Necklace and Candle Holders made by Cynthia Eid

Level: Intermediate and above
Requirements: Basic Metalsmithing Skills
Program: Winter
Status: Open
Length: 3 Days
Tuition: $ 450
Materials: TBA
Date: February 24, 2012 - February 26, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Metalwerx

Learn to make and use silhouette dies, which create forms that are perfectly matching opposites using the hydraulic press. This technique is great for creating beads, pendants, lockets, containers, boxes, or even bud vases. We'll look at how we can use the same die to make different one-of-a-kind pieces, or multiple beads/units for a bracelet or necklace, or make a series of related designs.

There are several ways to make a die reversible! This course will demonstrate both "low-tech" methods as well as use of the Knew Concepts Precision Saw Guide. Demonstrations will also include: a simple way to neatly solder together matching halves so that there is minimal clean-up; how to know which thickness and hardness of urethane to use; how to use a form box to create deeper forms; using commercially available dies; and embossing. If students are interested, how to make a blanking/cutting die will also be taught.

This workshop will begin with an overview of how to use a hydraulic press safely, so this class is appropriate for students with basic metalsmithing skills but no experience with the hydraulic press, as well as experienced jewelers and metalsmiths who want to create more complicated designs.

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

Materials & Tools

A materials kit (estimated at $30) is payable to the instructor at the workshop. It includes NuGold, Yellow Brass, Acrylic (for making dies), saw blades for plastic, #1 saw blades,

Students should bring:

• Paper, pencil, fine tipped permanent marker (eg. Sharpie)
• 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:

• Silver - Students may bring Argentium Sterling or traditional sterling silver to work in if they wish to work in silver. (or fine silver if they intend to enamel)
• Coarse steel flex shaft burs for carving plexi or truing dies.
• Saw blades
• Abrasive paper and sanding sticks
• Apron
• Camera
• tracing paper, graph paper, carbon paper
• Scribe
• paste solder (for hollow forms)

The items below are available at Metalwerx, but you may wish to use your own so you don't have to share:

• Jeweler's saw
• Wire cutter
• Flex shaft accessories, such as radial bristle discs, sanding discs, abrasive wheels, grinding stones, etc.
• Your favorite Flux, flux brush, tweezers, solder pick, solder
• Files
• (Hand held) metal shears
• Saw blade lubricant
• Pliers
• 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
• 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
• A Bonny Doon hydraulic press that will be used in the workshop
• Knew Concept hand saws
• Knew Concept Precision Saw Guides
• Tool steel for blanking dies
• Saw blades appropriate for cutting blanking dies
• a few 6" x 6&334 pieces of acrylic and brass will be available for purchase at workshop for anyone wishing to work larger. Please let instructor know if you intend to be working on that scale, so that she can buy an appropriate amount of materials.)
• paste solder