Series 1 - Metalwork Jewelry Different Techniques DIY Tutorials

An anticlastic shape is one that curves around two axes, the best example of this shape is the surface of a saddle. Anticlastic shapes are structurally rigid but light weighed pieces, making them ideal for jewelry making. This project will introduce you to anticlastic raising, which tools you need and how to use them to shape a beautiful one-of-a-kind ring. The wide adjustable band of the ring shank is perfect for stamping or hammering lots of texture! You can make the ring in Silver or copper, copper looks special good with green stones. The use of a calibrated stone and pre-made commercial bezel cup makes this a good beginner’s soldering project. This was a best selling metalworking class at the Bead & Button show. The small anticlastic stake and mallet combo, the soldering locking head & shank tweezers, calibrated cabochons & bezel cups used in this tutorial are available for purchase in the tools & materials area of the website. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. it is 8 pages long and has 19 photos.

Reticulated silver over copper cuff with foldformed cabochon. Reticulation is a process in which silver is made to buckle in to ridges and valleys adding a very interesting and strong surface texture to the metal. This method produces one-of-a-kind pieces, very dramatic and organic looking. Foldforming, a relatively new way of manipulating metal is another technique that gives a very interesting surface to metal. Our cuff will have as a focal piece a foldformed cabochon, treated with chemical patinas to achieve a deep rich blue-green color. The cabochon will be attached with a riveted setting onto the reticulated cuff. This is a perfect project to recycle all your sterling silver scraps cutouts. This is a project for the intermediate to advanced student. It requires the use of an acetylene torch with a big tip. The tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file, it has 18 pages, 59 photos and plenty of tips!

Tear Sterling silver and corrugated copper earrings Corrugation is a method of producing parallel pleats onto a flat sheet of material, in our case sheet metal. The deep texture of corrugated metal ads a great deal of visual interest to a piece of jewelry. Those deep pleated folds are also very good at holding colored patinas to enhance the design even more. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file, it has 13 pages and 43 photos. The tutorial is for beginner’s students with some soldering experience. But it can be easily modified to be a solderless project.

Sgraffito torch fired enamel: “Sgraffito” Italian for “scratch through”, is exactly that, scratching a design trough a dry sifted coat of enamel, to reveal the previously fired color under it. This enameling method lets you “draw” any pattern with a pointed tool on the surface of your piece. When the piece is fired a second time melting the dry sifted enamel, the pattern is revealed. Tab setting is one of the easiest ways to secure a focal piece to a backing, there is no solder or heat involved, so its considered a “cold connection “ . Tabs are prongs cut from the baking piece and then bent over to hold the enamel cabochon in place. Included in the step-by step instruction you will find how to silver-plate your back plate for a different finish. Master torch firing and tab setting wile fabricating a beautiful one-of-a-kind pendant with a tab-set Sgrafitto Torch Fired Cabochon and Dangle. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. It has 12 pages, 40 photos and life size template of all the components. For intermediate skill students (torch use experience recommended)

Foldforming is a technique that lets you turn a flat sheet of metal into a three dimensional object. This way of manipulating sheet metal can also add a lot of texture to it. In this tutorial we will fold a piece of metal sheet many times to give it a eye catching texture. We will add to this texture with stamped designs intermixed with the folds. Once finished with the textured metal sheet we will cut out and shape a pair of round cabochons and a tear-shaped one. The cabochons will then be framed in sterling silver using a combination bezel-tab setting for a spectacular set of earrings and pendant. The step-by-step instructions includes how to apply and preserve colored patinas for a different look on the copper cabochons. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. It has 16 pages, 54 photos and life size template of all the components. For intermediate skill students.

Sterling silver cuff with foldformed insert & patina application Make a unique bold sterling silver cuff with a rich colored patina fold- formed insert. The tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file, it has 7 pages, 19 photos, a template and plenty of tips!

In this tutorial we will be constructing a split bezel & tab setting for a straight sided, angular shape. The flat shape will be made out of a multicolored piece of polymer clay. As an alternative you can substitute the polymer piece for a torch fired enamel piece. The project can also be turned into a solder-less piece using "cold connections “. The instructions for a customized stainless steel cable necklace with matching clasp are also included in the step-by-step instructions. The tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file, it has 11 pages, 29 photos, a life size template of all the components and plenty of tips! For beginner skill students.

4 in 1 Tutorial. Beautiful torch fired earrings. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file, it has 14 pages, 4 templates and 45 photos. Most of the projects are for beginners and intermediate skill students.

This project will guide you in the making of a simple yet striking reversible sterling silver and polymer clay one-of-a-kind pendant. This is a perfect beginners project. Is a good introduction to working with polymer clay. It covers basic instructions on: how to condition polymer clay, what tools to use, making a multicolored slab, cutting the clay and baking it in the oven. Also it goes over basic metal fabrication skills as cutting with a jeweler's saw, filing and sanding. Decorative stamping and patina application are also covered. The step-by-step instruction will walk you through the making of a simple polymer clay flat multicolored cabochon piece. Then go on to show you how to make a sterling silver frame, and tab-setting your cabochon. The final instructions will cover how to make a stainless steel cable necklace for your finished pendant. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. It has 8 pages, 21 photos and life size template of all the components. For beginner skill students.

Master a new, very exiting and fast way to enamel copper. The fired enamel colors are beautifully vibrant and each piece will be unique. Torch firing is addictive, you can never make only one piece ! Using the same enamels in different proportion or sifting sequence can give you very different results. Check the picture!, these are the same blues and greens on both pieces! Learn to make an artisan sterling silver and enamel pendant. Inside tab settings are an easy way to set your beautiful torch fired cabochon. Fabricating this type of setting involves cutting and piercing with a jeweler’s saw, drilling pilot holes, filing ,sanding and soldering. The project can be modified to be solder-less, but after torch firing, who is going to be scared of a tiny bit of soldering? Texturing with stamps and the use of liver os sulfur patina on the silver gives you another way to personalize your project. This tutorial will guide you through all these steps with photos and many tips to make everything easier. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. It has 10 pages, 29 photos and life size template of all the components. For intermediate skill students (torch use experience recommended)

I wanted a pair of stud earrings that where small enough to have some type of metal or beaded dangles. One of the ideas I had, was making some small “organic” element without having to cast from “live” plants. Experimenting to make these “twigs” was fun, and opened a whole new set of ideas to try out. Like using the “twigs” with foldformed copper leaves dangles. The metal leaves could be enameled or treated with colored patinas. The twig circles can also be used with lampwork drops, head pins with or without threaded beads. So if you have off-mandrel drops or glass head pins this is the project for you!

Corrugation is a metalworking technique that lets you pleat a metal sheet. These pleated sheet can be used in many jewelry making projects as they are lightweight but strong. Torch fired enamels are a good alternative to try enameling without making the big investment of buying a kiln. You will need a gas burning torch, a steel tripod & mesh, a couple of metal trivets and of course copper enamels! If buying enamels for the first time get a sample pack of opaques, they will be easier to use than transparents (you can try those later). Learn a new set of skills. Combine the amazing texture of corrugation with colorful torch enameling and you will have an eye-catching pendant to wear. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. It has 12 pages, 35 photos and life size template of all the components. For intermediate skill students (torch use experience recommended)

Torch firing offers a cheap and fast way of trying your hand at enameling. There are many techniques to try out, the colors are bright and eye catching, the combinations infinite,what is not to like? Fabricate a simple and effective sterling silver prong setting for your torch-fired enamel piece. The result will be a one-of-a-kind conversation starter. Included you will find instruction for the Sgraffito enameling method used on the photo and how-to steps for the fabrication of the backing piece. The fabrication of the backing will cover texturing with hammers, making and soldering prongs, cutting jump rings and patina application. You will also learn how to make a cable neck wire for your pendant. This tutorial is an instant downloading PDF file. It has 12 pages, 33 photos and life size template of all the components. For intermediate skill students (torch use experience recommended)