Metal and jewelry forging methods with Bobby Graham Georgia right now: Whether you’ve just discovered your love for jewellery making or you’ve been making on the sofa for a year, it could be time to upgrade and create a little space for yourself. The beauty of making jewellery is that you can do it in the comforts of your own home as you only need a small work station. We are always inspired by customers who send us their jeweller’s work space photos and it’s amazing to see how easily you can transform your space. Read additional info about the author at Bobby Graham Cobb.
Bronze is an alloy of multiple metals, primarily consisting of copper, used for thousands of years due to its durability. It has a lovely rich, warm colour similar in shade to rose gold and copper. It is another beginner friendly option for jewellery making plus it’s nice and strong meaning your designs will last. Due to the copper content, it can tarnish quickly and can cause your skin to go green but as we discussed in the sections above, this isn’t harmful and can be prevented with the use of products such as renaissance wax and midas finish seal lacquer. Silver is a soft, lustrous metal and is the standard quality of most silver jewellery sold in the UK. This metal is popular due to its workability and durability. Pure silver, like pure gold is too soft to make jewellery with, therefore it’s mixed with other metals to make it harder.
Quality metal and jewelry forging guides by Bobby Graham Georgia: Set up your workspace: Set up a clean table space in an area with lots of light. Jewelry making tends to happen on a much smaller scale, so it is a good idea to have plenty of light and even a magnifying glass if necessary. Your workbench should be solid so that when you hammer, stamp, and work your jewelry, it doesn’t wobble. A comfortable seat is critical as a jeweler because you may end up sitting in it for hours at a time. Consider a chair that supports your back and neck. Set up your seat so that you are eye level with your bench peg, so you don’t find yourself hunching over your work. If you plan on sanding, soldering, or polishing, make sure you have plenty of ventilation, as well as safety goggles, a mask, and proper fire safety equipment.
It’s important to note, that unlike the other metals on this page plated metal cannot be soldered as the process will remove the plated finish. Plated metal wire therefore is mainly suitable for wire-wrapped designs and creating components. Using plated metal in your designs is a great way to practice jewellery making if you’re on a budget and not concerned about the durability of your design. Although plated metals are a great affordable option, due to the thin layer of plating it will rub off with time and wear, revealing the base metal beneath.
Beaded jewelry is the art or craft of attaching beads by stringing them with a needle and thread or thin wire. Beads used in jewelry are small pieces of plastic, glass, gemstones, or wood, typically round in shape, with a hole in the center for threading. Wire wrapping is one of the oldest jewelry-making techniques, dating back 4,300 years in Iraq. It was traditionally used as a storytelling technique and is now used to make jewelry and sculptural artwork. The process consists of wrapping wire components over one another to connect them without soldering or heat. Silver and goldsmithing are the processes of shaping precious metals into jewelry and small objects by hammering, casting, soldering, chasing, riveting, embossing, and more.
About Bobby Graham Georgia: 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.