Chain Making
This workshop focuses on strategies for making unique chains and linkages. From classical to funky, a wide range of chain styles will be demonstrated and explained. Students will make samples and experiment with a variety of fused, cold-connected, and soldered link chains. Knowledge of jewelry soldering is helpful.
Day One:
- Discussing chain styles and techniques, chain history
- Making links, sawing packets vs cutting packets,
- Using heat: classical chain styles, Fusing
- Soldered link chains, soldering tips and tricks
- Funky alternative links, Using the rolling mill, Hammered links
- Tips and tricks for assembly
- Studio time
Day Two:
- Review/questions
- Design discussion, combining chain with pearls, beads and found objects,
- Combining pre-made chain with fused links
- x/y axis
- Balled links connections.
- Studio time, group show and tell, studio clean up
Supplies Recommended:
- hardwood dowels: local hardware stores, Home Depot, Lowes
- ice pick or large scribe: hardware store, flea market, Home Depot
- solder rite pad, argentium, solder, hand tools, pumice wheels: Rio Grande
- Joyce Chen Kitchen Shears: Rio Grande, kitchen supply stores
Suppliers:
- Hauser and Miller ( www.hauserandmiller.com , 10950 Lin-Valle Drive St Louis, MO 63123, 800-462-7447) 30 ga 24KT sheet, fine silver wire and sheet, bi-metal sheet.
- Hoover and Strong (www.hooverandstrong.com ,10700 Trade Road, Richmond, VA 23236; 800-759-9997) Fine silver, 24 KT gold, 80/20 Reticulation alloy, and solders.
- Rio-Grande (www.riogrande.com 4516 Anaheim NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113; 800-545-6566) Argentium, tools, compressed charcoal block, findings.
- Allcraft Tevel (135 West 29th Street, NYC, NY 10001; 800-645-7124) Korean foils, all sorts of tools WEALTH of information, tell him you just took a workshop with me, get the thicker foil if he has it, also has green colored foil.