Intro to Metalsmithing

Basic Metal Toolkit Jeweler’s Saw $20.00 Saw Blades 4.75 Vernier Caliper 10.50 Steel Metric Ruler 7.95 Hardwood Ring Mandrel 16.00 Scribe 8.95 Plier & Cutter Kit 29.00 Needle File Kit 14.95 Dividers 11.00 Bur Life 5.50 A Pin Vise 9.95 Bench Pin with Anvil 16.95 Twist Drills 6.45 Center Punch 8.95 B Hammer Kit 59.00 C Sand Paper Assortment 17.60 D Pocket Wire Gauge 14.95 Steel Square 4.55 Optivisor 6.45 Metalsmith Essentials - Tim McCreight 15.00 Estimated Total $288.45 A. Can substitute beeswax for Bur Life! B. Can make your own from an old nail.! C. You can pick up hammers from home improvement stores and alter them.! D. You can buy sandpaper at home improvement stores for less and in bulk.!

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Measurement Resources

Conversion Website www.convert-me.com Will convert units of distance and length instantly.

Metric Conversions www.metric-conversions.org Excellent free resource to convert from Imperial to Metric

Formulas

2 of 7 Intro to Metalsmithing Terminology (Small List)! Alloy Mixture of metals; sterling silver is an allow of fine silver and copper.

Annealing The process of heating and then cooling metal to make it softer and thus easier to work with.

Base Metal Nonprecious metal, such as aluminum, copper, iron and nickel.

Bezel The rim of metal that is used to secure a stone in a rub-over setting.

Blank A flat shape cut from sheet metal.

Burnish To polish by rubbing, usually with a polished steel tool.

Chasing The process of punching a relief design in metal from the front.

Chenier Thin metal tube, often used for making hinges in jewelry.

Countersink The enlargement of the entry to a hole.

Die A tool used for shaping by stamping or press forming, or a cutting tool used for making screw heads.

Draw Plate Hardened steel plate with a series of holes of various sizes. Wire is drawn through the plate to reduce its thickness, or to change its shape.

Engraving The process of cutting away the surface of a substance, using a sharp steel tool called a graver.

Etching The controlled corrosion of a surface with acid.

Ferrous Containing iron.

Findings Mass-produced jewelry components, such as catches, joints and clips which are commonly used in handmade jewelry.

Forging The process of hammering metal to change its shape.

Former A steel shape for supporting metal while it is being hammered (aka mandrel).

Fretwork A sheet that has been pierced with holes or shapes to make an ornamental pattern (aka saw-piercing).

Gauge A standard unit of measurement of the thickness of sheet or the diameter of wire.

Jig A tool used to form several items of identical shape.

Malleability The property, usually of metal, of being easily hammered, rolled or pressed to shape without fracturing.

Patina A surface finish that develops on metal or other material as a result of exposure to chemicals or handling.

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Piercing Saw A saw with a blade narrow enough to be threaded through a drilled hole so that a pattern can be cut out from sheet metal or other material.

Planishing The process of hammering metal with a polished hammer to obtain an even surface

Repousse A relief design punched into thin metal from the back.

Rouge Jeweler’s rouge is red iron oxide, a fine abrasive used for the final polishing stages of precious metals.

Stamping The process of forming a pattern in sheet metal, using a punch bearing the complete design. The pattern is formed by a single blow and the process is suitable for mass production.

Swaging The process of making metal U-shaped by hammering it into a U-shaped groove in a metal block.

Tap A tool used for cutting a screw thread inside a hole.

Tang The end of a file, graver or tool, which is fitted into a wooden handle.

Tripoli A coarse abrasive used in the first stages of polishing metal.

Upsetting A forging technique used to spread the end of a piece of rod.

Work-hardening The hardening of a metal caused by hammering or bending, which often makes the metal too hard to work with until it has been softened by annealing.

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Needle File Shapes

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Graver Shapes Bur Shapes

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Jeweler’s Hammers

1. Riveting hammer: This is a must-have for adding rivets to your jewelry designs. The stainless steel head on this hammer has a flat side and chiseled end for forming and riveting. 2. Fretz embossing hammer: These are for precise texturing of your designs. This hammer has a beautiful feel and makes a wonderful dotted texture. 3. Fretz narrow raising hammer: This one has a narrow head and makes nice textured lines. It is also used for raising synclastic and anticlastic shapes. 4. Chasing hammer: Has one round flat side for planishing metal and one side for preening and riveting metals. 5. Rawhide mallet: This is great for forming, bending and flatting without marring the metal. I have found this is also handy to use with precious metal clay. 6. Brass head mallet: I use this one for stamping and texture. 7. Plastic head hammer: I use this one to flatten metals without marking them. 8. Ball peen hammer: A great hammer for forming, shaping and flattening metal.

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