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    Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making: Tips, Techniques & Tutorials For Soldering Silver, Stonesetting & Beyond
    Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making: Tips, Techniques & Tutorials For Soldering Silver, Stonesetting & Beyond
    Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making: Tips, Techniques & Tutorials For Soldering Silver, Stonesetting & Beyond
    Ebook441 pages3 hours

    Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making: Tips, Techniques & Tutorials For Soldering Silver, Stonesetting & Beyond

    By Corkie Bolton

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    About this ebook

    Everything You Need to Know to Build Your Skills as an Artisan Jeweler

    Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making is the ultimate handbook to get you started on your jewelry-making journey. Corkie Bolton, jeweler extraordinaire and founder of Metalsmith Society, has compiled the ultimate compendium on the craft for beginners. You’ll get a deep dive into indispensable tools and materials needed to create a well-rounded workspace. Corkie also answers every question you might have about essential yet tricky-to-master techniques such as sawing, stamping and annealing.

    What’s more, through ten beginner-friendly projects, you’ll put your budding skills to the test and light the spark of inspiration for designing your own pieces. Necklace lovers will learn stonesetting and making clasps with the Thick Bezel Pendant and Simple Chain Necklace, while ring projects like the Interlocking Ring and Hidden Detail Ring will have you practicing polishing and embellishing your creations.

    Embark on your rewarding jewelry-making career with confidence. With this comprehensive book at your bench, you will have everything you need to get started and keep going!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateAug 23, 2022
    ISBN9781645675877
    Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making: Tips, Techniques & Tutorials For Soldering Silver, Stonesetting & Beyond

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      Book preview

      Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making - Corkie Bolton

      PART 1

      UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU’RE WORKING WITH

      In jewelry making, we have a tremendous amount of tools available for us to work with. The sterling silver we use also comes in a wide variety of forms. In Part I of this book we will take a deep dive into the world of tools and materials so you feel confident in selecting and purchasing what you need to get started on your jewelry making journey!

      TOOLS

      In this section I am going to talk about one of my favorite topics: tools. Before we dig in, I want to reassure you that you will not need every tool listed in this section to get started, and every jeweler builds their toolbox over time. However, I do think it’s important to give you an overview of some tools that, though they aren’t necessary to complete the projects in this book, may end up on your wishlist. That way, you’ll have an understanding of what they do and how they might be useful to you in the future. You will for sure acquire additional tools as you continue to create jewelry and improve your skills.

      The other thing about tools is that they can vary quite a bit in cost. There is a more affordable economy version of just about every tool. Generally, the economy version will work just fine, especially when you are just starting out. However, in a few of the tool descriptions in this section, I recommend spending more money on a better-quality tool because it will be more precise and last longer.

      Tools are an investment, and I treasure mine. With proper care, many of them will last a lifetime. One important care guideline is to give each tool a dedicated home in your studio where it won’t knock against other tools or get dropped on the floor. The other thing you want to avoid is rust. Always make sure your metal is completely dry when hammering and forming with steel tools. A ring that has a little moisture from being washed can transfer that moisture to your ring mandrel or steel block, and this will quickly cause rust. Running a dehumidifier in your workspace will also help prevent rust. I live in Rhode Island, and during the summer months I run my dehumidifier all day long.

      NOTE: All tools with an asterisk (*) are essential to complete the projects in this book.

      WORK AREA + WORKHOLDING

      1. JEWELER’S BENCH*

      A jeweler’s bench is a sturdy work area with storage for tools and materials, a bench pin and a catch drawer for collecting filings and scraps. They often have insert holes on either side of the bench pin slot that support ring mandrels. A bench can be purchased commercially, you can make your own or you can use a sturdy table. Don’t use an heirloom table, though, as it is likely to get scratched and dented.

      TIP FROM OUR COMMUNITY

      This tip was shared by Jamie of @dangbravegirl: FrogLube is a nontoxic solvent paste that can be used to clean rust and prevent it from forming!

      TIP FROM OUR COMMUNITY

      This tip was shared by @heatheroleari and @jo.dornbusch: To prevent rust, place silica bags in drawers and containers where you store your tools.

      2. BENCH PIN*

      A solid bench pin is where you will do most of your work as a jeweler. It provides a surface to hold metal as you saw, file, sand and polish. Most bench pins will need to be modified before you can work with them. See How to Modify a Bench Pin.

      A clamp-on bench pin will provide the work surface you need, and you’re able to move it around or put it away if you need to. These can definitely leave an indentation in the table you use them on, so be mindful of that. A piece of rubber or leather can help protect your table, but nothing is guaranteed.

      3. GRS® BENCHMATE® SYSTEM

      While it is an investment, the GRS BenchMate is a fantastic system that has many attachments. The mounting plate attaches to your bench, then the bench pin slides onto the plate. The system also has other workholding tools that you can purchase later on and quickly swap in and out as you work.

      The BenchMate itself is a great workholding tool for earrings, rings and other smaller items.

      4. RING CLAMP

      These clamps hold rings firmly without marring. They typically have leather-lined jaws. You can also hold studs in them or other small components. You can use them for support while stonesetting, filing and polishing. Bracing a ring clamp against your bench pin will provide support while you work.

      5. BENCH VISE*

      A bench vise is a multipurpose tool that will give you a place to hold your work while you set stones or form and texture your metal, and it will also hold other tools. You can push, pull and hammer on them.

      6. CLAMP-ON VISE

      Clamp-on vises are an affordable option and great for smaller spaces. As with the clamp-on bench pins, be aware that they can be slightly damaging to the work table you attach them to.

      7. GRS® MICROBLOCK® XL

      A ball vise like this one allows you to view and work on your piece from almost any angle. They are great for using under a microscope and provide a great work area for all types of stonesetting. They come in a variety of sizes, but I have found this particular one to be pretty versatile for holding earrings, rings and slightly larger pieces.

      8. STEEL BLOCK*

      A steel block provides a smooth, solid surface for stamping, flattening, layout work and chasing. They come in a variety of sizes. Ultimately, you should consider the scale of work you plan to hammer before you select a size.

      9. RUBBER BLOCK*

      A rubber block provides a base for your steel block when stamping and forming. It dampens the noise, protects the table you are working on and helps reduce vibration.

      10. LEATHER SANDBAG

      Made with thick, sturdy leather, a sandbag is an alternative to a rubber block as a base for a steel block, but it has added functionality. You can lay a ring mandrel or bracelet mandrel across it as you hammer metal on them.

      11. ANVIL

      Like a steel block, an anvil provides a solid hammering and forming surface. They’re great for larger pieces of metal and come in a variety of sizes.

      12. WORKHOLDING PLASTICS*

      Both Jett Basic™ Fixturing Compound and GRS® Thermo-Loc® are reusable workholding thermoplastics. They become pliable when heated and harden when cooled, making them ideal for holding jewelry pieces secure during stonesetting. They can also be used to form plastic hammer heads, file handles and more!

      MEASURING TOOLS

      13. STEEL RULER*

      These measure in both inches and millimeters and can be used as an edge for scribing straight lines.

      14. DIVIDERS*

      A divider is a tool used for measuring, transferring or marking off distances. It consists of two straight adjustable legs hinged together and ending in sharp points. You could also create circles on your metal with it by holding one leg at a fixed point and rotating the other leg around 360 degrees. An economy version is fine to start out with, but if your work requires absolute precision, a quality pair of dividers is a necessary investment. It should also be noted that the tips can be grinded down and reshaped if they start looking wonky. For more on tool modifications, here.

      15. DIGITAL CALIPERS

      Digital calipers are one of those tools that you don’t need when starting out, but they make life so much easier. They measure with amazing accuracy in both inches and millimeters. They have stainless steel jaws that you can lock into place, making it easy to transfer measurements onto your metal.

      16. DIGITAL SCALE

      A small digital scale is not a tool you will need right away, but they are handy and pretty inexpensive. It is helpful if you purchase one that measures down to a hundredth of a gram. I have used mine to measure metal for melting and casting. I’ve also used it to measure wax carvings to get a quote from my caster. It’s also helpful for weighing scraps that are going back to the refiner.

      17. STEEL FINGER GAUGE SET

      A ring sizer gives you an idea of what ring size someone wears. They work by allowing your customer to try on the various rings until they find their fit. They typically come in a set that measures U.S. sizes 1 through 16 with clearly marked half-size increments. This tool can also be used to determine how a nontraditional ring band that cannot be sized on a mandrel is fitting, or as a template to trace or measure the inside of a band size, which you might do when creating a band from sheet metal.

      18. RING MANDREL*

      A steel ring mandrel is marked with ring sizes, typically U.S. sizes 1 through 16, and has clearly marked quarter-size increments. They are also used as a work surface to form, shape and hammer upon.

      19. SHEET AND WIRE GAUGE

      This American standard gauge measures sheet and wire using the Brown & Sharpe system. Simply insert sheet and wire into the slots to determine their gauge. If you end up with mystery materials, you can use this tool to identify them. You can also use digital calipers to measure the metal and determine its gauge.

      MAGNIFICATION TOOLS

      20. 10X LOUPE*

      A loupe is a fantastic, inexpensive magnification tool you can wear around your neck and keep handy to inspect your work. When I am soldering, I often use my loupe to inspect my seams after I have pickled the piece. If the solder did not flow thoroughly, it will be evident when viewed through my loupe. I also use it when placing stones in their settings to make sure everything is looking good and level.

      21. OPTIVISOR®

      The OptiVISOR is a headpiece that has interchangeable lens plates to provide magnification while you work. This tool is only necessary if you’re like me and need a little help seeing the details of your work at times. The manufacturer advises choosing the lens with the lowest power necessary to accomplish your task. This is because the goal is to see more clearly, but not so close up that your field of view becomes too small. The appropriate magnification depends on the person and the project. The #5 lens has a magnification of 2.5x and a focal length of 8 inches (20 cm), which is suitable for the average person wanting to magnify their bench pin as they work.

      CUTTING TOOLS

      22. SAW FRAME AND SAW BLADES*

      A jeweler’s saw frame is what you will use to hold the saw blades that cut metal. You insert a saw blade and adjust it until you have the appropriate amount of tension. (See Selecting a Saw Frame and Saw Blades and "How to Insert a Saw

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