Plated Metals
Plated metals have only a small percentage of gold or silver content. A thin layer of gold and silver is applied on to a base metal. Plated metals are a budget friendly option so are great for practicing your skills. Plated metals cannot be soldered and are therefore ideal only for wire wrapped designs or creating small components.
Base Metals
ase metals are the opposite of precious metals and include copper, brass and aluminium. These are far more economic than gold and silver however these will tarnish at a much faster rate which is often why they are used for creating costume jewellery only.
Soldering
Soldering is an important part of jewellery making with metals and is the process of joining two pieces of metal. Soldering involves heating the surfaces and melting a filler called solder, to create a highly durable joint.
Texturing
Creating a surface with interest when creating jewellery with metal such as hammering.
Beeswax
Used to coat through a blade, making it easy for the saw blade to slide through metal
Tarnish
This is the natural oxidisation of metals which creates dullness and black coating on your metal jewellery.
Mandrel
A tool used to shape and reshape metal. Often used when creating bangles, bracelets and rings.
Charcoal Block
Used by traditional jewellers when soldering, the charcoal block is used as a surface to solder on. As charcoal is a good heat reflector, this is ideal for soldering small jewellery pieces.
Scrap
When making jewellery with metal, it is often likely that you will have small bits of metal left over when creating your piece. This is referred to as scrap. Don’t throw this away! You can simply melt this down and reuse to create something else.
Finishing
The process of adding the final touches to jewellery. Finishing can involve everything from adding a high shine finish as well as semi polished, hammered, and brushed finishes.
Flux
A chemical compound used during the soldering process. Flux will allow solder to flow easily and in return will keep the piece clean
Precious Metal
Precious metals are naturally occurring metals that include Gold, Silver, platinum and palladium.
Kate Hunter