Handmade Beads

by Patti Vanderbloemen

Boy...it has been quite some time since I have blogged here! It feels good to be back! :)

Personally, I have an affinity towards handmade beads - all mediums. I don't know about you, but I cannot count the number of "subscribed lists" I have signed up for to arrive in my email inbox, but I do at least glance at each and every "blog type" email that pops up in my mailbox feed -- always on the lookout for inspiration.. One of my favorite's is the Interweave Blog.

A couple of weeks ago, Tammy Jones had a post related to 1-hour rings.  In this post was a quick, down and dirty tutorial to make a sterling silver ring that resembled bamboo (if interested, here is the link to that blog post). The tutorial (by artist Elizabeth Ann Tokoly) starts with a sterling silver ring already soldered and formed. After reading through the steps involved, I felt a thick gauge wire would work best - so I grabbed 6 gauge.

I will say, the making of this ring took me 1 hour and 45 minutes - but that included forming the ring from such heavy stock - I had to anneal the metal several times just to get it formed for soldering. And then anneal several more times AFTER the soldering to get it round and to the correct size (why didn't I just grab 8 gauge?) :) Also, it is a bit cumbersome to saw the score lines around the ring - but it can be done.

 Anyway, it is a COOL ring, which I have gifted to a friend. (Forgive the picture quality - I just took a quick picture for reference purposes only).

This technique would be AWESOME for a bangle - which I will try in the future. In the meantime, I thought I would try making a little bead using this technique. For this bead, I grabbed some thick-walled sterling tubing.

I roughly measured the bead length to 3/4".

Cut the tubing to size using my tube cutting jig and jeweler's saw.

I made two little "end caps" for the bead by using my disc cutter and some scrap silver sheet - it's 18 gauge sheet, so it is thick.

I used medium silver solder paste to attach the first end cap to the tube - this is my set up.

After pickling - you can see that the excess overhang of the disc needs filing.

I used my ring clamp to stabilize the bead against my bench pin while I quickly filed away the excess silver.

The picture below is a bit blurry, but I filed the disc / end cap to be flush with the tubing.

Never EVER solder a hollow bead without first making a hole to allow steam to escape when soldering. Though I have not done it myself, I have read where nasty accidents can happen if the escape hole is not in place before closing up this hollow form. I simply put my bead in my vice and drilled a hole.

Second disc/end cap solder set up.

Pickled, then filed the second end cap / disc flush to the tubing/bead, and drilled the final hole.

Really hard to see in this picture, but I scored two parallel lines close to the ends of each bead, using my jeweler's saw - again using my ring clamp to hold the bead while sawing.

Now - this next step is the reason I used thick walled tubing. I used my tiny half round file to make four slight indentations around the middle of the bead.

I cleaned up the the bead with a pumice wheel on my flex shaft. (These are the pumice wheels I use).

Patina added (I use Midas Black Max - link here), buffed with steel wool, and tumbled. Liver of Sulfur works just as well, but Black Max is quicker and does not stink.  :) Always a plus!

One more tiny tip  (and of course, I forgot to take a picture). Before you tumble the bead, add the bead to a piece of wire (copper - it's cheap) and loop the ends. This will keep the shards of shot from getting stuck inside the bead while tumbling (this I have done...takes forever to release that shot!)

Now, this is not a perfect bead, but I rather like the organic look to this shape - would look great as a single bead on a bracelet, two beads for earrings, or even an entire chain if you have lots of time on your hands to create! Total time to make this bead for me (not including tumbling) was about 30 minutes.  So, while this technique is a bit time consuming, it is handmade and definitely not made in China! 

Anyway, the making of this bead was the bit of inspiration I need to kick off this brand new year. I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Another use for Copper Tubing!

by Patti Vanderbloemen

In writing this post for today, I did a quick search through this blog and realized that copper tubing has been used many, many times by the LMAJ artists...hoops, clasps, focals, bezels, bangles, beads, etc.  It is a wonderful material - widely available at your local hardware store - and, it is inexpensive. Here is my latest venture using this most versatile metal - bead connectors/links.

Before I start here - please wear eye protection when sanding and drilling metal! I also wear a respirator so that I do not breathe in any little fine particles of metal. (This is the respirator I use - with these filters). I only have one pair of eyes and one set of lungs.  

Grab some copper tubing - my sample below is manufactured for use in refrigerators - 1/4" wide.

This is my tube cutter - $7.00 at Home Depot and found on a hook right next to the tubing!

I know it has been addressed before on this blog, but it so simple to use this tube cutter.  Slip your tubing into the cutter and use the knob (orange, in this case) to tighten the grip.  

Rotate the little tube cutter around the tubing - each time, tighten the knob just a bit more.  After several rotations - the tubing is cut and NOT squished!  You can also use your jeweler's saw...but honestly...this is so simple!

I cut 7 soon-to-be links 7/8" long.

We are going to flatten these tubes with a hammer, which makes for a nice thick (but not too thick) link. Now, these are tiny links, and it is hard to flatten a small, round piece of metal without the tubing rolling and/or hitting the fingers. I hold one edge of the tubing with my parallel-action pliers (example- here), and hammer the other end on my bench block. Then, hold the now-flattened side with the pliers, and hammer the other end of the tubing flat.

The beauty of using tubing vs. copper sheet is that once flattened, the sides are nicely rounded and smoothed and you now have a nice heft to the metal.

At this point, I use a series of files to slightly round the edges and corners. Sanded correctly - there is NO VISIBLE SEAM on the ends of the copper.

Prior to sanding

I like to add texture to these connectors using hammers or stamps. Texture takes better to softened metal, which has hardened from the flattening.  So, I do a quick annealing of each link, air-cool, and pickle clean.  Anytime I will be adding texture to my metal, I do not quench the metal after annealing - there is a risk of the metal becoming brittle from the shock of the water.

Clean!

Next, I mark the holes on either end with a sharpie and give a starter tap with my nail punch.

You can use a hole punch to make the holes, but my drill was already set up in my flex shaft. Again, I am holding the link with my parallel-action pliers and drilling into a block of wood.  Be sure to drill slowly...nothing worse than flying metal! 

Using the drill bit will produce little burrs in the holes.

De-burr the holes with a small, round needle file.

For today's example, I am adding texture via a stamp. I always tape my metal to my bench block first.

If using the connectors for a bracelet, I like to add a slight curve to each link, using my bracelet bending pliers (example here). I love this tool - one quick squeeze, and it's done.

The slight curve allows the links to conform to the wrist...just a bit better fit than if left flat.

Connect the links with jump rings and a claps of your choice. All ready for patina and tumble!

Done!

By varying your textures, the options are endless!  The bracelet below features 7 links - each with a different texture.

This bracelet features textured links, with a tiny, sterling silver flower made from my shot plate soldered to the center of each connector. I also used sterling silver jump rings (soldered closed for security) to make this a true, mixed metal bracelet.

These bracelets fit like a dream!

I think these connectors would also make a pretty cool chain, or earrings, too. The uses are only limited by your imagination!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

3-D...a Little Tutorial for Labor Day!

by Patti Vanderbloemen

Recently, a friend of mine asked me if I could make her a necklace with a sort of 3-D effect.  Before I retired nearly 6 years ago, I spent 20 years as a Proposal Writer for Architects and General Contractors. One word that was constantly used back and forth between designers and contractors was - "constructability." Just because an architect can draw the idea, it does not mean a contractor can build it. That word still sticks in my mind with every single piece of jewelry that I create....How will it lay on the arm or neck? What type of clasp? Are the earrings too heavy?  How can I make something 3-D and not have it fall apart?

I ended up not using my friend's exact design concept, rather, I riffed.  I actually remembered to take pictures of each step (I apologize in advance for any blurry photos)!

She wanted mixed metal, so I started by drawing out a freehand heart on copper, and sawed out the shape.

The copper heart would serve as my backplate/base, so I used 20 gauge copper. After filing the edges smooth, I used the ball peen hammer to add texture to just the edges.

I then cut out a smaller version of the same heart shape with a scrap piece of silver that I had etched.

I knew I had to have something underneath the two hearts to raise the silver heart above the copper for that 3-D effect.  I could easily have used rivets - with tubing in between - but I did not want to deface the pretty silver!  I do not etch often, and my etch scrap is running low! So, I decided to use square wire to serve as legs and give me some height - similar to pilings on a bridge (see..I really did work with architects...who thinks of structural engineering and bridges when designing a necklace??)

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a video of my studio and I distinctly remember pointing out this tool - a miter cutting vise (link here). I truly use this tool constantly for sheet and wire. You just slip the sheet or wire into the tool, tighten, and then use a file to get a perfectly flush edge. The tool is steel and will NOT ruin your file.

After getting a flush edge on the starter piece of square wire, I cut (with a saw) 3 little legs, each approximately 2 mm long.

I then soldered (hard solder) these legs to the silver heart. I use Knew Concepts Titanium Clips (link here) to raise the silver heart so I could aim my flame underneath, though that square wire would probably not melt, as it is pretty thick.

First solder complete.

After pickling and cleaning, I made sure the 3 little legs were all the same size - a quick file and that was done.

 I then sweat soldered 3 balls of medium solder the top of the legs.

The next step was to solder the top, silver heart with legs to the bottom, copper heart.  This was my setup - again, the intent being to aim the flame underneath the copper base and not melt the "legs" or the little silver heart..

Pickle and clean.  I brass-brushed this sucker to death and then threw it in the tumbler for an hour - I wanted to make sure I had a good, solid connection.

 Side view

Of course, I forgot to take a picture of the back of necklace to show the bail placement.  It is just a copper ring, with a closed (soldered first) sterling ring on top for the chain.

Liver of sulfur, buff, and tumble.

I plan on making this again...I see an arrow shooting through there somewhere! :)

It is really not bulky and heavy...my friend was very pleased!

I want to end this post by thanking everyone who is out there working on this Labor Day- Police, 911 Operators, Fire Men and Women, Doctors/Nurses/Hospitals, and especially all the Lineman who are working 24 hours a day to restore power to those who have lost it during the horrific hurricane / extreme weather that has hit this past weekend. Their work does not go unnoticed...and I am forever grateful!

Thanks for stopping by!