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Unconventional Settings!

This virtual workshop will focus on unusual ways to trap stones, pearls, or found objects, while placing emphasis on small scale fabrication. Building a basket style setting, tab settings, and mountings for pearls or found objects will all be covered throughout the course. This is a perfect class for makers with some jewelry experience seeking to refine their skills and learn time-saving shortcuts for designing and fabricating settings efficiently! A variety of mounting styles will be demonstrated and design considerations will be discussed.

Meet the instructor

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Paulette Werger is a metalsmith and teacher who works in Lebanon, NH. She sells her work both nationally and internationally and is owner of Metalpeople East, a jewelry and hollow ware studio. She has taught metalsmithing at the University of WI, Montana State University, and at craft schools throughout the country.

 

Materials & Tools

The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can find the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is welcomed but not required - observers are welcome.

Metal/raw materials: 

  • 12" min. x Argentium® round wire - 12g dead soft (Rio Grande)

  • 12" min. x Argentium® round wire - 16g dead soft (Rio Grande)

  • 12" min. x Argentium® round wire - 18g dead soft (Rio Grande)

  • 12" min. x sterling silver rectangular wire - 4x1mm (Rio Grande)

  • 6" min. x fine silver or Argentium® 1/4" bezel - 26g (Rio Grande)

  • 2"x2" min. x Argentium® sheet - 22g dead soft (Rio Grande)

  • small piece x Argentium® wire solder - medium (Rio Grande)

  • cabochons, gemstones, pearls, found objects, rose cuts - to set

Soldering setup:

  • 1 x fireproof torch area - steel baking sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon)

  • 1 x 6"x6" Solderite™ pad (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x compressed charcoal block (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x torch - Smith mini or Silversmith (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)

  • 1 x #0 torch tip - if getting Silversmith (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x soldering tweezers (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x soldering pick (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x cross lock tweezers (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x Ronda purple flux (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x paste flux (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x piece Argentium® wire solder - medium (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x copper tongs - for pickle (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x pickle - for non-ferrous metals (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x crock pot or tempered glass container with lid (Amazon)

  • 1 x tempered glass container or sink - for quenching and rinsing

  • 1 x small brush - for flux

Hand tools:

Forming tools:

Other/miscellaneous items: 

  • hard work surface

  • fan and open window - or ventilation system

  • safety glasses 

  • pencil, Sharpie, notebook

  • rags/towels

 

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