the prongs get pushed with a bezel pusher over the stone
finished ring with the bangle I made too
well actually I made the bangle first a couple of days ago , but I wanted a ring too hope you like it
Flower Ring with Amber
Tag Archives: how to make jewelry
guitar bypass ring
made this today – gold bypass ring in shape of a guitar
I started with a mock up in bronze ( much cheaper )
20 gauge ( 0.8mm thick ) is what I use i bronze or gold as I have a hard time bending things by hand with those 2 metals 18 gauge ( 1mm thick ) I use for copper and sterling silver as both metals are softer and not as springy
I drew the shape out on a piece of label paper
make it 3 inches long as you have to “bypass ” the ends and anything shorter will look odd label paper is sticky on one side so its perfect to transfer shapes to metal for the cut outs
my trusted jewelers saw
I like to use a 6 inch saw frame ( distance from blade to the back of the frame) and 1/0 saw blades – they are very fine and will move well around the corners
cut out shape
I have several hole punch pliers with different punch out sizes – this one is a 3mm – you need a bit of strength to punch so I tend to sit on the end to make it punch though
added some texture
hardened steel punches and chasing tools will last you forever
number 2 file
I filed all edges to make the ring nice and smooth for comfort
foming the ring
I start out with bending the ring around the mandrel with my fingers and then pound it in shape with a non-marring nylon hammer , the head of the hammer has sand in it which gives you a bit more umpf you will work harden the metal when you hammer so it will hold its shape nicely
formed ring
cleaning up the inside with a flex shaft
its basically a dremel with a flexible hose the outside I polished with sandpaper first , starting with a 400 grit and then going finer and finer all the way to a 2000 grit and then ultrafine
finished
rocking 🙂
Silver cross and blue Topaz necklace
Just playing around with metal
I started out with some sketches
I always use scratch paper for the initial sketches and when i like the design I will trace the design onto a piece of label paper . label paper has already ” glue ” added to one side soI do not need to glue my design to sheet metal ( rubber cement works the best if you do not have label paper ) I always end up with a sticky mess if I use the glue
I cut out my design and stick it to the sheet metal
in this case the base cross ( or bottom cross ) which is larger was stuck to 18 gauge sterling silver sheet metal ( 1mm hick ) and the smaller ( top cross ) was transfered to a 20 gauge sterling silver sheet ( 0.8mm) Rember in terms of metal the higher the number of the gauge the thinner he metal is
I cut out the crosses wih my hand saw
Its a jewelers saw with very very thin blades , the blades I use are he 1/0 When you saw out a piece you need to remember to never ” push ” the saw into he metal . let the saw do the work….Luke….be the saw….. Lock your wrist and move your saw up and down from the elbow ,never from he wrist and keep your saw in place – move the metal you are sawing instead ( maybe I should do an instrucional video on that one )
After sawing out my crosses I put them together to see if I like it
I did like it soI went to solder
This is after soldering everything together
If you want insrucions on how to solder you can take a look a my blog http://www.themetalchallenge365.wordpress.com . I have many tutorials on easy to make things and on more complicated stuff . All tutorials of course are free
After soldering you need to clean your metal in a Pickle solution
When you solder you have oxidation , turning your pieces black . In order to ge rid of that you can either polish for hours or clean it in a Pickle solution ( you can get he salt/grain to make the solution at any jewelers supply store ) please NEVER take your pieces out with the naked hand ( its an acid and will burn your skin ,its also toxic ) and NEVER take them out wih any other metal then copper tongues
This is after he Pickle bath
Add some texture if you like
A normal screw driver will do if you don’t have anything else handy ( I have chasing tools but I also use nails , screw drivers and other things i find )
clean and polish your cross
I have a larger polishing machine where I have the same buffing wheel as on my small flex shaft ( the machine in the picture ) but If you have a setting for he stone its better to use the smaller wheel A Flex shaft is esentially a dremel with a long flexible tube ( yes I am aware hat he name is funny )
After you have done your first polishing add patina
I used a liquid that I can brush on .usually I use Liver of sulfur but I am still nauseated due to the car accident we had on Saturday and Liver of sulfur makes me gag at the moment ( stinks like rotten eggs – and no mom i am not pregnant !! )
polish again
add your stone
the little cup were the stone sits in is called a bezel cup , you can either make your own or buy them , I will make my own if I have irregular shaped stones or If I feel like making one . Most of the time i am lazy though and just use the bought ones next to he cross you see my stone setting tool , the cup has little teeth that get pushed CAREFULLY over the stone to hold he cabochon in place , start a 12 o’clock and push once , go to 6 o’clock and push some teeth over the stone at that position , then goto 3 o’clock then to 9 o’clock , the reason for doing that is so that tthe stone ges set even in right smack in the middle of the cup , take your finger and try to move the stone when you have pushed all the teeth over it . If i does not move you are done
close up of he little teeth of the bezel cup
Now you can hand polish with a cloth to ge rid of your finger prints , add a jump ring and a chain and ….tata…….. done 🙂 hope as always you enjoyed it nici
Sterling Silver Flower Pendant with Black Onyx
This sterling silver flower necklace was sawed and constructed entirely by hand from 18 gauge sterling silver and features a genuine black onyx stone in the center to complete the botanical statement.
Embodying the organic flow and rhythm of a flower shape, the outer pedals were sawed as one continuous shape from the flat sheet of sterling silver and dapped and domed on a shaping block to capture a realistic three dimensional form. The inner whorls or pedal structure was also sawed by hand, domed, and then soldered to the outer pedals using a hydroflux welder before setting the onyx cup. Adding intrigue, a subtle patina was brushed onto the flower to produce highlights with natural iridescence that brings out shades of grey blue, grey black, and dark silver depending on the viewing angle. The last step is setting the 8 mm genuine black onyx stone in the cup and hanging the flower pendant onto a genuine black greek leather cord to complete this necklace.
[shopify product=http://metalopiajewelry.com/products/sterling-silver-flower-pendant-with-black-onyx]
infinity wedding bands
I cut 2 different width flat wire stock to length
5mm and 4 mm width
stamped the infinity symbol
filed the ends flat and formed them so the ends meet flush
add flux and solder
start heating with a torch
quench in water and then clean in pickle solution
the black is oxidation that happens during torching
after the pickle bath
now start forming
use a ring mandrel and a nylon hammer first
after forming the ring you can use a ball peen hammer to make the dimpled texture , polish the inside I polish my rings by hand using different grit sand paper and polishing clohs
done 🙂
heart bracelet
anticlastic bronze cuff with copper hearts
cut a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch wide strip from 20 gauge bronze
cut lots and lots of hearts from copper
I have a heart cutter from swanstrom ,
flux the back of your hearts and add solder
I use hard wire solder for that
heat the hearts until the solder melts
and then flux the bronze strip and solder the hearts to it
quench in water
form your bracelet
Now I realize that not everybody has a metal press with the anticlastic / synclastic former ,so you can make the bracelet normal on a wooden bracelet mandrel and a raw hide or nylon hammer. I happen to have a full metal shop and have 2 hand cranked metal presses ( the hydraulic ones scare me and I do it rather by hand soI have more control )
thats my metal press
yay for awesome tools !!
you feed the bracelet through the former 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch untilyou have the bracelet form
you can see how the bracelet forms
hand cranking is a lot of work
almost finished forming
I put the bracelet into the pickle solution after I formed it
Pickle solution will clean your oxidation from metal
hearts , hearts , hearts and more hearts
what do you think ?
silver tie bar with brass arrow
draw your arrow on the metal sheet
or draw it on a piece of paper and stick the paper to the metal sheet . I just like to draw the easy shapes on to my metal directly
cut out with your jewelry saw and 1/0 saw blades
clean the arrow with steel wool for easier soldering
cut a 4 inch long piece from sterling silver
I used 18 gauge ( thicker then that and it gets hard to bend into shape )
flux your arrow and add your solder
I use extra easy wire solder ( silver )
fire up your torch
Did I mention I love fire 🙂
heat until your solder “flows” ( melts)
flux your sterling silver strip and put the arrow onto it solder site down
heat again until solder flows ( I took a pic of the red hot metal -its so hot that it is red in color ,much more heating and it would start melting )
clean your strip and start texturing
use a dremel with a buffing wheel ,or a polisher or a flex shaft for cleaning , add texture with a screw driver
flip the strip over and start bending
use a pen or something similar to bend the tie bar around it
bend so that the arrow is a bit longer then the lower part
flip down and put your pen on the edge and press with your finger at the middle
you can bend it a bit more with your fingers
pound with a raw hide or nylon hammer on the right hand ( the bend end )
enjoy your tie bar
easy teaxture if you do not have a rolling mill
fun with metal
easy texture for metal
this is basic metal smithing 101
take a patterned steel sheet
tape a strip of metal that is softer then the steel to the plate
use clear tape so you can see the back . Start hammering with a ball peen hammer on the whole back ,basically covering the back with dimples .You will need some elbow grease with this as this takes some serious hammer time WATCH YOUR FINGERS !!! while you hammer the back the metal expands and gets pushed into the pattern in the steel plate thus creating a negative the plates are meant for a rolling mill or a metal press .If you do not have those tools ,the hammer is a cheap way to get the texture on the metal
here you can see the dimples on the back which look pretty neat too
flipped over you now have a nice texture
my arm is a bit sore now ,but its worth it this took about 20 minutes of non stop hammering
file your edges and form your bracelet on a mandrel
I have a synclastic form for my small metal press to give the bracelet that nice shape , but you can do an ordinary bracelet too 🙂
I made a copper synclastic bracelet today with some snow flakes
copper disc pendant
And because I needed to work out some frustration I made some earrings and a pendant too
winged ring- brass wings on sterling silver
wings on sterling
draw some narrow wings on a piece of paper
stick/glue the wings to your metal sheet
I am using 20 gauge brass ( 0.8mm thick ) I usually do a mock up in metal that is cheaper before doing a sterling/gold version
draw your ring shank onto sterling silver
this is 18 gauge ( 1 mm thick )
cut out your wings and your ringshank via jewelry saw and 1/0 saw blades
make sure the ring shank and the wings fit ( I am good with eyeballing things – I tend not to measure )
solder your wings onto the ring shank
I use extra easy silver solder , after soldering quench in water and clean in Pickel solution
add your texture for the wings
cut the ring shank to length
bend until the ends meet flush and solder again
clean in the Pickel solution until the sterling turns from black to white
form the ring on a ring mandrel with a nylon hammer
polish inside
polish outside
add patina to bring out the texture
polish again
leave a bit of patina around the edges of the wings to bring out the design
I think this is more suitable for a male
what do you think ?
finally got to make another tutorial – it has been a while
fun with metal – how to make a flower ring
You can always look into your community college ( USA) and most of them have beginners and medium metal/silversmithing courses that are not too expensive
I start out with 18 gauge sterling silver
18 gauge is 1 mm thick . I prefer that thickness as the flowers do not bend but are not too heavy either draw a circle ( use a template – its easier )
inside the circle I drew a flower
using a jewelers saw and 1/0 blades for cutting out the flower
cut out flower
I want to dome mine so I am using a dabbing block
mine is a square block with 30 domed indentations and corresponding hammers – put your flower in a ” bowl ” and take the “hammer with the ball that fits ” using a nylon hammer to pound on the end of that hammer if you do not have a dabbing block you can go with 20 gauge sterling which is thinner and bend your pedals with a pliers
file your edges smooth
take any wire you have
I used twisted wire for the ring shank – twisted wire is easy to do or you can also buy it at riogrande or thunderirdsupply.com
cut the wire to length – file edges flat
take a needle nose pliers
bend your ring shank until edges meet
try to get the ends as close as you can together
domed flower
flux your ring
I prefer paste flux add some solder and…
….start heating with a torch
heat until the solder flows , quench in water and clean in pickle solution
soldered ring shank
now comes the forming
using a ring mandrel and a nylon hammer , shape you ring shank until its round
I prefer my rings to be flat and not round
so I used a planishing hammer for flatten the ring
rounded ring shank
take some metal scrap – flux and then heat with torch
this is to make the little ball in the middle
heat the sterling until it forms a ball
here its red hot metal
turn your flower upsdide down and flux both ring shank and flower
heat with torch and solder together
flip again
flux the inside of your flower and add a small piece of solder
heat again until solder flows – add your ball of molten sterling and again flux and heat
this is after everything is soldered together
clean in pickle solution to get rid of oxidation ( blackness )
after the pickle bath
start polishing ( sand paper , steel wool )
finished
I added the smaller ring to the slightly larger one I already had
hope you liked it
www.niciart.com  in case you want to see more of what I make