Copper Jewelry Collection: Versatile Projects to Expand Your Skills 9781627000482, 9781627000499, 1627000488

Table of contents :
Contents
Introduction
TECHNIQUES
Easy Air Chasing
Enamel Sgraffito
Copper Coloring
Ammonia-and-Salt Patina
Layer Colored Pencil
Three Wire Weaves
Easy Etching
Acid Free Etching
PROJECTS
Foldform Mini Stars
Design & Build a Bracelet
Woven Window
Simple Hammered Cuff
Absolutely Riveting
Two-Tone Bangle
Riveting on a Curve
Tapered Viking Knit
Tough Cuff
Braided Bracelet
BASICS REVIEW
CONTRIBUTORS

Citation preview

Achieve warm and rich results with this inexpensive and versatile material Expand Your Skills form metal by air chasing apply enamel etch original designs add vibrant color weave and crochet with wire

EARRINGS, BRACELETS, NECKLACES, & MORE

MASTERFUL TECHNIQUES AND STUNNING PROJECTS FROM NOTEWORTHY ARTISTS

COPPER JEWELRY COLLECTION

Metalworking with Copper

Copper Jewelry Collection Compiled by Karin Van Voorhees

Mona Clee Vicki Cook Wendy Edsell-Kerwin Jill Erickson Kaska Firor Deborah Francis Angela Gerhard Joanna Gollberg Pat Gullett Amy Haftkowycz Mary Hettmansperger Ron Pascho Richard Salley Judy Freyer Thompson

67024

U.S. $19.99 CAN $20.99

ISBN 978-1-62700-048-2

51999

9

781627 000482

0

64465 16724

VAN VOORHEES

Stephanie Riger

Versatile projects to expand your skills

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Copper Jewelry Collection Versatile projects to expand your skills

COMPILED BY KARIN VAN VOORHEES

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Kalmbach Books 21027 Crossroads Circle Waukesha, Wisconsin 53186 www.Kalmbach.com/Books © 2014 Kalmbach Books All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review, this book may not be reproduced in part or in whole by electronic means or otherwise without written permission of the publisher. All photography © 2014 Kalmbach Books except where otherwise noted. The jewelry designs in Copper Jewelry Collection are the copyrighted property of the artists, and they may not be taught or sold without permission. Please use them for your education and personal enjoyment only. Please follow appropriate health and safety measures when working with materials and equipment. Some general guidelines are presented in this book, but always read and follow manufacturers’ instructions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented; however, the publisher is not responsible for any injuries, losses, or other damages that may result from the use of the information in this book. Published in 2014 18 17 16 15 14 1 2 3 4 5 Manufactured in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62700-048-2 EISBN: 978-1-62700-049-9 The material in this book has appeared previously in Art Jewelry magazine. Art Jewelry is registered as a trademark. Editor: Karin Van Voorhees Book Design: Kelly Katlaps Illustrator: Kellie Jaeger Photographers: William Zuback and James Forbes Library of Congress Control Number: 2014912028

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Contents Introduction .......................................................4 TECHNIQUES .........................................................5 Easy Air Chasing

Wendy Edsell-Kerwin ..........................................................6

Enamel Sgraffito

Angela Gerhard ............................................................... 10

Copper Coloring

Pat Gullett ........................................................................ 18

Ammonia-and-Salt Patina Layer Colored Pencil Three Wire Weaves Easy Etching

Judy Freyer Thompson ................................. 22

Jill L. Erickson............................................................ 24 Kaska Firor ................................................................... 28

Mona Clee ................................................................................. 31

Acid Free Etching

Ron Pascho ..................................................................... 34

PROJECTS..................................................................... 39 Foldform Mini Stars

Judy Freyer Thompson.............................................. 40

Design & Build a Bracelet Woven Window

Deborah Francis ............................................. 43

Mary Hettmansperger ...................................................... 48

Simple Hammered Cuff Absolutely Riveting

Amy Haftkowycz ............................................... 52

Joanna Gollberg ........................................................ 56

Two-Tone Bangle

Vicki Cook ....................................................................... 60

Riveting on a Curve

Richard Salley............................................................. 65

Tapered Viking Knit

Vickie Cook ................................................................. 71

Tough Cuff

Stephanie Riger ........................................................................... 76

Braided Bracelet

Kaska Firor ........................................................................ 80

BASICS REVIEW .................................................. 86 CONTRIBUTORS ................................................. 94

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Introduction ONCE RELEGATED TO PRACTICE SCRAP, copper now shines in jewelry making. Not only is it economical, but it’s easy to work with, it ages beautifully, and it’s forgiving. Given the increasing number of artists choosing to work in copper—and the popular reception for copper jewelry among students and customers—we thought a collection of favorite copper projects was in order. We’ve scoured the pages of Art Jewelry for the best examples of metalworking with copper and present them here for your easy reference.

“ Options abound

with copper: Create lustrous

Techniques

patina, layer

The collection begins with technique-focused instruction. Whether creating a unique shape using air chasing or foldforming, adding texture and pattern with etching, or enhancing copper’s orange glow with a custom patina or colorful finish, you’ll learn all about the best techniques first. Some lessons are taught while you create a piece of jewelry and others can be learned with scrap or applied to something you’ve already made. All the techniques in this section transfer to future jewelry projects you may undertake, so imagine the possibilities as you master the basics. Need a quick refresher on metalworking techniques not covered in the project instruction? Refer to the Basics Review section at the end of the book for a handy reference for most common skills. Suggested topics to review appear at the beginning of every project to help you prepare before you get to work.

bold colors,

Projects

form rugged textures, or weave intricate patterns with confidence.

”

The second half of the book is dedicated to beautiful copper jewelry projects. Weave or crochet with wire, create a structural piece with copper sheet and rivets, and explore working with mixed materials as you create stunning necklaces, bold bracelets, dainty earrings, and more. The rich and creative projects in this collection are loaded with expert advice and tips. Detailed instruction and close-up photography help ensure your success.

Artists We are fortunate to have worked with leading metal jewelry artists over the years and are pleased to share their work with you. Please take time to read about their accomplishments at the end of the book, and visit their respective websites to view more of their stunning work.

Karin Van Voorhees Compiling Editor

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Techniques BKS-67024-01.indd 5

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Beginner Review: Annealing, Foldforming, Finishing

ARTIST WENDY EDSELLKERWIN

Easy

Air Chasing

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TRADITIONAL CHASING AND REPOUSSÉ TECHNIQUES

materials

date back to the Bronze Age. With such techniques, the metal is set over a material, such as pitch or wax, to support the metal and keep it in place while it is shaped with various tools. Precise and intricate designs can be formed this way, but it is time consuming, hard on your hands, and it can get messy. I find it too impractical to use in much of my work. Charles Lewton-Brain, the man who invented foldforming, also developed a faster way of chasing—chasing over air. Instead of using pitch, you use the work-hardened areas of your metal to support your form while you chase it. LewtonBrain says that you can achieve designs just as precise as

Copper or other nonferrous metal sheet: 28–22 gauge (0.32–0.6mm), dead-soft

toolboxes Hammering Finishing

additional tools & supplies Chasing tools Dapping punches or sinking hammer Raising or riveting hammer Bench vise with grip covers or Delrin blocks Bench knife Torch and fire-resistant surface Metal shears or jeweler’s saw with appropriate size blade (optional) Bracelet mandrel (optional)

those made through traditional chasing, but I find that chasing over air lends itself to producing more organic and freeform designs.

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2

Tools

Forming the metal

Use a variety of tools: chasing tools for texture or more complex designs; dapping punches, a sinking hammer, or the ball peen of a chasing hammer for rounder, more organic shapes; and raising or riveting hammers for texturing the ridges [1]. Hold your metal in a bench vise while you work it. If you do not want texture on the legs of your metal form, cover the jaws of the vise with metal sheet, or use Delrin blocks.

Use metal that has been annealed, or anneal (Basics Review) the metal. Form the metal sheet into a T fold, wedge fold, or boat fold (see “Foldforming,” p. 9). These shapes create the air cushion used to form the metal. Place the legs of the folded metal into the jaws of the vise, and tighten the vise to prevent shifting.

My sample is a 3x6-in. (76x152mm) piece of 24-gauge (0.5mm) red brass in a wedge fold [2]. Copper Jewelry Collection

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3

4

5

7 Chase the metal. Slightly flatten the loop of metal using a rawhide or plastic mallet. Use a chasing hammer (or a large dapping punch) to get some initial shapes into the sides of the metal form [3].

It is important to start with the sides of the air cushion close to the vise to slightly work-harden the metal and give your form support, otherwise your air cushion will flatten too fast. After forming the initial pattern, use chasing tools and punches in different sizes to create diversity in the pattern. As you work, ridges will begin to develop between the dapped areas [4].

6

8 to hammer across the ridges, creating a lacy pattern throughout [5]. Anneal the metal. If your metal becomes too work-hardened, or if you are done chasing, anneal the metal to soften it again. Quench the metal, pickle it to remove any oxides, rinse it, and dry it. Once the metal is annealed, you can continue to chase it or you can begin finishing.

When you pickle the metal, make sure that the pickle doesn’t get trapped in any tight spaces; acid will eat through the metal over time. To prevent this, rinse and dry the metal thoroughly.

Finishing the piece Add details and texture. Use chasing tools or the cross peen on a raising or riveting hammer to add different textures and/or details to your piece. I like

Open the metal. Once you are satisfied with your chased pattern and have annealed your metal, you will need to open it back up. Pry apart the edges of the

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Open side

foldforming

Fold edge

Table

Fold edge

Fold edge Fold edge

Foldforming is a technique in which metal sheet is folded, worked with tools, and then unfolded. Developed by Legs Charles Lewton-Brain about 30 years ago, foldforming focuses on using the inherent characteristics Legs of metals to quickly form the metal into 3-D shapes with gorgeous textures. Legs

The basic folds used in foldforming are: • Line fold: A flat fold, like creasing paper. This fold Open side cannot be used for air chasing, because it forms no air cushion to work with. • T fold: A cylindrical loop of metal. If you were not using this fold for air chasing, you would flatten the loop against the vise to form a “T” shape, which gives this fold its name.

• Wedge fold: An angled T fold, where the loop looks like a cone instead of a cylinder. • Boat fold: A cigar- or boat-shaped cone, this fold is Open side made using a double wedge fold. Form a wedge fold, then turn the metal and form a wedge fold on the other side. Air Cushion Fold edge

Fold edge Table

Fold edge

Fold edge

Legs Table

Fold edge

LegsLegs

Fold edge Legs

Open side

T fold

Line fold

Air Cushion

Air Cushion

Fold edge

Air Cushion

Table

Fold edge

Legs

Fold edge

Fold edge

Fold edge Fold edge Legs Legs

Legs

Wedge fold

metal using your fingers or a bench knife [6]. Once the edges are pried open, use a Air Cushion Air Cushion mallet to continue opening the metal, and flatten it carefully onto a piece of wood or your workbench [7]. Fold edge Shape the piece. Use your chased metal for whatever you want. I turned mine into a cuff by forming it over a bracelet mandrel with a mallet [8]. Keep in mind that forming the metal like this will flatten the

Boat fold

(Basics Review). I used a heat patina and pattern slightly, especially if you are using buffed the high points of the pattern to copper. An alternative is to cut up your Fold edge Fold edge create contrast. chased metal with metal shears or a jeweler’s saw and use it as a component Air Cushion Fold edge in Legs other pieces, like earrings, pendants, Legs or rings. Finish the metal. Once you’ve Fold cutedge and shaped your piece, finish it (Basics Review) by filing the edges, sanding it, polishing it, and sealing it with a microcrystalline wax

Legs

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Intermediate Review: Sawing/piercing, Soldering, Sifting enamels

ARTIST ANGELA GERHARD

Enamel

Sgraffito

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A SUBTRACTIVE TECHNIQUE, Sgraffito (zgrah-FEET-oh) (also spelled “scraffito”) means to scratch through the surface of a material to expose the layer beneath. Painters use palette knives or other tools to scrape through layers of paint to create designs. Potters scratch through glazes to draw on ceramic ware. Enamelists scratch through powder or liquid enamel to reveal a base layer of fired enamel or bare metal. Experimenting with sgraffito techniques on scraps of copper sheet is a fun way to try this process. For even more fun, experiment on copper panels that you can link into a

materials

additional tools & supplies

Copper sheet: 24-gauge (0.5mm), 8½x7 in. (21.6x17.8cm) 18-gauge (1.0mm), 2x1 in. (51x25.5mm) Copper tubing: 2mm inside diameter, 1 ⁄8 in. (3mm) Copper or bronze jump rings: 18-gauge (1.0mm), 8mm outside diameter, 14–16 Enamels: 80-mesh, medium temperature/medium expansion Black Opaque colors Liquid enamel

Permanent marker: fine tip Bench shear (optional) Machinist’s square Swage block, shallow wooden bowl, or bracelet mandrel Sandpaper: various grits Eutectic solder (optional) Copper-cleaning agent (optional) Baking soda Pumice powder Citric acid Dental tool or needle tool Flat-tip paintbrush Palette knife (optional) Scratching tool: dental pick, scribe, etc. Flexible diamond laps (optional) Glass-etching cream (optional) Pliers: chainnose or flatnose, 2

toolboxes Enamel Hammering Sawing/piercing Soldering (optional)

bracelet.

Metal Measure and mark copper sheet. Use a ruler and a scribe (or a fine-tip permanent marker) to draw six 13⁄8x11⁄8-in. (35x29mm) rectangles on a piece of 24-gauge (0.5mm) copper sheet. On a piece of 18-gauge (1.0mm) copper sheet, measure and mark a 13⁄8x¼-in. (35x6.5mm) strip for the bracelet’s toggle [1]. Cut out the panels and square the corners. Use either a jeweler’s saw with a 3/0 blade or a bench shear to cut out the rectangle panels and the toggle strip. Place the panels and toggle strip on a bench block, and flatten them with a rawhide mallet. Place a panel against the 90-degree angle of a machinist’s square, rotating the panel to check that each of its corners are square. Repeat with the remaining panels. File the edges of any uneven panels to make their corners square [2]. File the edges of the toggle strip.

Your bracelet will be much easier to assemble if all of the panels have square corners.

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2 Copper www.AJewelry r t J e w e l rCollection yMag.com

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4 5 Template A

Template B

Template C Make a clasp panel. Photocopy the templates. On one panel, use Template A to mark a ½-in. (13mm) square and two dots for the jump ring holes; this will be the clasp panel. Drill and pierce the square. Use a flat needle file to file the edges of the square smooth; this is the opening that your toggle will fit through. Place the panel on a bench block, and use a center punch to make a dimple at each dot. Mark and drill holes for the remaining panels. Use Template B to mark a jump ring hole in each corner of four panels. Use Template C to mark jump ring holes in the last panel; this will be the end panel to which the toggle attaches [3]. Use a center punch and a bench block to dimple all the dots for the jump ring

holes. Using a flex shaft and a 2mm drill bit, drill all the holes for the jump rings [4]. Use a file to remove burs from the holes. Curve the panels. Place each panel on a swage block, and use a plastic or rubber mallet to slightly curve the panels [5]. If you don’t have a swage block, substitute a shallow wooden bowl or a bracelet mandrel.

The slight curve in the panels serves two purposes: It makes the assembled bracelet more comfortable to wear, and the warpresistant contour means that the enamel is less likely to chip off. Solder a tube to the toggle strip. (If you would rather use a cold connection for your toggle, see “Toggle Options,” p. 13).

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6

7

toggle options

8 Use a jeweler’s saw with a 2/0 blade to cut a 1⁄8-in. (3mm) piece of copper tubing. Sand the ends of the tube smooth. Center the tube on the toggle strip; the open ends of the tube should face the short ends of the strip. Use eutectic solder to solder the tube to the strip (Basics Review) [6].

Enamelists use eutectic solder because it has a higher flow point (1460°F / 793°C) than most solders, so it can withstand enamel-fusing temperatures. This eutectic solder is composed of fine silver and copper; its zinc-free composition prevents an adverse reaction with enamels.

Solder Free: Instead of soldering a tube to the back of the toggle strip, drill two holes approximately 2mm apart at the center of the toggle strip. When you assemble the bracelet, thread a jump ring through the two holes instead of through the copper tube in the soldered version.

Simple Solder:

This toggle has a soldered tube that connects to the chain of jump rings.

Clean the copper panels and toggle. Thoroughly clean all the copper components. For cleaning techniques, see “Cleaning Copper,” p. 14 [7]. After the metal is clean, handle it only by the edges.

Counterenamel Counterenamel the panels and the toggle. With your nondominant hand, hold a panel by its edges, front-side down. With your other hand, spray or brush a coat of Klyr-Fire onto the back (concave side) of the panel. While the holding agent is wet, sift generous layer of black enamel over the back of the panel [8].

Using a needle file and 400-grit sandpaper, remove any excess solder from the toggle strip. Copper Jewelry Collection

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Because I used opaque enamels (not transparent), it wasn’t necessary to wash the enamels before sifting them on the panels.

cleaning copper Metal must be clean and free of oils and oxides before you enamel on it; enamel will not fuse properly to dirty or oily metal. Here are a few cleaning options: • Use a Scotch-Brite pad to scrub the metal under running water until the water sheets across the metal’s surface. • Make a cleaning paste from pumice powder and water. • Scrub the metal with a sprinkling of salt and vinegar. • Instead of using a sodium bisulfate pickle solution, mix a less caustic solution of citric acid (find citric acid at beer- and wine-making suppliers). Wear safety glasses, and in a well-ventilated area, mix one part of citric acid into 10 parts of water. Always add acid to water—never water to acid. • Clean copper by heating it in a 1500°F (816°C) kiln until a green haze appears on the surface. Make sure to remove the metal before firescale begins to form. Quench the metal in water, pickle it, and neutralize the pickle by dipping the metal in a solution of baking soda and water. A rinse under clean water completes the job

With a dental tool or needle tool, remove excess enamel from the jump ring holes, the sides, and the front (convex side) of the panel. Set the panel on a firing trivet to dry in a warm area. Repeat to counterenamel the remaining panels and the toggle.

Do not sift enamel onto the tube that you soldered to the back of the toggle. If some grains of enamel do get on the tube, use a dry, fine-tip paintbrush to remove them. Fire the panels and toggle. Place the components in a preheated kiln set to 1500°F (816°C), and fire until the enamels are fully fused. Remove the components from the kiln and air-cool completely. The back of each panel will have a smooth, even layer of fused counterenamel [9].

After cleaning your metal, rinse it thoroughly. If the water beads up, then you’ve still got grease or oil on the metal and you need to scrub some more!

Clean the panels and the toggle. Under running water, scrub the bare copper front of each panel with a Scotch-Brite pad to remove loose firescale. I don’t pickle the panels at this point because I don’t find it necessary when I’m covering the panels with opaque enamels.

Base coat

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Sift enamel onto the fronts of the panels and the toggle. Using the same technique as you did to counterenamel the components, sift a base layer of black powdered enamel (not as thick as the layer of counterenamel) onto the fronts of the panels and the toggle. The base layer doesn’t need to be as thick because you’ll be adding more enamel to the fronts of the panels later. Fire the panels and toggle. Fire the components as you did to fully fuse the counterenamel. Air-cool completely.

Sgraffito Prepare enamels in sifters. Select your opaque powdered enamel colors. Fill separate sifters one-third full with a single enamel color.

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Apply liquid enamel. Use a flat-tip paintbrush to apply an even coat of liquid enamel in your choice of color to the front of a panel. The liquid should be thick in order to conceal the base coat of fused black enamel and should not run off the panel’s edges [10]. Do not allow the liquid to dry.

The liquid enamel should be the consistency of heavy cream. Thin liquid enamel by adding distilled water or thicken it by allowing some of the water to evaporate. Be sure to stir gently to minimize the formation of air bubbles.

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Immediately sift the powdered enamels. Sift one layer of powdered enamels onto the wet liquid enamel. Use just one color per panel or sift multiple colors one at a time, like I did [11]. Using the back of a palette knife or a clean finger, gently pat the powdered enamel into the wet enamel. Scribe a pattern into the enamel. Use a dental pick, scribe, or other pointed tool to scratch through the layers of powdered and liquid enamel to expose the black base coat [12]. Excess enamel will build up next to the scratched lines. Carefully remove this excess enamel with your scribe or scratching tool. Or, gently tap an edge of the panel with your finger to dislodge extra enamel.

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Remove excess enamel. Working from the back of the panel, use a needle tool to remove enamel from the jump ring holes. Use a damp cloth to remove any liquid enamel from the back of the panel. Place the panel face up on a trivet and allow it to dry completely. Enamel the remaining panels. Repeat the sgraffito steps to create designs in the remaining panels and the toggle. For more sgraffito options, see “Sgraffito ideas,” p. 16.

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sgraffito ideas Sgraffito is a technique that begs to be played with. Experiment on copper scraps and abandoned enamel projects—that’s how you’ll make unexpected discoveries. Here are some ideas to get started: • To get different line qualities, try scratching your designs with different tools, such as nails, needle tools, old burs, brushes, etc. Experiment to see what you like best. • Instead of brushing a layer of liquid enamel on your base coat, apply Klyr-Fire and sift enamels onto the Klyr-Fire. Scratch directly through the powdered enamel to the base coat. • I applied black enamel for my base coat, but you could

try another color or sift a ground coat in multiple colors. • Skip the base coat altogether. Apply Klyr-Fire and then your layer of sifted powder, and then scratch through to reveal the bare copper. • Apply a layer of liquid enamel and allow it to dry, and then scratch through. • Experiment with layers of transparent enamels over a layer of opaque enamels. Combine sgraffito techniques with other enamel techniques, such as sifting through stencils or screens, using enamel decals, using painted enamels, and using enamels in lump or thread form.

Fire the components. In a 1500°F (816°C) kiln, fire each piece individually (rather than in a batch), so you can remove each piece as soon as the enamel is fully fused [13].

Take care to not overfire a sgraffito design; an overly long firing can cause the scratched lines to appear fuzzy or less defined. Air cool all of the pieces.

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Finishing Smooth the edges of the panels and the toggle. It’s not uncommon for the edges of a panel to fuse to the trivet during firing and create sharp points of enamel. Using an alundum stone under running water, file the edges of the panels smooth until the edges are shiny and bright [14]. You can also use flexible diamond laps or 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper.

If you prefer a glossy finish, skip this next step, which makes it matte.

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Etch the panels and the toggle. For a glossy finish, skip to the bracelet-assembly steps. For a bracelet with a matte surface

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Panel A

Panels B

Panel C

and a ceramic-like quality, etch the panels with a glass-etching cream. Work in a well-ventilated area. Wear eye protection and nitrile or latex gloves. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to etch the front and back of the panels and the toggle. Rinse the panels and the toggle. Rinse the components under running water to thoroughly remove the etchant solution. Use a fiberglass brush under running water to remove any trace chemicals [15].

To avoid getting broken fiberglassbrush bristles in your fingers, wear latex or nitrile gloves.

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Dry all of the components with a clean soft cloth. Assemble the bracelet. Using two pairs of chainnose or flatnose pliers, use jump rings to connect the panels [16]. Panels A and C should be at opposite ends. Link three or four jump rings to make a chain. (For a longer bracelet, use more jump rings.) Link one end of the chain to the tube of the toggle. Link the other end of the chain to the jump ring hole in panel C.

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Beginner Review: Patina

ARTIST PAT GULLETT

Copper

Colorıng

Pat Gullet colored the copper portions of these Ritual Shield pendants to enhance the etched design. On the left, the copper is etched with text from an ancient Gubbian tablet. On the right, she used a combination of acrylic paint and Prismacolor colored pencils to highlight the etched design.

COLOR METAL WITH PATINAS—chemical solutions that mimic the natural coloration (also called a patina) caused by weathering and time. But what if you want to explore beyond the commercially standard patinas like the blue-green of verdigris or liver of sulfur’s characteristic black? Instead of mixing chemicals and hoping you get the right color, dip into your art supplies to create more predictable results. Start by applying a chemical patina solution, which acts like a base coat that allows other media to stick to your metal. Then apply one or more media over the patina base coat. For durability, protect your colors with a clear sealant. The chart (p. 20–21) shows what combinations of seven media and three topcoats look like over a green-verdigrispatina base coat. Use this chart as a starting point for your own experiments. 18

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Prep your piece. Before you add patina to a piece of jewelry, finish piercing, texturing, forming, and soldering it; subjecting it to tools and heat will likely harm the patina. Keep in mind that patinas are somewhat unpredictable, so a given technique will have varying results each time you use it.

Warm the metal. Place your metal piece on an electric warming tray (for warming food on a buffet) to evenly heat it. Or, place it on a heat-proof surface (such as a Pyrex container) and warm the metal with a heat gun. The heat will speed up the chemical reaction when you apply the patina.

Prepare the surface of the metal. To create a “tooth” to grip the patina base coat, use a scouring pad or sandpaper to abrade the surface of the metal. This will also expose a clean surface to which the patina can adhere. (Don’t use greasy abrasives, such as buffing compounds.)

Apply the patina base coat. Paint a thin layer of patina over the warmed metal, and allow it to air-dry. Apply additional layers to deepen the patina’s color. Allow the patina to dry between applications. Humidity and temperature levels will affect the outcome of your patina. To speed up the reaction time, use the warming tray or heat gun. Dry the metal thoroughly — several hours or overnight — before you experiment with applying other media.

Clean the metal. For an even coat of patina, the metal must be free of dirt or oils. Rub the metal with a rubbing-alcohol soaked cloth for a clean surface.

etched texture

materials

Copper sheet (etched or textured sheets show most depth of color) Commercial chemical patina for copper Coloring media (choose one or more): Oil paints, paint thinner Acrylic paints Mica pigment powders Gold leaf and adhesive Alcohol inks, alcohol-ink thinner Metallic wax finish, tissue Prismacolor colored pencils, colorless blender pencil Clear protective topcoat, such as: High-gloss spray lacquer Microcrystalline Renaissance wax Matte acrylic spray

tools & supplies Scouring pad, sandpaper, or sandblaster Rubbing alcohol Electric warming tray; or heat gun and heat-proof surface Protective gloves: rubber or nitrile Paintbrushes Respirator

Patinas and colors show up best on textured metals. Etched metal sheets provide a great texture when you’re experimenting with patinas, and they’re easy to make. Check out Easy Etching, p. 31 and Acid Free Etching, p. 34 to learn about etching techniques you can use to create your own textures.

construction of a riveted pendant To make a piece of jewelry like my Ritual Shield pendant, begin with an etched sheet of copper. Hydraulically form the sheet into a dome, and then saw it to shape. Saw out a slightly larger sterling silver backplate, texturize it, and solder a finding to the back (you could make a bail or hooks, as shown on the pendant, or you could use a brooch pin back, as in the illustration). Then drill and rivet the copper dome to the sterling backplate, using brass balled-up wire rivets.

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1 Metal, 1 Patina, 24 Results Topcoats High-gloss spray lacquer

Microcrystalline wax

Matte acrylic spray

Patina alone Product: Sophisticated Finishes’ patina in green verdigris color Technique: Painted three coats, allowing patina to dry between coats

Coloring Media

Patina + Oil paint Product: Light blue oil paint Technique: Light coat brushed into recesses Note: Makes its LONG own sealed DRYING barrier on TIME the metal

Patina + Acrylic paint Product: Acrylic paint in green, teal, blue Technique: Paint thinned with water, then mixed on metal and dabbed into recesses Note: Slight reaction with patina while drying created some lightened spots

BEST RANGE OF COLORS

Patina + Colored mica pigment powder Product: Perfect Pearls in magenta, purple Technique: Each color mixed with water to form paste, then painted on metal MOST SPARKLE

Patina + Gold leaf Product: Imitation or 22k gold, variegated gold leaf Technique: Thin layer of metal-leaf size (adhesive) painted on metal and allowed to dry; once size was tacky, leaf was applied and buffed with soft brush

INTENSIFIED COLORS

WAX APPLICATION REMOVED SOME LEAF

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Topcoats High-gloss spray lacquer

Coloring Media

Patina + Alcohol ink Product: Adirondack Ink in three shades of brown Technique: Ink applied, then drops of alcohol-ink thinner provided contrast Note: Color faded after light sanding, so additional ink was applied

Patina + Metallic wax finish Product: Amaco Rub ‘n Buff in coppery red Technique: Used finger to rub light coat onto raised surfaces, then lightly buffed with tissue for shine Note: Waxy finish seals metal

Microcrystalline wax

Matte acrylic spray

GREATEST DEPTH OF COLOR

REDUCED METALLIC FINISH

Patina + Colored pencil Product: Prismacolor colored pencils Technique: Multiple layers built up in recesses and blended with colorless blender pencil Note: Buff a waxy finish to a light shine with a soft cloth MUTED COLORS

Notes on the topcoats Clear sprays: Seven thin layers were sprayed an hour apart to produce a protective coating and create desirable depth of color.

Microcrystalline wax: One to two thin layers of microcrystalline wax were rubbed onto the surface with a lint-free cloth to protect the color and metal.

Notes on the experiment • All samples of copper sheet were etched to the same depth. • Each color medium was applied uniformly across each copper sheet. • For greater contrast and to test durability, all copper samples were lightly sanded (800–1500 grit) after color medium was dry and before any clear topcoats were applied. • Use caution, and spray any topcoats outside. If sprayed inside, ensure adequate ventilation and wear a respirator.

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Beginner Review: Pickling

ARTIST JUDY FREYER THOMPSON

Ammoniaand-Salt

Patina

FUMING A PIECE OF JEWELRY — patinating the metal by exposing it to just the fumes of a chemical solution, not to the chemical itself — might sound complicated and potentially

noxious. But this age-old technique doesn’t require a dedicated patination room or a large specialized setup (you will, of course, need adequate ventilation). Create an effective “fuming tent,” a device to hold and concentrate the fumes, with just a simple lidded plastic container and a glass dish. The patination liquid goes into the glass dish, the dish goes into the plastic container, and the prepared piece of jewelry is suspended above the liquid. Snap on the lid to capture the fumes, and all you have to do is wait for the chemical reaction to form the patina. Simple.

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materials Select the metal. Use this ammonia fuming method to add patina to any copper-based metal, such as copper, bronze, brass, sterling silver, shibuichi, etc.

Rinse the metal thoroughly with plain water. The water should sheet off the metal; if it beads up, you need to clean the metal more thoroughly.

Drill a hole in the metal. I prefer to fume my pieces after I’ve drilled a bail or ear wire hole, since I can thread scrap wire through the hole and securely suspend the piece above the patina. If you don’t want to drill a hole, wrap scrap wire around the piece or find another way to hang it.

Apply salt to the metal. While the metal is still wet, sprinkle plain salt, sea salt, or kosher salt on it. The shape, size, and amount of salt you use will affect the final patina. Experiment to develop your personal preferences.

Pickle the metal. Mix a solution of two parts white vinegar to one part plain (noniodized) salt in a nonmetal container. Submerge the metal in this pickle solution, and leave it there while you prepare the fuming container. Prepare the fuming container. In a wellventilated area, pour ammonia into a small glass dish so the liquid is approximately 1⁄4 in. (6.5mm) deep. Place the glass dish in a plastic lidded container. Devise a way to suspend your pieces above the glass dish. Use duct tape to secure fishing line taut across the container, or wedge a dowel against opposite sides of the container. The method you choose should allow you to suspend the metal securely above the ammonia without letting it touch the liquid. Close the lid tightly to begin capturing the fumes. Clean the metal. Check your metal for firescale; if any remains, keep the metal in the pickle until the metal is firescale free. Then, remove the metal, and use a toothbrush and dish soap to scrub it thoroughly. At this point I like to spray the metal with an environmentally-friendly degreasing spray to remove any remaining residue.

Once the metal is clean, handle it only by its edges; the oil from your fingers will affect the patina.

Fume the metal. Suspend the salted piece of metal in the container so it hangs over the dish of ammonia. Make sure that the metal does not touch the ammonia. Close the container’s lid tightly [Figure]. Leave the metal in the closed container for at least 15 minutes. Check periodically to see how the patina is developing. When the metal is your desired color, carefully remove it. Clean the metal and protect the patina. Using dish soap and an old toothbrush, thoroughly wash the metal to remove any ammonia residue and salt. Let the metal air-dry.

Copper-based metal piece to patinate: copper, bronze, brass, sterling silver, shibuichi, etc.

toolboxes Finishing

additional tools & supplies Flex shaft, drill bits; or hole punch White vinegar Plain uniodized salt: table, sea, or kosher Ammonia Containers: Plastic with tight-fitting lid Small glass dish to fit in plastic container Method to suspend metal in container (choose from): Fishing line, duct tape Wooden dowel Degreasing spray (such as Citrus Magic or Simple Green) Clear urethane spray or other sealant

When the metal is completely dry, apply two to three light coats of a highquality clear urethane spray in a wellventilated area. This will halt the patination progress and protect the patina’s colors.

Check with local authorities for the best way to dispose of the remaining ammonia. In most cases you should be able to dilute it with water and pour it down a non-septic-system drain.

Scrap copper wire hooks

Plastic lidded container

Duct tape

Fishing line Duct tape

Copper earrings with salt particles on surface

Fumes

Glass dish Ammonia

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All Levels Review: Hammering, Sawing, Piercing, Finishing

ARTIST JILL L. ERICKSON

Layer

Colored Pencil LAYERING COLORED PENCIL ONTO COPPER involves favorite drawing and painting supplies: gesso (a paint primer), wax-and-pigment pencils, workable fixative, and color blenders. The novelty of using familiar materials on a different substrate—copper sheet—makes this an exciting technique to explore. Preparing the metal is part of the fun. The metal’s surface must have a texture or tooth so that the primer and layers of colored pencil have something to stick to. There are plenty of low-tech ways to add texture to metal. If you have access to a rolling mill or sandblasting station, you can make quick work of the texturing step. Then you can take your time to build up layers of color one pencil stroke at a time.

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materials

Copper sheet: 18-gauge (1.0mm), 3x2 in. (76x51mm)

toolboxes Finishing Hammering Sawing/piercing

additional tools & supplies Metal-texturing supplies (choose from): Dapping punches Flex shaft with sanding disks, silicon or aluminum oxide points, or grinding burs Roll-printer Etching setup Sandblasting boot Bracelet mandrel or baseball bat Leather strip: ½x12 in. (13x305mm) (optional) 2 D-rings: 1 ⁄2 in. (13mm) (optional) Tapestry needle (optional) Waxed linen thread (optional) Nitrile or latex gloves Flat-tip paintbrush Gesso Acrylic paint: white (optional) Prismacolor Premier fine-art colored pencils, colorless blender pencil Pencil sharpener (Prismacolor) or craft knife Workable spray fixative Paint solvent (Turpenoid Natural) Matte spray sealer

Before you begin Colored pencils. For this technique, I prefer Prismacolor Premier fine-art colored pencils, which have thick, soft color cores that allow the pigment to adhere to textured and primed metal. The high-wax formulation makes them easy to blend with a colorless blender pencil (a waxbased pencil without pigment) or with a small amount of paint solvent. The pigments are also fade-resistant, making them superior to less-expensive studentgrade products. These pencils are sold unsharpened. The high wax content gives them a creamy consistency that makes them easy to layer and blend. The bad thing about the creamy consistency is that it’s easy to break the

add texture Scrap copper sheet is great for experimenting with texturing methods. Your sheet will need more texture than you’ll get by brushing it with a ScotchBrite pad or steel wool. Low-tech texture options • Buy pretextured sheet from metal suppliers • Sand the sheet with 100-grit sandpaper • Place the sheet on a steel block and hammer it with punches More texture options • Use a flex shaft with sanding disks, silicon or aluminum oxide points, or grinding burs • Use sandpaper, mesh screen, paper cutouts, dried leaves, etc. to roll-print sheet • Etch a pattern into the sheet • Place the sheet in a sandblasting booth

pencils’ points if you sharpen them with something other than a special Prismacolor sharpener or a craft knife.

To minimize breakage, use a pencil sharpener with the appropriate diameter, like the one made by Prismacolor. Before you sharpen your pencils, remove the half of the sharpener that catches the shavings, above, to prevent the blade from getting clogged; clogs will break the pencils’ color cores.

Sketches Sharpen the colored pencils, and draw a few design samples on sketch paper. Try angling the sharpened pencil to lay down a wide line of color. Layer darker colors over lighter colors, and rub the blunt tip of a colorless blender pencil over adjacent colors to create a color mix. Make simple doodles and geometric shapes to get used to layering the pencil colors. If you need a nudge of inspiration, fabrics provide great color combinations and patterns. Texturize the copper sheet. The paint primer and colored pencils used in this technique will not adhere to smooth surfaces. Texturize the 18-gauge (1.0mm) copper sheet you’ll be using to make your panel. For a list of texturing techniques, see “Add texture.”

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what’s gesso? • Gesso (Italian for “chalk”) was traditionally a mixture of animal glue and plaster, chalk, or gypsum. Painters applied a coating of this mixture to their canvases and allowed it to dry. This dry base layer prevented most of the linseed oil in their paints from being absorbed by the canvas. • By the 1950s, most gesso formulations were made with an acrylic base instead of animal glue. Acrylic gesso is a quick drying, flexible primer, so it is convenient for the coloredpencil-on-metal technique. • Acrylic gesso is typically white, but it is sometimes sold in black. Customize Your Gesso: • Mix acrylic paint into gesso to create your own colorful primers. • Add sand (available at your art-supply or paint store) for texture. • Use a palette knife or fork to scrape texture into a layer of wet gesso.

For best results, match the coarseness of your texture to your image or pattern. For example, a delicate design is easier to render onto a moderately sanded surface than onto a surface that’s been textured with a ball-peen hammer.

Preparing a panel Make a panel. Cut the textured copper sheet into the desired panel shape for your design [1]. (See “to make this bracelet,” p. 27.) Shape the panel as desired. I curved mine by lightly tapping it over a bracelet mandrel with a rawhide mallet.

1 Complete all shaping and soldering before you add the color. If your project includes soldered elements, make your soldered connections now. Clean the panel. Use steel wool and water to scrub the surfaces of the panel to remove any oil or dirt. Rinse the panel in water thoroughly. Hold the panel by its edges to set it aside while you prepare a weak liver of sulfur solution. Patinate the panel. A patinated surface helps the gesso adhere to the metal. Put on gloves, and submerge the panel in liver of sulfur. Remove the panel from the solution, and rinse with cool water. For a darker patina, dip the panel and rinse it again. Dry completely. Apply gesso. Using a flat-tip paintbrush, apply a thin layer of gesso to the textured surface of the panel [2]. I tinted my gesso with acrylic paint. Allow the gesso to dry completely according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

2 Apply fixative to the panel. Spray a light coat of workable fixative over the first layer of pencil. “Workable” fixatives are formulated for pencil, chalk, and pastel drawings that are in progress. Allow the workable fixative to dry completely according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

SAFETY TIP: When using workable fixative, solvents, and spray sealers, work in a well-ventilated area. Add remaining layers of color. Apply another layer of color, and then spray it with fixative. Build up layers this way until you achieve your desired depth of color. Blend adjacent colors. For a subtle color shift between adjacent colors, apply a layer of pencil, but don’t add fixative. Blend the colors with a Prismacolor colorless blender pencil [5] or a flat-tip paintbrush dampened with paint solvent [6].

Use the solvent sparingly; too much solvent can lift off the color.

Coloring and finishing Draw an outline on the panel. Referring to your sketches, lightly draw the outline of your design on the dry gesso surface [3]. Apply a layer of color. Using your chosen pencil colors, fill in your design, covering the gesso with one layer of color [4].

To prevent a sharp pencil point from scraping through the gesso layer, blunt the pencil tip slightly by rubbing it on scrap paper, or use the side of the pencil to apply the first layer of color.

Allow the solvent to dry completely. Apply a coat of workable fixative, and continue to build up layers of pencil and fixative to achieve your desired result. Seal your design. Apply a coat of matte spray sealer to the panel [7]. Let the sealer dry completely. Repeat to coat the panel with three applications of sealer.

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to make this bracelet: Here’s a simple way to use leather straps that cinch closed with a pair of D-rings to turn your colored copper panel into a bracelet.

B

Cut the copper sheet. Use a jeweler’s saw [A] with a 1/0 blade to cut a 2x11 ⁄2 -in. (51x38mm) rectangle from 18-gauge (1.0mm) copper sheet. (My bracelet panel fits a 6-in./15.2cm wrist.) Use the jeweler’s saw to pierce two slits near the short ends of the rectangle to accommodate leather straps. File the panel. Use a flat hand file to smooth the edges of the panel. Use a flat needle file to even and smooth the edges of the slits [B]. Shape the panel. Position the panel texture-side up on a bracelet mandrel or baseball bat. Use a rawhide mallet to lightly tap the panel to curve it slightly [C].

C

A

Add leather straps. Thread strips of leather through the panel slits and use a tapestry needle and waxed linen thread to stitch them together. For a quick and simple closure, stitch two D-rings to the end of one strap [D].

D

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Intermediate Review: Wireworking

ARTIST KASKA FIROR

Three

Wire Weaves THIS STYLE OF WEAVING uses two different categories of wire. Frame wires give a piece of jewelry its form. After being shaped, the frame wires remain mostly stationary while the weaving wire wraps around them. Weaving wire is usually at least two gauges thinner than the frame wires. It holds the frame wires together and creates various textures. For these tutorials, I used copper wire for the frame wires and green craft wire for the weaving wire to increase visibility. (Instructions for the braided bracelets pictured above begin on page 80.)

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If you’re right-handed, hold the piece you are working on in your left hand and weave from left to right with your right hand (as shown in the photos). Work in the opposite direction if you are left-handed. The direction to wrap the weaving wire is always under the frame wires and away from you, or over the frame wires and toward you, regardless of which hand you use.

1

Double-weave ribbon This ribbon is made with two frame wires. You’ll need approximately 24 in. (61cm) of weaving wire for 1 in. (25.5mm) of weave. Place two frame wires side by side, leaving approximately 1⁄16 in. (1.5mm) of space between them. Slip the end of the weaving wire between the two frame wires so that a short tail sticks up [1]. Hold the tail with the thumb of your nondominant hand and wrap the weaving wire around the top (farthest from you) frame wire twice. Next, bring the weaving wire toward you over the top of both frame wires [2]. Wrap the weaving wire once completely around the lower (closest to you) frame wire, then run it away from you under both frame wires [3]. Wrap the weaving wire once completely around the top frame wire and then bring it toward you across the top of both frame wires [4]. Repeat the last two steps until you reach your desired length [5].

Double-plus-one ribbon This ribbon is made with three frame wires. You’ll need approximately 24 in. (61cm) of weaving wire for 1 in. (25.5mm) of weave. Start by weaving a double-weave ribbon. Weave six times. When you get to step 4 (wrap once completely around the top frame wire) on the sixth weave, add the third frame wire at the top. The new frame wire should sit in front of the weaving wire. This new wire is now the top frame wire [6]. Wrap the weaving wire completely around the top frame wire [7]. Bring the weaving wire toward you and over the top of the middle wire, then around the middle wire [8]. Weave toward you over the middle and the bottom wire and then wrap completely around the bottom wire [9].

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Repeat steps 6–9 until you reach your desired length [10].

Single-plus-one ribbon This ribbon is made with two frame wires. You’ll need approximately 12 in. (30.5cm) of weaving wire for 1 in. (25.5mm) of weave. Start with step 1 of the double-weave ribbon [11]. Wrap the weaving wire 25 times around the top frame wire like a coil [12]. Bring the weaving wire toward you over the top of both frame wires, then once completely around the lower frame wire; then run it away from you under both frame wires, as if you were starting a double weave [13]. Repeat these two steps until you reach your desired length [14].

10 11

12

Increase or decrease the number of weaves between the plus-one wrap for any of the ribbon styles, depending on the look you wish to achieve.

13 14

preventing kinks Keep the wire as kink-free as possible and remove any kinks that do occur right away. Here are several tips: Work from the spool: Whenever you can, it is best to work from the spool. Leave the weaving wire rolled up on the spool it came on and unroll a little at the time—only as much as you are comfortable working with. Having only a short section of wire free from the spool will help with the kinking-up problem. Also, when the wire is left on the spool, you don’t have to worry about how much of it you will need to cut off to complete a particular section. Simply weave until you are finished, and then snip. No underestimating or overestimating, no waste. If the original spool is too bulky, measure and cut the length of the weaving wire you need, and then wind it onto a lighter, smaller, flexible plastic spool.

Do not allow the weaving wire to twist and loop: Make sure the weaving wire maintains a gentle curve throughout its length. Straighten it out as soon as you notice it starting to twist or cross itself. Take extra care when threading the weaving wire: The weaving wire tends to kink most when it is being threaded or pulled through tight spots. To stop this, place a pen or similar object (I often use my finger) inside the loop created by the weaving wire and let the wire glide over it. As you continue pulling and the loop gets smaller, replace the pen with something much thinner, such as the tip of your needle tool, and then tighten the loop around it. Next, remove the needle tool and pull the wire all the way through. Un-knot the kink as soon as it occurs: Don’t run your fingers down the wire as you might with a thread. That will only tighten the kink and make it impossible to unravel. Instead, hold the wire with your fingers on either side of the kink and push the wires toward the middle, forcing the loop to enlarge. Uncross the ends and smooth out the wire.

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All Levels Review: Sawing

ARTIST MONA CLEE

Easy

Etching TO TRANSFER AN IMAGE TO METAL, use a material that will “resist” the dissolving action of acid. Where you apply the resist, the metal will be protected; everywhere else, the acid (ferric chloride) will etch the metal, leaving the protected metal in a raised image.

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1 materials

Copper (or brass or nickel) sheet: 18-, 20-, or 22-gauge (1.0, 0.8, or 0.6mm)

tools & supplies Press-n-Peel paper Iron Heat-resistant surface Bench shear or jeweler’s saw Rawhide mallet (optional) Bench anvil (optional) Scouring pads Sandpaper Rubbing alcohol Black permanent marker (optional) Nail polish Contact paper Styrofoam, 1 in. (25.5mm) thick Tape: double-sided or duct Safety glasses Apron Nitrile gloves Glass dish or disposable plastic container, minimum 6 in. (15.2cm) square Ferric-chloride solution Plastic tongs (optional) Rubber cement (optional) Baking soda Acetone Brass brush

2 Transfer your artwork to PnP paper. Use a photocopier with a carbon-based toner to transfer copyright-free artwork or original designs from plain paper onto the matte side of the Press-n-Peel (PnP) paper. (PnP paper comes in 81⁄2x11-in. sheets.) Set the copier to give the darkest image possible without smudging clear areas. The photocopied image on the PnP paper will act as a resist on the metal. The inks used in ink-jet printers generally do not work for transferring images with PnP paper [1].

The pattern will transfer as a mirror image. If the direction of the pattern is important or includes lettering, adjust the orientation of the image or letters so that they will read correctly on the finished product. You may need to photocopy the pattern onto a transparency and then flip the transparency appropriately before photocopying the image onto the PnP paper.

etching tips Use a variety of materials as resists: black permanent marker (draw original artwork directly on the metal); press-on letters; rubber stamps with permanent ink; craft-store stickers; and traditional resists including lacquer, shellac, nail polish, rubber cement, asphaltum, electrical tape, contact paper, and paint. Etching times vary by resist. Ferric chloride is usually good for five hours of etching. After that, the etching process dramatically slows. Rubber cement will stand up to the ferric-chloride solution for five hours, and PnP paper will stand up to it for more than three hours, but permanent marker will begin to break down after 1½ hours.

3 Pretest your iron. The optimal heat for transferring images with PnP paper is just below the temperature at which the backing film on the PnP paper begins to buckle. Since irons vary in temperature, it is critical to pretest your iron: Set the iron one or two settings below maximum. Place a piece of scrap metal on a heatresistant surface, and place the PnP paper on the metal, matte side down. Iron the paper. When the paper buckles, turn the temperature down slightly. That temperature is the optimal temperature. Cut and prepare the metal. Use a metal shear or a jeweler’s saw to cut a piece of metal that is slightly larger than your image or pattern. The metal must be flat. If the metal is not flat, use a rawhide mallet to flatten it on a bench anvil. Use a scouring pad or sandpaper to clean the surface of the metal. Rinse the metal with water, and dry it, taking care to handle the metal by the edges to keep skin oils off the surface. Wipe the metal surface with rubbing alcohol immediately before attaching the PnP paper. Apply the PnP paper as a resist to the metal. Cut your image or pattern from the PnP paper, leaving a metal border at least ¼ in. (6.5mm) wide around the image. Place the metal on a heat-resistant surface, and place the PnP paper, matte (image) side down, on the metal. Use a circular motion with the iron to apply heat evenly across the surface of the PnP paper [2]. The metal plate will become very hot, and the image will become more pronounced through the PnP paper’s film backing as the transfer takes place.

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5 4 7 6 Peel the PnP paper from the metal. When the metal has cooled, lift one corner of the PnP paper, observing the transfer closely to make sure the image has completely transferred [3]. If it has not, apply the iron again until you are satisfied with the transfer. If there are still any areas of the design that did not transfer, fill in and touch up the image with a resist such as black permanent marker or nail polish. Prepare for etching. Cover the back of the metal sheet with contact paper and coat the edges with a resist to protect them from etching [4]. Keep the metal afloat during etching. Cut a piece of scrap Styrofoam about the size of your metal and at least 1 in. (25.5mm) thick. Use double-sided tape or duct tape attached sticky-side out to adhere the back of the metal to the Styrofoam [5]. Put on eye protection, an apron, and nitrile gloves before handling any acids. Make sure there is adequate ventilation in the area where you will be etching. See “Safety notes,” for more information on handling ferric chloride.

Etch the metal. Pour just enough ferric chloride into a glass dish or plastic container to allow the metal to float easily. Put the metal plate facedown in the acid [6]. Gently rock the container to remove air bubbles from the surface of the metal. Cover the container and leave the metal for approximately 11⁄2 hours. A shallow etch for a metal clay texture plate can be achieved in 30 to 45 minutes. See “Etching tips,” (p. 32) for resist-endurance times. Clean the metal and remove the PnP resist. Wear nitrile gloves or use plastic tongs to remove the metal from the ferric chloride. Submerge the metal plate in a solution of 2 cups (473.2mL) water and ¼ cup (59mL) baking soda to neutralize the ferric chloride. Rinse the piece in clear water and remove the tape. Remove the PnP resist with acetone and a scouring pad. Finish the piece with a brass brush and soapy water to remove all traces of the resist and any other stains. This will also polish and burnish the metal, giving it a smooth, attractive finish.

safety notes • Wear safety glasses and nitrile gloves to keep the ferric chloride from contacting your skin or eyes. Wear an apron to protect your clothes. Do not touch your eyes if you have been handling ferric chloride. Do not inhale any vapors that may be given off by the ferric chloride. If skin or eye exposure occurs, rinse with water for 15 minutes and seek immediate medical attention. Take empty bottles of ferric chloride to the nearest official hazardous-waste disposal site. • To reduce your contact with the acid, etch small test panels using a timer so you know how long to leave the metal in the acid to achieve the desired depth of etching. • Ferric chloride will stain everything it touches. Cover your work area with several layers of newspaper to protect the surface. If you rinse the ferric chloride into a sink, scrub the sink afterward with abrasive powder to remove any stains and residue. The link below is to the Household Products Database on the National Institutes of Health website. Read the information on ferric chloride thoroughly before using ferric chloride. householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ cgi-bin/household/ brands?tbl=brands&id=18018042

Applications for etched plates. Make the finished etching into a jewelry item, or use as a texture plate for metal clay or polymer clay [7].

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All levels

ARTIST RON PASCHO

Acid Free

Etching

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WHAT IF YOU COULD ETCH METAL without the health and safety hazards associated with chemical etching? You can, with the help of electricity. All you need for electrolytic etching is saltwater, a single D battery, and a few common accessories. You can electrolytically etch copper, brass, bronze, and nickel silver. And the best part is, because you’re not using acid to etch the metal, there are no toxic fumes—only small amounts of hydrogen and oxygen gases. You do need to be careful about your disposal methods, though; the spent etchant (copper-laden saltwater) can’t just be poured down the drain.

1 To better understand this process, see “how does electrolytic etching work?” page 37. Prepare the saturated sodium chloride solution (saltwater). This takes a day or longer, so begin at least two days before you want to etch your metal. Pour about 1L (41⁄4 cups) of distilled water into a lidded glass or plastic container [1]. (A large canning jar with a screw-on lid is easy to shake to mix the solution.) Slowly pour about 250mL (1 cup) of pure sodium chloride (salt) into the distilled water, mixing the solution as you pour with any nonmagnetic stirring device.

Standard table salt is principally sodium chloride, but it won’t work well for etching, because of additives such as anti-caking agents and compounds that contain iodine. Kosher salt works well, but the cheapest readily available

2 source of pure sodium chloride I’ve found is “canning and pickling salt.” Check the label to ensure it’s additive-free sodium chloride: Look for terms such as “plain salt,” “pure,” or “nothing added.” Let the thoroughly mixed solution sit for at least an hour until the salt dissolves. Then pour in about 59mL (1⁄4 cup) of salt, recap the jar, shake the jar to mix the solution, and let it rest again. Repeat this process until you begin to see a layer of salt on the bottom of the jar [2]. Let this solution sit for several hours— even overnight. If by the next morning all the salt has dissolved, add more salt and mix the solution again.

materials

Copper, brass, bronze, or nickel silver sheet: 18-, 20-, or 22-gauge (1.0mm, 0.8mm, or 0.6mm)

tools & supplies Distilled water: 1 liter Mixing container: 1 liter or larger, screw-on lid, glass or plastic non-magnetic stirring device Sodium chloride: free of iodine or additives (canning & pickling salt or kosher salt), 473mL (2 cups) Metal shear, or jeweler’s saw and blades Flex shaft, 1.3mm drill bit Copper wire: 18- or 16-gauge (1.0mm or 1.3mm) Wire cutters Pliers: chainnose, roundnose Scouring pad or sandpaper Rubbing alcohol Brass brush Resist and removal method (choose from): permanent marker, rubbing alcohol; enamel paint pen, rubbing alcohol; nail polish, nail-polish remover; PnP paper, lacquer thinner Duct tape D battery holder: single D battery Wire connectors, such as alligator clips, wire nuts, or screw-on leads Etching bath chamber: glass or plastic Aquarium air pump, aquarium airstone, aquarium tubing Timer Brush: very soft Voltage meter (optional) Plastic lidded container for disposal of spent electrolytic solution

The best indicator of a fully saturated solution is when a layer of solute (in this case, salt) remains on the bottom of the container even after repeated mixings.

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a

b

4 3 7 6 5 Prepare the copper. (Instructions are the same for brass, bronze, or nickel silver.) Use a metal shear or jeweler’s saw to cut a piece of copper sheet slightly larger than the desired finished size; you won’t be able to use the area of the metal where you’ll attach the electrical lead wire. This copper piece will serve as the anode (+), which is the piece that gets etched. Cut a second piece of copper sheet to a similar size. This will be the cathode (-); it attracts copper ions from the parts of the anode that aren’t covered by the resist. The lead wires that come from the battery holder will attach to the anode and cathode, so drill a centered 1.3mm hole just below the upper edge of each piece of copper.

Attach the copper lead wires. Thread a piece of 18–16-gauge (1.0–1.3mm) copper wire through each hole, and make a wrapped loop to secure. Copper wire is cheap and conducts electricity well, so use it for the lead wires no matter what metal sheet you use. Clean the anode. Use a scouring pad to thoroughly clean the surface of the anode, and then rinse with tap water. It is clean when the rinse water doesn’t bead up but instead runs off the metal in a sheet. Rinse the cleaned surface with rubbing alcohol, and dry it with a clean, lint-free towel.

For all subsequent steps, handle the anode by only its edges. The cathode requires no special handling and is reusable; it only needs to be brushed with a brass brush and rinsed between etches.

8 Apply a resist to the anode. Apply your design onto the front surface of the anode. To prevent etching the rest of the anode, apply a resist to the back and edges. Most resists used for conventional etching can also be used for this process. Draw your image or pattern by hand with a permanent marker or an enamel paint pen, or apply a pre-existing image or pattern with a photo-transfer method, such as Press-n-Peel paper.

Remember, the exposed metal parts of your image or pattern will become the etched recesses, while the protected sections will remain unetched and raised.

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how does electrolytic etching work? An electrical power source (here, a D battery) provides direct current to two plates of the same metal (copper). These plates are submerged in an electrolytic solution (saturated solution of sodium chloride, or saltwater). The plate to be etched is attached to the positive terminal (red) of the power source and becomes the anode. The other plate is connected to the negative terminal (black) and becomes the cathode.

-

+

Electrolyte solution

Resist

When the plates are attached to the power source in this way, electrical current flows from one plate to the other through the solution. This flow of electrical current strips electrons away from the atoms in the anode plate. Etching uses this process to an advantage. After you’ve determined which parts of your image or pattern will remain raised and which parts you want recessed, you’ll cover the anode with a resist on only the parts that should remain raised. When you do the etching, electrons are stripped only from the atoms in the exposed portions of the anode, resulting in a recessed design.

Cathode

Anode

Chloride ion Copper ion Cupric chloride

Each stripped atom becomes a water-soluble copper ion in search of its lost electron. On its journey, the stripped ion either combines with a chloride ion in the electrolytic solution to form cupric chloride (which often collects at the bottom of the etching bath) or it travels through the electrolytic solution, attaching itself to the negatively charged copper cathode, where the result can be seen on the cathode plate as a thin coating of metal.

After you’ve applied the resist for the image or pattern to the front of the anode, cover the back and sides of the anode with duct tape. Press down all edges firmly [3]. Attach the copper wires to the batteryholder leads. Commercial battery holders typically have positive (red) and negative (black) lead wires. During the etching, you’ll attach and detach the battery-holder lead wires and the copper lead wires that extend from the copper plates. Use screw-on wire nuts to connect the pairs of leads [4a]. Or, solder an alligator clip to each battery-holder lead wire [4b]. Prepare the etching bath chamber. The etching bath chamber can be glass or plastic, but not metal. It should be large enough that the anode and cathode do

not touch; and so they can be positioned parallel and in a direct line with each other. If your batch chamber is too large, the etching may take a lot longer. Attach an airstone (available in the fish section of your local pet store) to a piece of aquarium tubing, and attach the other end of the tubing to an aquarium pump [5]. The bubbles created by the pump and airstone will ensure that the solution is continually mixing. Position the anode directly over the airstone, and bend the anode’s copper lead wire over the edge of the bath chamber. Attach the cathode in the same way on the opposite side so that it faces the anode [6]. Add enough saltwater to the chamber to cover the anode and cathode [7].

The anode and cathode’s copper lead wires should be long enough to ensure that the battery leads are attached outside the saltwater. Etch the metal. Etching time will depend on your setup and the depth of etch you desire. No two electrolytic etching baths will give identical results, so you’ll have to do a few test etches to refine your method. Limit the first etch to 1 hour and monitor its progress at least twice. Place a new D battery in the battery holder, then start a timer and immediately examine the etching bath. If current is flowing through the system, you should see hydrogen bubbles rising from the cathode [8].

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9 a

b

c

11 10

About every 15 minutes, remove the alligator clip (or unscrew the wire nut) from the anode’s copper lead wire, take the anode out, and gently brush it with a very soft brush [9] to remove accumulated copper particulates. The effect of both placing the airstone below the anode and gently brushing it at regular intervals greatly improves the etching. (Don’t use a magnetic stirrer for mixing, as the currents generated by such mixing often lead to etched striations along the anode.)

During etching, the electrolytic solution will become cloudier as it fills with particulates of copper salts. See the progression: after 10 minutes [10A], after 20 minutes [10B], and after 60 minutes [10C]. Periodically check the depth. To check the progress of an etching, stop the timer, detach the battery leads, and remove the anode from the bath. Gently rinse the

anode with tap water while lightly brushing the recesses with the soft brush. Dry the anode, and assess the depth of the etching. If the etch isn’t yet deep enough, reattach the battery leads, start your timer, and continue etching.

Rinsing the anode during an etch will not affect the outcome, and some people believe that periodic, repeated rinsing improves the quality of the etching by removing interfering particulates from the anode’s surface. Rinse the metal and remove the resist. When the desired etch depth is reached, remove the battery from the holder. Rinse the anode under tap water, scrubbing with a scouring pad to wash off any residual electrolytic solution. Remove the duct tape and cut off the copper lead wires. Then use the appropriate method to remove the resist, leaving just the clean etched metal [11].

by lightly abrading the resist with fine-grit sandpaper, scouring pads, or steel wool. Save the cathode for future etches; just clean it with a brass brush to remove chemical deposits. The D battery also can be used for several etches. Dispose of the electrolytic solution. The used electrolytic solution contains a high concentration of copper salts. Do not pour this solution down the drain. Instead, pour the used solution into a plastic container with a screw-top lid. Disposal options of this chemical solution will be governed by your local hazardous-waste regulations. Call your local state or county waste-management agency to see how you should dispose of yours.

Common removal methods include: rubbing alcohol for permanent marker or paint pen, nail-polish remover for nail polish, and lacquer thinner for PnP-paper resist. You can also remove some resists from metal

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Beginner Review: Annealing, Sawing, Sanding

ARTIST JUDY FREYER THOMPSON

Foldform

Mini Stars 40

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CREASE AND PINCH FLAT METAL SHEET to create dimension — this is the basic principle of foldforming. With its simple techniques, minimal tool requirements, forgiving tolerances, and the fun of instant gratification, you can see why metals artists embraced foldforming from the moment goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain first pioneered this metal-shaping method. You’ll need just barely more than a scrap of metal sheet to make this pair of star-shaped earrings,

materials

Copper sheet: 26-gauge (0.4 mm), 2x3 in. (51x76mm) Sterling silver: 20-gauge (0.8mm) wire, 3 in. (76mm) (optional) Pair of ear wires 4mm beads: 2 (optional)

toolboxes Wirework Sawing/piercing Finishing

using the most basic foldforming techniques.

additional tools & supplies

1

2

3 Make squares. Cut 26-gauge (0.4mm) copper sheet into two 11⁄4-in. (32mm) squares. Because the copper sheet is thin, you don’t need to use a saw to cut it; you can use kitchen shears. Snip the tip off of each corner to remove any sharp points. Using a flat file, smooth the corners and edges to remove any burs [1]. Anneal the squares. Using a torch, anneal the squares. Quench, or let them air-cool. Make the first fold. Using your fingers, bend one square on the diagonal until two opposite corners meet [2]. Crease the first fold. Choose one end of the fold as the place where you’ll later drill a hole for an ear wire. Starting about 1⁄4 in. (6.5mm) in from this end, pinch the fold to create a crease, using one of the following three ways: Use flatnose pliers to

Kitchen shears Annealing setup: small butane torch, tongs, fire-resistant surface (soldering pad, firebrick, or charcoal block) Bench vise: smooth jaw (optional) Urethane spray: clear (optional) Copper tubing: 3 ⁄8 -in. (9.5mm), 4 in. (10.2cm) (optional)

4

gently pinch along the length of the fold, use the flat side of a chasing hammer on a bench block to lightly flatten the fold, or squeeze the fold in a smooth-jawed bench vise, leaving the 1⁄4-in. (6.5mm) portion out of the jaws [3]. Repeat to bend and crease the other square.

5

Anneal and open the squares. Anneal both creased squares. Quench them or let them air-cool. Using your fingers, open the squares, leaving the first creases intact [4]. Make the second fold. Using your fingers, bend each square on the opposing diagonal so that the two corners meet [5].

6

Crease the second fold. Using flatnose pliers, gently pinch the second fold on each side of the first crease [6]. Do not pinch the center. Repeat to bend and crease the other square. Copper Jewelry Collection

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7 make a micro brass brush Large brass brushes don’t always fit into tiny crevices, so here’s how you can make a scaled-down broomstick-style version, using an old brass brush: [1] Using utility pliers, remove one or more bundles of bristles from a plastic- or wood-handled brass brush. [2] Gather the bundles, and insert the ends that were in the brush handle into the end of a piece of 3 ⁄8 -in. (9.5mm) copper tubing. [3] Using flatnose pliers, squeeze the tubing to capture the bristles.

8

9 Anneal and open the squares. Anneal both squares. Quench them or let them aircool. Using your fingers, gently open the squares, leaving both creases intact. Shape the stars. Working with the creases, use roundnose pliers to curve each side of your squares inward [7] until you’ve formed them into four-pointed stars. Refine the shapes as needed with your fingers and pliers. Use a burnisher to smooth and highlight the edges. Drill the ear wire holes. On the un-creased corner of one star, use an awl or center punch to make a small dent approximately 1⁄8 in. (3mm) from the corner [8]. Using a 1.5mm drill bit, drill a hole at this dent. If necessary, smooth the hole with needle files or sandpaper. Repeat for the other star. Add a patina (optional). Apply your desired patina to the foldformed stars according to the manufacturer’s

10 instructions. I used a simple fuming method to patinate mine (see p. 20). Allow the patina to dry completely. In a well-ventilated area, apply two to three light coats of a high-quality clear spray urethane to seal the patina. Shine the stars (optional). If you didn’t patinate and seal the stars, use a brass brush and soapy water to burnish the interior of each to bring out the shine [9]. To better reach the interiors of the stars, I used a scaled-down, homemade brass brush. Make the bead components (optional). Use wire cutters to cut two 11⁄8-in. (29mm) pieces of 20-gauge (0.8mm) sterling silver wire. At one end of a wire, use roundnose pliers to make a plain loop. Slide a 4mm bead on the wire, and make another plain loop, perpendicular to the first. Repeat with the second wire. Assemble the earrings. Use the bead components to connect each star to an ear wire [10]. If you didn’t make bead components, attach the ear wires directly to the stars.

Earrings shown actual size

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Beginner Review: Setting rivets, Sawing

ARTIST DEBORAH FRANCIS

Design & Build a

Bracelet THIS INEXPENSIVE BRACELET is a great project for

combining jewelry-making skills. Have fun assembling copper segments, polymer clay, found objects and coins, or various metal components using cold connections.

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1

3 materials

Copper sheet: 22- or 24-gauge (0.6 or 0.5mm), 6x3 in. (15.2x7.6cm) Copper wire: 12-gauge (2.1mm), 11 ⁄4 in. (32mm) 18-gauge (1.0mm), 4 in. (10.2cm) Copper jump rings: 18-gauge (1.0mm), 5–6mm inside diameter, 18 Copper tubing (for rivets): 3 ⁄ 32 in. (2.4mm), 2 in. (51mm) 1 ⁄8 in. (3mm), 1 in. (25.5mm) Copper disk: 20-gauge (0.8mm), 1 in. (25.5mm) Polymer clay: black, 28 g Cornstarch (optional) Charms, found objects, etc.

toolboxes Hammering Polymer clay Riveting Sawing/piercing

4 Panels Determine the bracelet length. Using a strip of paper that’s at least 1 in. (25.5mm) wide, measure your wrist and add about ½ in. (13mm) to allow length for the clasp to close comfortably. Determine the size of the panels. The total length of your bracelet will be divided into seven panels, plus one panel for the loop half of a toggle clasp. There will be 1⁄16–1⁄8 in. (1.5–3mm) of space between the panels, where they’ll be connected by jump rings. If you’re making the bracelet for a smaller wrist, you may want to make only six panels instead. My bracelet, including the clasp, is 81⁄4 in. (21.0cm). Each panel is 13⁄8x1 in. (35x25.5mm). My clasp panel is 13⁄8x5⁄8 in. (16mm), with a roughly ¼-in. (6.5mm) wide interior space to fit the toggle.

additional tools & supplies Annealing station: copper tongs, fire-resistant surface (soldering pad, firebrick, or charcoal block), torch Liver of sulfur Steel wool Spray bottle Dapping block and punches Calipers Wire cutters Pliers: chainnose, roundnose

2

Cut out the panels. On a sheet of 22- or 24-gauge (0.6 or 0.5mm) copper, mark the dimensions of the panels and clasp [1]. Using a jeweler’s saw with a 2/0 blade, cut out the panels [2]. Use a hand file to smooth the edges and round the corners. Plan the texture and design components for each panel. Play with the design components for the top of each panel, mixing metals, charms, and found objects. Decide which panels to texture and patinate. For my center panel, I decided to make a domed copper disk. I wanted to use polymer as a unifying design element, so I decided which panels should have a polymer component. I’ll show you how to make these later. Anneal and texture the panels. Anneal the copper panels with a torch. Then, texture them. Some texturing options include stamping, hammering, sanding, or passing the panel through a rolling mill

Use different components to make each panel distinct and to give the bracelet depth.

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5

6 with a textured material. I used the ball end of my chasing hammer to create a dimpled effect on my clasp panel [3].

The texturing process may distort the shape of the panels. If necessary, file the edges to return them to their rounded rectangular form. Mark drill holes. Use a permanent marker to mark where you’ll drill holes for the jump rings that will connect the panels and clasp parts. The holes should be at least 1⁄8 in. (3mm) in from the edge of the panels so that the border remains strong [4]. Mark one end panel with only three holes: two on the side where it will connect to the adjacent panel, and one in the center of the side where it will connect to the toggle bar. Draw diagonal lines from the corners of each panel to find its center point.

7

Drill the holes. Use a center punch or an awl to make a dimple at each of the drill marks and at the center point on each panel. Using a 2.38mm drill bit, drill through all the dimples. Use sandpaper to smooth burs from the edges of the holes. Sand and file all edges and corners [5].

texture and contrast against the copper and gave the whole piece visual continuity.

Pierce the clasp panel. Make a dimple inside the rectangle you marked for the hole in the clasp panel. Drill a hole through the dimple, and then pierce the inside of the panel.

Texture the clay sheet. Lightly mist a texture plate with water [7] to prevent the clay from sticking to the plate.

Patinate the panels. If you want some of your panels to be darker, patinate them with liver of sulfur [6]. Use steel wool to remove some of the patina and enhance the metal’s texture.

Make a polymer clay sheet. Condition 28 g of black polymer clay, then run it through a pasta machine set to medium. Place the clay sheet on a rigid, nonstick work surface.

If you use natural materials such as bark or coarse paper to texture the clay, dust them with cornstarch to prevent the clay from sticking.

Polymer components I made black polymer components for five of the seven panels because it provided

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8

9

10 Place the texture sheet on top of the clay. Using an acrylic roller, roll over the texture sheet once using firm pressure [8].

12

Don’t neglect the back of your bracelet when adding texture and patina!

11 drill bit to drill a hole through the center of each disk.

Assembly

Cut out clay components. Using circle cutters, cut disks of clay to fit your design [9]. Transfer the clay disks to a baking sheet or small ceramic tile, and bake the clay according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Allow the clay disks to cool.

Use whatever cold-connection technique you like to build each panel. Some objects may look good with wire wrapping holding them together. I prefer the look of tube rivets; they make a clean, durable join that adds to the bracelet’s design by echoing the circular forms on my panels. Two of my panels include domed metal disks. I secured each with a telescoping tube rivet that supports the dome from below so the dome doesn’t dent when you set the rivet.

Drill the clay components. Mark the centers of the clay disks, and use a 2.38mm

Rivet the flat design components. Stack all the flat design components for one

Your pattern may distort if you roll back and forth over the clay. If your texture isn’t satisfactory, pass the clay through the pasta machine again and start over.

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Cross section of dome Figure 1

13

Figure 2

14 panel, and use calipers to determine the total thickness of all the pieces [10]. Add approximately 1⁄8 in. (3mm) to this measurement, and cut that length of 3⁄32-in. (2.4mm) copper tubing. If necessary, use a round needle file to slightly enlarge the hole in the center of the panel so the tubing fits. Rivet (Basics Review) the copper panel and design components. Repeat this process for all the panels except the ones that will have domed components. Make a dome. Mark the center point on a 1-in. (25.5mm) 20-gauge (0.8mm) copper disk. Make a dimple at the mark, and drill a small pilot hole.

The pilot hole should be smaller than the desired final hole; the hole shape will distort during dapping.

Use a dapping block and punch to dome the disk [11]. Redrill the hole with a 2.38mm drill bit. Remove any burs from the edges of the hole with sandpaper or a file. Cut tubing. Stack the dome on its copper panel, and measure the height of both components [12]. Add approximately 1⁄8 in. (3mm) to this measurement to determine the length of your 3⁄32-in. (2.4mm) copper tubing. Measure the interior height of the dome to determine the length of your 1⁄8-in. (3mm) copper tubing.

It can be tricky to get an exact measurement of the interior of a dome; err on the side of extra length, as you can always file down the tubing to fit. Mark both pieces of tubing [13], then cut them to length. Sand the ends of each piece level, and check the fit. The longer tube slides through the dome, the shorter tube, and the copper panel. The shorter tube should fit snugly inside the dome with no gaps between the top of the dome and the panel [Figure 1]. If the tube is too tall, file it to the correct height. Rivet the domed panel. Set the tube rivet to connect the dome to the panel. The

15 tube inside the dome will support it and prevent it from caving in at the rivet. Make the toggle. Cut a 1¼-in. (32mm) piece of 12-gauge (2.1mm) copper wire, and anneal it. Place the wire on a bench block, and use a hammer to flatten it, flaring the ends. Saw a small notch in the center of the wire [Figure 2]. Use a file to smooth and round the edges of the bar. Cut a 4-in. (10.2cm) piece of 18-gauge (1.0mm) copper wire. Make a wrapped loop at one end. Starting at the other end, make four to five tight wraps around the toggle bar at the notch. Trim the wire, and use chainnose or flatnose pliers to press the end against the wraps [14].

Instead of using round wire to make the toggle, you can use the 3⁄8-in. (9.5mm) strip left over from sawing out the panels. Drill a hole in the center of the strip, and attach it to the end panel with jump rings. Connect the panels. Use copper jump rings to connect the panels in the sequence you like. I used two 20-gauge (0.8mm) rings for each hole for a softer look; if you’re using just one jump ring per hole, I recommend using 18-gauge (1.0mm) rings for strength [15]. Copper Jewelry Collection

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Beginner Review: Sawing, Sanding, Wirework, Patina

ARTIST

MARY HETTMANSPERGER

Woven Window GIVE COPPER SQUARES the appearance of weathered, deckle-edged parchment paper using a combination of piercing and hammering techniques. Cut windows in copper to showcase a rainbow-hued woven mat hidden behind. And bring all of the pendant elements together with a solderless assembly of just three eyelets—a simple and stylish touch. Attach a pendulum-like dangle, and string the pendant with Irish waxed linen to complete the organic charm of this reversible piece. 48

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Create a reversible pendant with a completely different look than the front.

1

materials

2 Prepare the copper squares Cut two copper squares. Cut two pieces of 18-gauge copper sheet metal, each about 1–11⁄2-in. (2.54–3.81cm) square, for the front and back of the pendant. Size and texture the copper squares. Cut the copper squares to the exact finished size you’d like your pendant to be. Place the squares on an anvil or steel block, and use the flat side of a ball-peen hammer to forge a rough, deckle-edged effect around their perimeters. File any sharp edges, and forge again until the edges are smooth to the touch. If desired, use the rounded side of the hammer to create a dimpled texture over the entire surface [1]. Puncture windows in the copper squares. Place one square on a scrap block of hardwood. Position the edge of a chisel where you’d like one side of a window frame to be. Using a rawhide mallet, hammer the handle of the chisel to pierce the copper. Gradually move the chisel in the shape you’d like the window

to be, hammering as you go. Once you’ve gone around the entire shape, remove the loose piece to reveal the window. Forge the cut edges to create a smooth deckle edge. File any rough edges, and forge again if necessary. Cut as many windows as you’d like. (See “Make an organic cut,” p. 50) For a reversible necklace, cut a window or a series of windows from the second square. The squares do not need to match—it will add interest and versatility if they don’t. Set the squares aside [2]. Patinate the copper squares. Apply a heat or chemical patina to the copper squares. For a heat patina, place one square on a soldering pad or block. Move a torch flame over the copper until the desired color is reached. Repeat with the other square, and cool.

For other techniques for applying patinas, see pages 18 and 22. The green chemical patina shown on the featured pendant was produced using a commercial solution.

Copper sheet: 18-gauge, 2 1–11 ⁄2 -in.-square (2.54–3.81cmsquare) pieces Copper foil, 1 ⁄2 –1-in.-square (1.27–2.54cm-square) piece Painted paper, 1 ⁄2 –1-in.-square (1.27–2.54cm-square) piece (or fabric, birch bark, photos, etc.) Scrapbooking eyelets, 3, 1 ⁄8 in. (3.2mm) Accent beads, 1 or 2 Headpin or piece of wire, 21 ⁄2 in. (6.35cm) Tube bead Irish waxed-linen cording, 4- or 7-ply Clasp (optional) 16-gauge wire (optional) 24-gauge wire (optional)

toolboxes Finishing Riveting Sawing/Piercing Wirework

additional tools & supplies Metal shears or jeweler’s saw Patina of your choice Propane torch (optional) Toaster oven or convection oven (optional) Block of scrap hardwood Chisel Glue (optional) Drying clips or clothespins (optional) Leather gloves Drill bit, large enough to match eyelets Eyelet tool Copper Jewelry Collection

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Create a woven mat

3

4

Patinate a piece of copper foil. Apply a heat or chemical patina to a piece of copper foil using the same techniques as used on the squares [3]. Keep in mind that foil is thinner than copper sheet and cannot be left in the flame as long during heattreating or it will melt. Cut a piece of patinated foil slightly smaller than the copper squares. Cut strips of copper foil and paper. Cut lines into one side of the copper foil piece, creating strips approximately 1⁄16–1⁄8 in. (1.6–3.2mm) wide. Don’t cut all the way across the piece of foil; leave the strips connected on one side [4]. Cut another material (paper, fabric, etc.) to the same size as the foil. I used painted cardstock; if you choose this method, remember to paint both sides of the paper. Cut this material into strips of about the same width as the copper foil, but cut them all the way across so you have individual pieces [5].

5

6

Weave the copper foil and paper into a grid. Begin weaving the paper and foil strips in an over-and-under pattern. Begin each subsequent row with the opposite weave pattern to create a checkerboard appearance. After weaving the last row, fold the foil strips back against the woven piece to hold the last paper row in place [6]. Fit the woven piece to the copper squares. Place the woven piece between the two copper squares, leaving about a 1⁄4-in. (6.4mm) frame. Trim the woven piece if necessary, and position it to look pleasing when viewed through the windows [7].

7 make an organic cut

Glue the woven piece in place (optional). Apply glue around the windows on the inside of one square and gently press the woven piece in place. Secure with drying clips or clothespins until the glue is dry.

Most basic metalsmithing students are taught to cut with a jeweler’s saw. It takes patience (and usually many broken blades!) to become proficient with these thin, fine blades, but once mastered, they are excellent for cutting clean patterns in small metal pieces. To give your jewelry a rough, organic feel, as displayed in the featured pendant, a chisel is the perfect cutting tool. This simple technique seems a bit primitive when one considers all the tools available; however, it’s one of the best and fastest ways to achieve organic edges in your metal jewelry.

Drill holes for eyelets. Place the copper squares on a wood block one at a time, and use a hammer and awl to mark the places you will drill for eyelets. The featured pendant has three eyelet locations—one in each top corner and one in the bottom center [8].

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easy heat method Apply a heat patina to copper using your oven. Metal thickness and dimension, temperature, and length of heating time will all affect your results, so experiment by varying the combination you use. Skin oils can discolor copper, so clean it well with degreasing soap and water, then handle it only by the edges. Heat a toaster oven or convection oven to about 400°F (204°C), place the copper in the oven, and experiment with times from 2–7 minutes. Solid colors will form across the copper sheet in shades of magenta, bright orange, chrome, and light blue. If you’d like to match colors with approximate lengths of time, peek into the oven occasionally and record the results.

Wear a leather glove and hold one copper square firmly against the wood block. Drill holes through the marked locations with an appropriately sized drill bit. Drill matching holes in the second copper square. If the holes leave rough edges or shards, hammer the edges down or file them smooth, depending on the appearance you’d like. If necessary, re-drill the holes. Insert the eyelets. Insert the eyelets and secure them with an eyelet tool [9]. Attach the bottom dangle. String one or two beads on a headpin or a wire with a hammer-flattened end. Make a wrapped loop (Basics Review) to attach the dangle to the bottom eyelet [10]. Add a necklace cord. Center a tube bead on waxed-linen cording. Thread the ends of the cording through the eyelet holes in the top of the pendant, front to back. Then thread the cording back through the tube bead in opposite directions [11]. Cut the cording to the desired necklace length. Tie a knot if it is long enough to slide over your head, or add a clasp.

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a different spin If you’d like to challenge yourself, give this design variation a try. This version is achieved by framing the copper squares with three pieces of 16-gauge wire, rather than by using eyelets. The first piece of wire is shaped like an arch; the second, a straight line; and the third, a squared U-shape. Hammer the ends of each of these pieces flat, and file them into paddle shapes.

Arch-shaped wire Straight wire

Squared Drill holes around the U-shaped wire perimeter of each copper square. Tightly coil 24-gauge wire around each individual 16-gauge wire piece, simultaneously threading 24-gauge wire through the holes in the copper squares as you go. “Sew” the U-shaped wire to the right, bottom, and left sides of the pendant, and fasten the straight wire flush with the top. The hammered ends should intersect at the corners. Position the arch-shaped wire above the top of the pendant and fasten it at the intersection of the other two wires, creating a splayed effect.

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Beginner Review: Annealing, Drilling, Riveting

ARTIST AMY HAFTKOWYCZ

Simple

Hammered Cuff STYLE VS. EXPENSE: It’s often a jewelry-maker’s conundrum. Not so with this project. This copper tubing is refrigerator tubing that you can get at any hardware store. It’s just the right width and thickness to hold a great shape when it’s flattened, it accepts texture well, and it looks terrific as a cuff. For some extra style, I use textured silver as a contrast against the copper, but feel free to customize the outer piece of this bracelet with other metals, textures, stamped designs or text, or even metal clay. You’ll use four basic hammer exercises to combine silver and brass with affordable, and beautiful, copper. 52

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materials

Copper refrigerator tubing: ⁄ -in. (6.5mm) outside diameter, 6–8 in. (15.2–20.3cm) Fine- or sterling silver wire: 10-gauge (2.6mm), 3 in. (76mm) Brass wire: 14-gauge (1.6mm), approximately 1 ⁄2 in. (13mm) 14

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toolboxes Soldering Wirework

additional tools & supplies Tube cutter or jeweler’s saw with 3/0 blade Texturing hammer Annealing pan Quenching bowl Center punch or nail set Drill press (optional) Drill bit: #53 (1.5mm/1 ⁄16-in.) Flex shaft with sanding disks Bracelet-forming pliers or bracelet mandrel Liver of sulfur (or other patina)

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3 Cut and texture the copper tubing. Wrap a tape measure snugly around your wrist. Use a tube cutter to cut this length of ¼-in. (6.5mm) outsidediameter copper tubing [1]. Anneal (Basics Review), quench, and pickle the tubing.

If you do not have a tube cutter, you can use a jeweler’s saw with a 3/0 blade to cut the copper tubing. Secure the tubing, and cut slowly to avoid sawing crookedly or breaking saw blades.

Experiment with using other hammers or tools to make interesting textures on the tubing, but note that heavy or irregular textures may make it harder to set and rivet the silver wire.

two ends of the wire so that they are wide enough to accommodate a 14-gauge (1.6mm) brass rivet. You can either flatten the center section of the wire completely, or leave it with some dimension. Anneal and quench the wire.

Prepare the silver wire. Cut a 3-in. (76mm) piece of 10-gauge (2.6mm) fineor sterling-silver wire. Lay the wire on the bench block, and use the flat side of the chasing hammer to flatten it. Flatten the

Lay the tubing on a bench block, and use the flat side of a chasing hammer to flatten the entire length [2]. Anneal, quench, and pickle. Lay the flattened tubing on the bench block, and use a texturing hammer to add texture to one side [3]. Anneal, quench, and pickle. Copper Jewelry Collection

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8 Use the ball end of the chasing hammer to texture the wire [4]. Anneal and quench. Drill holes. Use a permanent marker to mark where to drill holes in the wire, in the center of each flattened end. Use a center punch or nail set to create a divot at each mark [5]. Drill a hole (Basics Review) at each divot with a #53 (1.5mm/1⁄16 in.) drill bit. Line up the silver wire on the copper where you want the silver to sit. Mark through one of the drilled holes in the silver where you want to drill the first hole in the copper tubing. Use the center punch or nail set to create a divot at the mark, and drill a hole at the divot [6].

You will only drill one hole in the copper tubing at this time. This ensures that the second hole will line up properly after the first rivet is set.

Cut the first rivet wire. Use flush cutters to cut a short piece of 14-gauge (1.6mm) brass wire. Line up the hole in the copper tubing with the hole at one end of the silver wire. Be sure that the textured side of each piece is facing outward. Insert the brass rivet wire through both holes.

The rivet must fit tightly in the holes. If it won’t fit, lightly sand the wire, or slowly file the holes with a round needle file until the wire fits snugly in the holes. Use flush cutters to trim the rivet wire so that approximately 1mm of brass wire extends on each side of the metal [7]. Set the first rivet. To set the first rivet, use the ball end of the chasing hammer to gently tap the end of the rivet wire from all angles. The rivet will begin to mushroom

over [8]. Once it has mushroomed enough to stay in place, flip the assembly over and gently tap the other end of the rivet until it begins to mushroom over like the first side. Continue working back and forth between the two ends of the rivet until it is snug against the metal and its edges are smooth to the touch.

As your rivet begins to tighten, make sure that the silver wire is lined up exactly where you want it to be. Once the rivet is set, the wire will be unmovable. Mark and set the second rivet. Place your center punch or nail set inside the open hole in the silver wire, and make a divot on the copper tubing. Drill a hole through the divot [9]. As before, cut a piece of brass rivet wire, and set the second rivet.

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13 Form loops at each end of the copper tubing. Use sandpaper or a rotary tool with sanding disks to smooth and round the ends of the copper tubing [10]. Use roundnose pliers to begin forming a loop at one end of the copper tubing.

Be sure to curl the end toward the textured side of the copper.

a rawhide mallet to shape the cuff [12]. Place the cuff on its edge on the bench block. Using the ball end of the chasing hammer, tap all the edges of the bracelet to add texture to the edges and to workharden the entire cuff [13]. Flip the cuff over and repeat. Pickle the cuff, and patinate it with liver of sulfur (Basics Review) or another patina. Polish it with a polishing pad, then tumblepolish (Basics Review) it to a high shine.

Curl the tubing about three-quarters of the way to a full loop. Lay the tubing on the bench block, and use the ball end of the chasing hammer to gently tap the loop down the rest of the way [11]. This will also introduce a dimpled texture to the loop. Repeat to make a loop on the other end of the copper tubing. Form and finish the cuff. Use braceletforming pliers or a bracelet mandrel and Copper Jewelry Collection

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Beginner Review:

ARTIST JOANNA GOLLBERG

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SHARPEN SAWING, FILING, AND RIVETING TECHNIQUES with this project. Because it uses cold connections only, no soldering is required. It calls for a rolling mill to impart texture from wire mesh, but if you don’t have access to a rolling mill, you can use other techniques, such as hammering or stamping.

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5 Measure and mark 20 rectangles on copper sheet. Using a ruler and scribe, measure and mark 19 vertical lines that are 3⁄4 in. (19mm) apart and 19 horizontal lines that are 1 in. (25.5mm) apart [1]. Cut out the rectangles. Place the copper on a bench pin, and cut out the rectangles with a jeweler’s saw and 2/0 saw blades (See “Sawing tips,” p. 59) [2]. Smooth the edges. File the edges and round the corners of each rectangle with a bastard file [3]. If you don’t have a rolling mill, or if you choose to texture your rectangles in another way, skip to “drill the holes.”

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Cut out aluminum wire mesh. Use scissors to cut out ten rectangles from wire mesh, each slightly larger than the 1x3⁄4-in. (25.5x19mm) copper rectangles you cut in step 2 [4]. Sandwich the wire mesh between two copper rectangles. Adjust the rolling mill. Adjust the rolling mill so the “sandwich” fits nicely between the rollers [5]. Remove the sandwich from the rollers, and tighten them one and a half turns. Impress the pattern. Roll the sandwich through the rolling mill to impress the wire-mesh pattern on both pieces of copper. Repeat this process for all 20 rectangles. [6]

7 Drill the holes. Mark a spot at the top left and top right corners of each imprinted rectangle, 3⁄16 in. (5mm) from each edge. Using a flex shaft with a 2.75mm drill bit, drill holes through each marked spot [7].

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materials

Copper sheet: 20-gauge, half-hard, 233 ⁄4x153 ⁄4 in. (60.3x40.0cm) Sterling-silver tubing: 2.75mm outside diameter, 2.10mm inside diameter, 4 in. (10.2cm) Sterling-silver wire: 18-gauge, 2 in. (51mm)

toolboxes Finishing Hammering Sawing/Piercing

tools & supplies Ruler Scribe Bastard file Aluminum wire mesh, slightly larger than copper sheet (optional) Rolling mill (optional) Blackening agent of your choice Nail, small dapping tool, or flaring tool of your choice Roundnose pliers

11 riveting the right way When riveting, it’s very important to continually make gentle hammer blows and flip the metal being joined from one side to the other. If your hammer blows are too hard or you try to make the rivet flare too much at one time, the rivet can split apart. A small dapping punch that is slightly larger than your tubing makes a great flaring tool.

This collar maintains a rigid appearance when worn, but the rivets allow for easy movement.

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15 Apply color. If desired, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to apply a patina, such as liver of sulfur, to each rectangle [8]. Refine the finish. Sand each rectangle with 400-grit sandpaper [9]. Give each piece a final finish by rubbing it with coarse-grit steel wool [10]. Saw the tubing into rivets. Saw the sterling silver tubing into 20 3⁄16-in. (5mm) pieces [11]. Sand the ends of each piece of tubing with 400-grit sandpaper. Connect the rectangles with rivets. Place the rectangles, textured side up, on top of a steel block. Insert one piece of tubing into the right hole in one rectangle and the left hole in another rectangle [12]. Hold a nail, small dapping tool, or flaring tool of your choice on top of the tubing and gently tap it with a chasing hammer to flare one side of the tubing. (See “Riveting the right way,” p. 58.) Turn the rectangles over, and repeat the process on the other end of the tubing. Once both sides of the tubing have been flared, use the ball side of the chasing hammer to continue to flare the tubing until it lies flat against the sheet metal and makes a secure rivet [13].

Place the left edge of a new rectangle underneath the right edge of the last rectangle and rivet it in place. Repeat these steps until all the rectangles are riveted together. Leave one drilled hole on each end of the necklace free of rivets. Form the clasp. Using roundnose pliers, make a loop in a 2-in. (51mm) segment of sterling-silver wire about 3⁄4 in. (19mm) from the end [14]. Thread this loop through the open hole on one side of the necklace. Wrap the short tail of the wire around the long tail to complete the wrapped loop, attaching the clasp to the necklace [15] (see Basics Review). Make a bend in the middle of the long wire tail with roundnose pliers [16]. Bend the foot of the wire tail slightly outward to resemble an ear wire. File the foot smooth. Insert this hook through the hole in the other side of the necklace to clasp it.

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16 sawing tips To ensure that your blade is not upside down when inserting it into the saw frame, hold it so that the teeth are pointing “down and out;” down toward the handle and out away from the frame. Make sure your work is at chest height and you are sitting up straight before you begin sawing. Keep the saw frame vertical and slowly move it up and down, only cutting into the metal on the down stroke. Apply beeswax to the blade to keep it from sticking. Don’t worry if you break a blade or two. With practice, you’ll become more adept.

Adjust the fit. Use your fingers to bend the necklace into a slight curve so it drapes nicely around your neck. This adjustment will loosen some of the rivets, which is okay. Keep bending until the necklace is comfortable.

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Beginner/intermediate Review: Metal Clay

ARTIST VICKI COOK

Two-tone

Bangle

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COPPER WIRE IS AN IDEAL MATERIAL to use for your first forging (hammering) and riveting project because it’s relatively soft, which means it’s easy to work and takes

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textures well. To highlight copper’s warm, mellow color, incorporate contrasting silver elements, like the rivets and metal clay accents in these bracelets.

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materials

Copper wire: 4-gauge (5.2mm), 10 in. (25.4cm) Fine-silver wire: 16-gauge (1.3mm), 3 in. (76mm) Metal clay (low-shrink formula): 15–20 g Metal clay slip

toolboxes Metal clay Hammering Sawing/Piercing Finishing Torch station: torch, fire-resistant surface (soldering pad, firebrick, or charcoal block), pickle pot with pickle, copper tongs

tools & supplies Hose clamp Bracelet mandrel (optional) Wooden baseball bat: cut off Masking tape Permanent marker Vise, leather or other material to line the jaws Leather gloves Safety glasses Earplugs Hand files: #0-cut, bastard, #4 Swiss-cut Bolt cutters (optional) Toothbrush (optional) Parallel pliers Wire cutters: flush Center punch Flex shaft, 1.3mm drill bit Hockey puck or block of wood Polymer clay: 1 oz. (28 g); or Silly Putty Texture plate Flat-tip paintbrushes, 2 Pencil eraser Baking soda: 2 tablespoons

Copper bangle Determine the inside diameter of your bracelet. Adjust a hose clamp so that it just fits over your hand, allowing enough clearance to accommodate any metal clay you plan to add to the bangle. Keeping the clamp closed, remove it from your hand and slide it over a bracelet mandrel [1].

You can also use the cut-off end of a wooden baseball bat as a mandrel; you’ll need the bat in later steps anyway.

Forge the wire ends. Put on leather gloves, eye protection, and earplugs. Place a bench block or anvil on a sturdy work surface. Using the flat face of a chasing hammer, flatten one end of the wire [4] until it’s 40mm (15⁄8 in.) long and tapers to 1.5–2mm thick. Repeat to flatten the other end. (To make a bangle with side rivets, see “Side-facing rivets,” p. 63).

Use masking tape to mark the mandrel where the clamp rests. Note the length of masking tape you need in order to circumscribe the mandrel; that length is the inside diameter (ID) of your bangle.

Check the length of the forged wire. Your wire will lengthen as you forge it; this provides the length needed (at least 20mm/¾ in. additional) for overlapping the ends so you can join them with rivets. If your wire stretches farther than you need it to in order to maintain the correct ID, use a #0-cut file to shorten the ends. If the wire is too short, forge the ends a bit more.

Cut the copper wire. Use a permanent marker to mark the length of the ID on a piece of 4-gauge (5.2mm) copper wire. Secure the wire in a vise, and cut it with a jeweler’s saw and a #1 blade [2] (Basics Review) or with bolt cutters [3].

Refine the wire ends. Use a bastard file followed by a #4 Swiss-cut file to round and shape the wire [5]. To remove file marks, sand the ends with 400-grit sandpaper. Then, use progressively finer grit sandpapers to smooth the metal. Copper Jewelry Collection

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Anneal the forged wire. Anneal the wire. Rinse and dry the wire. Use steel wool to remove any remaining oxidation. Pre-polish the copper. Use polishing papers in progressively finer grits for a matte finish. Or, for a shinier surface, use buffing wheels and white diamond polishing compound. Remove any residual compound with a toothbrush and soapy water, and then rinse and dry the wire. Shape the wire. Using your hands, bend the wire around the marked circumference of the mandrel [6]. (For leverage, secure the mandrel in a vise.) Keep the shaped wire on the mandrel and use a rawhide mallet to hammer the forged wire ends [7] so that they overlap. Check the fit and close the gap. Slide the bangle over your hand to check the fit. Adjust the overlap as necessary, making sure that the ends overlap at least 8mm (5⁄16 in.) to accommodate a few rivets. Use parallel pliers to move the ends [8] so

14 that one is centered over the other. Put the bracelet on the mandrel and hammer the ends [9] so they lay flat against one another. Ball-up wire to make rivets. Cut three 1-in. (25.5mm) pieces of 16-gauge (1.3mm) fine-silver wire. Use a torch to ball up one end of each wire (Basics Review). Trim to about 6.5mm (¼ in.) [10]. Set the rivets. Use a permanent marker to mark the placement of three rivets [11]. Place the bangle on the mandrel and use a center punch to tap a dimple into one mark [12].

15 With the bangle on the wooden bat, use a flex shaft and a 1.3mm drill bit to make a hole at the dimple, being sure to drill through both ends of the bangle. Insert one balled-up wire through the hole. Use flush cutters to trim the wire end, leaving approximately 1mm protruding [13]. Position the bangle on a hockey puck or block of wood, and use the ball face of a ball-peen or riveting hammer to tap the edges of the wire end to flare them, setting the rivet [14]. Use the flat face of the ballpeen hammer to flatten the rivet (Basics Review). Repeat to make the second and third rivets [15].

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Metal clay accents Plan your metal clay wrap. Plan how and where to add metal clay accents to the bangle by making a polymer clay mock-up. Line the jaws of a vise with leather or another protective material. Secure the lower quarter of the bangle in the vise. Condition 1 oz. (28 g) of polymer clay. Use an acrylic roller to roll out the polymer clay to 1mm thick. If desired, add a texture to the polymer clay sheet to add contrast to the smooth copper wire. Use a craft knife to cut the sheet into strips. Wrap the polymer strips around the bangle as desired. Make guide marks with a permanent marker on the bangle to indicate the placement of the clay [16]. When you’re satisfied with the placement, remove the clay. Make metal clay strips. On an oiled, flexible Teflon sheet, roll 15–20 g of metal clay to 4 playing cards thick, and then texturize it. Make sure that the textured clay is at least 3 playing cards (1mm) thick. Use a craft knife or tissue blade to cut the clay sheet into strips that correspond to your polymer clay mock-ups. Wrap the metal clay. Without stretching the wet strips of clay, wrap them around the bangle, using one or two damp paintbrushes to maneuver the clay [17].

Do not wrap the strips too tightly; this could cause the clay to split as it shrinks while drying. Use a paintbrush to apply water between overlapping layers of clay. Secure the clay ends. Metal clay won’t fuse to the copper when you fire it, so you must secure the ends to nearby clay sections to hold it in place. Apply metal clay slip to these joins if necessary [18].

side-facing rivets To create a bangle that has side-facing rivets, like the one above, you’ll need to determine how long you want the inside diameter (ID) of your bracelet to be and then cut a piece of 4-gauge (5.2mm) copper wire to that length. (For details on how to do this, see the first two steps of the featured project.) [1] Anneal the wire (Basics Review), and then pickle, rinse, and dry it. Use your hands or a rawhide mallet to shape the wire around a bracelet mandrel or wooden bat, being sure to maintain the desired ID. [2] Use the flat face of a ball-peen hammer to forge the ends of the bangle [A]. Without twisting the wire, bring the forged ends together so that one rests on top of the other. Slide the bangle over your hand to check the fit.

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[3] Make balled-up wires (Basics Review) for rivets. Mark the overlapping ends of the bangle where you want to place the rivets. Drill and set the wire rivets [B] (Basics Review) as you would for the featured bangle.

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23 Smooth the edges and fill gaps. Use a damp paintbrush to smooth any rough edges of clay and to apply slip to fill any splits or cracks. Allow the clay to dry completely.

Remove excess clay slip. Using a needle tool, scrape away excess dry slip from the edges of the clay where it meets the copper [19]. With a pencil eraser, wipe off excess slip from the copper [20].

Refine the clay wrap. Using fine-grit sandpaper, remove any sharp edges and marks from the dry clay. Use a dry paintbrush to dust off any clay particles.

Fire the bangle. Place the bangle on a soldering brick, and torch-fire the metal clay in low light. Once the metal clay glows peach, continue to move the torch over the metal clay, maintaining the peach color for 5 minutes [21]. Then remove the heat and allow the bangle to air-cool for a few minutes. (Or place the bangle in a bowl of vermiculite and fire it in a kiln according to the manufacturer’s instructions.) When the bangle is no longer glowing, quench it in water. This will remove a lot of the oxidation that forms on the copper during firing.

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24 sandpaper to remove any remaining oxidation from the copper [22]. With a brass brush and soapy water, give the metal clay a soft, matte finish [23]. For more shine, use a burnisher to rub the metal clay [24]. Or, polish the bangle in a tumbler with steel shot and burnishing compound. To give the bracelet more contrast, add a liver of sulfur patina according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Pickle and finish the bangle. Pickle the bracelet, and then soak it in a solution of 1 cup of hot water mixed with 2 tablespoons of baking soda to neutralize the pickle. Use fine-grit

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Intermediate Review: Soldering, Bezel Set a Cab

ARTIST RICHARD SALLEY

Riveting

on a Curve COPPER, AND ITS MAJOR ALLOYS, bronze and brass,

offer jewelry makers a range of rich, warm colors for their work. Copper-based metals also take a variety of patinas to extend the color possibilities to include shades of brown, gray, black, and green.

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Choose your stone. The cuff band will be 1 in. (25.5mm) wide; for your focal stone, choose a cabochon that is slightly larger, consistent with the overall cuff design.

Cut the bezel wire at the mark. Close the bezel, and check to make sure the ends meet flush. If there are gaps, file or sand the ends until they meet flush.

Cut the bezel strip. Using a jeweler’s saw with a 6/0 blade, cut a 1⁄4-in. (6.5mm) wide strip of 24-gauge (0.5mm) copper sheet long enough to go completely around your stone with some overlap. Wrap the strip around your stone and use a scribe or marker to mark where the metal overlaps, as accurately as possible [1].

Solder the bezel. Place the bezel strip in a third hand, and flux the ends where they meet. Solder the bezel closed with medium solder [2]. Quench, pickle, rinse, and dry the bezel. Check the fit of the stone in the bezel; the stone should pass easily through the bezel wire. Resize the bezel if necessary (see “Resizing a bezel,” p. 67).

While it’s more difficult to work with than standard bezel wire, 24-gauge (0.5mm) copper sheet adds to the rugged, substantial character of this cuff, and there is little chance of melting the bezel strip during the soldering process.

Don’t worry if there is a little extra solder on the outside of the bezel join; this will protect the join when you solder the bezel to the backplate.

materials

Cabochon: at least 1 in. (25.5mm) diameter Copper sheet: 24-gauge (0.5mm), dead-soft, 1 ⁄4x4 in. (6.5x102mm) 22-gauge (0.6mm), dead-soft, 3x8 in. (7.6x20.3cm) Bronze or red brass wire: 14-gauge (1.6mm), dead-soft, 6 in. (15.2cm) Brass escutcheon pins: 18-gauge (1.0mm), 2

toolboxes Sawing/Piercing Soldering Hammering Stone setting

additional tools & supplies Sandpaper, various grits Pliers: chainnose, half-round, dimple (optional) Riveting hammer Hole punch pliers: 1.8mm, 1.25mm (optional) Flush cutters Bracelet mandrel Steel wire or steel wool (optional)

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I scribed triangular shapes around the outside of the backplate and used dimple pliers to create decoration around the bezel. Add embellishments as desired.

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Drill a hole. Using a #51 (1⁄16-in./1.7mm) drill bit, drill an off-center hole in the backplate [6]. This will enable you to push out the stone later, and it will also allow any trapped water to drain out. Cut the cuff band. Use a jeweler’s saw with a 4/0 blade to cut a 1-in. (25.5mm) wide strip of 22-gauge (0.6mm) copper sheet long enough to comfortably fit your wrist with about a 1-in. (25.5mm) opening.

9 Cut the backplate. Cut a piece of 22-gauge (0.6mm) copper sheet large enough for a 1⁄2-in. (13mm) border around the stone. Place the bezel on the backplate. If there are gaps, sand or file the bezel until it sits flush. Solder the bezel cup. Flux the backplate and the bezel. Set the bezel in place on the backplate, and place several small pallions

of medium solder along the inside of the bezel [3]. Heat the bezel and the backplate evenly until the solder flows [4]. Quench, pickle, rinse, and dry. Use dividers to scribe a line on the backplate around the perimeter of the bezel about 1⁄4 in. (6.5mm) from the bezel’s outside wall [5]. Using a jeweler’s saw with a 4/0 blade, cut the backplate along the scribed line. File any rough areas along the edge of the backplate.

Make the decorative strips. Cut two 5⁄16-in. (8mm)-wide strips of 22-gauge (0.6mm) copper that are 1 in. (25.5mm) shorter than the length of your cuff band. Texture each strip as desired [7]. Mark a 1-in. (25.5mm) section across the center of the cuff band where the stone will sit. Cut the two textured strips in half so that each is the length from the end of the cuff band to one of the marks [8]. Use 1.8mm hole-punch pliers (or a #51 [1⁄16-in./1.7mm] drill bit) to make five evenly spaced holes in each strip [9].

resizing a bezel Too big? If your bezel is too large, there’s only one remedy: Cut it apart, remove some material, and resolder. Cut the bezel apart at the place where you made the original solder join so you can reuse the solder. Cut off a small section of the wire, and test it for fit around your stone. Repeat until you have a good fit, then apply flux and resolder. Too small? If your bezel is too small, you can try stretching it by placing the tips of a pair of chainnose or half-round pliers inside the bezel, then gently opening the pliers. This usually works with soft, fine-silver bezel wire, but it may not work with the thick copper bezel wire used in this project.

For thicker bezel wire, place the bezel on a mandrel, and tap it lightly with a small riveting, chasing, or planishing hammer. This type of light hammering will cause the metal to spread slightly, making the bezel larger. Periodically test the bezel for proper fit around the stone, and continue stretching the bezel as needed. Be careful not to hammer with too much force, as this will deform the edge of the bezel, and it will not fit flush when you set it on a backplate.

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10

11

12

14 Make the rivets. Flux the end of a 6-in. (15.2cm) piece of 14-gauge (1.6mm) bronze or red brass wire. Use tweezers to hold the wire vertically in the torch flame until the end of the wire balls up (Basics Review) [10]. Quench the wire, and use flush cutters to cut it 1⁄8 in. (3mm) above the balled-up end. Repeat to make 22 rivets [11] (you may wish to make extra rivets in case you drop or lose any). Make all of the balled-up ends about the same size. Pickle, rinse, and dry the rivets.

13

15 When setting a sequence of rivets, only mark and drill one hole at a time. By securing one rivet before drilling the holes for the next, you won’t have alignment problems. Set the first rivets. Insert a rivet from the front side of the cuff through the strip and the cuff band. Use flush cutters to trim the rivet nearly flush with the back of the cuff

16 band [14]. Place the assembly, balled-up end down, on a steel bench block. Use the round end of a riveting or chasing hammer to tap around the end of the wire until it mushrooms over into the countersunk area [15]. This process will also compress the balled-up wire end against the bench block, creating a nice flathead rivet. Repeat the process with a second strip on the same end of the band [16].

Drill the first rivet hole. Align one 5⁄16-in. (8mm) strip with one corner of the cuff band. Using the first hole in the strip as a guide, punch (or mark and drill) a corresponding hole in the band [12]. Flip the band over, and a use a #30 (1⁄8-in./3mm) drill bit to countersink the hole [13]. Countersinking lets a rivet sit flush to or beneath the surface of the band, resulting in a smooth finish on the band’s interior.

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17

18

20

22 Curve the band. Use a bracelet mandrel and a rawhide mallet to introduce a slight curve to the band [17]. If you rivet the entire band flat and then attempt to shape it, the outer strips won’t be able to curve to the same arc as the inner band and the rivets may pull out. Instead, alternate setting each pair of rivets and shaping the band, increasing the curvature after setting each pair of rivets.

As the curvature of the band gets tighter, riveting can get a little tricky. If needed, bend the band back a bit to get a good hammer swing [18]. When you have set all the rivets, the cuff should be completely shaped [19]. Make the connecting strip. Cut a 1⁄4x3-in. (6.5x76mm) strip of 22-gauge (0.6mm) copper sheet, and texture as you did the

19

21

23 other strips. This strip will connect the bezel cup to the cuff band.

I put a couple of notches in each end of the strip to echo the triangular elements in my bezel base. Position the strip across the center of the cuff band, between the riveted strips. Mark both ends of the strip where you want to place the rivets that will attach it to the cuff band [20]. Use a 1.8mm punch or a #51 (1⁄16-in./1.7mm) drill bit to punch or drill holes in the strip. Attach the bezel cup to the connecting strip. Mark a vertical guideline at the approximate center of the back of the bezel cup. Align the center of the connecting strip with the mark on the bezel cup, and mark the strip 3⁄16 in. (5mm) on each side of the center line.

24 Using a 1.25mm hole punch or #56 (0.046-in/1.18mm) drill bit, punch or drill holes in the strip at the marks [21]. Use one of the holes in the strip as a guide to mark the bezel cup for the first rivet. Drill a hole in the bezel cup at the mark using the #56 (0.046-in/1.18mm) drill bit. Countersink the hole on the inside of the bezel cup. Insert an 18-gauge (1.0mm) brass escutcheon pin into the hole from the back, passing through the strip and then the bezel cup [22]. Use flush cutters to trim the pin almost flush with the bezel cup, and rivet as before so that the pin end is flat against the bezel cup. Repeat the process to drill a second hole and set a second pin to firmly attach the strip to the bezel cup [23]. Add grooves to the bezel. Use a jeweler’s saw with a 6/0 saw blade to saw vertical grooves about 1⁄16–1⁄8 in. (1.5–3mm) apart around the circumference of the bezel [24]. Copper Jewelry Collection

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copper plating If you’re using silver solder on copper metal, chances are you will see some of the solder on the join [A]. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to mask the solder. Measure a small amount of pickle solution into a small glass or plastic container, and place your copper piece in the solution along with a piece of steel wire or steel wool. You know how you’re not supposed to use steel tools when moving your pieces in and out of pickle? This is exactly why— and this time, it’s a virtue. The steel will react with the pickle, depositing a thin layer of copper on the silver. Remove your piece once the silver has been covered by copper [B]. Rinse the piece and add patina as desired.

A

25

B

26

This will allow you to easily form the bezel to the stone. The grooves should not be more than half the height of the bezel.

At this point, copper-plate the bezel cup to cover any visible silver solder (see “Copper plating,” above). Attach the bezel cup to the cuff band. Place the bezel-cup assembly on the cuff band so that the strip attached to the bezel cup lies between the textured strips on the band. Use the hole in one end of the bezel-cup strip to mark the placement of a corresponding hole in the band [25]. Use the 1.8mm punch or #51 (1⁄16-in./ 1.7mm) drill bit to drill through the cuff band at the mark. Countersink the back of the band, and set the rivet as before. Repeat to set the final rivet on the other side of the cuff [26].

27

28

29

Add a heat or chemical patina at this stage, if desired. Drill a hole in the band. With a #51 (1⁄16-in./1.7mm) drill bit and using the hole in the backplate as a guide, drill a corresponding hole through the cuff band. Set the stone. Place your stone into the bezel cup [27]. If the stone sits too low in the bezel, remove the stone using the access hole you drilled earlier, and add a substrate beneath the stone to elevate it.

Plastic gift cards work well as a substrate for raising stones in bezels. The plastic is waterproof, cushions the stone, and evens out any roughness in the base.

Use a bezel pusher or burnisher to push the bezel against the stone (Basics Review) to secure it. The grooves will allow the thick bezel to conform to your stone [29].

Trace your stone onto the substrate [28], then cut the substrate along the traced line. Place the substrate inside the bezel, and test the fit again. Add more layers if necessary.

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Intermediate Review: Wirework

ARTIST VICKI COOK

Tapered

Viking Knit COMBINING THE VIKING KNIT TECHNIQUE with the gradation in wire used for a standard tapered loop-in-loop chain forms a finished chain in a short time. This technique creates a smooth, densely woven chain that gracefully tapers from thick in the center to narrow on the ends. The directions are for a 7-in. (17.8cm) bracelet. Copper Jewelry Collection

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materials

Copper or fine-silver wire: round, dead-soft, (each cut in half except the 19 gauge/0.9mm) 24-gauge (0.5mm), 3 ft. (91.4cm) 22-gauge (0.6mm), 2 ft. (61cm) 21-gauge (0.7mm), 3½ ft. (106.7cm) 20-gauge (0.8mm), 4 ft. (122cm) 19-gauge (0.9mm), 2 ft. (61cm) 18-gauge (1.0mm), 6 in. (15.2cm) Copper or fine-silver tubing (to match wire): approximately ¼ in. (6.5mm) inside diameter, 20mm (¾ in.) Jump rings: 2 Clasp

toolboxes Wirework Sawing/Piercing

additional tools & supplies Scrap wire: 24–30-gauge (0.5–0.26mm), 8 ft. (2.4 m) Vise Needle tool Annealing station: propane plumber’s torch and firebrick, or kiln; copper tongs; deep container of water Leather or scrap denim (optional) Sturdy wood surface

1 You can use tape to secure the petals to the dowel; just be sure to leave the tops of the petals exposed so you can stitch through them. If you use tape, you may not want to use the vise, as you’d need to loosen and retighten it in order to rotate the dowel as you stitch. Stitch the first row. Position yourself so you face the long side of the dowel, not the round end. Stitch the tail of the starter wire toward you through a petal. Pull the wire through the petal and then away from you until a loose loop forms. Rotate the petals on the dowel (or rotate the dowel, if you’ve taped the petals down), and stitch into the next petal in the same way, forming another loop.

Starter wire Prepare the starter wire. Wrap the end of a 4-ft. (1.2 m) scrap wire around a ruler or other flat object five times [1].

You’ll use five gauges of wire to make this chain. When combined, the different gauges of wire form a gradation. Your scrap wire should be of a smaller gauge than the wire that you’ll use to make the first gradation. Use scrap wire of 24-gauge (0.5mm) or smaller. Remove the scrap wire from the ruler, twist the wraps together on one end, and separate the loops so that they splay out like petals [2]. The working end of the starter wire should be opposite the petals. Secure a wooden dowel horizontally in a vise, and form the petals evenly around the end of the dowel [3].

Do not stitch tightly around the dowel or the petals; keep the stitches loose. The final steps of the project will draw the chain tight together and even out the spacing. Repeat to stitch through all the petals [Figure 1] until you’ve stitched through the first petal again. Now that you’ve completed the first row, let’s look at your stitching and define what you see [Figure 2]. The little loops are “loops,” and the straight wires are “rungs.” At the top of each loop is an “X” where the wire crosses itself to form the loop. As you continue to stitch, the loops will become interlocked so that from the top they will look like Vs nested together. Begin working in single knit. To make the second row, rotate the dowel to the next petal. Stitch the wire under the X, inserting the wire toward yourself, and then pull the wire away from you,

2

3

forming a new loop. (Do not stitch through the loop—run the wire between the X and the dowel.) Continue to complete the second row [Figure 3].

Keep your stitches loose. You want the wire to pass easily under the loops and rungs; the more the wire gets hung up, the more workhardened it will get, and the more difficult it will be to stitch and form even loops. So far, you’ve been working in a single knit stitch. If you continued like this, your stitches would form a beautiful, open, lacylooking chain. When you feel like the wire is flowing and you have the rhythm of the knit, it’s time to switch to double knit stitch. If you’re having difficulty and the process doesn’t feel smooth, continue with a few more rounds of single knit until you feel comfortable with the process. Change to double knit. Count two rungs down toward the petals, and stitch under the X, toward yourself. Rotate the knit tube, pull the working wire away from you to form a new loop, and stitch under the next X on that rung [Figure 4]. Repeat until you have only a ½–1-in. (13–25.5mm) tail of starter wire remaining. End the starter wire. Count two rungs down from the working end of the tube, and stitch the wire tail under that rung [4], bringing the wire tail up into the center of the knit tube [5]. Position the wire tail so that it lies under that line of interlocked loops. You’ll use this same procedure to end each wire in the graduated sequence.

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Loop

X

Loop

X

Rung

4

Figure 1

Loop

X

Figure 3

5 Making the chain Start a new wire. Form a U-bend at the end of a 11⁄2-ft. (45.7cm) piece of 24-gauge (0.5mm) wire [6]. Find the line of interlocked loops where you ended the starter wire. Count three rungs down from the working end of the tube, and insert the short end of the U-bend into the center of the tube, going from the outside of the tube in [7]. Lay the short end of the U-bend next to the tail of the starter wire in the interior of the tube. Twist the two wires together to keep the new wire from slipping out. Look down into the knit tube; you should have two wire ends nestled next to the line of interlocked loops. Continue to stitch with the new wire [8] until you’ve made at least one complete course around. Trim the secured wire tails. Continue stitching. To make the body of the bracelet, continue working in double knit, using graduated gauges of wire. You’ve started with the smallest gauge of wire; you’ll progress through the gauges of wire in the following order: 1½ ft. (45.7cm) 24 gauge (0.5mm) 1 ft. (30.5cm) 22 gauge (0.6mm) 1¾ ft. (53.3cm) 21 gauge (0.7mm) 2 ft. (61cm) 20 gauge (0.8mm) 2 ft. (61cm) 19 gauge (0.9mm) 2 ft. (61cm) 20 gauge (0.8mm) 1¾ ft. (53.3cm) 21 gauge (0.7mm) 1 ft. (30.5cm) 22 gauge (0.6mm) 1½ ft. (45.7cm) 24 gauge (0.5mm)

Rung

Figure 2

Figure 4

Rung Stitch with the 24-gauge (0.5mm) wire until you have only a ½–1-in. (13–25.5mm) tail remaining. End the 24-gauge wire and start a new, 22-gauge (0.6mm) wire. Continue to weave, following the schedule of gradations. The tube will get bigger as you add larger gauges of wire [9]. If the tube becomes too large for the dowel to support it as you stitch, switch to a larger dowel.

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8

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Finish stitching. Use the remaining 4 ft. (1.2m) of scrap wire to finish stitching. The ends of the chain will get mangled when you draw it down later, and you don’t want to sacrifice good-quality wire. When you’ve finished stitching, your chain will look messy and far too short to be a bracelet [10]. Don’t worry! You’ll tighten up and refine the chain in the drawing down steps.

10

11

Finishing Anneal the chain. Once you’ve finished your stitching, including the second length of scrap wire, place the chain on a firebrick and use a torch to anneal the entire piece until it glows. Or, anneal the piece in a kiln set at around 1300°F/704°C. Quench.

12

13

14

15

Draw the chain down. Secure one end of the chain in a vise (this is where the scrap-wire ends are useful). Using only your hands, grasp the tube at a point close to the vise, and begin pulling on the tube to draw the stitches together [11]. Work your way down the tube, pulling further and further away from the vise and squeezing the tube with your hands as you go [12]. If necessary, use a piece of leather or scrap denim to protect your hands. Make sure that all the rungs tuck toward the inside of the tube; if they extend outward, they will be little barbs on your skin, so coax them inward. Remove the tube from the vise, clamp the other scrap end in the vise, and repeat the pulling procedure from the other end. If the chain becomes work-hardened and difficult to pull, anneal it again. The drawing process stretches the chain, pulling the stitches tight and evening them up [13]. Continue drawing and annealing the chain, alternating the ends in the vise, until you can’t make it any tighter by hand. Anneal. Tamp. Place the chain on a sturdy wood surface, and gently tamp it with a rawhide or plastic mallet [14]. Rotate the chain while you tamp it so that it stays round. Work on one end of the chain, then the other. When the chain gets too stiff to tamp any more, anneal it.

16

Roll. Use a flat piece of wood and slight pressure to roll the chain back and forth on the wood surface to round it [15]. Anneal.

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troubleshooting If the rungs get pulled too tightly together for you to be able to stitch the wire, use a needle tool to open up a gap wide enough to stitch into [A], and slide the needle tool under the line of interlocked loops to lift them off the dowel. Also, the lines of interlocking loops need to be at roughly equal distances from each other, separated by rungs of roughly equal length. If a line of interlocked loops goes off course, use flatnose pliers to coax the loops back to a straight line [B].

A

B

17

Clean up and shape. Use polishing paper or a piece of fine-grit sandpaper to remove the oxidation from the chain [16]. Then use your fingers to give the chain a gentle curve [17]. Secure one end. Trim the scrap wires at each end of the chain [18]. Pull all the loops out from each end of the chain. On one end, thread a piece of 18-gauge (1.0mm) round wire through all the loops, arranging the loops neatly. Form a wrapped loop (Basics Review) to secure the end of the chain [19]. Add end caps. Select tubing in a diameter that fits the end of your chain. Using a jeweler’s saw and a 2/0 blade, cut two 1cm (3⁄8-in.) pieces of the tubing [20]. Use a flat file or sandpaper to clean up the ends of the tubes and to remove any burs. Slide a tube onto the 18-gauge (1.0mm) wire, over the wrapped loop and the end of the chain. If the tubing isn’t large enough to cover the chain and wrapped loop, switch to larger tubing or use the mallet to tamp down the chain ends further. Once the tubing is in place, form another wrapped loop to secure it [21]. Repeat on the other end of the chain. Attach a jump ring to each end, and then add a clasp.

18

19

20

21

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Beginner/Intermediate Review: Wirework, Soldering

ARTIST

STEPHANIE RIGER

Tough

Cuff

THREE GAUGES OF COPPER WIRE make up this airy cuff. You’ll solder and shape 10-gauge (2.6mm) wire to make the cuff frame. Then you’ll use 18-gauge (1.0mm) multistrand wire to double crochet the panel, which you’ll then fasten to the frame, using 20-gauge (0.8mm) wire.

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Figure 1

1

2 Figure 2

anatomy of a crochet hook a b

c

d

3

[a] Hook: end used to catch yarn or wire and pull it through other loops [b] Throat: angled section behind the hook that guides yarn or wire onto the working area [c] Working area: part of the hook where you work the stitches [d] Finger hold: indentation for holding the hook with your fingers

e

Figure 3

[e] Handle: end of the hook used for leverage and held in the palm of the hand For more crocheting instructions, go to the Crochet Guild of America’s website, crochet.org.

Cuff frame

Crocheted panel

Anneal and form the wire for the frame. Use wire cutters to cut a 14-in. (35.6cm) piece of 10-gauge (2.6mm) copper wire. Place the wire on a soldering surface and use a soft, bushy flame to anneal it (Basics Review). Quench, pickle, and rinse the wire. File the wire ends smooth with a #2-cut, flat hand file, and bend the wire into a large oval, making sure that the ends of the wire are flush with each other.

Practice with yarn. Crocheting with wire is a bit challenging. Practice making a chain and stitching a few rows of double crochet with 3-ply yarn before you try to make the crocheted wire panel in the bracelet. These double crochet instructions are for righthanded crocheters. If you are left-handed, make a mirrored photocopy of the illustrations.

Solder the wire frame. Place the wire on a soldering surface and flux the ends of the wire. Place a pallion of medium solder where the wire ends touch, and use a soft, bushy flame to solder the join [1]. Quench, pickle, and rinse the oval frame. Shape the frame. Using a rawhide mallet and an anvil [2], shape the oval so that it is approximately 6x1¾ in. (15.2x4.4cm). Use the rawhide mallet and a bracelet mandrel to curve the oval ends toward each other [3].

Make a chain. Make a slipknot in a 5½-yd. (5.0m) piece of 18-gauge (1.0mm) copper wire, leaving a 3-in. (76mm) tail. Insert a size H (5mm) aluminum crochet hook in the knot [Figure 1]. Tighten the knot to make a loop around the working area of the hook. Bring the working wire over the working area of the hook. In traditional crochet, this is referred to as “yarn over,” or YO. We’ll refer to this as “wire over,” or WO. Slide the working wire to the throat of the hook, and then pull the hook and working wire through the loop [Figure 2], making a chain stitch. Continue to WO and pull the wire through the loop [Figure 3] until you Copper Jewelry Collection

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have a total of 15 chain stitches or until your chain is 6 in. (15.2cm) long. You need a crocheted panel that is approximately 6x1¾ in. (15.2x4.4cm) to fit the cuff frame.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Double crochet the first row. I made my double crochet stitches through only the back loop of each chain stitch to create a ridged pattern that gives the bracelet more texture. If you prefer, you could use a stitch of your choice, such as single crochet, or work your double crochet stitch through both loops of each chain stitch. WO and insert the hook into the back loop of the fourth chain stitch from the hook (don’t count the loop on the hook), keeping the new loop on the hook [Figure 4]. WO and pull the working wire through the loop closest to the hook [Figure 5]. You will be left with three loops on the hook. WO and pull the working wire through the first two loops on the hook [Figure 6]. This leaves you with two loops on the hook. WO and pull the working wire through the remaining two loops on the hook [Figure 7]. This leaves you with one loop on the hook [Figure 8] and one complete double crochet stitch. WO and insert the hook into the back loop of the next chain stitch. Repeat the steps illustrated in Figure 5–8 to complete the second double crochet stitch. Continue to double crochet to the end of the chain. Turning chain. Make three chain stitches and turn your work around [Figure 9]. This is called “turning chain.” The three chain stitches provide the proper row height for the next row of double crochet stitches.

4 Double crochet across the chain as you did to stitch the first row. Work the last double crochet in the back loop of the last chain stitch [Figure 10]. Measure the panel. Check the fit of the crocheted panel on the frame. If you stitched tightly, you may need to crochet another row. Although the wire does not stretch, you can use your hands to pull the panel to loosen the stitches for some additional width or length [4]. Tie off the end. At the end of the last row of double crochet, leave a 3-in. (76mm) tail of working wire. Cut the wire and pull the tail through the remaining loop to finish off the panel [Figure 11].

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

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materials

Copper wire: 10-gauge (2.6mm), 14 in. (35.6cm) 18-gauge (1.0mm), multistrand, 5½ yd. (5.0m) 20-gauge (0.8mm), 39 in. (1m)

toolbox

5

Soldering

tools & supplies Wire cutters Hand file: #2-cut flat Rawhide mallet Anvil Bracelet mandrel Yarn: 3 ply (optional) Crochet hook: size H (5mm) aluminum Knitting needles: aluminum (optional) Sandpaper: 400 grit Pliers: chainnose

Assembly Secure the wrapping wire. Cut a 39-in. (1m) piece of 20-gauge (0.8mm) copper wire (this will be your working wire). Use 400-grit sandpaper to smooth the wire ends. Beginning at one end of the frame, tightly wrap the working wire around it three times. Attach the crocheted panel. Fit the panel against the frame so that the tail on one end of the panel aligns with the three wraps you just made on the frame. Fold the tail back against the panel. Holding the panel tightly against the frame, use the working wire to wrap the tail and edge of the panel around the frame [5]. Continue to attach the panel to the frame, inserting the working wire through the loops of the crocheted stitches at the edge of the panel. Be careful not to split the crocheted stitches with the working wire. When you reach the remaining tail, tuck it against the crocheted panel and wrap around it as you did the first tail.

The crocheted panel is secured to the sturdy cuff frame with wraps of 20-gauge (0.8mm) copper wire.

Finish off the wraps. When you have worked all the way around the form, tightly wrap the working wire around the frame a few times. Cut off any excess wire, file the end with 400-grit sandpaper, and use chainnose pliers to press the end against the frame.

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Intermediate/Advanced Review: Wireworking

ARTIST KASKA FIROR

Braided

Bracelet

BORROWED FROM TEXTILE ARTS, techniques like weaving have been used by artists for centuries to transform wire into jewelry. The richness of the textures and the way light plays around the patterns makes woven jewelry seem alive. This style is called freeform wire weaving, and it’s characterized by its use of frame wires (to outline the shape of the piece) and weaving wires (to follow the outline, stitch all the parts together, and give the design its stability). Freeform designs can take on almost any shape and can be crafted with wire only or incorporate cabochons, beads, or other objects.

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Before you begin, review “Three Wire Weaves,” p. 28. The exact wire lengths needed depend on how dense the weave is, how tight the twists in the braid are, and on the size of the bracelet. The measurements in this tutorial are generous and should yield a bracelet of at least 71⁄2 in. (19.1cm). For a small bracelet, subtract 1 in. (25.5mm) or so from each frame wire; for a large bracelet, add 1 in. (25.5mm) or so. Also adjust your weaving wire length.

The clasp eye Measure and weave the section for the clasp eye. Cut three 24-in. (61.0cm) 18-gauge (1.0mm) fine silver frame wires. Place them side by side, and tape them together at one end with masking tape. Find the midpoint of the wires, then use a permanent marker to mark 7⁄8 in. (22mm) on each side of the midpoint on each wire. This will give you a 13⁄4-in. (44mm) section that will become the eye of the clasp. Using 26-gauge (0.4mm) fine silver wire, weave the double-plus-one pattern (see p. 29) within the marked section, starting and ending with a weave across all three wires [1].

materials

Copper or other wire, round, dead-soft 18-gauge (1.0mm) for the frame wire, 7 ft. (2.1m) 26-gauge (0.4mm) for the weaving wire, 30–35 ft. (9.1–10.7m)

toolboxes Soldering Wirework

Masking tape Bench vise Bail-shaping pliers: 3 ⁄16–1 ⁄4-in. (5–6.5mm) diameter jaw or a dowel of similar diameter Needle tool Liver of sulfur or other patina solution (optional) Pumice or steel wool #0000 (optional)

2

3

You can use copper, other base metal, or sterling wire for this bracelet instead of fine silver, but torch-fired balls made with fine silver are the most uniform and fine silver does not need to be pickled. Shape the clasp eye. Clamp a 3⁄8-in. (9.5mm) round mandrel in a bench vise so that 2 in. (51mm) extends out from the jaws. Place the center of the woven section on its edge so the double-weave side touches the top of the mandrel. Shape the eye by pulling down on both sides [2]. Work slowly, and make sure the woven ribbon remains flat. Continue until the frame wires cross under the mandrel [3]. Straighten the frame wires. Using flatnose pliers, grab each frame wire at the base of the loop and bend it outward until the frame wires no longer cross but instead run parallel to each other [4].

1

additional tools & supplies

4

5

The body of the bracelet Add the last frame wire. Cut a 12-in. (30.5cm) 18-gauge (1.0mm) fine-silver frame wire. Ball up the end with a torch (Basics Review), quench it in water, and dry it. Place it in the center of the six frame wires so that the balled-up end extends slightly past the outer frame wire of the clasp eye [5]. Secure this frame wire with masking tape. Weave around all the frame wires to secure the seventh wire [6].

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9 tips for a smooth, even weave • Keep the frame wires evenly spaced. It is important to keep your frame wires uniformly spaced. It isn’t always easy to do, especially when the wire is soft. Make sure that the frame wires remain about 1/16 in. (1.5mm) apart an inch or so in front of the weave. Past that point, let the wires flare out. As you weave, keep adjusting the spacing between the wires. • Wrap tightly. Pull the weaving wire tightly against each frame wire with every wrap. Make sure the weaving wire lies perfectly flat when it travels across two frame wires. • Push weaves together. If your weaves spread out more than you like and there is bare frame wire showing between the weaves, use your fingertips to push from either end of the woven section to close the gaps. If you are not able to push the weaves together, it’s probably because the spacing between your frame wires is too tight. • Keep your wire kink-free. To reduce breakage, make sure your weaving wire remains kink-free. If you do get a kink, straighten it out right away. If you need to unwrap a portion of the weave due to a mistake, smooth out that section of the wire before you continue weaving. • Use a pen to straighten your wire. A round-barreled pen or pencil works great for this task. Hold the pen in your fist, place the wire between the pen and your thumb, and then pull the wire through several times. • Use household objects for shaping jewelry. You don’t need expensive tools for every jewelry-making task. Sometimes ordinary household objects do the job just fine. For example: You can use pens and pencils of different thicknesses as bail- and hook-shaping tools, while jars and bottles make great bracelet and necklace mandrels (just don’t hammer on them).

10 Separate the frame wires. Separate the frame wires into three sets, with one threewire set in the center and two two-wire sets, one on each side [7]. Weave the ribbons. For the bottom set of frame wires, weave 11⁄4 in. (32mm) of the double-weave pattern. This short woven section will become the decorative wrap in the next step. Leave the remaining length of this two-wire set bare; I call this set the weave-free ribbon. For the three-wire set in the middle, weave 7 in. (17.8cm) of the double-plus-one weave pattern. For the two-wire set on the top, weave 7 in. (17.8cm) of the single-plus-one weave pattern [8]. Leave a 12-in. (30.5cm) or longer tail of weaving wire at the end of each of the 7-in. (17.8cm) ribbons. You may need this extra wire to add to the weaves when braiding the ribbons. Make a decorative wrap at the base of the eye. Bend the bottom two-wire ribbon set (with the double weave section) so that it is perpendicular to and under

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the two other wire sets [9]. Wrap it around the other ribbon sets twice, then return it to the starting place and bend it to again run parallel to the other wires [10]. Make sure the other ribbon sets inside the wrap remain flat and don’t overlap. Braid the ribbons. For the first twist, bend the double-plus-one ribbon (pink) and the weave-free ribbon (blue) toward each other until they cross (double-plusone in front). The two ribbons should sit flush against each other at the bend [11]. Next, bend the same two ribbons in opposite directions until they cross again, (weave-free ribbon in front) [12]. Shape the single-plus-one ribbon (green) into a gentle curve alongside the weave-free ribbon (in front of the double-plus-one ribbon) [13].

The ribbons should never twist sideways; the entire width of each ribbon should be visible when looking at the bracelet from the top.

16 a few variations The weaving patterns used in this tutorial are only a small sampler of the many possible weaves that you can make. Here are a few examples of some other weaves you can make with two and three frame wires. You can create your own patterns simply by changing the number of wraps between the weaves or the number of weaves between the wraps.

For the second twist, bend the singleplus-one ribbon and the double-plus-one ribbon toward each other until they cross with the double-plus-one ribbon in front [14]. Next, bend the same two ribbons in opposite directions until they cross again, ending with the single-plus-one ribbon in front [15]. Curve the weave-free ribbon alongside the double-plus-one ribbon (behind the single-plus-one ribbon) [16]. Copper Jewelry Collection

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Continue the pattern—two twists with two ribbons; then bring the third ribbon alongside—until you reach the desired length [17]. Depending on the bracelet size and the tightness of your braid, you may need to either weave more length or unwrap a bit of the weaving on your ribbons. When you are finished braiding, straighten out the ends of the frame wires to make them parallel to each other [18].

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To determine the length of the braided section, measure from the inside edge of the eye to the end of the braid, then add 3⁄4 in. (19mm) for the hook. For example: For a 71⁄2-in. (19.1cm) bracelet, the length from the inside edge of the eye to the end of the braided section should be about 63⁄4 in. (17.1cm).

The hook Weave the hook section. Bend the shorter outside frame wires out of the way, leaving one longer two-wire set in the middle. Mark the wires 11⁄4 in. (32mm) and 21⁄2 in. (64mm) from the end of the braid. Using the single-plus-one pattern (positioning the tight wraps on the bottom wire), weave from the end of the braid up to the first mark [19]. Using the tip of roundnose pliers, grasp the wrapped bottom wire at the first mark and fold it in half, forming a U [20]. Use flatnose pliers to tighten the U-bend [21]. Shape the other frame wire to fit around the curve of the one you just folded [22]. Continue the

23 same weave pattern around the tip and all the way to the second mark [23]. Make a binding wrap. Group two of the remaining frame wires, and weave a 3⁄4-in. (19mm) section of double-weave ribbon. Wrap this new ribbon a couple of times toward you around the base of the hook section to bind all the end wires together. Next, you can wrap another frame wire without weave around the base of the hook in the opposite direction to help visually match this wrap to the one at the base of the eye, but this is optional [24]. Shape the hook. Using flatnose pliers, grasp the hook across its tip and bend it slightly up toward the outside of the bracelet [25]. Shape the hook by placing the bail-making pliers just below the bend. Bend the hook around the jaw of the pliers in the opposite direction of the bend you made at the tip [26].

The “top side” or “outside” of the bracelet is the same side as the

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29 balled-up wire by the clasp eye. The “bottom side” or “underside” of the bracelet is the opposite side.

Finishing Cut and tuck away the bottom frame wires. Trim the remaining frame wires on the underside of the bracelet to 1⁄4-in. (6.5mm) lengths. Use chainnose pliers to shape them into small loops, and push these loops tightly against the body of the bracelet, underneath the binding wrap [27]. Shape and ball up the top frame wires. Using chainnose pliers and your fingers, shape one of the remaining frame wires into a graceful squiggle. Mark where you want it to end, measure 3⁄8 in. (9.5mm) longer than that mark (the length needed for the balled-up end), and trim the wire at that point [28]. Repeat for the other wires. Hold the bracelet with a third hand and shape the marked wires out and away from the body of the bracelet. Carefully heat the end of each wire until it forms a ball

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30 (direct the heat only at the tip of the wire). Quench the bracelet, then rinse and dry it. Reshape the wires so they are once again flat to the body of the bracelet [29]. Shape the balled-up wire at the other end of the bracelet (by the clasp eye) to curve around the rim of the clasp eye [30]. Secure the loose wires. You need to secure any loose wire ends so that they do not catch on clothing when the bracelet is being worn. Using small sections of weaving wire, stitch the curlicues to the body of the bracelet [31]. Use a needle tool to create spaces in the woven ribbons where the stitches need to pass between the weaves. Shape the bracelet. Gently bend the bracelet around a bracelet mandrel (or other round object) to shape it [32]. You may need to make final adjustments with your fingers, especially around the clasp.

32 good idea to tumble-polish your finished piece for a few hours to harden the metal. I use a rotary tumbler with a mix of stainless steel shot, water, and a few drops of dishwashing soap. Patinate your bracelet (optional). Dip your bracelet in liver of sulfur or an alternative darkening agent. Use pumice, a polishing cloth, or steel wool to bring out the highlights. If you use steel wool, rinse the bracelet well to remove any small bits of steel wool trapped in the wires.

Tumble-polish the bracelet. Whenever you’re working with soft wire, it’s always a Copper Jewelry Collection

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Basics Review Safety Basics Metal Clay ■

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Use your kiln in a well-ventilated area to sinter clay. All tools should be dedicated for nonfood use. Follow manufacturers’ instructions for programming your kiln and sintering times and temperatures. Do not torch-fire metal clay pieces that have a core inclusion, such as cork or wood clay. Do not sinter or torch-fire metal clay pieces that are not completely dry, as they may explode.

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All Media

Wear eye protection at all times while working with metals, wire, and metalsmithing tools. Wear a non-flammable apron to protect your clothing. Tie back long hair. Work in a well-ventilated area. Wear closed-toe shoes. Do not wear clothing or jewelry that might get caught in machinery or catch fire.

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Wear a dust mask while working with materials and tools that generate particulates. Read all Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) before using a new material, and keep a copy of the MSDS for any material you use. Do not use tools or chemicals in ways that are contrary to the manufacturer’s intended purpose. Wear protective gloves while handling caustic materials or chemicals. Keep a properly rated fire extinguisher and clean water near your workstation. Keep cutting tools sharp and all tools and equipment properly maintained.

Metalworking

Annealing

Bezel Setting a Cab Press the cab into the bezel with thread behind it to test the fit . The walls of the bezel cup should extend up just beyond the point at which the stone begins to curve inward (see figure); if your bezel is taller than that, it will overshadow your stone; if your bezel is shorter than that, it may not hold your stone securely. A general guideline is that the bezel should be about one-third as tall as the stone. If the bezel is too tall, use the floss to pop the cab out of the bezel. Reduce the height by sanding it face down in a figure-8 motion on a piece of sandpaper placed on a flat surface. Place the cab 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 9:00 positions. Work around the stone, pushing the bezel down with opposing moves to keep the stone centered and to keep the bezel from getting pleated. Smooth the pushed bezel Cabochon with the burnisher by rubbing around the outer edges with a consistent pressure. Place masking tape over the stone to protect it, and use a pink rubber wheel in a flex shaft to Backplate Bezel wire polish the bezel.

Annealing restores malleability to work-hardened metal. Place the metal on a soldering pad 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. Cabochon

Backplate

Bezel wire

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Add Patina with LOS

Drilling/Piercing Place your metal on a steel bench block or anvil. Use a center punch and a mallet to create a shallow dimple in the section of the metal you want to remove [1]. Place the metal on a piece of wood and drill a hole, using the dimple as a guide [2]. Remove one end of the saw blade from the saw frame. Slide the blade through the hole in the metal, then reinsert the blade into the frame, and tighten. Pierce the inside section of the metal. Release one end of the blade from the saw frame so you can remove the blade from the metal.

Polish your piece before patinating. (If you tumble-polish your piece after patinating, reserve the used shot for future patinated pieces, or scrub and rinse your shot and barrel thoroughly; liver of sulfur residue can contaminate other pieces.) Oil and dirt on the piece can affect the patina, so use a degreasing soap to clean the metal before patinating. Prepare a liver of sulfur solution according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Dip your metal in the solution with tweezers for a few seconds, then rinse the metal in cool water to stop the chemical reaction. For a darker patina, continue to dip and rinse the metal. Use a brass brush with soapy water, a polishing cloth, or pumice powder to remove or modify the patina. By using different temperatures and amounts of water to make the liver of sulfur solution, you can create different colors of patina; experiment until you achieve the desired color. If you don’t want your entire piece to have a patina, use a soft-bristle brush to apply the liver of sulfur solution to select areas. Dip your brush into the solution, and dab it onto your piece. Follow the same instructions as above until you achieve the desired color.

Pickle

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Polishing To polish metal, you’ll need a buffing machine or a flex shaft tool, plus a separate buff for each kind of prepolishing and polishing compound that you use. Thoroughly clean your jewelry piece between polishing steps, and take care not to cross-contaminate your buffs and compounds; this could result in ruined buffs and scratches in your piece. To prepolish, secure a soft cloth buff on the buffing machine, or insert a miniature buffing-wheel bit in the flex shaft. To charge the buff, hold a stick of prepolishing compound, such as tripoli, against the spinning buff until the buff has a light coat of compound on its edge.

Pickle is a mildly acidic solution that cleans oxides from metal by removing small amounts of copper. Pickle is generally sold in powdered form and is available from jewelry-supply companies. To make a pickle solution, mix the powder with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If steel (binding wire or tweezers) comes in contact with pickle, it can cause a chemical reaction that will copper-plate whatever metal is in your solution. To prevent this, use copper or plastic tongs to place metals in the solution.

Press your jewelry piece against the charged buff, moving the jewelry piece continuously. Don’t hold your piece against the spinning buff in one place for too long, or you could end up wearing away material or creating scratches from the buff, called “drag marks.” Recharge the buff as needed. Clean your piece with dish soap and a soft toothbrush. If your piece is suitable, you could also clean it in an ultra-sonic machine. Rinse and dry the piece. To polish, charge a fresh buff with polishing compound, such as rouge. Polish your piece with the buff, recharging the buff as needed, until your piece is uniformly shiny and all evidence of prepolishing has been removed. Then, clean, rinse, and dry your piece.

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Tumble Polish Place steel shot into the tumbler’s barrel. You can use any shape of steel shot, but a combination of shapes works best; the various shapes polish crevices and contours differently, ensuring an even polish. Pour in water to cover the shot, then add a pinch of burnishing compound. Place your jewelry in the tumbler and seal the barrel. Turn on the tumbler, and let it run for 2–3 hours or more. Pour the contents of the tumbler into a sieve over a sink, and rinse. Remove your jewelry and dry it. Dry the shot before storing it.

Sawing Select a saw blade that is the correct size for the gauge (thickness) of metal that you are going to cut . To thread a saw blade, insert the blade, with the teeth of the blade facing down and out, away from the frame, into the top wing nut of the saw frame, and tighten the wing nut. Brace the handle in the hollow of your shoulder, and apply pressure to the saw frame against the bench pin. Maintaining pressure, insert the bottom of the blade into the wing nut closest to the handle [1], and tighten the wing nut [2]. The blade should be taut and should make a high-pitched “ping” when you pluck it with your thumbnail. If you get a dull “twang” sound, reinstall your blade while putting pressure on the saw frame. Then, lubricate the blade with beeswax. When sawing, sit in an erect posture with the top of your workbench at upper chest level. Slouching or having your work too low causes back and wrist strain and leads to broken blades. To saw, grip the saw frame loosely in your hand. Use long, smooth motions, using as much of the blade as possible. The blade will work best when it’s perpendicular to the metal [3]. Putting excessive pressure on the saw frame will make you work harder. Turn corners by sawing in place while slowly turning the metal; trying to turn the saw will break the blade.

Sanding To give the metal your desired finish, smooth the surface and/or edges by sanding with progressively finer grits of sandpaper. Begin with a coarse grit (220– 400) and work up to a fine grit (600–1000). Rub each grit of sandpaper back and forth in one direction. Switch to the next-finer grit, and rub the sandpaper perpendicular to the marks from the previous grit until you can no longer see them.

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B&S gauge

Figure 1

Figure 2

Setting Tube Rivets Working on a steel block, use an awl to flare the opening of the tubing. Rotate the awl at a slight angle in a circular motion, using even pressure to work the metal [Figure 1]. To make the opening look like a collar, use dapping punches in a circular motion to spread the flared opening. Start with a small punch and then switch to a larger punch [Figure 2]. Use the curved back of a steel burnisher in a rocking motion to push the edges of the collar tightly against the surface of the component you are riveting, rounding the edges off [Figure 3].

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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PLEASE PROOF: Individual illustrators, designers, art directors, and editors must proof and sign this form.

Title Issue Job # Code

ART JEWELRY ONLINE INT-ART-DESIGN ARTOA-08SAWDRILL

Illustrator Kellie J Designer Art Dir. 8/29/14 12:55 PM Story Ed.

Setting Wire Rivets Use a brass gauge or calipers to measure the diameter of the rivet hole. Select wire in a gauge that’s the same diameter as the rivet hole. The wire should fit snugly in the hole. Measure how thick your metal is at the rivet hole. Your rivet wire will need to be this long plus a little more. A general rule is to add half the wire’s diameter for each end of the rivet. Cut the rivet wire to length, and file the ends flat with a needle file. Insert the rivet wire into the hole, resting one end of the wire on a bench block. Center the metal piece on the rivet wire, and lightly hammer one end of the wire with either the tapered face of a riveting hammer [Figure 1] or the rounded face of a ball-peen hammer. Flip the piece over and lightly hammer the other end to gently flare it. Since you’re only flaring a little each time, you may need to flip and hammer many times to achieve the flare you’d like. To further flatten the rivet, hammer each end with the flat face of either a chasing hammer [Figure 2] or a planishing hammer. Clean up the edges of the rivet with a needle file, if desired, and then sand.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Copper Facts Jewelry Making History Essential for life, though toxic in large quantities, copper was discovered long before any other metal. No one knows the exact date, but copper beads found in Iraq suggest it may have been worked as early as 9000 bc. The name “copper” and its symbol, Cu, are derived from Cuprum, the island from which the Romans drew much of their copper. (Today the island is known as Cyprus.) The ancient Greeks believed copper could ward off evil and act as a magnet for love. Medieval alchemists concurred; they made it the symbol for Venus. In jewelry making, copper is prized for its color. Gleaming reddish-gold when polished, it becomes a soft, warm brown with wear (think of an old pot). With exposure to moist air or chemicals such as ammonia and salt, it develops a lovely-but-poisonous green patina. Unfortunately, bare skin touched by copper can develop a greenish cast, but copper jewelry can be sealed to avoid this. At the workbench, copper responds to the hammer much like silver, making it a good choice for beginners on a budget. On the downside, it’s a little more difficult to file or drill than silver (though chalking the file can help prevent clogging). It also work-hardens quickly, so a piece done in copper will need frequent annealing.

Metal Clay Preparing Clay for Cutting Metal clay dries rapidly, so remove only the amount you will use during a given work session. Store unused clay in an airtight container with a small piece of moist sponge or paper towel. Cover clay with plastic wrap while you are not working with it. Use a spray bottle to remoisten the clay if it begins to dry out. Apply olive oil or natural hand balm to your hands, tools, and work surface to prevent the clay from sticking. Decide how thick you want your metal clay sheet to be. Make two stacks of either playing cards, mat board, or thickness guides that equal that thickness. Place your lump of clay on your work surface between the two even stacks. Roll the clay to a uniform thickness, using an acrylic roller or PVC tube. Rotate the clay 90 degrees and roll it again.

Metal Clay Dryness WET

Clay contains a lot of moisture and is very pliable

SEMI-DRY

Clay contains some moisture, but is firm and holds its shape

MOSTLY DRY

Clay is nearly devoid of all moisture and is rigid

COMPLETELY DRY

Clay contains absolutely no moisture and can be fired

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Enameling Sifting Enamels Clean the surface of your metal with a wet Scotch-Brite pad to remove all dirt and oils [1]. Handle the metal only by its edges to keep it oil free. Use a paintbrush or a spray bottle to apply a coat of Klyr-Fire (holding agent) to one side of your metal piece. Fill a sifter about one-third full with enamel powder. Working while the holding agent is wet, position the sifter above your metal and gently tap the sifter’s side to release an even layer of enamel grains onto your piece [2]. Use a spatula to transfer your piece to a trivet [3]. Allow the enamel to dry completely before transferring the trivet and its mesh support to the kiln for firing.

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Enamel Safety Basics • Wear a dust mask. • Do not touch your eyes,

nose, mouth, or other sensitive areas. • Wear fire-retardant gloves or mitts when loading and unloading the kiln.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for operating your kiln. • When using a fiberglass brush, brush enameled surfaces underwater and avoid skin contact.

WHAT IS ENAMELING? Simply put, enameling is fusing glass to metal. Enamels are made of finely powdered glass particles and other materials, like minerals and ceramic pigments. Enamels come in lump, powder, and liquid forms. MINI GLOSSARY Coefficient of Expansion (COE) The rate at which a material expands and contracts; enamelists must consider the COEs of both the metal and the glass that they’re firing together to ensure that the enamels adhere properly. Counterenamel Enamel fused to the back of a piece to balance the stress created by enamel fired on the front of the piece; prevents cracking.

Flux A colorless, clear enamel often used as a base layer for subsequent layers of transparent enamels; enamel flux is unrelated to the flux used in soldering. Fully fused A fired enamel surface that is even and glossy.

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• Consult your local hazardous waste center for proper glass-disposal methods.

Enamels Explained

Fines Porcelain dust residue; it’s important to wash the fines out of transparent enamels, or the fired colors will be cloudy.

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• Use an alundum stone

Fusing formula Enamels are manufactured in soft-, medium-, and hard-fusing formulas that correspond to the COEs of various metals; for example, medium temperature/ medium expansion enamels are

formulated for fine silver, gold, and copper. Holding agent An organic binder that helps adhere enamel powder to metal; Klyr-fire is a common holding agent that is water soluble and is typically applied with a brush or diluted with distilled water and applied as a spray. Mesh A number indicating the coarseness of the particles in powdered enamels; low mesh numbers are coarser than high mesh numbers. Opaque Colors that are not transparent; it is not necessary to wash opaque enamels before using them. Orange peel A surface finish that occurs as enamel softens during firing and begins to fuse, creating a texture that resembles the skin of an orange. Sugar coat The texture of the enamel within the first minute of firing before the glass softens. Transparent Enamel colors that are clear; transparent enamels must be washed before you use them to remove by-products that make the fired colors cloudy; courses of transparent firings can add visual depth to a piece.

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Wireworking Balling Up Wire

Wrapped Loop

Use cross-locking tweezers to grasp a piece of wire at its midpoint, and dip the wire in flux. Hold the wire vertically, and lower one end of the wire into the tip of the inner blue cone of your torch’s flame. After a ball forms at the end of the wire, remove the flame, and then quench, pickle, rinse, and dry the wire.

Trim the wire 11⁄4 in. (3.2cm) above the bead. With the tip of your chainnose pliers, grasp the wire directly above the bead. Bend the wire (above your pliers) into a right angle [1]. Using your roundnose pliers, position the jaws vertically in the bend. Bring the wire over the top jaw of the roundnose pliers [2]. Keep the jaws vertical and reposition the pliers so the lower jaw fits snugly in the loop. Curve the wire downward around the bottom of the roundnose pliers [3]. This is the first half of a wrapped loop. Wrap the wire around the wire stem, covering the stem between the loop and the top bead [4]. Trim the excess wire and gently press the cut end close to the wraps with chainnose pliers.

Making an Ear Wire Cut two 2-in. (51mm) pieces of 20-gauge (0.8mm), round, half-hard, sterling silver wire. Ball up one end of each wire (see “Balling Up Wire”). Use roundnose pliers to grasp a wire behind the ball. Rotate the wire, making a small U-bend. Make a second U-bend in the middle of the wire by wrapping it around a ¼-in. (6.5mm) dowel. Use roundnose pliers to grasp the wire ¼ in. (6.5mm) from the end without the ball, and slightly bend the wire away from the balled end. Repeat with the other wire. Place an ear wire on a bench block, and use the flat face of a chasing hammer to work-harden the wire. Avoid flattening the portion of the U-bend that will fit in the ear lobe. Forging the wire will open up the U-bend a bit. Gently squeeze the U-bend with roundnose pliers to restore its shape. Use 600-grit sandpaper to sand the wire end smooth, and polish the ear wire with a cloth. Repeat with the other ear wire.

Opening and closing a jump ring Hold the jump ring with two pairs of chainnose pliers. To open the jump ring, bring one pair of pliers toward you and push the other pair away from you [1]. Reverse the steps to close the jump ring [2].

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Observations on Copper Solder Flow In terms of soldering, the copper solder [1] performs in the range of medium to hard soldering time/ temperature. It flows quickly and well, and bonds tightly. 

Color Copper solder was a perfect color match straight out of the pickle, but sanding or finishing brings out a steel-gray color at the seam [2]. It was not unattractive, and it showed against the copper less than traditional silver solder, the seams are still easily visible.

Patina Patina was tested with only liver of sulfur (LOS) [3] and a heat patina;

other patinas may react differently with the solder. The copper solder took color well, but was still identifiable from the copper sheet. The colors with cold LOS were more muted on the solder than on the copper, and the warm LOS yielded a darker black on the solder than the copper. With a heat patina, the color match was close to perfect.

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Copper solder is a definite step forward in color-matched solders. Masking the solder with a heat patina was easy. The steel-grey color of the finished copper solder is pleasing and could be creatively incorporated into jewelry making.

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Alundum stones: 150 grit, 220 grit Distilled water Dust mask Enamel sifters Fiberglass brush Fine-tip paintbrush Firing fork Heat-resistant gloves Kiln, kiln shelf Kiln-safe glasses Klyr-Fire enameling adhesive Mesh firing rack Safety goggles Scooper Scouring pad Scribe Spatula Spray bottle Trivet Tweezers: regular and bentnose

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Soldering Clean the metal you plan to solder by sanding it with 400-grit sandpaper. Surfaces must be clean and in complete contact with each other for solder to flow; solder won’t fill holes or gaps. Flux the metal you plan to solder to prevent oxidation and to help solder flow. Heat the entire piece evenly, not just the solder, and 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, the second 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 previous joins from flowing when you heat the metal again, apply an anti-flux to those areas. During soldering, the solder will flow toward where the heat is the greatest. If your solder is flowing in the wrong direction, adjust the direction of your flame. Once the solder flows, quench the piece in water, and then place it in a pickle solution to remove oxidation and flux residue. Rinse the piece in clean water.

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Brass brush Copper tongs Files: hand, needle Flex shaft or buffing wheel, buffs, polishing compound Liver of sulfur or other patina, lidded glass container Microcrystalline wax Polishing cloth Polishing papers Sandpaper: various grits Scouring pad Steel burnisher Steel wool Tumbler, steel shot, burnishing compound Ultrasonic cleaner

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Acrylic or PVC roller Airtight storage container Brass brush Burnisher Clear, hard plastic sheet Craft knife Drinking straw Fine-tip paintbrush Flexible Teflon sheet Kiln, kiln shelf Mug warmer Needle files Needle tool Olive oil or natural hand balm Pin vise or holder, drill bits Plastic wrap Playing cards or thickness gauge Rubber block Shape cutters Smoothing tool Spatula or palette knife Syringe Texture sheets or molds Tissue blade: flexible, rigid, or wavy Tumbler, steel shot, burnishing compound Vermiculite, kiln-safe container Water: distilled Wet/dry sandpaper: various grits, or nail buff/emery board

Polymer Clay ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Acrylic roller or brayer Aluminum foil Clear, hard plastic sheet Craft knife Drinking straw* Fine-tip paintbrush Latex/nitrile gloves Liquid polymer clay Nail buff or emery board Needle tool Nonstick rigid surface Oven thermometer Pasta machine*

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Shaped cutters Shaping tools Smooth ceramic baking surface Smoothing tools Texture sheets or molds Tissue blade: flexible, rigid, or wavy Toaster oven* Wet/dry sandpaper: various grits

* Dedicated for non-food use

Riveting ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■

Awl Bench block or anvil Bench vise Center punch: manual or automatic Dapping punches Drill or flex shaft Drill bits Lubricant Needle files or cup burs Hammer: riveting, goldsmith’s, or small ball peen Steel burnisher Wire gauge (B&S or American Standard) or calipers

Sawing/Piercing ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Adhesive bandages Alligator tape (optional) Bench pin Center punch: manual or automatic Dividers Files: hand or needle Flex shaft, drill bits Jeweler’s saw frame, saw blades Lubricant or beeswax Rubber cement or glue stick Safety glasses

Soldering ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Anti-flux Binding wire Borax (for borax solution) Copper tongs Fire-resistant surface: soldering pad, firebrick, or charcoal block Flux, flux brush Pickle pot with pickle Solder: hard, medium, easy Soldering pick Sparker: manual or automatic Third hand, insulated cross-locking tweezers Torch, various tips Sandpaper: various grits Tumbler, steel shot, burnishing compound

Stone Setting ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Bezel pusher or rocker Bur: hart or setting Burnisher Dental floss Double-sided tape Flex shaft Loupe or Optivisor Painter’s tape Prong-setting pliers (or chainnose pliers) Prong pusher Sticky wax or beeswax

Wirework ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Bench block or anvil Cutters: side, end, or flush Hammers: chasing, ball peen, cross peen Mallet: rawhide or plastic Mandrels or dowels Needle files Pliers: chainnose, flatnose, roundnose, parallel, nylon jaw Polishing cloth Sandpaper: various grits Tumbler, steel shot, burnishing compound

Copper Jewelry Collection

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Contributors Mona Clee is a northern California

Kaska Firor is an award-winning wire

jewelry artist who specializes in etching, keum-boo, and torch-fired enameling. She can be contacted via her Facebook page, Laughing Cockatoo Designs, or her website, laughingcockatoo.com.

jewelry artist from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the author of Weaving Freeform Wire Jewelry. Contact Kaska at kaska@ designsbykaska.com or via her website, designsbykaska.com.

Vicki Cook has studied metalsmithing for years. Starting with ornamental blacksmithing, she later combined goldsmithing and blacksmithing. She works from her southwestern Michigan studio and teaches at Krasl Art Center and Kalamazoo Institute of Art. Contact her at [email protected] or see more of her work at VCMetalworks.com.

Wendy Edsall-Kerwin is a jewelry artist and metalsmith working from her home in Elizabethtown, Pa. When she isn’t in the studio pounding away at metal, you can usually find her online at her blog, hammermarks. wordpress.com, her website, hammerstrokeandfire.com, or on Twitter as @wtek.

Jill L. Erickson is a former associate editor of Art Jewelry magazine. She enjoys combining and working in a variety of media including metal, metal clay, polymer, wire, lapidary, and enamel. Contact Jill via her website, jlerickson.com.

Deborah Francis is a jewelry artist and teacher on Whidbey Island, Wash. She worked with polymer clay for many years and expanded her range of materials to include mixed metals and found objects. Contact her at [email protected] or via her website, deborahfrancis.com. Angela Gerhard is a professional enamelist and instructor who works in an old factory mill building in the hills of western Massachusetts. To see her work or for more information, visit angelagerhard.com. Joanna Gollberg is a studio jeweler who exhibits nationally at fine craft and jewelry galleries. She teaches jewelry making at craft schools such as Penland School of Craft and is the author of four jewelry-making books: Making Metal Jewelry, Creative Metal Crafts, The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry, and The Ultimate Jeweler’s Guide. For more information, visit joannagollberg.com.

Pat Gullett continues to create and teach her art, jewelry, and online classes from New Milford, Conn. She can be reached at patgullettdesigns@ gmail.com or via her web site, patgullettdesigns.com. Amy Haftkowycz Amy is a selftaught lampworker, certified PMC artisan, bead weaver, and metal worker. She co-owns Artful Beads Studio and Workshop. She enjoys exploring new avenues and adventures when it comes to creating jewelry—especially those involving unusual and unexpected parts and components! She lives in Pennington, N.J. with her husband and five rescue cats. Mary Hettmansperger is a fiber and jewelry artist who teaches and exhibits her work throughout the United States and abroad. View her work at gallerysixtyfour.com Contact Ron Pascho in care of Kalmbach Boooks.

Stephanie Riger has been beading for ten years, and has contributed projects to Bead&Button, Art Jewelry, and other craft magazines. She is always searching for unusual beads to incorporate into her designs, which usually use bead crochet or wirework with semiprecious stones. To see more of her work, visit her website, stephanieriger.com, or contact her at stephanieriger.com

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Richard Salley is a retired public school teacher who now devotes his time to creating jewelry and conducting workshops around the country. View his work at rsalley.com Judy Freyer Thompson is a self-taught jewelry artist who creates pieces of art to adorn the body in her home studio in Conn. Contact her at judyfreyerthompson@ yahoo.com or via her website at www.judithfreyerthompson.com.

Credits Wendy Edsell Kerwin, process photos p. 7–8 Angela Gerhard, process photos p. 11–17 Doug Foulkes Photography, photo p. 18 Kaska Firor, process photos p. 29–30 and 81–85 Mona Clee, process photos 6 and 7 p. 33 Ron Pasko, process photos p. 35–36 Judy Freyer Thompson, process photos p. 41–42 Debora Francis, process photos p. 44–47 Amy Haftkowycz, process photos p. 53–55 Joanna Gollberg, process photos p. 57–59 Vicki Cook, process photos p. 61–64 and 72–75 Richard Salley, process photos p. 66–70 Stephanie Riger, process photos p. 77–79 Kaska Firor, “Tips For a Smoother Weave,” p. 82 from Weaving Freeform Wire Jewelry Andrea Hayday, Copper History, p. 89 Jill Erickson, Enamel Safety Basics and Enamels Explained, p. 90 Reidin Dintzner, Copper Solder Observations, p. 92

Copper Jewelry Collection

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Learn More Metalworking Techniques!

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