PDA

View Full Version : My first piece of jewellery.



CeliaDM
26-03-2010, 01:54 PM
Well class went very well last night, our tutor, the lovely Stephanie had some silver to sell us and we were all keen to get to grips straight away so she suggested that make a plain band ring just so that we could get a feel for shaping and soldering.

I was more than apprehensive when it came to utilising the torches, they are rather intimidating but I was brave enough to carry on regardless. Anyway we all softened our silver with the torches then put the silver in the sink before popping into a pot of acid to remove the blackened burn marks which the flame had deposited on the metal. Once this process was finished we got to hammer the metal around a triblet which is used just to form the shape of the rings, then it was on to solder.

I am so pleased with my first piece of jewellery and even after one lesson I have already got the bug, mind you I tend to get the bug with everything I try my hand at to be honest. I am sorry I couldn't get on last night I was totally exhausted yet for some reason could barely sleep, I think it was from sheer excitement. Gerald was really impressed with my ring. All in all I don't think I could of picked a better course and the other students as well as the tutor are all absolutely lovely.

mizgeorge
26-03-2010, 02:04 PM
Glad you enjoyed it so much Celia :)
You'll soon be bashing and melting away with the rest of us!

CeliaDM
26-03-2010, 02:13 PM
It was truly wonderful MissGeorge, I am becoming terribly forgetful though. I was meaning to post up a photograph of my ring bet forgot too, anyway here it is. I am really thrilled with what I have managed to achieve in one evening.

MuranoSilver
26-03-2010, 02:47 PM
Great photo of the ring and really good shape you achieved too!
If you get the ends of the wire closer (so they touch) you'll get an even stronger solder join which you wont be able to see :)
Fantastic first piece you should be really pleased with yourself []
nic xx

geti-titanium
26-03-2010, 03:00 PM
crikey Celia! It's as rough as a badgers backside at the moment - it should clean up nice though - is that a bagette diamond in it as well? - good first attempt, keep it up! (you any good at soldering copper pipes for plumbing?)

mizgeorge
26-03-2010, 03:17 PM
Geti!
Celia, I think you did really well for a first time - it can't have been easy forming a piece of wire as thick as that. Ask you tutor about some tricks to help you get the edges closer together. I use two pairs of parallel pliers, but others find it easier to use a triblet and hammer. It helps to saw through the join again before finally soldering together.

You might like to get some basic tools and some copper wire to practice with at home as well. Cookson's do a good student kit Tools Student Starter Kit - Cooksongold.com (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Tools-Student-Starter-Kit-prcode-999-096A) and also a basic soldering kit Starter Soldering Kit, Un 2837 - Cooksongold.com (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Starter-Soldering-Kit-Un-2837-prcode-999-096Q) (though I think the torch is a bit weedy if I'm honest).

Jayne
26-03-2010, 03:21 PM
Geti, you cheeky b****r, you!
It looks as if you've made a really good start Celia :) No doubt next week you'll be introduced to emery papers & the polisher and your ring will look even more impressive.
J x

Di Sandland
26-03-2010, 03:37 PM
Celia, please don't be hurt by Geti; he's only having a laugh with you. He's so old that he's probably forgotten how sensitive we can feel when learning something new.

George's advice is good advice, in fact, George's advice is always good and you would do well to listen to her. I'm not sure where you live but you could do worse than have a lesson with her. That's how I started.

geti-titanium
26-03-2010, 04:22 PM
Celia, please don't be hurt by Geti; he's only having a laugh with you. He's so old that he's probably forgotten how sensitive we can feel when learning something new.

George's advice is good advice, in fact, George's advice is always good and you would do well to listen to her. I'm not sure where you live but you could do worse than have a lesson with her. That's how I started.

Old? I could still chase you round a kitchen table - mind you I might trip over my Zimmer frame :-"

Di Sandland
26-03-2010, 04:30 PM
Careful, Geti, I might not run =:-O

geti-titanium
26-03-2010, 04:52 PM
Careful, Geti, I might not run =:-O

We'd probably have to put the kettle on half way round as well :-)

emroyjewels
26-03-2010, 05:43 PM
That ring looks pretty good to me as a first shot Celia! Good job!

bustagasket
26-03-2010, 07:26 PM
Well done Celia!! that was quite a feat to attempt as your first piece!!! I had to make a keyring when i first did a bit of college, but i went to Battle and my tutor was lovely but i dont think the class was as structured as it should have been so i left after the first two terms. I still havent attempted a ring so I really do take my hat off to you. Take heed of all the advice offered, there really are some knowledgeable people here, its just Geti that you have to keep an eye on as he has a rather roving eye :)

AlexandraBuckle
27-03-2010, 11:40 AM
Geti you meany!
Celia keep up the good work :) It's a great first attempt.

jille
27-03-2010, 02:02 PM
Hi Celia, I'm a beginner too, I did a couple of courses at Urchfont manor, Pauline is a really good instructor.
My first piece was a ring too, I was taught to make a D shape first so the edges sit tightly together for soldering. After soldering I bashed it into a O on the mandrel.
keep up the good work, isn't it fun, I'm hooked now!
Jille

Petal
27-03-2010, 05:44 PM
Bloody hell Celia, you've done amazingly well for your first class. I don't think I could even cut a piece of silver that thick, let alone shape it into a ring. You must be chuffed to bits with yourself. :Y: Well done you.

I bet you can't wait for next week now!

elliboo
27-03-2010, 06:58 PM
In my first class I was given a strip of pre-cut copper which we bashed into a ring and soldered. Between 20 people fighting over 4 torches, crappy saws which wouldn't hold a blade tight, and a scrum round the pickle pot I'm amazed anyone came out with anything! I think your ring is lovely, especially for your first go. Sounds like a good class.

Fi Wilson
27-03-2010, 09:54 PM
Ha ha Sharon, that's just what my first class was like. I'm still wearing the first ring I made. It's just plain D wire with a not too perfect soldered seam and is nowhere near a circle in shape, however, I love it to bits because it was the first piece of jewellery I ever made!!! I'm sure you feel the same Celia. It's amazing how sentimental jewellery can get.

Fi

caroleallen
01-04-2010, 08:18 PM
At first sight I thought that was a tension set ring. Very thick silver to be starting off with, no wonder you couldn't get it to join. How did you manage to get the solder to flow into such a big gap? Amazing.

CeliaDM
01-04-2010, 08:22 PM
I believe the wire was around 2mm thick and 3mm wide. I don't think I actually filed the ends properly as the wire did actually join it is just it was a little V shaped and not rectangular. Class was fabulous tonight although I didn't make anything new, I just finished my lovely ring and had a wonderful time chatting to some of the girls.

caroleallen
01-04-2010, 08:41 PM
Well done Celia. We amateurs had better up our game or you'll be outstripping us all before we know it.

CeliaDM
01-04-2010, 08:53 PM
I doubt that, there are some very talented ladies on this board, I am only a beginner after all although I do have a little more faith when it comes to tinkering with PMC at the weekend as when I have been at Rita's I did notice that it seems so similar to sugar paste to work with and I shall arrive at her home complete with my old professional tools of the trade and try my utmost to recreate the art that I used to adore.

caroleallen
01-04-2010, 09:01 PM
I think you may be surprised at how difficult it is to work PMC. Like you, I used sugar paste for many years and thought PMC would be a doddle. Not so. It handles very differently. Making complex things like our resident experts do takes years of experience.

CeliaDM
01-04-2010, 09:07 PM
Are there resident experts Carole, I have only seen one item of PMC jewellery that I would actually wear personally. I will be so disappointed if I cannot achieve the styles that I am imagining. Well, I suppose time will tell, the weekend is almost upon us as is.

ps_bond
01-04-2010, 09:41 PM
There are a few. Taste is subjective, that doesn't reduce the skill needed. I can appreciate the work that goes into the items that members here show - but I'm unlikely to wear any of them (except for cufflinks).

caroleallen
01-04-2010, 09:47 PM
Are there resident experts Carole, I have only seen one item of PMC jewellery that I would actually wear personally. I will be so disappointed if I cannot achieve the styles that I am imagining. Well, I suppose time will tell, the weekend is almost upon us as is.
Well I guess people like our Nic who wins major competitions for her work may be considered to be an expert Celia. If she's not an expert, then I don't know who is. Her work may not be to your taste, but you surely have to admire the skills used.

Lucy
03-04-2010, 01:20 PM
Looks a great first attempt Celia,

This isn't a criticism for you, but why did you teacher have you file points on the end? surely it would have worked so much better if she had shown you how to do a proper "but joint" by sawing through the seam to get a perfect join. Anyone else wondering this?