Non-traditional Beginner Metalsmithing Class

This class emphasizes solid fabrication that will help to develop skills of metalsmitthing. Students will have the opportunity to practice and learn through introductory projects before completing a main project. We will learn Butane torch safety, basic set-up of soldering stations, and material uses before soldering sterling silvery jewelry. This class is an opportunity to explore the many aspects of jewelry fabrication with an instructor who is drawn to organic and textured metals and the use of irregular objects and stones.

• Introduction to torches. For this class, we will focus on large butane torch.
• Review of solders – different types and uses. For this class, we will focus on soldering as it pertains to sterling silver jewelry.
• How to create a Bezeled Cabochon stone and how to solder said stone to a back-plate.

Possible projects: sweat-soldering, annealling, and hand stamping to complete a Sterling silver Cabochon stone project or a pair of Cabochon earrings using Sterling Silver.

Join us for a class in which you only need to bring Safety glasses, Reading glasses or some type
of magnification, hair tie to pull hair back!

About your instructor: A self-taught Silversmith, Joan has learned what works and what doesn’t work with Metalsmithing. She has become an experienced Silversmith with close to 7 years of professional experience making and selling jewelry around Montana. Her work has been included in publications and is available for purchase through the Holter Museum gift shop. https://jadesignsstudio1.com/

Day 1

• Introduction to instructor and Non-traditional Metalsmithing
• Soldering stations and Essential tools
  • Torches in general
• Metal properties
• Soldering: hard, medium, easy, sheet, wire, flux
• Sweat Soldering
• Having learned the above material and more, we will practice fabricating pendants with bezeled stone.
  • Introduction to Bezel
• Annealing metal: why?
• Metal stamping
• Back-plates

Day 2

• How to finish a piece: corrections, jump rings, embellishment, finishing tools
• Texturing Metal
• What is Liver of Sulfur? Use and demonstration
• Fitting stones to Bezel
• Finishing touches: assembling pieces, earwires, jumprings, chain-cost, leather lace or cording
• What goes into a final design? Design, finish, style, tumblers and tumbling, Cabochons