I’m really pleased to announce a new class I’m offering at my Malaga studio that covers many of the silversmithing skills I use to make my jewelry. Open to just two students at a time, I’ll be offering it several times over the summer of 2025. You can check availability and sign up in my online shop. So far, I’m offering it in May, but if my calendar clears up a little, I may offer it in April first.
Here’s a full description:
Silversmithing 101
This two-day class covers all of the basic silversmithing skills you need to make custom jewelry from copper, silver, or gold. I’ll start by telling you what you need to know to work with metal, and then go right into exercises that teach and build skills. By the end of class, you should have a few handmade jewelry items to show off to friends and family members and enough know-how to make more on your own.
Over the course of two days, students will learn:
- Cutting techniques with shears, wire cutters, and jeweler’s saw
- Filing and sanding to smooth edges
- Annealing metal to soften it
- Texturing with texture hammers and rolling mill texture plates
- Stamping with metal stamps
- Shaping metal using mandrels and dapping blocks
- Riveting and soldering to join metal pieces
- Creating bezel settings for cabochons
- Making findings such as jump rings, ear wires, and head pins
- Polishing and applying patinas
Students will have access to the following tools:
- Bench pin, bench block, pliers and other hand tools, mandrels
- Hand shears, sheet metal shear, wire cutters, jeweler’s saws
- Files, sandpaper and sanding sticks
- Flex shaft with numerous tools for sanding and polishing
- Rolling mill with texture plates
- Stamps and hammers
- Complete soldering station including torches, blocks, annealing pan, quenching bowl, and pickle pot
- Tumblers with related supplies and equipment
- Grinder with polishing wheels
- And more!
Students can complete a number of jewelry making projects or create something on their own. Sample projects include:
- Textured earrings
- Stamped bracelet
- Stack rings
- Bezel-set pendant
Details
Class fee: $320 per person
Includes: Two days of hands-on training in my jewelry studio, copper sheet metal and wire for practice and finished pieces, incidental supplies and materials, use of tools and equipment. Bottled water, pop, and a light lunch (sandwiches and salad) will be provided at break time. (There is no place to get lunch nearby, but you are welcome to bring your own.) Sterling silver and cabochons to set into a pendant or ring are available at an additional cost.
Class timing: Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM with 1 hour for lunch and two shorter breaks in the morning and afternoon.
Maximum Class Size: 2 people
Minimum age: 16 and older; attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Cancellation Policy: Once booked, you may cancel the class up to 7 days before the class start date. There is a $10 cancellation fee to cover the cost of refunding your payment; my credit card processor, Square, will not refund the credit card fees I pay. I cannot refund class fees if you cancel within 7 days of the class start date, so if you need to back out last minute, I highly recommend that you find someone to take your place. If I have to cancel the class for any reason, the full amount of your class fees will be refunded.
