Necklace and Oil Lamps by Cynthia Eid

Level: All Skill Levels
Requirements: Basic Metalsmithing Skills
Program: Fall
Status: Closed
Length: 10 Sessions
Tuition: $ 475
Materials: $ 50
Date: September 28, 2010 - December 07, 2010
Time: Every Tuesday at 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Metalwerx

Combine silhouette die forms with embossing for limitless possibilities! This class will focus on hydraulic press basics: making and using silhouette dies and embossing dies; how to use a hydraulic press safely; using urethanes of different thicknesses and hardnesses.

We'll make silhouette dies, which create forms that are perfectly matching opposites----great for pendants, beads, lockets, containers, boxes, bud vases.... Embossing creates a relief design, pattern, or texture, while the metal stays the original thickness. We'll examine how we can use the same die to make different one-of-a-kind pieces, or multiple units/beads for a bracelet or necklace, or make a series or related pieces that each have different surface details. This class is appropriate for students with basic metalsmithing skills as well as professionals.

If you'd like to see more of Cynthia's work, please visit her website www.cynthiaeid.com

This class is 10 sessions long. Each session is 3 hours. There will be no class on 11/23. If a make-up class is necessary, it will be held on December 14, 2010.

Materials & Tools

The $50 materials fee, payable when signing up, includes metal and supplies you need for the various processes.

Silver

Students may bring their own Argentium Sterling or traditional sterling silver to work in if they wish to work in silver.

Students Should Bring:

A Basic tool kit, including:

• ruler, paper, pencil, fine tipped permanent marker (eg. Sharpie)
• Abrasive paper and sanding sticks
• Files
• Scribe
• (Hand held) metal shears
• Metalwerx has this available, but you can bring your Jeweler's saw
• Saw blades & lubricant
• Pliers, such as flat, round nose, chain nose...flat/half-round combination's
• Dividers
• A "shop towel" or two---this can be a hand towel, or larger-- to save on paper towels, wrap work up in, etc.
• Dust mask
• Safety glasses
• Elastic bands, barrettes for long hair
• Closed toed footwear should be worn in the studio for safety (hot, sharp and/or heavy things tend to be dropped onto toes)

Additional items that students might find useful, and may wish to bring:

• Apron
• Camera
• Wire cutter
• Diamond saw or carbide cut-off wheels for the flexible shaft
• Flex shaft accessories, such as sanding discs, abrasive wheels, grinding stones, etc. Coarse steel flex shaft burs for carving plexi and delrin.
• Can be handy: tracing paper, graph paper, carbon paper
• Metalwerx has this available, but you can bring your favorite Flux, flux brush, tweezers, solder pick, solder
• Any of your favorite tools that you know that you typically use a lot

Items that will be available for people to purchase:

• Burs for carving plastic for embossing dies
• Joyce Chen shears