble spaces, creat-
• The models must have a quarter-
lungs. Work with adequate ventila- ing "warts" on the surface of the
inch clearance from each other, and
tion, minimize dust, and wear an casting. Of course, a few of these
a half-inch clearance from the sides
and top of the flask. appropriate respirator. Lung dam- on an exposed area can he removed
• The sprues should all attach on the age doesn't necessarily show up easily, but imagine a thousand nes-
the first day vou fail to observe tled into every cranny of your labo-
upper half of the sprue base dome. a-’ i^'

safety rules, but ignoring these riously carved design! You can see
 3

J. Fred Woell, Great Moments on the Prairie brooch. Brass, steel, cast sterling. 2 1/4 x 23/4".

vvh\/ it'simportant to got the bub- Once the mixture is creamv— Remove the jar and pour the in-
bles out of tho investment. to 4 minutes should have elapsed vestment into the flask. As you do
One way to do this is to tap the since the start of the process— set this, hold on to the base and pour
sides of the rubber bowl to vibrate the bowl on a rubber pad and cover the investment down the side of
the bubbles to the surface. A better it with the bell Jar. Start the pump the flask to avoid having its weight
way is to tise a vacuum pump to lit- and direct the action to the jar, fall tlirectly onto the model. Fill the
erally pull airfrom within the mix. pressing down on needed to
it if flask to within a half inch of the
This machine works in conjunction make a seal. In about a minute top, set itonto the rubber pad and
with a bell jar and creates a vacu- you'll see the investment swell up cover it with the bell jar. Repeat the
um by sucking air from within the and froth as air is pulled out. Con- vacuuming process as before to re-
enclosed space. If the bowl of in- tinue until the frothing starts to move any last bubbles. At the end
vestment is within that space, air spit dropletsof investment on the of this process the time elapsed
trapped in the investment is pulled inside of the bell jar— about a since the powder touched the
first
out as well. minutet and a half water should be about 9 minutes.
Kimberly Navratil-Pope, Grand Illusion Series three brooches. Sterling, bronze, copper, paper, plexiglass, fabric. 2 x 2". Photo by Rick Pope.

INVESTMENT CASTING

1 Sprinkle investment powder into water.

2 After a minute in a vacuum, the

investment is free of bubbles.

3 Pour the creamy investment down the

side of the flask.

(Continued on page 1 1 4.)

 -

This is just what you want, hace Burnout hands— later it will be very hot. Set
yourself so the entire investing the flask temporarily into the cast-
process takes between 9 and 10 Purposes of Burnout ing machine, using a metal strip
minutes. If you go too fast, the in- called a cradle, if necessary, to lift
• Cure the investment. mouth of the flask into align-
vestment will separate before it the
• Remove the wax model. ment with the crucible spout. Most
hardens; too slow and the invest-
• Heat the mold in preparation for
ment will set up before you are casting machines have a mecha-
casting.
ready. nism to balance the arm; this does
When the investing process is not need to be set precisely, but
complete, set the flask aside for The ideal drying time for a flask is move the weight outward from the
half an hour to harden. This is the overnight, but anything from 2 to center for a large flask and inward
start of the curing process, and in- 24 hours is acceptable. If the flask for a small one.
volves an exothermic (beat-creat- is not allowed to dry thoroughly,
During burnout, the flask must
ing) reaction, so you’ll notice the moisture trapped in the invest- reach a temperature of 1250°F
flask getting w’arm. ment will turn to steam in the kiln, (67()°C) to completely evacuate the
The rubber base can be pulled which will break open the mold as mold. This can be done in a small
off as soon as the investment be- it expands. If a flask waits several kiln and should take about two
comes hard, but a full 2 hours is days between investing and cast- hours. Set the flask, opening down,
recommended before beginning ing, it can become so dry that the onto a wire mesh or propped up on
the burnout process. Because all investment is slightly weakened. a bit of brick to allow a space for
filled flasks look the same, mark To avoid this, wrap the piece lightly the melting w^ax to exit.

the flask with relevant informa- in plastic, or hold the dried flask Thru on the kiln and allow it to

tion: name,
metal to be cast, under water for a few seconds to heat up, going slowh? for the first
amount needed, etc. Use chalk to renew it before putting it in the half hour or so while the wax melts
write on the side of the flask or kiln. away. [>uring this phase you’ll no-
scratch the information into the Tiake a moment to plan ahead tice a strong odor and some smoke

top of the mold as soon as it is hard for the next step while it's still pos- in the room; both should be vented

enough. sible to hold the flask in your outdoors. If vou don't have a so-

I NVESTMENT CASTI NG|BB

4 Molten metal is thrown into the hot,

emptied mold through centrifugal force.

5 Allow a couple of minutes for the metal

to solidify, then quench in water. Wear a

respirator.

6 The ring just after quenching.

7 The finished cast piece.

--
;•» : fV;
 Nancy Moyer, Endowment
Series brooch. Sterling,
amethyst ZV2 x 3".

phisticated ventilation S3^stem, set Throwing the Casting more time to be sure it's fluid, then
a small fan on one side of the room simultaneously'' lift the torch and
and open a windcjw on the other. Wind the arm of the casting ma- release the arm. The machine uflll
Happily, the wax-burning stage is chine three complete turns and spin forcefully, casting the metal
soon over lock it In place with its holding pin. into the mold with sufficient force
Continue to heat the tlask to Wear gloves and use tongs to move t(j inject it into every detail. Turn
1250°F. Some kilns are outfitted the flask directly into the prepared off the torch and allow the casting
with a pyrometer or temperature machine. The flask should he be- machine to come to a natural stop;
dial, but you can also gauge the tween 800-1 000°F (425-540°C) for this may take a couple of minutes.
temperature with potters' pyromet- casting most metals; the time it out with tongs and
Lift the flask
ric cones. If you don't have any of takes to work efficiently'' toward the examine the button, the lump of
these devices, check the flask next step seems to allow just the extra metal that should now fill the
every half hour; you'll be looking right amount of cooling. hemispherical cavity that was the
for the time when the sooty deposit Set your metal into the crucible mouth of the mold. If there’s noth-
around the mouth of the flask and heat it with a strong reducing ing there, check the crucible to be
burns away, either disappearing (fuel-rich) flame— one that looks sure the metal didn't get stuck; it's
completely or leaving only a pale bushy^ and red-orange. Add a pinch rare, but it happens. If there is no
stain. At that point, you can turn of flux to the metal midways button and no metal in the cru-
off the kilnand begin the final (and through the melt. When the molten cible, check to sec if the metal
in some ways most dramatic) stage mass and quiver, get a
starts to spin crashed through the mold and
of the process. firm grip on the end of the casting came out the back side; again, rare
arm and pull it slightly to release but possible. What you'll probably
the holding mechanism. Continue find is a comfortably' large button
to heat the metal, check it one that half-way fills the hemispheri-
 Observation: Partial casting

solution:

• Not enough metal.

• Melt wasn't hot enough.
• Sprues were too thin.

Observation: Porosity (tiny dots)

solution:

• The metal was overheated.

• The sprues were not attached to

the thickest section. This is

what occurs when an area is

starved for additional metal as it

cools.

Other Models
Any material that burns out com-
pletely can be used to make mod-
els. In our plastic-infused culture,
this opens the door to all sorts of
delightful possibilities. As you can
see from the examples shown
throughout this book, plastic model
J. Fred Woell, Home on the Range belt buckle. Sterling, arrowhead. 2 Va x 2V2". parts, containers and industrial
components can all become jewel-
ry when manipulated by a creative
cal gate,perhaps colored by a little Of course, you’ll want
exam-to mind. And that's the trick: to en-
glassy green flux, which is last to ine the casting to see how you did, hance the symbolism and whimsy
slide out of the crucible. so take a minute to be analytical. through reuse, rather than to sim-
Hold the flask firmly in tongs One advantage of casting is its ply appropriate someone else's

and quench it in a bucket of water, technical nature: Nothing happens skill at carving.
which will cause a dramatic, sput- without a reason, and if you know Another fine model material is

tering cloud of steam to arise. This the reason, you can fix the mistake. Styrofoam, particularly the dense
steam is laced with silicon, and is variety made for You
insulation.
probably the most dangerous vapor Observation; "Warts" can also roll out a slab of clay and
in the studio, so wear a respirator solution:
press shapes into it, then brush the
and even then, stand back. The hot indented form with wax melted in
• Work harder to remove bubbles
investment will crack away from a double boiler, filastic or pre-made
from the investment.
the mold and the casting, partially wax objects can also be embedded
• Mix the investment thicker.
revealing your work. Use a butter here; the various colors and shapes
knife and toothbrush to clean the will all blend in the casting
Observation: "Welts" or "trails"
flask and the casting, allowing the process. Burning Styrofoam and
solution: plastic create noxious fumes, so ef-
spent investment to fall back into
the bucket. To dispose of used in- • These are caused by water sepa- fective ventilation is critical.

vestment, pour off the extra water, rating from the mix before it
allow the sludge to dry for a day or hardens; slow down so you use
so, and throw it out as solid waste. the whole 9 minutes to invest.
 Appendices

McCreight, fibula. Sterling. 4" long. Photo by Robert Diamante.

Sara Shepherd, Therapy II brooch. Sterling, 18K. 2 x 1 x 1". Photo by Douglas Yaple.
Appendix A
what Do You Need to Know
About Metal?

For most people, the pleasure of small is through hammering or of 18-karat gold, 18 of the 24 parts
making jewelry comes from time rolling. Do this enough and a sam- are gold, with the balance being
spent workbench, actively driv-
at a ple of metal will eventually break, something of lesser value. If you
ing tools to cut, bend and assemble as the grain boundaries become too write this as a fraction, 1 ^/ 24 ,
and
a piece, A fundamental under- small to hold the piece intact. This reduce it, you'll see that 18-karat
standing of the material you'll be process is called work hardening. Its gold is three-fourths gold and one-
using— metal— will increase that opposite, annealing, uses heat to re- fourth something else. Generally
pleasure, as well as your rate of crvstallize
•ij'"
the internal structure, ^
speaking, alloys of 18K and purer
success as a jew'eler. building large grains from small are called high-karat golds.
ones. All of this goes on at a micro- The additive ingredients in al-

scopic level. Annealing tempera- loys are used to affect the color,
tures vary with each metal and al- strength, ductility and value of the
Metallurgy
loy,but as a rule of thumb they are resulting alloy. In the; case of yel-
Metals are made of crystals that about two-thirds the melting tem- low gold, equal parts of silver and
arrange themselves in a regular perature of a pure metal. Anneal- copper are added. Rose gold (also
pattern called a lattice. This has a ing can be done as often as neces- called pink gold) is made by in-
lot to do with the physical proper- sary. creasing the proportion of copper,
ties of a metal. Metals with the and green gold is made by increas-
same crystal lattice vvdll probably ing the percentage of silver. Note
have similar density, malleability, that in all colors the proportion of
Metals and Alloys
conductivity, and so on. gold remains the same.
Ciystals, also called grains, are This is a huge topic, even taken The most popular gold alloy for
clusters of molecules gathered into quickly, so we'll confine ourselves jewelry in the United States is 14
units whose structure determines to a discussionof the metals used karat, which is also written as .585,
the ability of metal to bend, con- by beginning jewelry makers: cop- or 58.5 percent gold. The balance
duct heat and retlect light. All of per, brass, silver and gold. Three of can be anything, but it is usually
these attributes are important to these are pure metals, while one, some combination of silver and
jewelers. When grains are small, a brass, is a mixture, or alloy, of two copper, except in the case of white
sample will be harder to bend, metals. Pure metals, also called gold, where platinum, palladium
more likely to break, tougher, and a fine, are often too soft for wearable and nickel are used to change the
better conductor of electricity. jewelry, so they are alloyed as well. color.
Large crystals make a metal more Pure silver is occasionally used
responsive to patinas and more in jewelry components, particular-
Precious Metals
malleable, except when the grains ly when malleability is an asset.
are very large, which causes the Fine gold is given the arbitrary des- This is the case with bezels, which
metal become tough again.
to ignation “24," so we cansay that of need to be safely pressed down
The usual way grains become 24 parts, all 24 are gold. In the case against a gem. For most applica-
tions, however, Fine silver is too
soft, so a small amount of copper is
added for strength. Hundreds of
years ago, it was determined that
the addition of 7 1/2 percent copper
created a metal strong enough to
stand up to use while retaining the
warm shine of silver. This alloy
came to be called sterlii'tg, and it is

far and awav the most commonly

used silver alloy for jewelry. A
slightly baser alloy that contains 10
percent copper was used for hun-
dreds of years in coins, and is
therefore called coin silver. It is

rarely seen today, except in older

pieces. Coins minted in the United
States have not contained silver
since 1 966.

Base Metals
Copper is used in jewelry for its
color, which is orange when pol-
ished, brown with normal wear,
and green or blue after exposure to
certain atmospheres. It is inexpen-
sive, malleable, resilient and attrac-
tive, but one shortcoming is the
its

fact that copper not only discolors

when worn, but discolors the wear-
er as well — typically by turning
skin green. This is because of cop-
per's eagerness to combine with al-
most any element that passes by,
from oxygen to ammonia. Despite
these shortcomings, jewelers value
copper for its colors; it is usually
patinated and sealed to protect the
metal from further corrosion. Be-
cause its malleability is similar to
sterling, it also makes an excellent
practice material. It is slightly
more difficult to solder because of
its tendency to oxidize, but this
means that a person who has mas-
tered soldering by experimenting
with copper will find the transition James MaloneBeach, Northwoods Grandmother medallion. Sterling, patchwork quilt, rose petal
to sterling especialh^ easy. beads, Ohio Blue Tip match. 5'/2 23/3".

Another of copper's virtues is its

affinity with other metals. As de-
scribed above, copper is used to
strengthen gold and silver. When
Deborah Krupenia, Swivel Rings: Four Variations. Colored golds, fine silver, Japanese copper alloys, sterling, fumed bronze. Photo by Dean Powell.

alloyed with the low-melting gray more malleable. An alloy of about lar to yellow brass in cost, mal-
metal called zinc, copper pulls a 88 percent copper called NuGold is leability, and the way it solders.
magician's trick to yield a metal — widely used in jewelry making, as So is that it for alloys? Is that all
brass— that is vellow and has a are other low-zinc brasses. you need to know? Well, not exact-
higher melting point than either of Nickel silver, also called Ger- ly. The photo captions throughout
its constituents. man deserves mention not
silver, this book refer to higher karats of
Bv definition, brass is a mixture only because it is useful in jewelrj^, gold, to bronze and to
steel, to
of copper and zinc, but the propor- but because its name is so mislead- Japanese alloys (which typically
tions can vary and will yield a wide ing. It contains no silver, and does are copper-based). These alloys oh
range of results. The most common not come from Germany. It is an fer a fascinating wealth of opportu-
mix, called yellow brass, or CDA alloy of copper, zinc and the ele- nity for jewelers, and you will be-
260, 30 percent zinc and 70 per-
is ment nickel. To see what it looks gin to use them as your metal-
cent copper. As the proportion of like, search your pocket change for smithing skills develop.
copper increases, the color be- a 5G piece. 1 prefer to call this alloy
comes more golden and the metal "white brass" because it is so simi-
Appendix B

Health &' Safety

Every time we touch tools, whether

we're holding a paring knife in the
kitchen or a scribe in the jewelry
studio, we open ourselves to some
risk. It would be silly to let these
small risks prevent us from, say,
peeling an apple, but just as silly to
ignore them completely.
This holds true for the kinds of
environmental hazards involved in
jewelry making, as well.

Common Sense
More than any device, more than
any instruction, more than any ex-
pensive system, the best tool for
long and safe studio work is al-
ready within you: your common
sense. Tb refresh your memory,
here are a few things you probabl}'
already know, but may need to be
reminded of:

If you are unfamiliar with a

tool, ask for help.
Listen to your body, [fyou feel
dizzy, congested, overheated or
drowsy, might be the result of
it

a chemical reaction. Stop what

you are doing until you know
what's happening.
Accidents happen ... well ... by
accident. Because you can't see
them coming, you always have
to be prepared. Wear goggles,
gloves, an apron, and similar
protective clothing any time
they might be needed.
Jung-Hoo Kim, Coexistence brooch. Sterling, fossilized ivory, sugelite, 24K foil. 3 x 2 1/4
 Tom Herman,
pin. 18K,

petrified
palmwood,
turquoise,
citrine.

21/4 X 2 V4 ".
Photo by
Ceorge Post.

Anticipate the results of every A respirator is fitted with dis- several pairs. If you forget to take
action. Whathappcms if the drill posable cartridges that actively yours with you when you go from
bit breaks? The hammer head catch specific particles or fumes. one part of the studio to another,
loosens? The buffing machine These are much better than paper buy a 6-pack and leave them
snags? Plan ahead to prevent dust masks, but only as good as around the studio so they are al-
problems before they occur. vour maintenance allows them to ways within reach. I recommend a
be. Keep cartridges sealed when fully enclosed design that fits snug-
not in use; they are always activat- ly. It your eyes
will best protect
ed and can fill up simply sitting from debris coming in from the
Respirators
open on Use the correct
a shelf. side.
There is between a
a difference cartridge for the dust or vapor to
dust mask and a retspirator. The which you are exposed, and re-
first blocks air from coming into place the cartridges when they are Food and Drink
the body, like holding a handker- depleted.
chief over your mouth. It's better A proper respirator costs around Eat,drink and be merry, but not in
than no protection, but inhibits $25; you muist have one. the studio. Airborne particles and
breathing and onl^'^ catches rela- fumes will fall into snacks and cups
tively large particles. The fibrous on the bench and then be ingested.
paper masks available from hard- Goggles Dust that gathers on your hands
ware stores have the second disad- will come off on your sandwich or
vantage of making only a loose fit, These are available in so many cigarette, and from there it's a
which allows contaminated air in styles and prices that there is sim- quick trip into your mouth.
around the edges.
o ply no reason not to own a pair— or
 Special Cases

In writing this book, I've tried to

avoid processes that involve dan-
gerous chemicals. However, there
are a few procedures where this is
not possible. Please note the poten-
tial dangers in these activities;

Soldering
The fumes of borax-based flux
make some people dizz3c
At one time, solders contained a
harmful metal called cadmium.
Accordingly, you should avoid
using low-melting solders un-
less yo u k n o w t h e. y we re re c e n t-
ly manufactured.

Finishing

Some patina solutions are harm-

ful to the skin and if ingested.
Wear rubber gloves and a respi-
rator for gun bluing, green pati-
na, and ammonia.

Casting

Do not overheat brass; it will re-

lease noxious zinc fumes. To
avoid this risk, use a brass allov
specifically sold for casting.
Wear a respirator when han-
dling investment, both in the
initial mixing stage and when
the flask is quenched.

>vV

Alan Burton Thompson, Shadow Box brooch. Sterling, brass, copper, Bakeiite, gold leaf, paper.
43/4 X 21/4".
Appendix C
Pouring an Ingot

Most jewelers purchase metal 2 Prepare the mold b}^ coating it 5 Heat scrap metal in an open
ready to use, but it's possible to with Vaseline, oil or, as shown, pouring crucible, a ladle made
make your own sh(;et and wire as soot from a candle or acetylene of high-fire ceramic. Before the.
shown here. Besides the pleasure torch. This will create a reduc- first use of this tool, heat it to
and convenience of the process, it's ing (oxygen-free) atmosphere in- red and sprinkle in powdered
useful to know how to recycle side the mold. borax to coat the chamber. Use a
scraps. 3 Cinch the mold with a C-clamp pinch of borax with each melt,,
and set it in a container that will also, to protect the metal from
Ingot molds are available com- safely catch spills, such as a oxidation.
mercially and can also be im- cast-iron skillet. 6 As the metal becomes fluid,
provised from sheets of steel 4 Warm the mold with a
ingot swirl the crucible to ensure that
and bent steel rod. Either wav, large torch until it is hot enough there are no solid areas in the
molds should be massive to hold to feel uncomfortable when you melt. Tilt the ladle so the
heat. hold your hand a couple of inch- molten mass is poised on the
es above the mold. lip, just above the mold. Pour

POURING AN INGOT

1 Coat the ingot mold with soot; this will 2 Melt metal in a pouring crucible, adding 3 Warm the mold and pour the molten
create a reducing (purifying) environment. borax at least once as the metal is heated. mass into it with a smooth, even gesture.
(Continued on page 126.)
 through the flame with a steady
motion. Don't toss the metal,
and don't dribble it.
Brent Williams, pin. 7 The mold ean be opened almost
Sterling, postage iminediatel}^ but it will still be
stamp. 1 X 1 Vj.
very hot, so use tools to un-
screw the clamp and retrieve
the ingot. If the pour was inter-
rupted, or you missed the cru-
if

cible, simply reset the mold and

start over. It's not unusual to
take a couple of tries to get it

right.

The process for making a wire

ingot is identical, except for the
shape of the mold. To improvise a
wire mold, drill a hole into a fire
brick, then use a knife to cut a fun-
nel-shaped opening at the top. The
resulting rod will have an irregular
surface, but it can be easily filed to
make a useful blank from which
\\dre can be rolled or drawn.

POURING AN INGOT (continued)

4 The finished ingot. 5 Pouring into a wire mold. 6 Finished wire ingots. These can be rolled
or forged to make wire.
Appendix D
Tool Making:
Hardening & 'Tfempering Steel
1

Follow these instructions to make To anneal (or "unharden") old 2 Cut a length of steel that feels
custom tools— such as the stamp tools, heat the steel to a bright comfortable in your hand, usu-
shown below— that will last tor red and allow it to cool as slow- ally between 3" and 5". File both
many years. Use tool steel, a spe- ly as possible. This can be ac- ends to make them flat and per-
cific allo\f that contains from 1/2 to complished by burying the steel pendicular to the shank.
IV2 percent carbon. This can he in a bucke t of sand or ashes, or 3 File a taper on the working end
purchased from suppliers (ask for by covering it with a firebrick. to allow easy viewing of the
01 or 107.5 oil-hardening steel), or When using newly purchased stamp as it addresses the metal.
recycled from old tools. steel, this step is not necessary. The angle of the taper will obvi-

MAKING A STAMPING PUNCH

1 Square off both ends of a 4'" piece of tool 2 Create the intended shape in the end of 3-4 Refine the shape. The mark can be
steel rod. the rod with a saw and files. tested by pressing the tool into clay.

(Continued on page I 28J

 OLisly depend on the shape of tool lightly into clay to test the the deflection caused by an an-
tlie shank compared to the im- impression it will create. gled blow.
pression being created. 5 Use a file to round the top of the 6 Grasp the tool in vise grip pliers
4 Use files, saws, burs and sand- tool wdiere tlie hammer will and heat the lower third to a
paper to make the tool even, strike it. This will improve the bright red-orange. The correct
smooth and precise. Touch the force of impact and minimize temperature can be confirmed
by touching the glowing tool to
a magnet; at the correct temper-
ature the steel is nonmagnetic.
MAKING A STAMPING PUNOi (continued) 7 quench the tool in a
Install tlj^
can of motor oil, stirring it slow-
ly to cool the steel. Allow it to
stay immersed for about a
minute, then withdraw it and
wipe off the oil.
8 Test the hardening step by slid-
ing a file along the tip of the
tool. If hardening was success-
ful, the file will slide across the
toolwithout gripping, making a
high-pitched, glassy sound, Re-
peat steps 6 and 7, if necessary.
9 Sand the remove the gray
tool to
scale (black oxide) formed in
the last step. The next process
requires the ability to see the
steel change colors, which will
be easier on freshly sanded ma-
terial.

10 Using a small flame, hold the

torch stationary about midwa\'
along the tool. A band of color
will bloom beneath the flame
and move toward the tip. Allow
the leading edge (straw yellow
color) to Just reach the tip, then
quench instantly— in either oil
or water— to avoid heating the
tool beyond this point.
11 Strike the tool a dozen times on
a piece of scrap metal and ex-
amine the imprint it leaves. If

the last blow is the same as the

first, reach around and pat your-
self on the back. You’ve made a
tool!

5-6 Heat the lower half of the tool to a 7-8 Sand off the black oxide and heat the
bright red ... and quench it in oil. steel to a straw yellow color. Quench it

instantly. Test the tool by striking it on a

piece of scrap metal.
 Appendix E
Tool List

Basic Hand Tools spring gauge or calipers

loupe
saw frame
pin vise
pliers
ring clamp
—chain-nose
tube cutting jig
—round-nose
Optivisor
-flat-nose
respirator
— ring-forming
burnisher
vAore snips
small vise
shears
burs
metric ruler
setting burs
dividers
templates
scribe
tweezers
ring mandrel Soldering Equipment
drill bits
torch
bezel mandrel
extra torch tips
bezel pusher
soldering tweezers
files
crosslock tweezers
—band
copper tongs
— needle
soldeiing block/fire brick
— escapement
striker
—specialty (wax)
pickle pot
hammers
—rivet
— planishing Studio Equipment
—ball peen (machinists)
large vise
— forging
anvil
— chasing
dapping block and punches
mallet {plastic, wood or
drawplate and draw tongs
I’awhide)
rolling mill
machine
flexible shaft
Secondary Tools buffing machine James MaloneBeach, Alabama Bugs. Series # 1 .

casting machine Pebble, millipede, copper. 45/4 x 1 1/2".

compass
burnout kiln
sanding stick
small square
35 mm camera
Appendix F
Tables & Charts
TEMPERATURE COMPARISONS
To convert Centigrade to FaKrenheit: To convert FaKrenheit to Centigrade:
—Multiply degrees C by 9. —Subtract 32 from degrees F.

— Divide by 5. —Multiply by 5.
—Add 32. —Divide by 9.

"C "F «>c ‘’F “F oc “F »c

0 32 650 1202 32 0 1300 704

50 122 675 1247 100 38 1350 732

75 167 700 1292 150 66 1400 760

100 212 725 1337 200 93 • 1450 788

125 257 750 1382 250 121 1500 816

150 302 775 1427 300 149 1550 843

175 347 800 1472 350 177 1600 871

200 392 825 1517 400 204 1650 899

225 437 850 1562 450 232 1700 927

250 482 875 1607 500 260 1750 954

275 527 900 1652 550 288 1800 982

300 572 925 1697 600 316 1850 1010

325 617 950 1742 650 343 1900 1038

350 662 975 1787 700 371 1950 1066

375 707 1000 1832 750 399 2000 1093

400 752 1025 1877 800 427 2050 1121

425 797 1050 1922 850 454 2100 1149

450 842 1075 1967 900 482 2150 1177

475 887 1100 2012 950 510 2200 1204

500 932 1125 2057 1000 538 2250 1232

525 977 1150 2102 1050 566 2300 1260

550 1022 1175 2147 1100 593 2350 1288

575 1067 1200 2192 1150 621 2400 1316

600 1112 1225 2237 1200 649 2450 1343

625 1157 1250 2282 1250 677 2500 1371

 melting point Specific
symbol Au Ag Cu Zn Other «C op gravity
Al Aluminum 100 Al 660 1220 2.7
Sb Antimony 100 Sb 631 1168 6.6
Bi Bismuth 100 Bi 271 520 9.8
260 Brass, cartridge 70 30 954 1749 8.5
226 Jewelers Bronze 88 12 1030 1886 8.7
220 Red Brass 90 10 1044 1910 8.8
511 Bronze 96 4 Sn 1060 1945 8.8
Cd Cadmium 100 Cd 321 610 8.7
Cr Chromium 100 Cr 1890 3434 6.9
Cu Copper 100 1083 1981 8.9
Au Cold (fine) 100 1063 1945 19.3
920 22K Yellow 92 4 4 977 1790 17.3

900 22K Coinage 90 10 940 1724 17,2

750 18K Yellow 75 15 10 882 1620 15.5
750 18K Yellow 75 12.5 12.5 904 1660 15.5
750 18K Green 75 25 966 1770 15.6
750 18K Rose 75 5 20 932 1710 15.5
750 18K White 75 25 Pd 904 1660 15.7
580 14K Yellow 58 25 17 802 1476 13.4
580 14K Green 58 35 7 835 1534 13.6
580 1 4K Rose 58 10 32 827 1520 13.4
580 14K White 58 42 Pd 927 1700 13.7
420 lOK Yellow 42 12 41 5 786 1447 11.6
420 lOK Yellow 42 7 48 3 876 1609 11.6
420 lOK Green 42 58 804 1480 11.7
420 lOK Rose 42 10 48 810 1490 11.6
420 lOK White 42 58 Pd 927 1760 11.8
Fe Iron 100 Fe 1535 2793 7.9

Pb Lead 100 Pb 327 621 11.3

Mg Magnesium 1 00 Mg 651 1204 1.7

Monel Metals 33 60 Ni, 7 Fe 1360 2480 8.9

Ni Nickel 100 Ni 1455 2651 8.8
752 Nickel Silver 65 17 18 Ni 1110 2030 8.8
Pd Palladium 100 Pd 1549 2820 12.2
Old Pewter 80 Pb, 20 Sn 304 580 9.5

Pt Platinum 100 Pt 1774 3225 21.4

Ag Silver (fine) 100 961 1762 10.6
925 Sterling 92.5 7.5 920 1640 10.4
800 Coin Silver 80 20 890 1634 10.3
Mild Steel 99 Fe, 1 C 1511 2750 7.9

Stainless Steel 91 Fe, 9 Cr 1371 2500 7.8

Sn Tin 100 Sn 232 450 7.3

Ti Titanium 100 Ti 1800 3272 4.5

Zn Zinc 100 419 786 7.1
 WEIGHT PER SQUARE INCH OF SHEET

mm inch B&S fine silver Sterling fine gold lOK 14K 18K platinum
*
OUNCES OUNCES DWTS. DWTS. DWTS. DWTS. OUNCES

6.54 .2576 2 1.42 1.41 52.5 31.4 35.5 42.3 2.91

5.19 .2043 4 1.12 1.12 41.6 24.9 28.1 33.6 2.31

4.11 .1620 6 .894 .884 33.0 19.8 22.3 26.6 1.83

3.26 .1285 8 .709 .701 26.2 15.7 17.7 21.1 1.45

2.59 .1019 10 .562 .556 20.8 12.4 14.0 16.7 1.15

2.05 .0808 12 .446 .441 16.5 9.85 11.1 13.3 .913

1.63 .0641 14 .354 .350 13.1 7.81 8.82 10.5 .724

1.29 .0508 16 .281 .277 10.4 6.21 7.00 8.35 .574

1.02 .0403 18 .223 .220 8.20 4.91 5.55 6.62 .455

.813 .0320 20 .176 .174 6.51 3.90 4.40 5.25 .361

.643 ,0253 22 .140 .138 5.16 3.09 3.49 4.216 .286

.511 .0201 24 .111 .110 4.09 2.45 2.77 3.30 .227

.404 .0154 26 .088 .087 3.24 1.94 2.19 2.62 .180

.330 .0126 28 .070 .069 2.58 1.54 1.74 2.08 .143

.254 .0100 30 .055 .055 2.04 1.22 1.38 1.65 .113

WEIGHT PER FOOT OF WIRE

mm inch B&S fine silver sterling fine gold 10K 14K 18K platinum
*
OUNCES OUNCES DWTS. DWTS. DWTS. DWTS. OUNCES

6.54 .2576 2 3.45 3.41 128 76.3 86.1 104 7.07

5.19 .2043 4 2.17 2.14 80.1 48.0 54.2 64.6 4.45

4.11 .1620 6 1.36 1.35 50.4 30.2 34.1 40.6 2.80

3.26 .1285 8 .856 .848 31.6 19.0 21.4 25.6 1.76

2.59 .1019 10 .541 .534 20.0 11.9 13.5 16.1 1.11

2.05 .0808 12 .339 .335 12.6 7.50 8.47 10.1 .695

1.63 .0641 14 .214 .211 7.87 4.72 5.33 6.36 .437

1.29 .0508 16 .135 .132 4.96 2.97 3.35 4.00 .275

1.02 .0403 18 .085 .084 3.11 1.87 2.11 2.51 .173

.813 .0320 20 .053 .053 1.96 1.17 1.33 1.58 .109

.643 .0253 22 .034 .033 1.28 .738 .833 .994 .068

.511 .0201 24 .021 .021 .775 ,464 .524 .625 .043

.404 .0154 26 .013 .013 .488 .292 .330 .393 .027

.330 .0126 28 .008 .008 .306 .184 .287 .247 .017

.254 .0100 30 .005 .005 .193 .115 .130 .155 .010

* DWTS. = pennyweights
 RELATIVE SIZES & WEIGHTS RELATIVE SIZES & WEIGHTS

To find the weight of a given object if it were made in

a different metal, multiply by the factors shown. For B&S mm inches drill

instance, have a sterling ring that weighs 6 dwts.

if 1 thousandths/fractions size
(known) and I want to know its weight in 18K yellow
gold (quer}'^), 6 x 1.48 = 8.8 dwts. (pennyweights). 0 8.5 .325 21/64

1 7.35 .289 9/32

2 6.54 .258 1/4

Query Known Factor
3 5.83 .229 7/32 1

1 SKY (yellow) Gold 18KW (white) 1.064

4 5.19 .204 13/64 6
platinum .723
5 4.62 .182 3/16 15
brass 1.885
6 4.11 .162 5/32 20
sterling 1.480
7 3.67 .144 9/64 27
MKYGold 18KW .842
8 3.26 .129 1/8 30
14KW 1.035

platinum .609 10 2.59 .102 38

brass 1.589 11 2.30 .090 3/32 43

sterling 1 .248 12 2.05 .080 5/64 46

lOKYGold 18KY .745 13 1.83 .072 50

1 4 KW .884 14 1.63 .064 1/16 51

platinum .539 15 1.45 .057 52

brass 1 .406 16 1.29 54
.050
sterling 1.104
17 1.15 .045 3/64 55
Platinum palladium 1.758
18 1.02 .040 56
iridium .953
19 .912 .036 60
10% i rid plat .995
20 .813 .032 1/32 65
1 5% irid plat .993
21 .724 .029 67
rhodium 1.717
22 .643 .025 70
ruthenium 1.771
23 .574 - .023 71
sterling 2.046
24 .511 .020 74
Sterling fine silver .984
25 .455 .018 75
coin silver 1 .004
26 ,404 .016 1/64 77
1 SKY .675

14KY .801 27 .361 .014 78

lOKY .905 28 .330 .013 79

platinum .488 29 .279 .011 80

brass 1 .273 30 .254 .010

Appendix G
Glossary

Like any other trade, jewelry makir^g Box catch. A type of closure in Chasing. A technique in which
has its own vocabulary— one rich which a springy "tongue" snaps steel tools (punches) are used to
with tradition and meariing. Here are into place in a snugly fitting box to decorate and/or texture a surface.
some of the words that have special secure a necklace or bracelet.
meaning in metalsmithing, along Copper. A popular and versatile
with brief, non-technical definitions. Brass. An alloy of copper and zinc. metal. Copper is knowm for its mal-
Brass is yellow in color, and though leability, low cost and wide range
Abrasives. Coarse particles of nat- harder than either of its con- of patinas.
ural sands and synthetic materials stituents, it is appropriately mal-
used to scrape away irregularities leable for jewelry making. Cradle hinge. A
hinge in which
on a surface. The most common the individual knuckles are con-
form is sandpaper, properly called Brazing. High-temperature solder- tained in a trough, or cradle.
coated stock. ing that yields a particularly strong
joint. Cross pecn hammer. Any wedge-
Aluminum, A light-weight, silver- shaped hammer face. These are
colored metal used extensively in Bronze. Traditionally, an alloy of used to push the metal in con-
commercial applications, but sel- copper and tin widely used in cast- trolled directions when forging, riv-
dom in jewelry making. Aluminum ing. The term is often applied to eting, raising, and setting stones.
can be welded only with special brown-colored brasses.
equipment. In a process called an- Crown setting. A symmetrical
odizing, aluminum is given a tough Brooch. A pin in which the stem is prong setting that looks like a
porous coating that can be colored completely hidden when the object miniature crown.
with dyes. is being worn. See Fibula.
Cuttlefish. A marine animal
Annealing. The process of render- Burn out. The stage in the casting whose porous white skeleton is
ing metal more malleable by heat- process when heat is used to cure used as a mold in one kind of direct
ing it to a specific temperature. the mold and remove the model. casting.

Basket setting. Any stone setting Burnisher. A polished steel or Dapping block. A steel tool— typi-
characterized by an open grillwork stone tool used to polish metal. cally a cube— into which have been
around the lower part of the stone. cut various sizes of round hemi-
Buffing. The final stage of creating spherical depressions. It is used to
Bench pin. A wooden extension of a high polish, in which fine abra- form domes. The steel rods with
a jeweler’s bench against which fil- sives are rubbed against metal to matching domes on the ends are
ing, sawing and forming are done. smooth away minor surface irregu- called dapping punches.
larities. Buffing can be done with
Bezel. A wall of metal that sur- hand tools or machines, Depletion gilding. The process of
rounds a gemstone and secures it establishing a layer of pure metal
in place. Carat. A
unit of weight, originally on a piece by leaching out the base
determined by a carob seed, used metal components of the alloy. In
Bezel pusher. A short piece of in measuring gemstones. A carat the case of sterling, for example,
brass or steel set into a bulbous contains 100 points. Not to be con- acid (pickle) is used to remove the
handle and used to press a bezel fused with "karat.” copper from the alloy, creating a
down onto a gemstone. thin “skin” of fine (pure) silver.
Chamfer. A beveled edge.
Urawplate. A tool or iiardened
steel used to reduce wire in size,
Drawplates consist of a series of
funnel-shaped holes of diminishing Jenepfier
size, and can be purchased in many Burton,
shapes, such as round, half-round, Loving
square, and triangular. Spoonful No. 5
brooch.
18K, sterling,
Fibula. An ornamental and func-
pearl,
tional pin in which the mechanical
2V4 X 3".
elements (pinstem and catch) are
Photo by Robert
integral to the design. This ancient
Diamante.
format was the progenitor of the
common safety pin.

Findings. This broad term refers

to any element that contributes to
the wearabilit}'^ of a piece of jewel-
ry, such as pins, earwires and
chains.
Gold. An element long treasured Layout. The process of determin-
Firescalc. A "stain” of oxidized cop- for its ability to shine, resist corro- ing and marking out the elements
per that penetrates sterling and sion, and join. Pure gold is usually that will go into a piece of jewelry.
low-karat gold when the metal is alloyed with other metals, typically
overheated. silver and copper, to create tougher Liver of sulfur. Potassium sulfide,
materials of similar characteristics. a bad-smelling yellow compound
Flame types. A flame in which all mixed with water to make a solu-
available fuel is consumed and no Ingot. A massive
unit of metal, tion that will darken copper and
excess oxygen remains is called typicalljr cast as the first step in sterling.
''neutral” or "balanced." A fuel-rich creating sheet and wire of a more
flame is called “reducing" and an usable size. Lost wax casting.An ancient
oxygen-rich flame is called "oxidiz- process through which a wax repli-
ing." The former is bushy and often Investment, A plaster that con- ca is encased in a mold that is sub-
shows yelloiv fins; the latter is pale tains cristohalite to allow it to re- sequently cured, emptied and re-
blue and hissing. main solid at high temperatures. It filled with metal. This is a waste
is used to make molds in lost wax mold process, which means the
Flex shaft, A versatile studio tool casting. mold must be destroyed to recover
consisting of a precision high- the casting.
speed motor, a foot rheostat and a Japanese A
general term
alloys.
3-foot extension that allows manip- for alloys widely used in Japan, Mallet. A hammer-shaped tool of
ulation of the handpiece. It is used such as shibuishi, kuromido and a material that will not seriousl}'^
for drilling, grinding, sanding, carv- shakudo. These copper-based alloys mark metal. Mallets are made of
ing and polishing. are especially favored for their abil- plastic, leather, wood, paper and
ity to take striking and unusual horn.
Flux. A chemical employed during patina colors.
soldering to protect metal against Mandrel. A rigid tool, usually
the formation of oxides. Karat. A proportional unit used to steel, against which metal is
describe the purity of gold alloys. pressed or hammered to change its
Forging, The process of shaping Based on the number 24, gold al- shape. Mandrels are usually named
metal primarily through the use of loys can be described by the per- after their common use, as in bezel
a hammer. Most nonferrous metals centage of gold in a sample: 14 mandrel, ring mandrel and brace-
are forged at room temperature, karat, for instance, refers to the let mandrel.
while steel and iron are worked at fraction 14/ 24 or 58.5 percent gold.
,

red heat. A more scientific description, gain- Model making. The process of
ing in popularity and standard in creating exact replicas of designs,
Fusing. The technique of joining Europe, refers to parts per thou- typically in wax, for reproduction.
metals by melting them together. sand, for example, .585.
Needle files. A large family of nar- Respirator. A safety device that Sling casting. A low-tech method
row files ranging from about 3" to filters air before it is inhaled by of developing the centrifugal force
7" long. passing it thi'ough a chemically ac- needed to create precise castings in
tive cartridge. some metals.
Nickel silver, A
tough, corrosion-
resistant alloy of copper, zinc and Reticulation. A beat-based pro- Solder. An alloy of specific melting
nickel, formerly called “German cess that uses a discrepancy of point and surface tension used to
silver.” shrinkage rates to create a rich, join metals.
somewhat random, texture.
Patina. A colored coating on met- Sprues. The passageways that al-
al. Patinas can happen naturally Riftlers. Small files with teeth low molten metal to enter a mold
(as with green copper roofing) or only on the very tip, often with cavity during casting.
through careful application of . curved, unusual shapes that make
chemicals. them useful for tight corners. Also Stakes. Rigid forms, of
called escapement files. steel, against which metal is ham-
Pickle An acidic solution used to mered to create volumetric shapes
clean metal. Rivets. Mechanical connectors in a process called raising.
that join elements without the use
Piercing. Work done with a jewel- of heat. Stiimping. The technique of im-
er’s saw, particularly when cutting pressing shapes and textures
within a shape. Roll printing. A technique in through hardened tools called
which a rolling mill is used to im- punches.
Pitch. A slightly yielding sub- print textures and patterns under
stance used to support metal dur- great pressure. Steel. An alloy of iron and carbon.
ing repousse.
Rolling mill. A piece of equip- Tcibs. A cold connection in which
Planishing. The process of ment consisting of two parallel, fingers or strips of metal are bent
smoothing metal with polished hardened steel cylinders mounted over an element to secure it in
hammers. in a sturdy frame. place.

Prong settings. Stone mountings Rubber molds. These reusable Thrumming. The use of strings
in which “fingers” of metal secure molds are used to produce multiple and thongs coated with polishing
the gems. wax models for production lost wax compound to polish hard-to-reach
casting. areas.
Punches. Hardened steel tools
used to decorate, texture and form Sand casting. An ancient and still Upset. To pound metal down upon
metal. Punches are roughly the widely used casting method in itself as, for instance, when making
size of short pencils, and can be which moistened sand is packed rivets.
purchased or made in the studio. against a model to make a mold.
Vertigris, A poisonous green com-
Raising. Forcing metal into volu- Scoring. Removing metal to create pound of copper carbonate. Verti-
metric forms through the use of a groove along which metal is bent. gris is a popular patina on copper
hammers and stakes. and brass.
Silver. An clement known for its
Reactive metals. A family of light- purity, malleability and bright Work hardening. The characteris-
weight metals used in jewelry be- shine. Because pure silver is rela- ticof metals that causes them to
cause of their ability to take and re- tively soft, usuallv alloyed with
it is toughen through force such as
tain oxidation colors through con- a small amount of copper to make hammering, stretching, drawing,
trolled electric current. sterling. bending, rolling and compressing.

Repousse. An ancient process in Sinking. The proc;ess of pressing

which sheet metal is hammered metal into a form to create volume.
into contours from both the front
and the back.
Appendix H
Suppliers

Comprehensive Suppliers
Allcraft Jewelry vSupply
666 Pacific Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(800) 645-7124
(212) 840-1860

California Crafts Supply

1201 E. Ball Road
Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 774-4588
(71 4) 774-4450 fax

^V'illianlDixon Company
750 Washington Avenue
Carlstadt, NJ 07072
(800) 847-4188
(201 )
939-6700
Brent Williams, cuff bracelet. Sterling, cast and manipulated model part.
(201 )
939-50B7 fax

E. B. Fitler & Company

RD2, BOX176-B Indian Jewelers Supply
Paul II. Gesswein
Milton, DE
19968
Company Company
S'
(800) 346-2497 PO Box 1774
255 Hancock Avenue
(302) 684-1893 fax NM
Bridgeport, CT 06605-0936 Gallup, 87305
(800) 243-4466 (800) 545-6540
Forslcv's Jewelry Supply
(203) 366-5400 (505) 722-4451
210 S, Milwaukee Avenue
(203) 366-3953 fax (505) 722-4172 fax
Wheeling, IL 60090
gessweinco@aol.com
(847) 520-41 20 Rio Grande
(847) 520-4437 fax 7500 Bluewater Road NW
Gricgcr's Inc.
Forslev@aol.com
2830 E. Foothill Boulevard Albuquerque, NM 87121-1962
http:// members.aol.com/forslev/
Pasadena, CA 91107 (800) 545-6566
Catalog.htm
(800) 423-4181 (display packaging)
(81 8) 304-7690 (800) 443-6766
Otto Frci &' Jules Borcl (metal /gems/findings)
(818) 577-4751 fax
126 2nd Street
(505) 839-3000
Oakland, CA 94607
C. R. Hill Company (800) 648-3499 fax
(800) 722-3456 http;// www.riogrande.com
2734 West Eleven Mile Road
(800) 900-3734 fax
Berkley, MI 48072-3078
(510) 832-0355
(800) 521-1221
(510) 834-6217 fax
(313) 543-1555
http://www.ofrei.com
(313) 543-9104 fax
J.S. Ritter Hauser & Miller Company Billanti Casting Company
118 Preble Street 10950 Lin-Valle Drive 299 South 11th Street
Portland, ME 04101 St. Louis, MO 63123 New Hyde Park, NY 11040
(800) 962-1468 (800) 462-7447 (516) 775-4800
(207) 772-3822 (800) 535-3829 fax (51 6) 775-48339
jsritter@agate.net (314) 487-1311
http;//www.vrmedia.coiTi/jsritter (314) 487-0394 fax J. A. Henkel Company
1 4 Maine Street #7
Swest, Inc. Hoover Strong, Inc. PO Box 661
11090 N. Stemmons Freeway 10700 Trade Road Brunswick, ME 04011
Dallas, TX 75229 Richmond, VA 23236-3000 (207) 729-3599
(800) 527-5057 (800) 759-9997 (207) 729-3723 fax
(214) 247-7744 (800) 61 6-9997 fax
(800) 441-5162 fax (804) 794-3700 Larry Paul Casting
(804) 794-5687 740 Sansom Street #410
Norman A. Thomas Company hourgold@ix.netcom.com Philadelphia, PA 19106
742 N. Old Woodward Avenue (215) 928-1644
Birmingham, Ml 48009 Precious Metals West / Fine Gold (215) 574-1943 fax
(800) 642-7210 608 South Hill Street #407 Lpaul@aol.com
(810) 642-7212 Los Angeles, CA 90014
(810) 642-9630 fax (800) 689-4872
(213) 689-1654 fax
TSI, Inc. Daniel@Westworld.com Miscellaneous
101 Nickerson Street http://www.Paleoart.com/pmwest
PO Box 9266 Metalliferous, Inc.
Seattle, WA 98109 United Precious Metal Refining 34 West 46th Street
(800) 426-9984 2781 Townline Road New York, NY 10036-4520
(206) 282-3040 Alden, NY 14004
(212) 944-0909
(206) 281-8701 fax (800) 999-3463 (212) 944-0644 fax
(71 6) 683-8334
(800) 533-6657 fax Reactive Metals Studio
Refiners PO Box 890
Clarkdale, AZ 86324

Production Casting Companies (520) 634-3434

David H. Fell & Company (520) 634-6734 fax
6009 Bandini Boulevard reactive@sedona.net
City of Commerce, CA 90040-2904 Alpine Casting Company http:/ /www. callasser.com/ezecho/
(800) 822-1996 3122 Karen Place rins/rins.html
(213) 722-9992 Colorado Springs, CO 80907
(213) 722-6567 fax (800) 365-2278 Microstamp Corporation
(719) 442-0711 fax 2770 E. Walnut Steet
Eastern Smelting and Refining Pasadena, CA 91107
37-39 Bubier Street Art-Tech Casting Company (800) 243-3543
Lynn, MA 01 901 3894 Scottsville Road (81 8) 793-9489
(800) 343-0914 Scottsville, NY 14546 (81 8) 793-9491 fax
(617) 599-9000 (800) 418-9970
(617) 598-4880 fax (716) 889-9187
(716) 889-9187 fax
Appendix I

Centrifugal or Lost Wax Casting

Murray Bovin
Bovin, Forest Hills, NY
1971, rev. 1977 Efharis
Alepedis,
Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains ring.

J.R. Stark and J.R. Smith Sterling.

Chapman &' Hall, New York, NY 3x1x1".

1996

Coloring, Bronzing and

Patination of Metals
Hughes and Rowe
Watson-Guptill, New York, NY
1982

The Complete Metalsmith

Tim McCreight
Davis Publications, Worcester, MA
1982, rev. 1991

Design and Creation of Jewelry

Robert vonNeumann
Chilton Publishers, Radnor, PA
1961, rev. 1972, 1989 Jewelry: Contemporary Design Practical Jewelry Rendering
and Technique Tim McCreight
Jeweler's Bench Reference Chuck Evans Brynmorgen Press,
Harold O'Connor Davis Publications, Worcester, MA Cape Elizabeth, ME
Dunconnor Books, Salida, CO 1983 1995
1977
Metal Tfcchniques for Craftsmen Professional Goldsmithing
Jewelry: Concepts and Oppi Untracht Alan Revere
Thchnology Doubleday, New York, NY Revere Academy Books,
Oppi Untracht 1968 San Francisco, CA
Doubleday, New York, NY 1991
1 982 Practical Casting
Tim McCreight
Brynmorgen Press,
Cape Elizabeth, ME
1986
Abrasives 52-56, 58, 134 Drawing wire 15 Mallets 135
Acids 39 Drawplates 1 5, 1 35 Mandrels 135
Adhesives 51 Drilling 12 Measuring tools 8, 9, 129
Alcohol lamp 107 Melting points of solder 36
Alloy 119-121, 131 Epoxy 51 Metallurgy 33,119-121
Aluminum 134 Etruscan chain 92-95 Modelmaking 107-109, 116, 135
Annealing 15, 18, 119, 127, 134 Motors 57-59
Files and filing 13-15
Bails 87 findings 84-91, 135 Nailhead rivets 49
Basket setting 82, 134 Fire scale 135 Needle files 14, 136
Bench pin 11 ,
134 Flame types 135 Nickel silver 121, 136
Bezels 70-78, 134 Flex shaft 58
Bezel pusher 74, 134 Flux 34-35, 124, 135 Oxide prevention 34-36
Binding wire 39 Forging 20-21, 135
Bobbing 55 Fusing 32-22, 135 Patinas 62-67
Book list 39 1 Pedestal prong setting 80-83
Box catch 34 1 Gallerv wire 70
•uf
Pick soldering 37
Brass 21-22, 120-121, 134 Gemstones 68-70 Pickle 39-41, 136
Brazing 33,134 Goggles 12, 123 Piercing 11-12, 79, 136
Bronze 34 1 Grades of solder 36 Pins 84-86
Brooches 84-86, 134 Green patina 66 Pitch 136
Buffing 57-61, 134 Planishing 20-21, 136
Burn out 107, 114-115, 134 Hammers 20 Plating 40-41
Burnishing 56-57 Hardening steel 127-128 Polishing 57-61
Button 110 Health and safety 39, 57, 65, 111, 114, Polishing sticks 56
116, 122-124 Prong settings 78-83, 1 36
Chains 90-97 Hinges 99-101 l^imice 53
Chasing 25-26, 134 II old i
ng d e vices 3 8-39 Punches 24-28, 127-128, 136
Chip soldering 36 Puzzle inlay 30
Clasps 87-90 Ingots 102-103, 125-126, 135
Coloring (oxidation) 62-66 Investment 107, 110-114, 135 Reactive metals 1 36
Collar bezel 75-76 Investment soldering 39 Reducing flame 115, 125
Comparative sizes 33 1 Repousse 26-28, 136
Comparative weights 131-133 Japanese alloys 135 Respirators 57, 59, 123, 136
Conversions 130, 132, 133 Jump rings 90-91 Reticulation 29-30, 136
Copper 120-121, 134 Rifflers 14, 136
Cross peen 20, 134 Kum boo 31 Rivets 43-49, 136
Crown setting 79-80, 134 Roll printing 21-24, 136
Cuttlefish 103-106, 134 Lamination inlay 31, 40 Roman chain 92-95
Lavout 9, 10, 135
Dapping 17, 134 Liver of sulfur 65-66, 135 S-Hook 88
Depletion gilding 31,40, 134 Loop-in-loop chain 92-95 Safety information 39, 57, 65, 111, 114,
Disappearing rivets 48 Lost wax casting 106-116, 135 116, 122-124
Diffusion 32-22
Sanding sticks 54
Sawing 10-12
Sawblade chart 10
Scoring 17-18, 136
Scratch brush 57
Sealing patinas 66-67
Setting procedures 70-76, 80-83
Silver 120, 131, 136
Solder and soldering 33-41, 136
Solder blocks 32
Solder inlav 24-25
Specific gravity chart 110, 131
Sprues 104, 107, 109-110, 136
Staples 43-44
Stamping 24-25, 136
Steel 127, 131
Sterling 120
Studio equipment 129
Sweat soldering 37
Angelina J. Verni, neckpiece (detail). Bronze and rubber.
T-Bar clasp 88-90
Tabs 43, 136
Temperature conversion 130
Textures 20-22, 26, 28-30
Threaded connections 50-51
Thrumming 54, 136
Tube rivets 48-49
Tube setting 77
Tweezers 38
Tube making 98-99

Vertigris 66, 136

Wax 67, 107-109

White diamond 55
Wire 15-16, 126
Wire soldering 36
Work harde ning 119, 139
Woven chains 95-97
Kiff Slemmons,
Isinglasses for
Mica Man
neckpiece.
Sterling, mica,
10 X 8”.

Photo by Rod
Slemmons.
Acknowledgments

rd like to thank all the talented designers who have allowed us to include
their work here. Bravo, and continued good wishes to each of them. I’d also
like to thank Frank Lewis and the staff of Metalsmith magazine, who gen-
erously opened their photo archives to me. Robert Diamante deserves
thanks not only for his rich photographs, but for the genial and gracious
support he has contributed throughout. I’d also like to thank Katie Kazan at

Hand Books Press, whose precision editing is matched only by her unflap-
pable good humor.

T.M.

Maine, April 1997

JEWELRY
Fundamentals of Metalsmithing