10 mixed media jewelry projects vol.4

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Jewelry Projects10 Mixed Media

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

2© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4 10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects 2

Contents

M e t a l & P a p e r o r F i b e rFelt Tassel & Silver Bracelet By Michele A. Friedman

A fusion of fiber and metal ..................................................................................................................3

Paper, Resin, and Peridot Pendant By Eleanore Macnish

Embed a famous design into a pretty wearable ...............................................................................5

Vintage Illustration Pendant By Eleanore Macnish

A confection from recycled ephemera ...............................................................................................8

Framed Focal Charm By Shoshana Farber

Interchangeable inserts that can change with your mood ............................................................11

M e t a l & F o u n d O b j e c t sFound Object Pendant By Eleanore Macnish

A vintage ruler and typewriter key mark a milestone ..................................................................14

Pottery Shard Brooch By Julie Jerman-Melka

A nostalgic keepsake from a broken dinner plate ..........................................................................17

M e t a l & M i s c e l l a n e o u sSprinkle Earrings By Eleanore Macnish

Sweet little treats make a speedy gift ...............................................................................................20

PVC & Silver Brooch By Robert Dancik

Faux Bone — fantastic plastic for jewelry work ............................................................................22

Colorful Resin Earrings By Tom & Kay Benham

Pretend plique-à-jour enamel ............................................................................................................27

Multi Technique Enameled Pendant By Cynthia Alderdice & Lois Mansfield Combine metal clay, cloisonné, etching, stone setting, and chain making in one design ......30

We’re proud to bring you 10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects, Volume 4 of the Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Mix metal

with paper, fiber, ceramics, mechanical parts, resin, polymer — even foodstuffs! — to create jewelry that tells a personal story and is sure to inspire compli-ments! 10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects, Volume 4 of the Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, brings

you some of our favorite designs in this hot, hot, hot genre. You’ll make earrings, pendants, pins, and a bracelet while learning to adapt a wide variety of materials to jewelry as you recycle found objects and interesting remnants. So pull out your stash of cool things that you haven’t been able to decide what to do with and let’s put them into jewelry!

&Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor

Jewelry Projects10 Mixed Media

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I have been designing and

making jewelry since 1992.

The focus was always metal.

I had never incorporated any

color in any material in my

jewelry until I started explor-

ing the possibility of using wool

felt in my work. Whimsical and

bright, the tassels were the first

expression of my new direction.

I knew I was on a very different

path from the one I had been on

when only working with mixed

metals. Now, I combine metal-

smithing skills with an alterna-

tive color choice: wool felt.

M a T E R I a l S

Silver tubing (ID 2.5mm) nine 3.5mm-3.56mm sections

2.5mm sterling mesh chain

10 sterling jump rings, tiny (for wire)

2 sterling jump rings, small (for bracelet ends, clasp)

10 sterling jump rings, medium, (for wires and tassels)

18- or 19-gauge sterling wire

10 sterling end cones

End caps

Sterling clasp

Felt sheet

T O O l S

Flux

Hard and easy sheet solder

Saw blades

Scribe

Straight edge

Cutting surface

Sharp scissors and rotary cutter

Nippers

Round, flat, and needle nose pliers

Fine square/flat needle file

liver-of-sulfur or other oxidizing agent

Scotch Brite pad

220-grit sandpaper

Pickle pot and pickle

Torch with small or medium tip

Soldering surface

Soldering pick

Soldering tweezers

Oxidizing tweezers

Copper sheet to act as heat sink if needed

Tube cutting jig

Saw frame

skills you need

materials and tools you need

• sawing • sweat soldering • patina use

Felttassel&sIlverBraCelet

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MICHElE a. FRIEDMaN Opening Photo: HaP Sakwa Project Photos: JOHn aMeSa f u s i o n o f f i b e r a n d m e t a l

© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4 10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects 3


Saw 9 sections of tubing, each approxi-mately 3.5mm long.

Sand outside of each section, leaving inside unsanded.

Cut about 7” of mesh chain. Snip 10 sections of wire, each about 3/4” long.

File one end flat on each.

With rotary cutter, cut 3 1/8” wide x 1 1/4 “ long strips of felt for each tassel. Use straight

edge and cutting surface for accuracy.Insert 2–3 paillons of easy sheet sol-der inside each section of tubing and heat until solder melts.

Repeat for end caps. Pickle.

{Photo 1} Close 10 tiny jump rings. Solder opening of each ring against flat end of each wire section to cre-ate eyepins without openings.

Slide tubing sections onto mesh chain. Space each section equidistantly. Position end caps on ends of chain. These compo-nents need to fit snugly.

{Photo 2} Sweat solder tubing and caps to mesh as follows: Apply generous amount of flux. Heat each segment until solder within flows to join them to chain.

Pickle. Check each section and end caps for successful soldering. Repeat until all pieces are soldered and secured.

Solder clasp and end jump ring using remaining 2 small jump rings.

{Photo 3} Use needle and flat nose pliers to attach each eyepin to bracelet with medium jump rings. Place between tubing sections and end caps.

{Photo 4} Attached eyepins move only between tubing sections, not over them.

Solder medium jump rings closed.

Oxidize entire bracelet and cones.

Rinse, let dry and strip oxidation as desired with Scotch Brite pad.

{Photo 5} Make tassel by placing hand-made eyepin through top of cone. Pierce and place felt strip on eyepin.

{Photo 6} Use scribe to force felt into cone.

Leave approximately 3⁄8” of wire, snip excess.

Use round nose pliers to loop end under felt to prevent it from popping out of cone.

Repeat for all cones. Trim felt with scissors as desired.

1 2 3

4 5 6

t I pn Pay careful attention to all

parts of the piece and avoid overheating. Try using copper sheet to shield the piece and act as heat sink if needed.

Michele A. FriedMAn has been a self-employed metalsmith and jewelry designer since 1992.

She has exhibited jewelry lines in art, design, and craft shows all over the country and is repre-

sented by galleries nationally. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.mafdesign.blogspot.com



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paper,resIn,andperIdotpendantembed a famous design into a pret ty wearable

• • •SKILLS you need

MaterIaLS and tooLS you need

M a T E R I a l S

30mm sterling silver bezel cup

14-gauge sterling wire: 6” length

14-gauge sterling wire jump ring hammered flat

Sterling beaded wire: approx. 1 1⁄4”

6mm sterling bezel cup

6mm peridot cabochon

Desired image (copied onto HP Glossy Photo Paper with HP ink jet ink — other brands may also work)

Glue stick or white craft glue

EZ solder

Two part epoxy resin

Popsicle stick and clean disposable plastic cup for mixing resin

Paper towel

T O O l S

Hand tools: wire nippers, round nosed pliers, hammer, steel block

Finishing tools: ammonia, water and liquid dish soap solution, soft bristled toothbrush, oxidizer or liver of sulfur, file or sandpaper

Soldering tools: flux, pickle, torch, nickel (5-cent piece) to use as soldering support, flex shaft cut-ting disk, chamois buffing wheel, polishing compound, level

Optional tools: ring mandrel, circle template

Resin tools: glass drinking cup, butane lighter

S O u R C E S :

Tools & Materials: Most of the tools and materials for this project will be available from well stocked jewelry supply vendors.

24 gauge bezel with a wall height of

2.30mm high: Rio Grande #950274,

www.riogrande.com

Resin: Rio Grande Colores Resin

with Thin Hardener 1:1 ratio, www.

riogrande.com.

T I M E I T T O O k :

1 hour plus curing time is what it

took me. I used a premade bezel

both to cut down on time and to

make it more accessible to begin-

ners (I’d say about 2 hours if you

wanted to fabricate you own bezel).

ElEaNORE MaCNISHOpening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISH

wirework soldering resin use

I have had a love affair with

the work of William Morris

since attending an exhibit

of it at the Victoria & Albert

Museum in London many years

ago. I remember just walking

though it over and over. By the

fourth or fifth walk-through,

the security guards and I just

nodded to one another — hope-

fully they didn’t think I was

“casing the joint”! Many years

later, I still love his designs and

use prints of them in much of

my work.


{Photo 1} Shape the beaded sterling wire into a circle that fits inside bezel so you can just drop the circle in. Solder the ends with EZ solder. Place it in the pickle.

➤ When making the circle, it is easier to achieve a perfect one by forming it on a ring mandrel set in a vise.

{Photo 2} Cut a 6” piece of 14ga wire. With round nosed pliers, coil each end equally. Fold wire in half to form a bail. Hammer each side on a steel block to flatten. Lightly

file or sand the back of the bezel cup and wire bail to remove any oils or dirt. Flux.

{Photo 3} Lay the bezel on the soldering block. Place a nickel next to the bezel and lay the wire bail across the bezel cup and nickel. Solder the bail onto the bezel cup using EZ solder.

➤ The nickel will act as a support for the wire to keep it from tilting as you solder.Pickle, rinse, and oxidize it. Polish it with buffing compound on a chamois wheel. {Photo 4} Using a cutting disk, make a groove in the inside wall of the bezel to pro-vide an anchor for resin — it does not need to be deep. Soak it in ammonia solution for a few minutes and scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse and dry it.

{Photo 5} Make a copy of the original image on glossy photo paper with an ink jet printer. Trace a circle on copy and cut it out.

➤ If you are using an original image, you will need to seal the image completely — including the edges — with a sealer like decoupage sealer and let it dry completely.

{Photo 6} Prepare the area where the poured resin pendant will cure and make sure it is level.

I use a cheese board with a glass dome set on a bookshelf to cure my pieces. Taking into account that surfaces which look level are not always level, make sure you use an

actual level and prepare the curing area before you pour the resin. With a glue stick or a thin layer of white glue, cover back of paper image and press into the bezel cup. Cover it with a paper towel and burnish with your fingertip to press out any bubbles.

Covering the image with a paper towel prevents any moisture or oils from your fingers from smudging the image. Let it dry completely.batch. Mix glitter thoroughly into resin after each addition.

{Photo 7} Set the pendant on the curing surface and use a coin to raise end opposite wire bail so that it is level.

I started out with a quarter, but when I added resin, the resin immediately started to flow toward the bail, telling me it was not level — so, I switched to a dime.

Place the peridot cab in a 6mm bezel cup and set it. Lightly sand or file the back of the bezel cup. With a popsicle stick and a plastic cup, thoroughly mix the resin ac-cording to the package directions.

➤ I used Rio Grande Colores Resin with Thin Hardener at a 1:1 ratio, though the instructions advise 2:1. I use the Colores with a 1:1 ratio because I like how thin the resin is and how it easily seeps into nooks and crannies.

4 5 6

1 2 3

7


{Photo 8} Put a small amount of resin (about size of a domed quarter) in the bezel. Pick up the pendant and swirl the resin around so that it touches all the inside edges of the bezel and completely covers the image. Replace the pendant on the curing surface and drop it in the beaded wire circle. Drop in the bezel-set peridot and position it where you want it to be.

It is important to start with a small amount of resin because you will displace some resin by adding the beaded wire circle and the bezel set cab. You can al-ways add more resin later — initially, start with less than you think you will need. It is much easier than trying to clean up resin that oozes out the sides of the bezel!

➤ Using a butane lighter, lightly sweep the flame over the surface of the resin to pop any bubbles. For this resin, there should be no bubbles; if there are bubbles, the lighter flame should take care of them.

{Photo 9} Making sure there are no bubbles and that the peridot is where you want it to be, cover the pendant with a drinking glass or glass dome and place it aside to cure for at least 24 hours. Check on the pendant a few times over next few hours to make sure there are no bubbles and that the cab has not moved.

To check whether the resin has cured, check the leftover resin in your mixing cup instead of the actual pendant!

➤ When the leftover resin is rock hard, your pendant will be fully cured! Attach the jump ring to the bail and slide onto a neckwire or chain to wear it.

eLeanore MacnISH is a glass

beadmaker and silversmith living in

Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has

been making glass beads for 9 years

and doing silver work for 1 1/2 years.

Visit www.emacnish.com to see more of

her work.

8 9

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easy option: No SolderYou can buy premade bezels with pendant bails attached from most well-stocked craft stores and eliminate soldering altogether.

http://www.stepbystepwire.com

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vIntageIllustratIonpendant

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Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISHa c o n f e c t i o n f r o m r e c y c l e d e p h e m e r a

to make this pendant, you

need to go on a scavenger hunt.

Gather all sorts of earrings,

vintage illustrations of cakes, and

whatever you think might look good

hanging from the bottom of your

pendant. Good places to start hunt-

ing are a flea market or tag and

yard sales. I gathered orphaned ear-

rings, vintage jewelry, coins, tokens,

and game pieces for my pendant.

skills you need

• fabrication • bezel setting • soldering

M a T E R I a l S

Vintage pastry image

Vintage rhinestone earring

Vintage pearl drop

22-gauge sterling sheet

22-gauge sterling sheet: 2 1⁄2” x 1⁄2” for bail

Fine silver bezel wire deep enough to hold image and resin

Fine silver bezel wire tall enough to clear edges of earring

16-gauge wire for jump ring

ammonia, water, and liquid dish soap solution

Toothbrush

Oxidizer or liver of sulfur

uV cure resin

Methyl alcohol or nail polish remover

Clear packing tape

White craft glue

T O O l S

Layout tools: permanent marker, graph paper, tracing paper, spray adhesive, pencil

Hand tools: saw frame, 2-0 saw blades, carbide tip scribe (or punch for dots), round nosed pliers, setting tools, hand shears, respirator mask, small hammer,

container (larger than pendant and deeper than length of bail) filled with rice

Soldering: torch and tips, third hand, solder (hard and extra EZ, low temp paste solder), flux

Finishing tools: flex shaft, chamois buffing wheel, polishing compound

Additional tools: drill bit for 16-gauge wire



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{Photo 1} Lay out objects and play around with composition.

{Photo 2} Choose an earring for top of piece and remove back finding. Choose a focal cake illustration. Choose an object to hang from the bottom.

{Photo 3} On graph paper, outline edges of all components and design overall shape of pendant. From here, you need to decide whereany areas of stress might be and how to compensate for them. I make a “pendant plan” for each metal piece, indicating where I will solder, and in what order.

My pendant is made up of 3 pieces of metal. I soldered the bezels onto the front-facing silver sheet with EZ solder, and then soldered the bail and the back curlicue with low temperature paste solder.

{Photo 4} Fit bezels for rhinestone ear-ring and cake illustration. Use pliers to conform bezel to outlines. Make bezels a bit larger than components.

{Photo 5} Solder bezels together with pallions of hard solder.

Make adjustments as needed to sketches after laying soldered bezels back on graph paper.

{Photo 6} Trace design for each metal piece on a half sheet of tracing paper. Spray 22ga sterling sheet with adhesive, apply tracing paper drawing to adhesive, let dry.

{Photo 7} Rip overhanging tracing paper from edge of sheet and saw out shapes. On soldering block, burn off paper and adhe-sive (fumes are toxic — wear a respirator mask). Pickle, rinse, file, sand smooth.

{Photo 8} Solder bezels to front of cut-out with easy. Pickle, rinse. On back of cutout, lightly flux bail and curlicue panel. Apply small amount of low temperature paste solder. Support piece as needed. Solder, pickle, rinse, dry.

3 421

7 865

‰

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My pendant plan and notes.

t

i fabricated a bezel-set clasp from a vintage button.


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Using a marker, dot where you want a border. Punch dots using a carbide tip and small hammer. Remove marker with meth-yl alcohol or nail polish remover. Oxidize piece as desired. Polish with chamois buff-ing wheel and compound. Soak in ammo-nia solution and scrub with soft bristled toothbrush. Rinse and dry completely. Set earring in bezel.

{Photo 10} Seal paper illustration by sandwiching between 2 pieces of packing tape. Trim to fit in bezel. Dip finger in small amount of white craft glue and run along edge of sealed cake illustration to encase edges. Set aside to dry. Glue illustration into bezel. Let dry.

{Photo 11} Lay pendant in rice and adjust till level. Squeeze UV resin onto surface of illustration to desired depth. After a few minutes, look for bubbles at surface. Wave a lighter flame over top of resin to burst bubbles.

{Photo 12} Set container holding pendant in sunlight for about 5 minutes to cure. Make a jump ring from 16ga wire and attach bottom charm to pendant. Support bail and bend tab over a support to make a hook. Attach pendant to neck wire or chain.



Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been

making glass beads for 9 years and

doing silverwork for 1 1⁄2 years. Visit www.

emacnish.com to see more of her work.

soldering setupsYou will probably need to use solder supports to get everything to set up correctly. i use nickels and a third hand to support the different levels of my pieces before i solder.

1 21 11 09

paper and resinn When you prepare paper for

resin, it is very important to seal the paper — includ-ing the edges! if you do not seal the paper the resin will turn the paper translucent. if you miss a couple of spots, the paper will act like a wick and pull resin into its fibers. Sometimes, i like the effect of a little bit of resin bleed-ing into the image because it adds to the aged look, however, if it’s important that the image be consistent, you must seal it completely!

n When i seal paper for resin, i sandwich it between 2 pieces of clear packing tape, cut the image out of the tape and spread glue around the edges. if the image is too large to be covered by the tape, i brush both sides with white glue, let it dry, and then cut out the image and seal the edges with glue. it is necessary to seal any paper product — vintage or contemporary.

On the back, i added a sprinkle-

filled surprise.


here, the left side of the sheet music was sealed and the right side was not sealed. it makes a gigantic difference!

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skills you need


My miniature frames can be incorporated into virtually any piece

of jewelry, or made into personalized cufflinks. The double-sided

frame will hold up to two photos or artwork which can be removed

and replaced as desired. Pay close attention to the exact thickness of

the required sheet — this will result in a precise and snug fit.

• basic fabrication • sweat soldering

FraMedFoCalCharM

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SHOSHaNa FaRBEROpening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: SHOSHana FaRbeR I n t e r c h a n g e a b l e i n s e r t s t h a t c a n c h a n g e w i t h y o u r m o o d

MaTERIalS

Sterling sheet; at least 16mm x 16mm, 0.9mm thick

Sterling sheet; at least 20mm x 40mm, 0.7mm thick

Scrap copper or brass sheet: at least 11.5mm x 30mm, exactly 0.9mm thick

TOOlS

Soldering brick; torch; hard solder; flux; titanium soldering pick

Jeweler’s saw; blades; wax

Calipers

large metal file; small needle files

Emery paper; flat thin wooden stick (such as a coffee stirrer)

1mm drill bit

Fabric containing metallic fiber weave or steel mesh

Rolling mill

Sterling findings of your choice (jump rings, bail, cufflink components, chain)

Polishing compounds:

Greystar and rouge

Soft bristle brush mandrels for Foredom; cotton buffs

Computer; digital images; adobe Photoshop or other imaging software

Printer; sheet of photo paper “8 mil” thick (not millimeters)

Small sheet Mylar, at least 25mm x 25mm, “4 mil” thick (0.1mm)

Japanese or decorative papers or miniature drawings

Cufflink design optionif making cufflinks, the back of the piece must remain solid. Finding components can be soldered directly onto the solid backs of the frames.


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6

2

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1

{Photo 1} Square off corner of 0.9mm thick silver sheet. Use calipers to mark off a parallel line exactly 2mm from one side of corner. Mark off lines exactly 14mm from both sides of corner. Finally, mark off lines exactly 16mm from both sides of corner. If you like, go over lines with a thin pen.

{Photo 2} Saw out center of “three-legged” square, being sure to cut along the inside of scribed line. File inside edges completely level and ensure corners are square. Saw along outside lines of square, cutting out three-legged shape from sheet. This will be inside layer of frame.

{Photo 3} Move frame to soldering block. Cut out many pallions of hard solder. Flux piece and heat slowly. When flux settles, distribute pallions evenly over top of piece. Heat metal until solder flows, using titani-um pick to distribute solder and coat entire top of piece. Set aside.

Anneal an approximately 20mm x 40mm piece of 0.7mm sheet.

{Photo 4} Wrap annealed sheet in metallic fabric of your choice. Ensure metallic thread runs horizontally — or parallel — to edge you are feeding through rolling mill. If using steel mesh, place wrapped piece between two small brass plates to protect rollers.

{Photo 5} Insert wrapped piece into rolling mill. Make note of gauge setting, remove piece, and tighten rollers at least 1⁄4 turn more. Feed fabric-wrapped metal

sheet through mill. Cut roller-printed metal into 2 pieces, each at least 20mm x 20mm.

{Photo 6} Return to soldering block. Flux one roller-printed square. Place three-legged frame, solder-side down, on top of printed square. Sweat-solder pieces together by heating evenly, until you see solder flowing around joint edge. Trail sol-der pick along seam as solder flows. Pickle piece until oxides are removed. Rinse and dry. Trim any overhanging edges and file gently until piece is once again square. Position piece with frame-side up. Use cali-pers to mark an inner window 3mm from outside edges.

{Photo 7} Drill hole in center of square. Insert saw blade into hole and carefully cut out inner window. File edges level and corners square.

7

framing tipit may be easier to mark your lines along the inside of the frame by scribing them 1mm from the inner edges. if you like, trace the scribed lines with pen.


proteCtyourrollersYou might want to “sandwich” the metallic screen and sil-ver for roll printing inside of a folded piece of cardstock to prevent transfer of the metallic screen impression of the rollers of your mill.

13

{Photo 8} Sweat-solder another frame and roller-print another square for other side of piece. File and sand outside edges. Position piece so window faces up.

{Photo 9} Drill hole in center of solid back sheet. Saw 4 diagonal lines out from drilled center to each corner of window.

Using top window lip as guide, carefully saw out back window. File edges level and corners square. Wrap a thin, flat wooden stick or coffee stirrer in emery paper and

sand edges of both windows smooth and level. Cut a flat, 0.9mm thick copper or brass rectangular strip 30mm x 11.5mm. Insert strip into side groove of completed frame. If needed, use rolling mill to reduce thickness gradually until the strip slides in. With rawhide mallet, gently tap each side of frame and along protruding end of brass strip to ensure that inner grooves are aligned. Attach findings or jump rings of your choice. Inner frame layer will accom-modate a drill hole up to 2mm — center-punch exactly 1mm from side of piece.

Polish piece before attaching chain. Apply polishing compounds to textured metal with soft bristle brush so pattern doesn’t wear away. Use cotton buffs for sides.

Using Adobe Photoshop, crop or alter selected high resolution images. Resize to 11mm x 11mm, or cut decorative paper squares or drawings to this size. Cut two 11mm x 11mm squares of Mylar. Sandwich photos between Mylar sheets. Slide image sandwich into frame’s side groove, being sure to push inserts straight to back of frame.

SHoSHana Farber completed her

diploma in art, craft, and design with a

major in Jewelry and Small Object Design

from the Kootenay School of the Arts

in Nelson, British Columbia. She lives in

Toronto and has built a studio where she

designs and manufactures jewelry under

the name Showsh Design.

98


Create strong designs with wire techniques.

Discover the vastpotential of metal clay.

Mix up your metal jewelry with new cool techniques.

Download this must-have resource today to:• Get instant access to stunning projects and expert how-tos.• Master the most popular designs in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist.• Skip the guesswork, with helpful hints and step-by-step instructions.• Use endless variations to create even more one-of-a-kind designs!

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M a T E R I a l S

Vintage ruler

Vintage typewriter key (preferably with tabs on the back)

22-gauge sterling sheet

Small scrap of 20-gauge sterling sheet

Silver bezel wire tall enough to clear surface of ruler and typewriter key

14-gauge sterling dead soft wire; approximately 1 1⁄2” long

14-gauge sterling jump ring

22-gauge sterling sheet, 1” x 2”

22-gauge sterling disk, 3⁄4”

Solder — Hard, EZ, and Extra EZ

Flux

ammonia, water, and liquid soap solution

Toothbrush


T O O l S

Drill bit for 14-gauge sterling wire

Drill bit to countersink hole for 14-gauge wire

2-0 saw blades

Saw frame

letter stamps for message tag

Torch

Round nosed pliers

Carbide tip scribe

Setting tools

Hand shears for cutting bezel wire and gallery wire

Chamois buffing wheel

Polishing compound

Third hand

Vise; rawhide mallet or flat jawed pliers

Small woodcarving chisel or razor blade mounted in a handle

Permanent marker

Rectangular joint-edge file

Files and sandpaper for smoothing metal before polishing


My friend Lucille wears

four pieces of jewelry

90% of the time. The

same pieces every day — when

you’re standing behind her,

you know it’s her just by

looking at the clasp on her

necklace. She loves those four

pieces and they look fabulous

on her — so more power to her!

However, having this kind of

friend makes the whole gift-

giving thing rather difficult

when making jewelry is what

you do.

My solution? I made her

a pendant and put it on a key

ring to disguise its true nature.

I also stamped a bunch of

wrong information on the sil-

ver “card” purely by accident

(if you knew me, you’d know

that’s not uncommon), which I

discovered when another friend

was looking at the piece with a

befuddled look on her face. The

accident made the whole situa-

tion really funny. “Shut up! You

are not 50!!!” the message says

— and she’s not, because the

gift was for her 53rd birthday.

I’d even been at her 50th birth-

day party and all of the ones

after it! I did have the best of

intentions, though — and luck-

ily, Lucille loves the piece, so I

consider it a success.

FoundoBJeCtpendant

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Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISH a v i n t a g e r u l e r a n d t y p e w r i t e r k e y m a r k a m i l e s t o n e

skills you need

• fabrication • soldering


15

{Photo 1} Cut length of ruler. With perma-nent marker, mark edges of ruler on 22ga sheet.

{Photo 2} With permanent marker, draw outline of pendant around traced ruler lines. Saw pendant out of sheet.

Make optional message tag if desired.

Measure ruler edge. Measure distance between bottom edge of ruler and where on ruler you want arrow to point. For my pendant, arrow point is halfway up length of numerals. Arrow should look like a capital “T” with a triangle on bottom. The vertical line of “T” is the shaft, and hori-zontal top of “T” is the tab. Transfer arrow measurements to 20ga sheet and saw arrow out.

{Photo 3} Bend tab at 90° angle to arrow.

{Photo 4} Place bent arrow on ruler and slide along edge until you arrive at place you want arrow to point. With permanent marker, outline tab on back and mark where shaft lies on edge of ruler.

Chisel out tab outline. Carve a little at a time and verify fit often by setting tab into niche. Tab should be flush with surface of ruler.

{Photo 5} File groove for shaft of arrow on edge of ruler, using marker lines as guide. Groove must be deep enough for arrow to sit flush in ruler, so it doesn’t dis-tort bezel fitting around ruler.

Bend tabs of typewriter key back, to create legs — like a little table.

{Photo 6} Using cushioned plier handle, tap on key letter to remove it and all inte-rior parts. File or sand steel bezel of key so it is shallow enough for bezel wire to clear curved edge.

Make silver bezels for ruler and typewriter key using hard solder.

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message tagcut the tag out of 22ga sheet. ensure it is a little bit smaller than the pendant. Use letter stamps for the message, annealing the metal prior to stamping it if necessary. Stamp on a steel block for the cleanest impression and to keep the tag flat.

keyring design option .

Clean Cornersi use a vise and rawhide mallet to hammer the shaft of the arrow down for a clean corner, but you can also use flat jawed or conforming pliers.

© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4 10 Metal Clay Jewelry Projects 15

16

{Photo 7} Solder ruler bezel to

cut out sheet with EZ solder.

{Photo 8} Solder typewriter key bezel to

disk with EZ.

Pickle, rinse, and dry both bezel assemblies.

{Photo 9} Solder 14ga wire to back of

disk with Extra EZ solder.

{Photo 10} Using carbide tip, make an

indention on each end of pendant for hole

placement. Drill holes in indents. Use larger

drill bit by hand to remove burrs from

drilled holes — much like making a counter-

sink for a screw.

Assemble piece by attaching 14ga jump

ring to drilled hole in top of pendant (and

message card if you made one). Solder

jump ring with Extra EZ solder using a

third hand to hold jump ring.

File and smooth all silver cutouts and 14ga

components, oxidize, rinse, and polish

using chamois buff and compound. Rinse

in ammonia/water/soap solution and scrub

with soft toothbrush. Fit arrow into filed

notch on ruler. Lay arrow and ruler into

bezel; set. Lay letter, plastic lens, and steel

rim of typewriter key into bezel. Verify let-

ter is in proper position related to soldered

wire on back of disk. Set key into bezel.

Using round nosed pliers, bend 14ga wire

on back of disk into a hairpin loop: curved

loop on top where it hangs on the pendant,

and straight from there on. Slide type key

charm into hole at bottom of pendant.



Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has

been making glass beads for 9 years

and doing silverwork for 1 1⁄2 years. Visit

www.emacnish.com to see more of her work.

9 108


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ypotteryshardBrooCha n o s t a l g i c k e e p s a k e f r o m a b r o k e n d i n n e r p l a t e

I enjoy the challenge of working with found objects

and incorporating them into a wearable piece of

jewelry. If you’re like me, you probably have fond

memories of enjoying a special dinner with family or

friends, using the “good” china, or maybe enjoying a

cup of afternoon tea from vintage tea cups. Inevitably,

a piece of china or one of the prized teacups acciden-

tally breaks, and it’s painful to just throw the shards

into the trash. In this simple project, I’ll show you how

to recycle the broken shards and make a simple brooch,

perhaps reminding you of one of those special times

with friends and family.

Instead of using a commercial finding for this piece,

I decided to make my own pin mechanism. It’s easy

to execute and gives the piece a simple, handcrafted

elegance with an extra personal touch.

M a T E R I a l S

Pottery shard

22-gauge sterling sheet: 2" x 1 1/2"

22-gauge brass sheet: 2" x 1 1/4"

28-gauge sterling bezel wire: 5mm height x 6"

20-gauge round sterling wire: 6"

18-gauge round nickel wire: 4"

One 7mm half-drilled button pearl

#65 Drill bit

Hard and medium solder

Texture to roller print (texture paper)

330 epoxy

liver of sulfur

ammonia

T O O l S

Soldering tools: torch, solder pick, Solderite pad 6" x 6", pickle pot with pickle, copper tongs, cross locking tweezers

Hand tools: metal shears, wire cutter, saw frame, saw blades, beeswax or Bur life, bench pin, 6" half round file, needle files, 2 1/2" bent steel burnisher

Other tools: rolling mill, buff-ing machine, dust mask, safety eyewear, Sharpie, Fabulustre or buffing compound, 4" muslin buff, flex shaft

JulIE JERMaN-MElkaOpening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: JULIe JeRMan-MeLka

• •SKILLS you need


soldering bezel stone setting


18

{Photo 1} Select pottery shard.

➤ The shard I’ve chosen is 3/4" x 1 1/4", so all of my measure-ments are based on using a piece of pottery about this size.

{Photo 2} Cut a 1 1/4" x 1" piece of 22ga sterling sheet. Anneal and pickle. Rinse in water and dry completely. Cut a piece of 22ga brass sheet slightly larger than the silver sheet. Do not anneal.

{Photo 3} Cut a piece of rice paper to 1 1/2" x 1 1/4". Sandwich rice paper between silver and brass sheet and pass through the rolling mill under pressure to roller print.

➤ Your silver sheet will distort and elongate with this process.

{Photo 4} Make bezel for pottery shard using flat nose pli-ers. Solder bezel together using hard. Pickle bezel until clean. File any excess solder on seam. Rub bezel on sandpaper to clean bottom edge.

{Photo 5} Place shard on rollerprinted silver sheet. Trace outside edge of shard with Sharpie pen to create an interest-ing shape for your brooch. Mark on metal sheet will be slightly larger than shard. Saw along Sharpie line and then fine-sand edge.

{Photo 6} Place bezel on sheet making sure there are no gaps between them. Solder bezel to roller printed sheet using chips of medium solder.

➤ If there is a gap, rub bezel on sandpaper again to true up edge before soldering bezel to sheet.

{Photo 7} Decide where you want the pearl. Center punch a divot in metal and drill a hole using #65 drill bit. Insert a 1/2" length of 20ga round wire through hole, extending it 1/8" out of back of brooch. Solder wire from back of brooch with medium. Cut, file, and sand excess wire until flush with back.

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My original sketch for the piece

tIPS on SuPPLIeS

n if you don’t have a rolling mill, you can purchase embossed metal sheets from Metalliferous: www.metalliferous.com, 888-944-0909, or david h. Fell: www.dhfco.com, 800-822-1996.

n i prefer using Fabulustre buffing compound because it gives me a lustrous finish and i don’t need to prefinish. it contains a cutting and a polishing compound in one bar.

n Texture paper is handmade paper and can be found at art supply stores. look for paper that contains elements embedded in the paper, which will give your piece a more interesting texture.

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➤ This is also a good time to stamp the back of the piece with a sterling stamp and your personal maker’s stamp if you have one.

{Photo 8} Use 4" of 20ga round nickel wire for pin mechanism. Bend wire in half and solder ends to back of brooch with medium solder. Pickle and sand any excess solder.

➤ Make sure you locate the mechanism above the central axis so the pin will sit properly when worn.

{Photo 9} Snip wire for catch at 3/16" and bend over.

{Photo 10} Curl wire for pin stem with round nose pliers twice to create tension for mechanism. End of pin should extend slightly beyond catch. Snip end if too long, then file, sand, and polish.

{Photo 11} Set shard in bezel and check height: bezel should just barely extend above shard. File bezel down if too high. Push walls of bezel over shard using bent steel burnisher.

➤ I use a triangle file to file the bezel cor-ners. This creates a V shape, so the metal will not fold over itself during setting.

{Photo 12} Polish brooch on buffing

machine to desired polish. Clean off buffing compound using weak solution of sudsy ammonia mixed with water and a soft toothbrush. Rinse piece under warm water and dry with soft cloth. Dissolve a pea size piece of liver of sulfur in a cup of warm water.

{Photo 13} Dip brooch in solution and rinse in cold water. Repeat until you achieve desired patina color, then let air dry. Polish lightly to bring contrast to piece.

{Photo 14} Adjust height of stem for pearl by cutting and filing until pearl sits flush with silver sheet. Mix equal parts of 330 epoxy on small piece of paper with tooth-pick. Put small amount of epoxy on stem for pearl and place pearl on stem. Allow epoxy to dry.

juLIe jerMan-MeLKa earned her

M.F.A. from Colorado State University

in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she lives

and works. Her work can be seen in

galleries throughout the United States.

She also teaches part time at Laramie

County Community College in Cheyenne,

Wyoming. You can see more of her

work at www.flyinganvildesigns.com.

SettIng tIPS

n Your pottery shard may have an irregular top surface, so you will have to file the bezel to the proper height in order to have a bezel that is visually pleasing.

n Place the pottery shard in the bezel and file the bezel to match the edge of the shard, making sure to have the bezel extend beyond the shard.

n i start with pushing the bezel over on the side of the corner first, and then proceed around the shard.


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While doing my resin

research I embedded

everything I could think

of! At an estate sale, I spied

some cake decorations in a

cabinet and thought, “Hey!

I wonder if I could put those

sprinkles in resin!” Before I

tried it, I didn’t think it would

work: I thought the resin

would degrade the color coat-

ing on the candy, but I was

wrong — it worked beautifully!

These earrings make

great gifts. They take about

20 minutes to make and 15

minutes to cure. They are

exceedingly happy, bright,

and truly sweet. You’ll need

to work on a sunny day, at

least if you use the same

UV resin I did, as it needs

to cure in the sun. If you

choose traditional two-part

epoxy resin, you can work

on a cloudy day, too.

sprInkleearrIngs

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Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISHS w e e t l i t t l e t r e a t s m a k e a s p e e d y g i f t

M a T E R I a l S

20-gauge sterling wire: two 1 3⁄4” lengths

Two 15mm sterling bezel cups

Candy sprinkles of your choice

Silver, copper, gold, or palladium metal leaf

White craft glue

EZ solder

Resin

ammonia, water, and liquid dish soap solution


Tacky clay

Pen

T O O l S

Soldering: torch, striker, nickels, soldering brick, flux, pickle pot and pickle

Hand tools: wire nippers, flat nosed pliers, file, fine grit sandpaper

Other tools: glass drinking cup, butane lighter

Finishing: chamois buffing wheel, polishing compound, brass brush, soft bristled toothbrush.


skills you need

• soldering • basic fabrication


21

{Photo 1} Cut two 1 3/4” lengths of 20ga wire. File ends smooth.

Lightly sand back of bezel cups and wire to remove any oils or dirt.

{Photo 2} Lay bezels side by side on soldering block. Place nickel next to each bezel. Lay wire across bezel cup and nickel.

‰ The nickel will support the wire at the same height as the bezel cup and keep it in position while soldering.

{Photo 3} Flux, lightly heat until flux becomes chalky. Lay pallion of EZ solder on each bezel cup, ensuring solder touches wire. Solder.

Pickle, rinse, dry. Oxidize. Polish with buff-ing compound on a chamois wheel or with brass brush. Soak in ammonia solution for a few seconds and scrub with toothbrush. Rinse. Dry.

{Photo 4} With flat nosed pliers, grasp end of each wire and twist a few rotations.

‰ Wire anneals and becomes softer during soldering; twisting the ear wire workhardens it and makes the metal stiff again.

While you’re twisting, make sure you keep the wire straight. Five or 6 rotations are usually sufficient.

{Photo 5} Apply a very light coat of white craft glue to interior of bezel cups. Press metal leaf into glue.

‰ The metal leaf will be covered up with the sprinkles, so there is no need to be tidy or exact — wrinkles are okay.

{Photo 6} When glue has dried, remove overhanging metal leaf from bezels.

‰ If you prefer, just polish the interior of the bezel cups instead of adding the metal leaf. Either way, the final outcome is better if the interior of the bezel cups are shiny.

Make 2 small balls of tacky clay. Mash balls down into pancakes on a hard surface. Lay earrings down on clay and press. Embed earring backs into clay and level them. Fill leveled bezels with sprinkles until flush with top edge.

{Photo 7} Apply resin. Wait a few sec-onds to see if air bubbles surface. When bubbles rise, wave flame of lighter close to resin surface to pop them.

‰ If you’re using two-part epoxy, follow the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully with regard to mixing or you’ll end up with a sticky mess that will never harden. I use a one-part epoxy UV resin that comes in a bottle and is ready to go.

{Photo 8} Put earrings (still attached to hard surface with tacky clay) in sunlight. Place drinking glass over them to shield from dust. Leave in sunlight approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate every 5 minutes to allow light exposure to all parts of resin — both the walls of bezel cup and sprinkles will cast shadows.

‰ If you’re using two-part epoxy resin, cure it for 48 hours before bending the ear wires.

{Photo 9} When resin is fully cured, bend wires over pen to create a “U” shape. With flat nosed pliers, bend ends of wires to fin-ish hooks.



Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been

making glass beads for 9 years and

doing silverwork for 1 1⁄2 years. Visit www.

emacnish.com to see more of her work.

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6 7 8© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4 10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects 21

22

M a T E R I a l S

Faux Bone

22-gauge sterling sheet approxi-mately 1” x 2 1⁄2” (textured or not)

13-15” 18-gauge round sterling silver wire

Freshwater pearls (or other beads, pearls, stones, etc.)

6mm round bead (or similar)

acrylic paint or similar

Brown (or other color) shoe polish

Masking tape or similar

Cyanoacrylate glue

T O O l S

Jeweler’s saw; #1 and #2/0 blades

Bench pin

Drill; bits size 1⁄4”, and #’s 54 and 60

Files; medium and fine

Silicon carbide sandpaper; grits 320, 400, 600

Scribe

Torch (small crème brûlée torch is fine)

O P T I O N a l

Electric etcher

Triangular scraper

Checkering file

1⁄8” drill bit

Countersink bit

skills you need


Faux Bone™ is a new mate-

rial for artists that is easy

to use, affordable, and non-

toxic. In this project, I used Faux

Bone with sterling silver, pearls,

and a Chinese carnelian bead.

Owing to its basic indestructibil-

ity, all riveting, drilling, stamp-

ing, electric etching, and ham-

mering can be done without fear

of chipping or cracking — and

without the use of heat or spe-

cial treatment. This material can

be left pure white, or pigment

can be rubbed into stampings or

scratchings and finished with a

bit of shoe polish for a bonelike

look and feel. Faux Bone invites

experimentation and play — its

possibilities are as endless as

your imagination.

• fabrication • drilling • riveting

pvC&sIlverBrooCh

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ROBERT DaNCIk Project Photos: JIM LawSOn F a u x b o n e — f a n t a s t i c p l a s t i c

f o r j e w e l r y w o r k

© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved. Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4 10 Mixed media Jewelry Projects 22

23

{Photo 1} Draw a 21/4” x 11/2” oval on sheet of Faux Bone.

{Photo 2} Using jeweler’s saw with #1 blade, cut out oval. File edges and sand with 320-grit sandpaper. Sand two flat sides and edges with 400-grit sandpaper.

{Photo 3} Measure, mark, and drill bead hole with a 1/4” drill bit. My bead hole is 7/8”

down, and 3/8” to the right of the oval cen-terline — with silver on the left.

{Photo 4} Use countersink in drilled hole to widen top. Bevel should not go deeper than about 1/6”.

{Photo 5} Draw line on face of oval perpendicular to centerline, which passes through center of bead hole. Place oval in

vise vertically with edge of oval facing up. Locate drill bit on edge, in line with guide-line passing over bead hole. Drill slowly through edge into bead hole and across into other side of bead hole, keeping drill turning as you retract it.

{Photo 6} Countersink or use 1/8” drill bit to make slight well so ball on end of wire will seat into edge of oval.

1 2 3

4 5 6

Better pin stems

n To make a nice, sharp point on the pin stem, file a shal-low “V” groove into one leg of the bench pin or into a block of wood. The groove should start perpendicular to the edge of the block and be as deep as the thickness of the wire, tapering away from the edge. The groove should taper to flush with the block surface about 1” in from the edge.

n if the flattened end of the finished pin stem wire is too wide to fit in its hole, file a bit from each edge of the flat end so that it can just be forced into the hole. it is very important to keep it flat to prevent it from spin-ning in the hole.

n To use the groove, place the wire in it with the end almost at the shallow end of the groove. Using a medium file, position it over the wire and flush with the surface of the wood. File the end of the wire as you turn it — taking off a bit of the end of the wire all the way around. Bring it to a point. When filed evenly, progress through the sanding grits to 600 and polish on a buff with compound, or by hand with a buffing stick to prevent the pin stem from snagging on the fibers of clothing.


24

{Photo 7} Hold bead so hole is in line with wire hole. Insert wire through side of oval, through bead, and into other side of hole. Measure trim amount for ball to seat in well, retract wire, and trim accordingly. Set bead and wire aside.

Hammer texture into silver, if desired. Anneal if needed. Quench, pickle, and dry.

{Photo 8} Place silver with texture side up. Position oval on silver sheet so long, square edge of oval lies next to long side of silver. Trace outside edge of oval onto sheet. Remove oval. Draw second line par-allel to first at about 1/4” inside. Draw any design in space between lines — I used a saw-tooth for this piece.

Saw out shape, file and sand edges of silver, progressing through to 600-grit sandpaper.

Position strip on face of oval and secure with tape. Mark silver strip with locations of rivets. Remove strip and drill holes with #60 drill bit. Replace strip on face of oval. Tape into position.

{Photo 8} Using drilled hole in strip as guide, drill one hole through Faux Bone. Insert 18ga wire into hole to secure. Repeat for next rivet hole and remaining holes.

Draw a line along center of edge. Plan and mark pearl placement for 8 pearls on side of oval, ensuring they do not intersect with rivet wires. Remove sterling strip and set aside.

{Photo 9} Place oval in vise. Drill holes into edge for pearls about 1/4” deep, keeping bit perpendicular to edge. Make a well to seat pearls in top of each drilled hole. On back of oval, create wells where rivet wires exit.

Cut 8 lengths of 18ga wire, each 3/4” long. Ball one end of each wire with torch by holding each wire vertically at the top end in crosslock twee-zers. Dip end to be balled into paste flux. Heat wire about 1/8” above bottom end with torch. Flame should be small and pulled away as soon as metal begins to ball up wire. Quench, pickle, and brass-brush wires. Set aside.

Cut 18ga wire 2” long for pin stem. With hammer, flatten one end to about 1/4”. File tapered point on other end. With round nosed pliers, grasp wire 1/4” above flat-tened end and wrap long end around pliers tip 1/4 turns. Wire should point at 90° angle to flattened end. Set aside.

Cut 18ga wire to 3/4” for catch. With ham-mer, flatten one end to about 1/4”. Grasp nonflattened end and twist to form a number 9 shape. Offset end of wire until it looks like beginning of a spiral.

{Photo 10} Measure on back of oval 1/4” to 1/2” from each end to position pin stem and catch. Use #54 drill to drill hole at each mark. Holes should be 1/8”- 3/32” deep.

Insert flat end of pin stem into hole near top of piece, filing edges as needed for fit. Dip flat end into glue and insert into hole with pin stem lined up with centerline of the oval.

Repeat for catch.

{Photo 11} Texture oval, coloring as desired.

riveting tips

n it’s important to plan the placement of the rivets to hold the silver strip and the pins to secure the pearls — so that they don’t intersect. Start by deciding were the rivets will go to hold the silver, keeping in mind that you will need at least 3 rivets — one at each end and one in the middle. You may want to use more for design purposes, but 3 is the minimum.

7

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98

n When positioning the silver strip on the oval for riveting, it is important to drill only one hole at a time and insert the wires before drilling the next hole, because positioning the parts is nearly impossible unless the wires are inserted one at a time.


25

n i usually cut a smaller piece of Faux Bone from the larger sheet for ease of handling.

n One way of creating an oval is to use a bracelet (usu-ally about 21⁄2” in diameter) or something similar as a template to trace the two sides of the oval. draw a line 21⁄4” long and place the bracelet atop the line; slide it until the inside edge of the bracelet intersects the ends of the line. Trace the inside curve of the bracelet and repeat for the other side of the oval.

n Any bead or other object can be inserted into the hole in the oval using the same wiring process. The only dif-ference lies in the size of the hole and its location on the oval.

n To protect the surface of the oval, you may want to cover it with masking tape to prevent scratches.

n depending on the curve of the oval, it may be easier to sand the outside edge of the silver strip after it is attached to the oval. The silver strip may be pickled and brass-brushed or oxidized in liver of sulfur prior to riveting it to the Faux Bone.

n The sandpaper used is for wet sanding — all sanding should be done with lots of water.

n if the holes in the pearls or beads or whatever you are using are too small for 18ga wire, it may also be neces-sary to redrill them with a #60 drill bit. if so, hold the pearls in padded pliers, and use a lubricant such as Bur life on the bit while drilling.

n To ensure that you don’t drill too deeply, wrap a piece of tape at the proper distance from the end of the drill bit and drill just until the tape touches the surface.

faBriCation tips

{Photo 12} Position strip on oval by lin-ing up rivet holes. Insert all wires into their holes; secure with tape. Trim protruding wire to about 1mm above surface on back of oval. Square end of wire with file. Rivet in place with round faced hammer. Rivet will fill countersunk well. Repeat with remaining rivet wires.

{Photo 13} Thread balled wires into each pearl. Insert into pearl holes, trimming as needed. Pearls should seat into counter-

sunk wells. Squeeze out a small bead of glue. Retract each wire, dip end into glue, and reinsert wire into oval.

Using tip of craft knife blade or thin wire, place small amount of glue inside hole for bead wire. Insert wire through edge of oval, through bead, and into glue of inside hole. Tap balled end of wire to seat into well in edge of oval.

Give piece final buffing.

robert dancIK has been an artist/

teacher for over 30 years. He presently

teaches and exhibits his jewelry and

sculpture in the U.S., Europe, the UK, and

Australia, and is the originator of Faux

Bone™. He lives and works in Connecticut

and can be reached through his Web sites:

www.robertdancik.com and www.faux-

bone.com, which also offer a complete set

of instructions and potential sheets for

Faux Bone.

1 312

alternate designs The versatility and ease of using Faux Bone allows for many design possibilities


26

n There are an almost infinite number of surface treatments for the Faux Bone oval. The project piece is scratched with a scribe, etched with an elec-tric etcher, stamped cold with metal stamps, and has parallel lines made with a checkering file.

n To affect a final “polish” on the surface, turn the 600-grit sandpaper over to the paper side and rub vigorously until it takes on a soft sheen. Fine “hair-line cracks” and age lines are put in by drawing the sharp edge of a craft-knife blade over the surface with no pressure except for the weight of the knife. These will be further revealed when the piece is rubbed with a bit of brown shoe polish — the last step in the finishing. Allow the polish to set for an hour or so and then rub vigorously with a soft cloth — or buff it with a clean, unsewn muslin wheel on a flex shaft or polishing machine.

n if small burrs are raised on the surface of the piece, you may wish to leave them, or sand with 600-grit sandpaper until smooth. To color the piece, rub with acrylic paints, which are allowed to dry, then sand once more to remove as much of the paint as desired.

finishing faux Bone


Let us inspire the artist in you!With Jewelry Artist you’ll fi nd great jewelry and gem projects in an easy-to-follow format, columns on trends and gems, a showcase of jewelry designs, and a spotlight on a different jewelry artist in every issue.

PLUS you will:• Discover in-depth explanations

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2100161-CLSF-090117.pdf Processed by DG June 15, 2009

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ColorFulresInearrIngs P r e t e n d p l i q u e - à - j o u r e n a m e l

a friend’s new pendant immediately

caught our eye. At first glance we

thought it was a piece of enamel

— but then she explained that she had

recently created it in a resin workshop.

She had added some glitter to the

resin to create the enamel effect.

We were so intrigued that we had

to give it a try.

Working with resin wasn’t as easy

as we’d initially thought. We experi-

mented with several resin systems

and colorants before deciding on this

project, a pair of earrings that give

the impression of plique-à-jour enamel

(open on both sides), using transpar-

ent resin in place of enamel. The resin

holds the wire design in place once

it cures. The addition of fine glitter

creates a stained glass effect with

the open back letting the light shine

through. Best of all, no kilns

necessary!

• • •SKILLS you need


M a T E R I a l S

24-gauge sterling silver strip: .020” x .125”

28-gauge fine silver bezel wire: .013” x .125”

Sterling silver seamless tubing: .188” OD x .156” ID

18-gauge sterling silver round wire

Double-sided carpet tape

Five-minute, two-part epoxy

ICE Resin and Hardener (we chose this product because of its ability to produce a glistening dome finish)

assorted colors of fine glitter

Renaissance Wax

T O O l S

Hand tools: assorted pliers; as-sorted files, jeweler’s gram scale, tube cutting jig; jeweler’s saw and blades, flush cutter, cup bur

Layout tools: pencil, paper

Finishing tools: beeswax, vibratory tumbler

Other tools: disposable mixing cups, spatula, micro-spatula, eye dropper, wooden toothpicks, acetone

Soldering tools: torch and tips, striker, flux, easy solder, soldering block, quench and pickle

S O u R C E S :

Tools & Materials: Most of the tools and materials for this project will be available from well stocked jewelry supply vendors.

ICE Resin: www.objectsand elements.com

TOM & kay BENHaMOpening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: TOM & kaY benHaM

fabrication soldering resin


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Once we agreed on our design, we used tracing paper to create our pattern.

{Photo 1} Use pattern as a guide. With fingers and assortment of forming pliers, create frames of earrings from lengths of sterling silver strip, similar to forming a bezel. Mark and cut strips, then file ends square.

{Photo 2} Solder outer frames using easy solder. Quench, pickle, rinse. File and sand solder joint smooth.

{Photo 3} Again using fingers and assortment of forming pliers, this time with lengths of fine silver bezel wire, form each partition piece to fit pattern. Take time to adjust and readjust each partition until satisfied that it fits pattern snugly.

{Photo 4} Use tube cutting jig to cut four .125" lengths of sterling silver tubing.

➤ Two tubing lengths will create the open-ings for the ear wires; the second set to cre-ate 2 teardrop shapes — which we formed with our small needle-nose pliers.

{Photo 5} Mix up small batch of five-minute, two-part epoxy to secure each intersection with outer frame. Apply epoxy to each joint with tip of wooden toothpick, then place assemblies under work lamp to allow a proper cure.

➤ We did not bond the teardrop shapes or the ear wire openings at this time.

{Photo 6} Place a strip of double-sided carpet tape to a sheet of paper, then re-move release strip from top side of carpet tape. Carefully press each assembly onto tape to seal bottom of assembly so it won’t leak when liquid resin is poured into each cavity. Press small teardrop shapes and pieces of tubing for ear wires onto carpet tape according to the pattern.

{Photo 7} Carefully weigh equal amounts of resin and hardener with jeweler’s gram scale.

{Photo 8} Mix resin with spatula for two minutes per manufacturer’s recommendation. Because we wanted our earrings to match, we mixed a batch large enough so that we could fill comparable par-titions in both earrings in one application.

{Photo 9} Add glitter in small amounts using a micro-spatula. Add glitter in several small batches, rather than adding too much to avoid having to mix up another batch. Mix glitter thoroughly into resin after each addition.

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1 2 3 4

pA

gE

Success with resin is dependant upon careful measurement. You must be sure the proportions of resin and catalyst are mixed according to the package directions, and that molds, mixing imple-ments, and inclusions are clean, dry, and free of potential contaminants.

tIp

9


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{Photo 10} Using dropper, add each batch of resin in appropriate cavities. Fill cavities only 3/4 full to allow for final doming layer of clear resin. Clean eye dropper with acetone between each resin batch.

{Photo 11} Allow resin to cure at room temperature for one hour according to di-rections. Place assemblies under work light for 24 hours. Then turn light off and allow resin to cool to room temperature before proceeding.

{Photo 12} Mix a large enough batch to dome both earrings at same time. Again, with eye dropper, add resin slowly and care-fully so it domes up. Don’t allow resin to flow over sides. Allow resin to cure at room

temperature for one hour, and then place under work light for 24 hours. Remove from light and allow to cool to room temperature before removing tape from back.

➤ Avoid touching the resin surface as it can acquire fingerprints for several days before it is fully cured.

Create ear wires with 20ga sterling silver round wire. Round each end with the cup burr lubricated with beeswax before shaping.

➤ We placed the ear wires into a vibratory tumbler for a couple of hours to work-harden them.

Before attaching earrings to wires, apply a coat of Renaissance Wax to protect resin surface.

toM & Kay benHaM are teachers

of both metalsmithing and lapidary, are

members of The Florida Society of Gold-

smiths and The Central Florida Mineral &

Gem Society, and have been Contribut-

ing Editors for this magazine for 7 years.

1210 11


Learn how to create artistic and long-lasting connections PLUS make two distinctive pendants using wire rivets, screw rivets & tube rivets.

Combine found objects, metal shapes and frames, and other unique elements in one-of-a-kind designer pendants using one of the strongest cold connections in metalworking: rivets.

Jewelry design superstar, Susan Lenart Kazmer gives you step-by-step instructions along with helpful tutorials on the tools you will use to make the pendants.

$24.99Approximately 60 minutes

interweavestore.com

WATCH – LEARN – CREATE!Riveting!

2112982-LPJF-090808.pdf Processed by DG June 5, 2009

http://www.interweavestore.com/Beading-Jewelry/Video/Metalwork-Making-Cold-Connections-with-Rivets.html

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yMultIteChnIqueenaMeledpendantC o m b i n e m e t a l c l a y , c l o i s o n n é , e t c h i n g , s t o n e s e t t i n g , a n d c h a i n m a k i n g i n o n e d e s i g n

CyNTHIa alDERDICE & lOIS MaNSFIElD

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOnProject Photos: aaGPa eDITIOnS

our design, called “Alchemic Synthesis,”

combines cloisonné enamel with textured

22K gold sheet, metal clay, the design and

creation of custom etching plates, keumboo, and

setting faceted and cabochon gemstones. It was

created to explore and combine several advanced

and specialized jewelry making techniques into a

beautiful but challenging piece.

First, we’ll create the etching plates,

etch them, and create the textured

metal clay pendant backing. After fir-

ing, we’ll use the “tear away” tech-

nique — developed by Celie Fago

for metal clay surface design

— to transfer the same texture

to gold. Our original designs

for the etching and tear-away

plates were developed on

the computer, and we used

Adobe Illustrator to create

positive and negative images,

but you could use any imag-

ing software to do the same

thing. The etching plates were

used to impress patterns on the

PMC base. Additional texture was

achieved by traditional roll print-

ing in a mill.

Then, we’ll create the cloisonné,

fabricate the pendant, and create the

handmade chain for the necklace. We like the

way the colorful cloisonné enameling enhances

the overall design.


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M a T E R I a l S

22k gold sheet: .012" to 1/4" high

18-gauge round 22k gold wire

24k gold foil for keumboo

22k gold sheet: .013"

19-gauge fine silver sheet

20-gauge fine silver sheet

12-gauge brass sheet: 3" x 5"

18-gauge round fine silver wire

Fine silver PMC

PMC+ Clay

Sculpey III Polymer Clay

24k gold cloisonné wire

18k gold solder

14k gold solder

Medium silver solder

Ferric chloride

Mineral spirits, paper towels

Styrofoam block

Duct tape

Ninomiya enamels

klyr-Fire

liver of sulfur

Two 6mm cabochon stones

One 8mm x 10mm faceted stone: about 3 carats

T O O l S

Hand tools: calipers, oval mandrel, round nose pliers, bezel pusher, burnisher

Other tools: rolling mill, Thermo-Fax thermal copier, photo silk screen and resist, silk screen plastic frame, computer with imag-ing software, bookbinding press, 2 pressed wood boards (MDF)

Metal clay tools: plastic roller for PMC, Teflon sheet, pin tool, oval template, distilled water in spray bottle, textured etching plates

• fabrication • stone setting • enameling • etching • soldering metal clay

Positive plate negative plate

••SKILLS you need


21 3

two IMageS For etcHIng

For the PMc process, you’ll need both a positive and negative of your final design. Our pendant used these images.

{Photo 3} Enlarge pattern to fit 3” x 5” brass etching plates. Print both positive and nega-tive images using laser printer.

{Photo 2} Create pattern using component parts of design.

{Photo 1} Plan design using Illustrator or other computer drawing program.



{Photo 4} Place printed image under presensitized thermal screen, sandwiched between backing paper and transparency film. Run through Thermo-Fax thermal copier.

{Photo 5} Peel silk screen mask from thermal printed image.

{Photo 6} Transfer peeled image to screen. Mount screen to plastic frame.

{Photo 7} Apply acid resist to top of frame and squeegee to bottom of frame.

➤ The image is transferred to the brass plate as the acid resist passes through the silk of the open areas of the mask. You’ll need to create another mask and frame to create a negative image plate by following the same procedure.

{Photo 8} Mount etching plates to foam block with duct tape and float on surface of ferric chloride etchant solution.

➤ We use 3 parts acid to 2 parts water for our etchant recipe, but follow the specific directions for your chosen brand. reminder:

always add acid to water, not water to acid.

Etching times may vary depending upon the complexity of the design. Check plate every hour. Our plates took 6 hours to etch fully. Rinse plates under running water for several minutes to wash away etchant. Neu-tralize plates from any lingering etchant in a solution of baking soda and water and dry.

{Photo 9} Remove resist from plates with mineral spirits and paper towels. Rinse and dry. On backs of plates, indicate direction of top of design and negative (N) or positive (P) with Sharpie.

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8

negative plate prior to etching Positive plate prior to etching

How SILKScreen worKS

Silkscreen printing is used to transfer an image to a sheet of paper, cloth, posterboard, or other materi-als — in this case a brass plate — by way of a cut stencil that is adhered to a piece of evenly woven silk that has been stretched in a frame.

The uncut areas of the stencil prevent ink from passing through the screen, and the open areas of the stencil allow the ink to pass through the screen onto whatever surface lies below the frame.

4


{Photo 10} Oil etching plates and all tools for PMC +.

(Photo 11} Roll PMC to desired thickness. Our design is 14 cards thick.

{Photo 12} Sandwich rolled clay between positive and negative plates.

{Photo 13} Position plates in center of 2 pressed wood boards.

{Photo 14} Place boards in center of book-binding press to achieve even pressure.

➤ If you don’t have a bookbinding press, you can carefully roll the sandwiched clay and plates between the wood boards after inserting risers of the desired thickness on either side of the plates and clay. A wooden rolling pin will work for this method.

{Photo 15} Carefully remove top plate to reveal pressed clay image.

{Photo 16} Cut desired pendant shape with pin tool, allowing for clay shrinkage.

{Photo 17} Peel excess clay from cut shape.

{Photo 18} Dry at least 24 hours. Sand and refine edges. Fire in kiln for 2 hours at 1650º.

{Photo 19} Create a “tear away” texture plate. Anneal 22K gold sheet and then pickle in Sparex acid. Roll print tear-away design onto annealed and pickled 22K gold sheet. Clay paper can be used only once for this procedure.

➤ You can roll any texture onto the gold sheet, but if you’d like the patterns to match exactly, the “tear away” technique is the best method for achieving this.

{Photo 20} Saw out design shape.

➤ Use the tracing paper shape from the de-sign as a “view finder” to aid in placement of the pattern on the gold sheet.

{Photo 21} Create design layout with enamel and test color chips.

{Photo 22} Make drawing and pattern for placement of 24K gold cloisonné wire shapes. Form wire shapes according to design. Run textured brass plate and .020

fine silver sheet through rolling mill. Saw out design using tracing paper pattern as guide. Clean textured silver with Comet cleanser and toothbrush to remove all grease. Rinse and dry well. Spray 50/50 solution of Klyr-Fire and distilled water on back of piece. Carefully sift Soyer Enamels #3 flux on back. Repeat twice.

{Photo 23} Repeat flux and sift procedure on piece front. Handle carefully and place back side down on mica sheet.

{Photo 24} Dry in front of kiln, then place on ceramic shard on top of kiln to dry further. Fire approximately 1-2 minutes in small enameling kiln. Dip cloisonné wires in Klyr-Fire and place on surface. Fuse small cloisons, fill with selected colors, and fire separately on mica. Arrange these shapes and add additional wires to complete design. Fire again.

{Photo 25} Fill cloisons with chosen colors. It may be necessary to fill and fire as many as 10 or 11 times. Fill top layers with finishing flux N-1 Ninomiya.

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{Photo 26} Adhere wooden dowel to reverse side of enamel using dop wax.

Sand underwater, starting with 220 wet-dry sandpaper and progressing to 1,000 grit.

{Photo 27} Form outer bezel from .013 22K gold 1/4" high joined with 20K gold solder. Solder gold bezel to 19ga fine silver sheet using 14K gold solder. Trim and sand. Solder bezel unit to PMC + base using medium silver solder. Bezel for stone is .013 22K gold sheet 1/4" high. Solder stone setting to fine silver base with 14K gold solder. Line up carefully to center of piece and solder unit using medium silver solder.

Solder textured gold to 20ga fine silver base with 14K gold solder for strength.Inner bezels (which are different heights) to accommodate enamel piece and 22K gold textured element must butt together evenly. Set enamel and gold unit using bezel roller and bur-nisher. Set stone in same manner.

{Photo 28} Anneal fine silver wire. In-sert one end of 18ga round wire in vise, the other around 7/8" wooden dowel. Wind wire tightly and keep even ten-sion. Remove from dowel and anneal. Place back on dowel and tighten.

The back of the pendant is embellished with 2 citrine cabochons and finished with keumboo and liver of sulfur patination.


{Photo 29} Cut links using Joyce Chen scissors.

➤ As visible in the final piece, 18ga 22K gold and fine silver links may be interspersed throughout the chain.

{Photo 30} Fuse links on ceramic or charcoal block. Cool.{Photo 31} Spread link with round nose pliers.{Photo 32} Form bow-tie shape.

{Photo 33} Bend links in U shape.

{Photo 34} Place 3/32" dowel upright in vise. Slip one link over dowel. Joint should be on small looped end. Place 3/32" dowel perpendicular to other dowel. Pinch link between 2 dowels vertically and horizontally with round nose pliers.

{Photo 35} Open each link as shown and planish each link from inside surface on pol-ished steel block. Anneal and reshape.

{Photo 36} Spread link to enable next link to go through. Continue until chain is desired length. Anneal and repinch with pliers. Ad-just and realign each link.

Attach chain to back of pendant.

aLderdIce & ManSFIeLd are col-

laborating art jewelers who design and

fabricate classical and cross-cultural one

of a kind and limited edition pieces in

22K and 24K gold, fine silver, gemstones,

pearls, and enamels. They are inspired

by world culture and their classical edu-

cation at the Kulicke-Stark Academy of

Jewelry is reflected in their work.

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10 mixed media jewelry projects vol.4

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