Table Of ContentLARK ~ JEWELRY
ILLUSTRATED
REFERENCE
• Techniques,
Tools & Materials
JOANNA GOLLBERG
THE
The Illustrated Reference
of Techniques,
Tools & Materials
JOANNA GOLLBERG
~~
lARK BOOKS
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10 9 8 7 6 5 43 2 1
First Edition
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Published by Lark Books, A Division of
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Text © 201O,Joanna Gollberg
Gavin Young
Photography © 2010, Lark Books, a Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
Illustrations © 2010, Lark Books, a Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
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The written instructions, photographs, designs, patterns, and projects in this
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with select images provided by duced for that purpose only. Any other use, especially commercial use, is
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forbidden under law without written permission of the copyright holder.
Every effort has been made to ensure that all the information in this book
is accurate. However, due to differing conditions, tools, and individual skills,
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Christine Erikson
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Contents
Introduction Tools
8
Work Surfaces 17
Metals
Jeweler's Bench 17
Bench Pin 18
Metal Classification 10
Steel Bench Block 18
Noble Metals 10
Cutting Tools 18
Gold 10
Jeweler's Saw Frame 18
Platinum 10
Saw Blades 19
Silver 10
Snips 19
Base Metals 11 Files 19
Aluminum 11
Hammers 20
Brass 11
Chasing Hammer 20
Bronze 11
Rawhide, Wooden & Plastic Hal1ll11erS 21
Copper 11
Forming Tools 21
Lead 11
Pliers 21
Nickel Silver 11
Vise 21
Niobium 11
Mandrels 21
Pewter 12
Dapping Block 22
Titanium 12
Dapping Punches 22
Alloys 12
Ring Stretcher 22
Sterling Silver 12
The Flexible Shaft &
Argentium Silver 12
Its Attachments 23
Gold Alloys 12
Flexible Shaft 23
Japanese Alloys 13
Chuck Key 23
Solders 13
Flexible Shaft Handpieces 23
Silver Solder 13
Drill Bits 24
Gold Solder 13
Burrs 24
Bimetal 14
Measuring & Marking Tools 24
Gold Filled 14 Stainless Steel Ruler 24
Calipers 24
Ferrous Metals 14
Dividers 25
Iron 14
Scribe 25
Steel 14
Center Punch 25
The Precious Metal Market 15
Made-to-Order Tools 25
Purchasing Metals 15
Altering Tools 28
Metal Gauge 15
Tool Maintenance & Care 28
Mining Ethics 16
Refining Metal 16
Design & Layout Making Connections
Inspiration 29 Cold Connections 43
Transferring a Design 29 Riveting 43
Sizing 31 Tabs 49
Nuts & Bolts 49
Adhesives 50
Basics
Hot Joining 50
Metal Structure 32
Fusing 50
Annealing 32
Soldering 51
Work Hardening 33
Soldering Materials 51
Fire scale 34 Soldering Blocks 51
Depletion Gilding 34 Flux 52
Solders 52
Sawing & Piercing 35
Pickle 54
Filing 38
Soldering Tools 55
Carving 38
Torches 55
Straightening Wire 39 Torch Handpieces 57
Spot Welders 59
Drawing Wire 40
Tweezers 59
Melting 41
Third Hand 59
Solder Picks 59
Soldering Techniques 60
Forging 64
Sinking 67
Antic1astic Forming 68
Bending 68
Hollow Forming 72
Die Forming 73
Texturing Techniques Stone Setting & Stringing
Hammer Marks 76 Bezel Setting 110
Chasing 77 Flush Setting 114
Roller Printing 80 Classic Prong Setting 116
Reticulation 82 Stringing 120
Etching 82 Beading String Types 120
Repousse 85
Granulation 87
Finishing 124
Mixed Metal Techniques
Machine Polishing 128
Lamination 91 Patinas 129
Solder Inlay 92 Coloring Metal 131
Marriage of Metal 93 Sealing 131
Kum Boo 96
Mokume Gane 97
Safety
Mechanical Safety & Maintenance 132
Chemical Safety & Maintenance 134
Acids 134
Jump Rings 101
Flux 134
Ear Wires 102
Adhesives 134
Clasps 102 Blackening Agents 134
Necklace Bails 103 Personal Safety & Maintenance 135
Chain Caps 103 Ventilation 135
Eye Safety 135
Cufflinks 103
Lung Safety 135
Belt Buckles 103
Apparel 135
Pin Catches, Joints & Stems 104 Workspace 135
Hinges 105 Injury Prevention 136
Stretches to Prevent
Repetitive Stress Injuries 136
Charts & Templates 137
About the Author 142
Acknowledgments 142
Index 143
•
•
I '
~
THE ULTIMATE JEWELER'S GUIDE. It's all about
the fundamentals. It's about giving you what you need
(and nothing you don't) in the clearest, most accessible way
possible. This is the book you'll keep on your workbench
rather than your coffee table. It's the one you'll pick up when
you need to learn a new skill or practice a developing one.
It's the one you'll turn to when you're in need of a creative
solution or you just need to remind yourself how something
is done.You won't find step-by-step projects or gallery
photos here. Directions for making specific objects and
inspirational images are undeniably useful and fun to see, but
this book is different. It's hardworking and very hands-on.
A reliable reference, the ultimate guide.
Since you'll be turning to this book time and
time again, the information is organized in
a very user-friendly way. Each chapter has a
color-coded tab so you can quickly locate
different topics. Each step-by-step process is
clearly presented in a different folder. Every new
tool that is introduced has its own photograph
and is defined in a special box. Tips, tricks, and
worthy short cuts are featured frequently. Clear
and abundant how-to photographs and illustrations are
used in tandem to communicate actions and ideas most
effectively and efficiently.
This handbook covers the most important techniques,
materials, and tools for making jewelry. The information
on materials includes basic metallurgy, the precious
metal market, and refining. There is a thorough
overview of the principal jewelry tools, including
their purchase, customization, maintenance, and care.
N ext comes an encyclopedia of key metal techniques,
including fabrication basics, hot and cold connections,
forming, texturing, mixing metals, constructing findings and
mechanisms, stone setting, finishing, and safety.
Jewelry making is a dynamic art. As new tools, materials,
and techniques are introduced and as the path of your work
grows and changes, there is much to be learned. Knowledge
is the key to translating what's in your imagination into a
tangible object. Whether you are just beginning your journey
or are an accomplished professional, a sound, practical
knowledge of the fundamentals is essential to your success.
Jewelry is a pleasure to create, to wear, and to behold, but
truly great jewelry must be made well. Have a good time in
your learning and in your process. Use this book to guide
you though your practice, to
advance your understanding, to
increase your skills, and ultimately,
. . .
to Improve your umque creatIOns.
I sincerely hope this book helps you
to make lovely jewelry and to enjoy
your time doing so to the fullest.
Many different types of metals are readily available for making
jewelry. This chapter focuses on the metals most often used in
the jewelry industry and by craftspeople, but touches on some
metals used in nontraditional jewelry, too.
Metal Classification
Platinum
The two main categories of metal are ferrous Platinum is malleable, ductile, and
metals, which contain iron, and nonferrous metals, resists corrosion. Its dark gray color
which do not contain iron. Noble metals are a is attractive, and its high specific
subsection of the nonferrous metal group. In their gravity-the density of a substance
raw state, noble metals are unchanged by elements relative to the density of water-is
in the air. Noble metals include silver, gold, and desirable to many jewelry wearers.
platinum and are considered in our society to be Platinum is a very popular metal in the
precious metals. Base metals are another subsection jewelry industry, especially for use with
of nonferrous metals. Along with precious metals, precious stones such as diamonds, not only because
base metals are conm'lonly used in jewelry. Base of its color, but because it provides the most secu
metals include copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, rity for diamond settings.
and more. Alloys can be made of both ferrous and
nonferrous metals. Palladium, (right), ruthenium, rhodium,
osmium, and iridium are byproducts of
platinum ore. Palladium and ruthe
Noble Metals
nium are often used in platinum alloys.
Noble metals exist in nature and are extracted in These metals can make larger platinum
their raw form. In this pure state, noble metals are jewelry pieces lighter and also increase
unchanged by elements in the air. In creating jew the hardness and strength of the metal.
elry, it is easiest to fuse these metals to join them, Palladium is gaining in popularity due to
but they can also be soldered. Most jewelers opt to its rich, silver-gray color and its lower cost in
use noble metals in their alloy form rather than in comparison to platinum and white gold.
their raw state.
Silver
Gold
A cool, bright metal, silver is second to
Famous for its appealing color and gold in its malleability and ductility.
shine, gold is the most malleable of all Silver can be highly polished and
metals, meaning it can be worked to reflective and is resistant to corrosion.
the greatest extent without cracking. These facts, combined with silver's
For example, gold can be flattened natural beauty, are what make it so
to 0.000005 of an inch (0.00013 popular for hollowware items. Of all the
mm), becoming a thin foil that is al metals, silver is the best conductor of elec-
most transparent. Gold is the most ductile tricity but it is rarely used for this purpose. Because
of metals-1 ounce of pure gold can be drawn of its lower price, copper is most frequently used in
into a wire that is several miles long. Gold also industrial applications.
. .
reslsts corrOSlon.
Base Metals
Copper
These n'letals are commonly used in jewelry mak Copper, the first metal known to man,
ing. A beginner will find them inexpensive and is malleable and can be worked both
easy to work with while learning new skills. Base hot and cold. It conducts electricity
metals come in many different colors, which can very well and retains a high polish,
add interesting effects when used with different though it is quite susceptible to oxi
techniques. The soldering of these metals is basical dation from the natural atmosphere.
ly the same as with precious metals. Even though
different metals have different melting points, they Lead
can be used in combination with ease. Lead was historically used in jewelry
making, but due to the toxicity of the
Aluminum
metal and the risk of contaminat-
Aluminum is a very light, very white ing other metals, it's wise to keep all
metal that is quite malleable, ductile, lead out of your jewelry studio. The
and corrosion-resistant. The best way only time lead should be allowed in
to join aluminum is through cold jewelry is in the alloy niello. Niello
connections. Although technically is a mixture of sterling silver, lead, and
possible, it's quite difficult to solder sulfur. It has a very soft, dark-gray color
and weld aluminum. Aluminum can and can be used as inlay for surface design.
be anodized. Anodizing is an electronic
Nickel Silver
process that produces an oxide-resistant film on the
surface of aluminum. This oxide film can be dyed Nickel silver is 60 percent copper,
a wide range of different shades and can make for 20 percent nickel, and 20 percent
intensely colorful metal jewelry. zinc. This alloy is used in jewelry
making because it is relatively mal
Brass leable and has good working proper
Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, ties. Its rich gray color is similar to
is quite malleable and resistant to white gold and it is very inexpensive.
corrosion. Some brass alloys have Since many people are allergic to nickel,
higher amounts of copper, which can it is not recommended for earring findings or for
distinctly change the color. other jewelry that will be in contact with the skin,
such as rings. Nickel can also be difficult to solder
NuGold is an alloy that looks like
as it oxidizes quickly and this oxidation can be
brass. It is made of 88 percent copper
difficult to remove.
and 12 percent zinc and is richer in color
than standard brass.
Niobium
Niobium is a soft, ductile metal that
Bronze polishes well. Like aluminum, it can
An alloy of copper and tin, bronze is be anodized. Niobium can be cold
easy to melt and cast. It is less suscep connected but it cannot be soldered.
tible to corrosion than copper, its
parent metal. Bronze is slightly more
orange/red in color than brass.
