Bowls by Cynthia Eid

Level: All Skill Levels
Requirements: Jewelry I or Equivalent
Program: Winter
Status: Open
Tuition: $ 500
Materials: $ 50
Date: January 20, 2009 - March 31, 2009
Time: Every Tuesday at 9:45 AM - 1:15 PM
Location: Metalwerx

Make a bowl in Argentium Sterling Silver, copper, bronze, or traditional sterling silver. Learn how to use a hammer and let it "do the work" so that your arms stay healthy. Participants will start with a 5" to 8" diameter piece of metal. Sinking, angle raising, crimp raising, and planishing will be taught. Options for rims, foots, and finishes may be explored, according to participants' interests.

New "raisers" will start by making a simple bowl with a flat bottom. Experienced metalsmiths may work on asymmetrical, or more complex bowls, and explore options for rims, a hammered "foot", or constructed bases. If time allows, we may explore applying gold to the surface using the Kum Boo technique.

This class is 8 sessions long. Each session is 3.5 hours. There will be no class on February 10, February 17, and March 10. If a make-up class is necessary, it will be held on April 7, 2009.

Materials & Tools

Included in $50 Materials Fee:

• Each student will be able to choose a hammer to use. A variety will be available to choose from. Additional hammers will also be available for use and/or purchase at the class.
• A compass to facilitate drawing guidelines for hammering

Students Should Bring:

Metal

• Participants will need a 5" to 8" diameter piece of 18 gauge metal. In general, a 6" disc is a good size for a first bowl. People who know that they work slowly, or tire easily may wish to start with a 5" disc. People who have raised a metal bowl previously may wish to start with a larger piece of metal, which may be asymmetrical in shape.
• The metal may be Argentium Sterling Silver, copper, bronze, nugold, red brass, Merlin's Gold, Jeweler's Gold, or traditional sterling silver. (Yellow brass, nickel silver, pewter, and titanium are amongst the metals that are either too hard or too soft to be recommended for this class.)
• Recommended sources for metal include: Allcraft and Rio Grande. These companies carry ALL of the above metals.

Hammers

• Participants should bring any hammers that they have, such as raising, forming, and planishing hammers, planishing hammers, ball peen hammers, leather and plastic mallets. Protect polished faces in transit with a plastic bag or old sock.

Hand Tools

• A pair of well-fitting gloves---to improve grip on metal and hammer, and reduce vibrations
• Files, including a 6" #2 cut file
• Paper, pencil, ruler
• Fine tipped permanent marker (such as a Sharpie)
• As always in the studio, each student should have a pair of their own, comfortable, safety glasses and a dust mask.
• Students should always wear closed toed shoes in the studio, for protection when hot, heavy, or sharp objects fall or are dropped.

Optional Items that Students May Wish to Bring:

• Ear plugs (Metalwerx has ear muffs available for use.)
• Abrasive paper and/or sanding sticks
• Saw and saw blades
• hand-held metal shears