Jewelry?

[Eric Kaplan]

Anybody have experience with making your own jewelry? Not just designing it, but actually putting all the parts together into something finished? I'm thinking it might be cool to make something for my wife for our anniversary in December, but I've never done it before and don't know where to begin. Lessons? Instructions/How-to resources? Sources for materials?

Your suggestions are welcome!

--

Eric J. Kaplan                                       

• ekap...@gmail.com
• www.ejk00.smugmug.com

[Chamelaeon Wombatowski]

You can buy polished and cut stones from dealers online. I have a friend who has one she recommends; I'll have to dig it out. Beyond that though you can get settings lots of places. It is of course easier to get Sterling silver or other non-precious settings.

[Ryan Stille]

There are bead stores in town, too. My wife used to make a lot of jewelry and sell it at craft shows. I might be able to talk her into doing a how-to at the Makery if there was enough interest.

-Ryan

[Jesse Koester]

I have done some cuttlefish bone casting and lost wax casting with
pewter, but nothing with stones at all.

[Eric J. Kaplan]

Personally, I think that would be an awesome presentation! Who's with me?

Sent from my iPad

[Eric J. Kaplan]

My initial inspiration is a combination of silver wire and gemstones.

Sent from my iPad

[Christopher Cashell]

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 2:28 PM, Eric Kaplan <ekap...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Anybody have experience with making your own jewelry? Not just designing it,
> but actually putting all the parts together into something finished? I'm
> thinking it might be cool to make something for my wife for our anniversary
> in December, but I've never done it before and don't know where to begin.
> Lessons? Instructions/How-to resources? Sources for materials?

Did you have a specific type of jewelry in mind? Ring? Necklace?
Bracelet? Tiara? The type or style of jewelry would probably have a
big impact on where to start.

I know a couple of friends who have done bracelets and necklaces with
beads, but it's really just picking out the beads and threading them
on a wire. It requires aesthetic design, but not a lot of technique.

> Eric J. Kaplan

--
Christopher

[Eric Kaplan]

I'm thinking of a pair of earrings - something "dangly" made of silver wire and gemstones.

[Kevin Fusselman]

Oh come on, Eric....  You know she wants a tiara...

[Elise White]

I make jewelry and would be interested in helping with a presentation, if there was one. Once you understand how to use the different tools (such as needle nose pliers) for jewelry making, it is really pretty simple.

Please let me know if I can help!

Here's my jewelry:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/piecesofelises?section_id=10135252

[Eric J. Kaplan]

"want" and "will get from her husband" are generally two VERY different things!

Sent from my iPad

[Brandon Norris]

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:29819 

That is all

[Eric J. Kaplan]

Does that come in Kevin's size?

Sent from Eric's iPhone

[Kevin Fusselman]

You know this is going to degenerate into a "how many ways can we make a tiara?" contest, right?

:)

[Stephanie Jensen]

I did some silverworking when I was overseas, but have not done it for a long while - and have never done it locally. I mostly used the common tools at my old instructor's shop and don't think I brought back any of the tools I owned with me during the move home  (shoot!)....but,  I can talk with you about techniques if you want, and show you some finished pieces for ideas. (rings, earrings, pins, and some very limited wax method work).

What did you have in mind?

Basic tool list might include

keyhole wood wedge with table clamp (I don't know the technical terms in English  for some of this stuff, so bear with me)
goop (?) used for polishing (it's gray and is about as thick as Crisco)
gas table
flux and silver bits
long pinchers
long clamps that are closed by default
large asbestos shingle or equivalent
several grades of flat and rounded files
hammer(s), some round, varied sizes
saw(s) - really small ones
obviously - eye protection
If you decide to make a ring, you'll need a metal ring sizer

raw materials - silver 926, if I'm remembering correctly

Big time equipment includes a polisher on a base, and a few other things, but we could probably figure something out.

I will keep an eye out for lessons or an open-to-the-public silverworking shop in town. In the meantime, if you decide what you want to make, the design could be based on the tools available....

What do you think?

[Brandon Norris]

Ive done quite a bit with chain mail in the past. It really does lend itself to jewelry well, especially once you get to the really small ring sizes. But the time investment goes way up when that happens.

There is quite a bit of my supplies in a box down at the makery already, and a few of the pliers as well, if anyone wants to give it a try.

There's a bunch of aluminum ring right now, which would be great to practice with before making anything fancy out of silver/gold

[Stephanie Jensen]

Sounds interesting.

[peter storonskij]

how about a glow in the dark tiara?

---

From: Stephanie Jensen <sjen...@gmail.com>
To: omaha-ma...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2012 9:14 PM
Subject: Re: [OMG] Jewelry?

[Eric J. Kaplan]

Elise,

As you can garner from the discussion, I think there is sufficient interest in a presentation, and we would be very thankful if you could put something together for us. Our meetings are every-other Tuesday, with the next one being September 18th. You can look at your calendar and let us know which Tuesday would work for you, and we will plan accordingly.  I would also invite you to come to any of our off-week Wednesdays and take a look around so you can see what we have in place to help with your presentation.

Thank you! I, for one, am definitely looking forward to your presentation!

Sent from my iPad

[Eric J. Kaplan]

I actually already have a respectable hand-tool set, as I have been learning how to repair my wife's existing jewelry for the past few years. I have not done any soldering or polishing, and nothing for putting stones in settings.

What I am interested in making for this first project is a pair of "dangly" earrings, silver, with gemstones.  Maybe something with 2-3 gemstones per earring.

Sent from my iPad

[Elise White]

Thanks, Eric. I would love to help out! I have an arts and crafts show the week of the 18th, so it would probably work out better for me if I came in for your next meeting, October 4th.

 

Thanks for the invite to take a tour on a off-Wednesday, when would the next one be?