Basics of Jewelry Making

8/13/2019 Basics of Jewelry Making

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the

basicsof jewelry making

a h a n d b o o k o f e s

s e n t i a l t e c h n i q u e sf o r w o r k in g w it h m e t a ls , p o ly m e r c la y , a n d m e t a l c la y

2013618163

a supplement to Art Jewelry magazine


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CONTENTSSAFETY BASICS .........................................3

METALWORKING TECHNIQUES ......4Sawing ...................................................................4Piercing .................................................................5Making your own twisted wire ..........5Making your own jump rings .............5Annealing ............................................................6Soldering .............................................................6Marking and cutting solder .................6

Sweat soldering .............................................7Making a bezel ................................................7Soldering findings to jewelry .............8Pickling and cleaning ................................8Finishing ...............................................................9 Sanding ..............................................................9 Finishes ..............................................................9 Satin finish ................................................9 Tumble polish ........................................9

High polish ...............................................9 Liver of sulfur patina .........................9

POLYMER CLAY TECHNIQUES .......10Conditioning polymer clay ................10Creating a Skinner blend .....................10

METAL CLAY TECHNIQUES ..............11Using metal clay ..........................................11Drying metal clay ........................................11

Making your own paste and slip ....11Repairing breaks ........................................12 Unfired pieces ............................................12 Fired pieces ..................................................12Firing metal clay .........................................12 Torch-firing ...................................................12 Stovetop-firing ..........................................13

GLOSSARY ..................................................14

DO:

Wear eye protection at all times when working with metals andmetalsmithing tools.

Wear a dust mask when working with materials and tools that generateparticulates.

Work in a well-ventilated area at all times.Wear protective gloves when handling caustic materials or chemicals.

Wear a nonflammable apron to protect your clothing. Tie back long hair.Read all Manufacturer Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) before using a new material,

and keep a copy of the MSDS for any material you use.

DONT:

Wear open-toed shoes. Dropped tools or hot metal could cause injury.Wear loose sleeves, scarves, or other clothing that could get caught in

machinery or catch fire.Wear long chains or bracelets that might get caught in machinery.

Use tools or chemicals in ways that are contrary to the manufacturersintended purpose.

safety

basics

a r t j e w e l r y m a g . c o m 3


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4 A r t J e w e l r y BASICS

metalworking techniquesSAWING

To thread a saw blade, insert the blade, with the teethof the blade facing down and away from the handle,into the top wing nut of the saw frame, and tighten thewing nut [1] . Place the handle in the hollow of yourshoulder, and apply pressure to the saw frame againstyour bench pin [2] . Maintaining pressure, insert thebottom of the saw blade into the wing nut closest tothe handle, and tighten the wing nut.

The blade should be taut and should make a high-

pitched ping when plucked with your thumbnail. Ifyou get a dull sound, reinstall your blade while puttingpressure on the saw frame. Lubricate the blade withbeeswax.

When sawing, sit in an erect posture with the top ofyour workbench at upper-chest level [3] . Slouching orhaving your work too low causes back and wrist strainand leads to broken saw blades.

To saw, grip the saw frame loosely in your hand. Use

long, smooth motions, using as much of the blade aspossible. The blade will work best when itsperpendicular to the metal [4] . Putting excessivepressure on the saw frame will make you work harder. Turn corners by sawing in place while turning the metal;trying to turn the saw will break the blade.

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MAKING YOUR OWN TWISTED WIRE

Bend round wire in half lengthwise, and clamp the ends in a vice. Use a hook installed intoyour flex shaft to hold the bend. Pull the wire taut, and gently apply speed with the footrheostat. Work slowly, as the spinning hook will quickly twist your wire.

PIERCING

Use a center punch and mallet to create ashallow dimple in the section of the metal youwant to remove [1] . Place the metal on a piece ofwood. Secure the metal with aclamp, and drill a hole using thedimple as a guide [2] .

Remove one end of the sawblade from the saw frame. Slidethe blade through the hole inthe metal, then reinsert theblade into the frame, and tighten[3] . Saw out the inside section of

the metal. Remove one end ofthe blade from the saw frame toremove the metal piece.

MAKING YOUR OWN JUMP RINGS

Select a wooden dowel with a diameter thatmatches the inside diameter of the jump ringsyou want to make. Drill a hole through one endof the dowel. Insert the end of the wire into thehole to anchor it to the dowel. Wrap the wirearound the dowel, keeping the coils tight againstone another [1] .

Cut the wire at the end that anchors the spring. Slide the springto the opposite end of the dowel.

Secure the dowel against the V notch in your bench pin, and usea jewelers saw with a 2/0 blade to cut a shallow, vertical slot at theend of the dowel to guide your blade as you cut the spring.

Hold the spring and dowel with your nondominant hand. Sawthrough the top of the spring, feeding the spring toward the slot inthe dowel [2] . Be careful not to cut the jump rings in half.

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MARKING AND CUTTING SOLDER To prevent confusing your wire solderwith regular silver wire, use this standardpractice: Bend hard solder once, becauseit should be the first solder used in aproject. Bend medium solder twice, andbend easy solder three times [1] . Placeyour finger over the well of the wirecutters while youre clipping pallions tokeep them from flying off [2] .

SOLDERING

All metal must be clean for solder to flow. Clean the metal by sanding it with 400-grit sand-paper. Surfaces must be in complete contact with each other for solder to flow solder willnot fill holes or gaps. Flux all metal to be soldered to prevent oxidation and to help solderflow. Heat the entire piece, not just the solder. Keep the torch moving in a circular motion.

If there is more than one solder join in a piece, solder the first one using hard solder, thesecond using medium solder, and the third using easy solder, as hard solder has the highest

melting point and easy solder has the lowest. To keep the solder in a previous join or joinsfrom flowing when you heat the metal again, apply an anti-flux to those areas.

During soldering, the solder will flow to where the heat is the greatest. If your solder isflowing in the wrong direction, adjust the direction of your flame.

Once the solder flows, quench the piece in water, and place it in a pickle solution toremove oxidation and flux residue. Rinse the piece in clean water.

ANNEALING

Annealing restores malleability to work-hardened metal. Place the metal on a soldering pad,flux it, and heat it with a torch. When the metal has a dull, rose-colored glow, it is annealed.Quench the metal in water, and then soak it in pickle to remove oxides and flux residue.

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MAKING A BEZEL

Use bezel wire to tightly encirclethe edge of a cabochon,allowing the ends of the bezelwire to overlap [1] . Use flushcutters to cut through the bezelwire where it overlaps [2] . Bringthe ends of the bezel wiretogether with no gaps, and place it on the solderingpad. Flux the bezel wire, place a small pallion of hardsolder on the join, and then heat the entire bezel wirewith a soft, bushy flame until the solder flows.

Remove the heat, then quench the bezel in water.Soak the bezel in pickle, then rinse and dry. Test thefit of your bezel by pushing the cabochon throughthe bezel from either side; the fit should be verysnug. If the bezel is too large, cut the seam (removingthe old solder), and resolder. If the bezel is too small,stretch the bezel wire on a mandrel, or start over.

Solder the bezel to a back plate by fluxing both

SWEAT SOLDERING

Apply flux to both metal pieces you want to join. Place thesmaller piece on a soldering pad. Heat the piece until the fluxbecomes a white crust. Place solder pallions on the smaller metal

piece and heat until the solder flows [1] . With soldering tweezers,quickly position the smaller metal piece, solder-side down, on thelarger piece. Heat both piecesfrom above and below until thesolder melts again [2] . A brightline of silver may appear at theedge where the two metalpieces meet, or the smaller metalpiece may slightly drop down to

indicate that the solder hasreflowed. Remove the heat, andquench the piece in water.

When using sheet solder, use a scribeto scratch the letter of the solders gradecompletely over both sides of the sheet. To cut the solder, fray one side of thesheet with solder scissors [3] , and thenplace your finger over the ends and cutacross the fray [4] .

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PICKLING AND CLEANING

Use copper tongs to put the piece in pickle, as stainless steel will cause a copper plating ofother metals in the pickle. Leave until the flux dissolves, about 5 minutes. Clean with a brassbrush and soapy water. Rinse and dry.

SOLDERING FINDINGS TO JEWELRY

Paint the finding with an anti-flux [1] and allow it to dry. Sweat easy solder onto the findings [2] . Flux the pieceand the findings. Place the findings where you wantthem attached. Heat from above and below until thesolder flows [3] . Quench the piece, and pickle. Test thefinding to make sure it is secure and did not solder shut.

Alternatively, place the fluxed finding on the piece,and heat until the flux becomes a white crust. Place

pallions ofsolder so theytouch the baseof each finding,and heat from

above andbelow until thesolder flows.

parts and placing the solder pallions so that they touchboth surfaces [3] . Heat the back plate with a soft, bushyflame until the solder melts, then quench the bezel cupin water. If the entire bezel is not soldered to the backplate, pickle it to remove any flux residues, rinse and drythe bezel cup, and then resolder. Press the cabochoninto the bezel with a piece of thread or dental flossbehind it to test the fit [4] . If the bezel overshadows thestone, use the floss or thread to pop the cabochon out ofthe bezel. Reduce the height of the bezel by sanding thebezel facedown with a figure 8 motion on a piece ofsandpaper placed on a flat surface.

Place the cabochon in the bezel. View the bezel like

the face of a clock, and, using a burnisher or bezel rocker,gently push the bezel down onto the stone, first at 12:00,then in opposition at 6:00. Repeat at the 3:00 and 9:00positions [5] . Work around the stone, pushing the bezeldown with opposing moves to keep the stone centeredand to keep the bezel from getting pleated. Smooth thepushed bezel with the burnisher by rubbing around theouter edges with a consistent pressure. Place maskingtape over the stone to protect it, and use a pink rubber

wheel on a flex shaft to polish the bezel.

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FINISHING

SANDING To remove scratches from metal, use a series of sandpapers, starting with a coarse grit andprogressing to finer grits. A 220-grit sandpaper is good to begin with; progress through 320,400, 600, and up to 1200 grit or higher, depending on the finish you desire.

FINISHES:Satin finishSand the metal with progressively finer sandpapers up to 600 grit. Use soapy water and abrass brush to lightly rub the metal. Alternatively, lightly rub with a piece of fine steel wool.

Tumble polishSand the metal with progressively finer-grit sandpapers up

to 600 grit. Place 1 lb. (454g) of stainless steel shot into thetumblers barrel. Pour in water to cover the shot, then add apinch of burnishing compound. Place your jewelry in thetumbler and seal the barrel. Turn on the tumbler, and let itrun for 23 hours. Pour the contents of the tumbler into asieve over a sink, and rinse with cool water. Remove your jewelry and dry it. Dry the shot before storing it.

High polish

Sand the metal with progressively finer grits up to 1200 grit. Use a flex shaft or a buffingmachine with a fabric wheel attachment, or buff. Jewelers polishing compounds areapplied to the buff. Each compound should be applied only to a dedicated buff. The twomost common types of compound are tripoli, which removes fine scratches, and rouge,which polishes the metal. Rinse the metal in soapy water to remove polishing-compoundresidue before moving on to the next compound.

Liver of sulfur patinaPolish your piece beforepatinating. If you tumble-polishyour piece after patinating, reservethe used shot for future patinatedpieces; the liver of sulfur residue willcontaminate other pieces.

Oil and dirt on the piece canaffect the patina; use a degreasingsoap to clean the metal before

patinating.Prepare a liver of sulfur solution according to the manufacturers

instructions. Dip the metal in the solution for a few seconds, thenrinse the metal in cool water to stop the chemical reaction. For a darkerpatina, continue to dip and rinse the metal. Use a brass brush with soapywater to remove or modify the patina. By using different temperatures andamounts of water to make the liver of sulfur solution, you can achieve differentcolors of patina; experiment to find the result you prefer.


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polymer clay techniques

CREATING A SKINNER BLEND

Run two different colors of clay through the pastamachine separately. Cut each slab into a rectangle. Cuteach rectangle diagonally to make two triangles of eachcolor. Fit a triangle of the first color next to a triangle ofthe second color so that the diagonal edges meet [1] .Run the bicolored rectangle through the pasta machineonce or twice to fuse the seam.

Fold the slab in half, bringing the short edgestogether [2] . Run the slab through the pasta machinethree to four times, folded-edge first [3] . Repeat steps 2and 3 five times until the colors begin to make a smoothgradation [4] .

CONDITIONING POLYMER CLAY

All polymer clay must be conditioned to some degreebefore you work with it. To prepare the stiffer clays forconditioning, prewarm them by placing the unopenedpackages of clay on a heating pad set to low or in a sealedplastic bag in a bowl of warm water.

To condition clay by hand, roll the clay in a ball, flattenit, and roll it into a snake. Fold the snake in half, twist it,and roll it into a ball again [1] . Repeat until the clay is softand pliable.

Polymer clay can also be conditioned with a pasta

machine dedicated to nonfood use. Adjust themachine to its thickest setting, flatten one endof the clay, and run it through the machine [2] .Fold the sheet of clay in half, and run it throughthe machine again, fold-side first. Use a needletool to puncture any air pockets that form, foldthe clay, and run it through the machine again.Continue to fold and run the clay through themachine until the clay is soft and pliable.

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metal clay techniquesUSING METAL CLAY

Metal clay dries rapidly, so remove only the amountyou will use during a given work session. Store unusedclay in an airtight container with a small piece of moistsponge or paper towel. Cover clay with plastic wrapwhile you are not working with it. Use a spray bottle toremoisten clay if it begins to dry out.

Apply olive oil or hand balm to your hands, tools,and work surface to prevent theclay from sticking. To roll clay outto a uniform thickness, place it

between two even stacks ofplaying cards or between twostrips of mat board [1] . Roll theclay with an acrylic roller or PVCtube, rotate the clay 90 degrees,and roll it again.

Clay can be cut with a tissueblade or craft knife and piercedwith a needle tool [2] .

DRYING METAL CLAY

Metal clay can be air-dried orplaced on a mug warmer toshorten the drying time [1] . Alternatively, place the clay in afood dehydrator dedicated tononfood use.

To check the moisturecontent of metal clay, place the piece on a sheet of glass. After 15 seconds, lift the clay fromthe glass. Any condensation on the glass indicates that the clay contains moisture [2] . Donot fire the clay until it is completely dry.

MAKING YOUR OWN PASTE AND SLIP

Collect dried, unfired clay scraps and filings, and

place them on a glass work surface. Using a tissueblade or razor blade, chop the clay into a fine powder[1] . Add some water, and use a plastic or stainlesssteel palette knife to blend the mixture into a thickpaste [2] . For a slip consistency, add a little morewater, and blend again. Store the paste or slip in asmall, airtight container.

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FIRING METAL CLAY

You can fire metal clay in a kiln, with a butane torch, on a gasstovetop, in a hot pot, or with a propane-fueled outdoor stove.Follow the metal clay manufacturers instructions for firing

temperatures and times. Fired metal clay appears white because tinysilver particles protrude from the surface. Burnishing the surfacecompresses the particles so that the metal reflects light and appearsshiny. Burnish your piece with a stainless steel brush or a brass brushwith soapy water.

TORCH FIRING

Place the unfired metal claypiece in the middle of a firingbrick [1] . Hold the torch at a 45angle, 2 in. (5.1cm) from thepiece [2] . You will see a smallamount of smoke and flame [3] ,and then the piece willturn white. Keep thetorch moving over the

piece until you see thepiece glow. When the piece turns a peach color, beginto time the sintering cycle. Firing time ranges from 1to 5 minutes, depending on the weight of the piece(see chart, opposite ). Increase or decrease the distanceof the torch from the metal clay piece, depending onwhether the color intensifies or fades. If the piecebegins to look shiny or if you see sparks, the piece is

REPAIRING BREAKS

UNFIRED PIECES

Set aside the broken pieces until they are completelydry. Use a fine-tip paintbrush to draw a thin line ofwater along the broken edges. Dip the paintbrush inslip, and apply a bead of slip along the break. Pressthe pieces together, and set them aside to drycompletely. Add additional layers of slip until the joinis no longer visible. Smooth imperfections with amoist, fine-tip paintbrush.

FIRED PIECESUse Art Clay Silver Oil Paste to repair breaks in fired clay.Follow the manufacturers instructions for applicationand firing.

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Torch- and stovetop-firing times Weight (grams) Time (minutes) 15 1 610 1 1115 2 1620 23 2125 34

STOVETOP FIRING

Place a piece of stainless steel mesh on thegrate over the gas burner. Make sure it is

stable. Turn on the gas to its highest setting,and observe the mesh for the hottest areas[1] . Turn off the burner and allow the mesh toreturn to normal color. Using tweezers, placethe unfired metal clay piece on one of theareas that glowed the hottest [2] . Turn on theheat again to its highest setting. Watch tomake sure the clay binders burn off and thepiece glows appropriately (as described inTorch-firing, opposite ). Adjust the flame ifnecessary. When the proper glow is reached,continue heating for the firing time (seechart, below ). After the cycle is complete,turn off the burner. Leave the pieceuntouched for at least 20 minutes, and allowit to cool completely before handling it.

near the melting point; pull the torch fartheraway from the piece. At the end of thesintering cycle, use tweezers to move yourpiece to the cooler edge of the firing brick,and allow it to cool completely [4].

Metal clay pieces must be under25 grams in weight and thesize of a United States silverdollar or smaller in order tobe torch-fired. You cannottorch-fire pieces if the maincomponent is sheet or paperclay. Torch-firing pieces that

are formed around cork claycan create open flames andcan be hazardous.

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glossaryALLOY A mixture of twoor more metallic elements

ANNEALING Heatingwork-hardened metal torestore malleability

BEZEL A strip of flat wirethat surrounds andsecures a stone or otherobject

CANE A length ofpolymer clay composedof colored rods that arepositioned to create adesign; the cane is slicedhorizontally to revealpatterns

CHASING Using ahammer and steel tools torecess and/or reshapemetal from the front

CONDITIONING Prepar-ing polymer clay to makeit pliable

CONVECTION OVEN Anoven that uses forced aircirculation

ENGRAVING Using steeltools to remove bits ofmetal

ETCHING Using acid toremove areas of metal toform a pattern

FIRE To heat an item untilall moisture is gone andthe item becomespermanently hard

FIRESCALE A surface

layer of cupric oxide thatforms when copper-bearing alloys are heated

FLUX Chemicals thatprevent oxides fromforming when metal isheated

FUSING Heating twopieces of metal close totheir melting points so

they bondGAUGE A unit of measuredescribing the thicknessof wire or metal; a toolused in measurement

LAMINATE To super-impose layers of differentmaterials

LIVER OF SULFURPotassium sulfide;dissolved in water tocreate a patina on metal

MARBLEIZING Combin-ing colors of polymer clayto produce a pattern thatresembles marble

OXIDIZATION Metal

becoming tarnished ordarkened by exposure tooxygen or by the use ofchemicals

PATINA Surface filmcreated on metal for acolored or darkenedfinish; often used to maketexture stand out

PICKLE A chemicalsolution that removesflux residue and oxidesfrom metal; also, to dipsomething in pickle

PIERCING Using a jewelers saw to cutshapes from the interiorof a sheet of metal

QUENCH To quickly coolhot metal in liquid

REDUCE To shrink adesign to a smaller size;make a polymer canesmaller without distortion

REPOUSS A techniqueto create a design in reliefby using a hammer and

steel tools to shape metalfrom the back side

RETICULATION A textureon metal achieved byheating it with a torch

SINTER To treat particlesof metal clay so they fusetogether

SKINNER BLEND Colorsof polymer clay combinedin a smooth gradation

SLIP A liquid mixturecomposed of water andclay

SOLDER/SOLDERING Alower-melting-point alloyof the same metal as the

workpiece; when heated,solder flows into thespaces between twopieces of metal, forming abond

TEMPER (also MALLEABILITY ) The hardness of wire andmetal. Jewelry-makingwire comes in threetempers: hard, half-hard,and dead-soft. Bending ortumbling metal will work-harden it.

TORCH An open-flameheat source that canproduce temperatureshigher than the meltingpoint of the metal beingused. Simple one-part

torches use compressedgas and atmosphericoxygen; more complextorches combinecompressed gas andcompressed oxygen toreach highertemperatures.

2013, Kalmbach Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Art Jewelry is a registeredtrademark. This book may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written

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Basics of Jewelry Making