Beginning Silversmithing

Did you know that Silversmithing is a classic American art form that you can learn in only a weekend? It is and you can!

This is a two day beginning silversmithing 12 hour class where you will learn how to make a sterling or fine silver pendant. You will discover how to solder a bezel, set a cabochon, decorate your project with embellishments some of which you will create. Then you will polish the finished piece to a lustrous sparkle.

You will create a contemporary or southwestern styled pendant like one of these and a pair of earrings if time permits.

What You Will Learn

You will learn the silver soldering techniques that contemporary Silversmiths and Native American Indians have used successfully for over a hundred years. The techniques allow you to use an inexpensive butane torch and a minimum of tools, many of which you may already have.

Your Class Includes

All the supplies needed to complete your first jewelry project:

• A cabochon stone
• Sterling silver wire
• Fine silver sheet
• Embellishment findings
• Tools to use in class (you don’t need to bring your own)
• A documentation website of this beginning silversmithing class that includes a slideshow of soldering process and an e-Book of jewelry selling techniques
• Links to shows and expos to sell your jewelry

In This Class You Will Learn:

• The basics of silversmithing for jewelry making
• How to solder sterling and fine silver
• The differences in easy, medium and hard solder
• How an inexpensive torch (less than $60.00) will help you make sellable jewelry worth thousands of dollars
• How and why to use spray on flux when silver soldering
• How to use flux as an indicator to start soldering
• The purpose of flux and how it prepares the metal
• When to use sheet, strip, wire, and paste solders
• How to get flame control to avoid making a mess that requires long polishing times
• How to make exceptional bezels the fast and easy way (no pallions required)
• Why serrated bezels are best and easiest to use
• How to close a plain bezel without wrinkling
• How to make embellishments and attach embellishments
• The secret of how to avoid returns for polishing

We Will Also Discuss:

• What types of silver jewelry are the easiest to make and sell
• Some of the methods for selling your silver jewelry
• The tools and materials needed to be an artisan in southwestern-style silver jewelry
• The metallurgical reasons of how solder flows and combines to make seamless joints