Quality metal and jewelry forging solutions with Bobby Graham Cobb: If you are planning on making jewellery at home, on a regular basis and are wishing to improve your jewellery making skills with new techniques, a small workbench is a great place to start. We would recommend using a Jewellers workbench as they are designed to be higher than a standard table, preventing you from hunching over. It’s important that you have the correct posture while working and that you are comfortable, as you’ll likely be at your bench for hours at a time. Find more information about the author at Bobby Graham Cobb.
Fine silver is pure 99.9% silver whereas sterling silver is 92.5% silver with the rest being made up of any alloy metal. Sterling silver has dominated the market and often gets termed just ‘silver’, fine silver is often used to describe what is actually just pure silver. Fine silver is softer than sterling silver so great for wire wrapping designs, it is also great for working with a flame as due to being slightly purer silver, it will not get fire stain after soldering. Gold is a desirable and malleable metal, being one of the most precious and expensive metals available. Using pure gold would be too soft for jewellery making, therefore gold is available in different karats and purities. Gold is also available as gold plated, gold filled and vermeil gold so there are plenty of options to choose from for your jewellery designs.
Excellent jewelry forging tips and tricks with Bobby Graham Atlanta: What type of jewelry should I learn to make first? If you are interested in getting started at home with a low startup cost, wire wrapping is the easiest type of jewelry to learn first. The startup cost is relatively low, and it does not require a major investment in equipment. You can teach yourself basic wire wrapping techniques through online video tutorials and guides. Beginner techniques in jewelry making covered here are annealing, texturing, stamping, filing, sanding, and polishing. Is it profitable to make jewelry? Every jewelry artist has started as a beginner at some point, so you too can become a successful jeweler with experience and business savvy. Like any business, there may be high startup costs to invest in equipment, studio space, and materials. It will likely take some time before you can turn a profit. If you are interested in being your own boss, perfecting your technical skills, and spending time developing your brand, you can be a profitable jeweler who adds beauty to people’s lives through your creations.
Plated Metals: An Affordable Option & Great For Beginners: Silver and gold plated metal is a popular choice for jewellery making beginners as it is an affordable option due to the small percentage of silver and gold present. Plated metal has a base metal such as copper, brass or steel which has been dipped into a bath of electroplating solution, in this solution there will also be lump of solid gold or sterling silver. An electric current is sent into the bath of solution and a thin layer of the precious metal is deposited onto the base metal. This creates a thin layer of gold or silver on the base metal.
Design your piece: If you are unsure where to begin, start designing your piece with a simple sketch on paper. Consider different shapes, colors, and materials that inspire you. You can work from scratch or draw inspiration from a vintage piece of jewelry. This sketch will help you determine what types of materials and tools you will need to turn your drawing into reality. As you design your piece, label each part of the design with the materials you need to acquire. Acquire tools and materials: Once you have a design in mind, you can start to gather up necessary tools and materials. The most accessible type of jewelry that you can make at home is wire-wrapped jewelry. It requires just a few simple tools and does not require a kiln. Working with precious metals to create soldered jewelry will require a torch and soldering equipment. If you have access to more advanced equipment and are interested in fused glass jewelry or metal clay jewelry, you will need a kiln. If casting precious metals is required for your project, you will need access to a centrifugal casting machine.
About Bobby Graham Mableton: I’m a skilled metal forger and jewelry maker, and I love nothing more than creating unique and beautiful pieces with my hands. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and skills with others, and I’m always looking for ways to improve my craft.
Another passion of mine is celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. I love the festivities and traditions that come with the holiday, and I enjoy participating in local parades and events with my friends and family. In my free time, I enjoy watching my favorite show, Arrested Development. I never tire of the show’s witty humor and lovable characters, and I’m always on the lookout for fellow fans to discuss the show with.