Workshop
A trained Shop Steward opens and supervises the workshop on most Saturdays 10 AM to 4PM. With advance notice, the shop can be opened on Wednesday 5PM TO 8PM. Check Facebook for updates. $5 daily fee when working.
You must be a member to use the workshop facility or to take classes.
Demonstrations
Torch Control
Argentium Silver and Granulation
Argentium Silver and Granulation
Does use of the torch frighten/stress you? This demonstration can give you the solutions and methodology for your concerns! Learn to solder, using eight different melting points of solder with silver and red brass ('NuGold'). Then learn how to fuse two metal pieces without using solder! Enjoy the enchantment of making granules of silver, copper, and gold for your work and fusing them to silver!
Annealing: learn this simple, yet too often overlooked in critical work that requires your metal to be 'softened'.
Depletion Gilding: a handy technique for getting a fine silver surface on sterling silver, as required for enameling.
Argentium Silver and Granulation
Argentium Silver and Granulation
Argentium Silver and Granulation
Argentium is a sterling silver with a small amount of the basic element Germanium added to reduce tarnishing. Argentium is currently labeled by Federal Law, as .930, rather than the .925 of sterling. It has the great property of easily being fused together. More interestingly, other metals such as copper, brass, and gold (above 18 kt.) can be fused to it. The effects of silver filing and granules, copper granules, and gold filings and granules will be demonstrated.
Metal Fold Forming
Argentium Silver and Granulation
Metal Fold Forming
Just a bit of a different metal technique! The metal is folded: singly, multiply, in a tee-shape, folded back on itself, etc. Often textured and/or roll-milled to produce even more unique designs. Probably the most common design is to cut out a leaf shape and fold it lengthwise to make a midrib, then opened up, retaining the line effect. Pioneered by the Canadian, Charles Lewton-Brain, who is actively pursuing this technique.
Patinas
Metal Fold Forming
A simple method to provide dimension/shading to enhance your piece. We will use Jack Black, Liver of Sulfur, Ammonia, and others to give effect on Silver, Copper, or Brass. Coatings to protect your patinas will also be covered (Renaissance Wax & Lacquer).
Filigree Jewelry
A quick overview of some of the techniques of filigree. Including: how to make the wire, how to make use of "twist plates," layouts, and soldering with granular solder.
Enameling
This will be a short introduction to enameling with glass enamels over copper and silver. Certainly a great way to enhance your work by adding color!
Reticulation, Keum-Bo, Mokume Gane
Reticulation, Keum-Bo, Mokume Gane
Reticulation, Keum-Bo, Mokume Gane
Reticulation is widely used to create textured surfaces; a special 80% silver alloy is heat treated (depletion gilded) to bring fine silver to the surface of the sheet metal, then fired at a higher temperature to wrinkle/crinkle the sheet!
Keum-Bo is an ancient oriental method of applying a very thing sheet of gold, usually cut into an attractive shape (fleur-de-lis, hear, cross, etc.) and applied to a sliver back plate! Quite different and a great method for applying a very small amount of gold to enhance a silver piece.
Mokume Gane is a bit of a takeoff on the ancient Japanese swords inlay variety of different metals. Layers of contrasting color metals are stacked, alternating the sheets of color, fused, then scratched, drilled, and otherwise altered to bring the contrasting colors to the metal surface to create a wood-grain-like color surface. May include silver, copper, brass, and various gold colors. Currently wedding bands done in mokume gane are the hottest jewelry item in demand.
Classes
General Information
Classes run from 9 AM - 5 PM on Saturdays and 11 AM - 5 PM Sundays on designated days unless changed by instructor.
Club members may not use the occupied workshop area when classes are occurring
Other classes are possible with adequate student interest!
How to Make a Cabochon
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
Turn that interesting rock you found into a gorgeous gemstone…..or at least one that you will always treasure! We will saw out slabs of rock into special shapes, then grind and polish two or three "cabs" using lapidary equipment. All tools and supplies included.
3 - 6 Students.
Silversmith for Beginner's
Silversmith for Beginner's
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
A great opportunity to learn the basics: learn to solder and use the metalsmith’s torch, familiarization and use of the flex shaft, jeweler’s saw and other basic tools. We will make a bezel set stone jewelry piece in sterling silver. All tools and supplies included.
4 - 6 Students.
Stone Setting
Silversmith for Beginner's
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
Learn prong setting, tube setting, gypsy setting, fancy bezel setting and more. We will work in silver. You must be able to solder efficiently to take this class. All tools and supplies included.
4 - 6 Students
Stone Pendant
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
Using turquoise or your choice of cabs, we will create a stoneset, Southwest Style silver pendant. Employing a large assortment of metal stamps and punches you will design your piece. The stamps/punches can be touched onto a black ink stamp pad, then printed onto your paper cutout concho pattern, leaving space for the stone cab. You can play with several paper patterns, experimenting with different design ideas. After selecting your choice of designs, you can then execute your piece, stamping first, then bezel setting or prong setting your stone. All tools and supplies included.
2 - 4 Students
Sterling Silver Bracelet
1 Day
Instructor: TBA
We will make a simple, yet elegant sterling silver cuff bracelet. We'll size the bracelet, trim it, emboss it, and shape it to your wrist. Keeping it simple! Extra silver will be available to make a second bracelet. All tools and supplies are included.
2 - 6 Students
Lost Wax Casting
Introduction to Metal Clays
2 Days
Instructor: Del Glasner
Lost wax casting allows you to carve and shape your original piece in wax getting as intricate, detailed, and imagined as you wish….then casting your piece in silver or gold. You can purchase ready-made wax models, then size and improve them, short-cutting the carving stage. Silver will be available for purchase or bring your own (Sterling Silver).
Recommended Reading: A Gemcutter's Handbook, Cabachon Cutting by Cox
3 - 6 Students.
Introduction to Metal Clays
Introduction to Metal Clays
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
We’ll explore the qualities of copper, bronze, silver, and glass clays. Each has its own character and charm. We will have use of an extensive collection of stamping tools to quickly produce intricate designs that would normally take hours to hand craft. We can make pendants, charms, rings, and more as time permits. All tools and supplies are included.
4 - 6 Students.
Wire Wrap
Wire Wrap
1 Day
Instructor: Laura McWilliams
Quick, Easy, Inexpensive; NO soldering needed. We will work in "NuGold" (Red Brass). Our first pieces will be pendants. Focus will be on basic methods. Further embellishment will be individual.
If you have special stones you want to wrap, please bring them. I will have a selection you can choose from. This is a quick and easy method to mount your field trip items and other special 'finds'. All tools and supplies are included.
Two excellent texts will be available and are recommended:
Jewelry Studio Wrapping by Linda Chandler
An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrap by Dale Armstrong
4 - 6 Students
Unique Casting Methods
Unique Casting Methods
Unique Casting Methods
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
We will cast over Pine Straw, Tufa, Cuttlebone, and Beans!!!! Straw casting produces unusual shapes which can be incorporated into jewelry or decorated with small cabs and cut stones. Tufa casting is highly prized among the SouthWest and Native American jewelry items. Casting in Tufa (a volcanic rock) produces a pleasing, soft granular surface texture. Cuttlebone is the shell of a marine creature; it provides a dramatic texture in cast pieces. Casting over dried beans, like straw casting, gives another gorgeous texture to silver pieces. Bring your own silver. You will need about three ounces; it can be scrap, old silverware, etc. All tools and supplies included, except silver.
Flame Worked Beads
Unique Casting Methods
Unique Casting Methods
1 Day
Instructor: TBA
Using an inexpensive setup from Hobby Lobby (about $35.00) and glass rods, we will make:
Basic Bead, one color
Two color bead, adding eyes or spots
Rainbow with up to six colors
This is strictly an introductory course in flame working, which is often termed “offhand torch work.” For those students who wish to progress further, follow-up sessions will be arranged. All tools and supplies included.
Glass Fusing
Unique Casting Methods
Glass Fusing
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
Glass is magical! Discover the differences in glasses and what they can do. Learn to make jewelry items with colored, textured, dichroic glass, and glass powders and frits using the kiln. COLOR IS THE KEY HERE!! Minimal cost; maximum effect. All tools and supplies are included.
Beading
Glass Fusing
2 Days
Instructor: Laura McWilliams
There will be a quick review of basic stringing technique for any beginners. We'll then move on to making a beaded necklace with a pendant and making your own beaded chain for the pendant. Please bring a pendant piece to use. Time permitting we will look at the various methods of multi-strand necklaces and make a "Faux Triple Strand" necklace. Day two will continue with the multi-strand traditional triple strand and non-traditional two strand. The Club has an excellent collection of beads for your use and the instructor will have additional for purchase. Laura's beads and beading pieces are quite unique! All tools and supplies included.
4 - 6 Students
Enameling For Beginners
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
COLOR-COLOR-COLOR!!! If Faberge’ could please Czar Nicholas with this method, YOU can please yourself and friends!! Using copper (or Fine Silver) we will make several trial pieces for familiarization …. Then the real piece! Fine grains of glass will be applied over the clean metal, metal patterns/cloisonnes added, then the glass enamel colors to suit you. Firing in the kiln will fuse the enamels to the metal base. Inclusions of glass lumps and metal bits can jazz things up even more! All tools and supplies included.
4 - 6 Students
Fun with Filigree
2 Days
Instructor: TBA
Some say Filigree Jewelry is "Too Intricate for ME!" Not so, really quite simple, once you have the right tools and metals and just a bit of help!! We will make at least two pieces; for our learning curve, we will start with two designs (one a heart pendant and the other a circle pendant). Frames for both will be prepared by the instructor before the class to facilitate time for you to learn to make the wire, and use the filigree jig plate to create the 'fillers'. Small cabs of stones such as Lapis can be added as you wish, if we have time!!
2 - 4 Students