Copper Band Ring

Jewelry/Metalworking Assignment #1

Successful metal working always begins with careful designing and precise
layout of the design to the metal. It is essential that the design by executed is
drawn accurately and to the exact scale. This detailed rendering will be what
is transferred to the sheet metal for the initial piercing and cutting of the metal
with the handsaw and final finishing. Any inaccuracies in the rendering
process will result in a poorly crafted piece.

Metal is NOT forgiving, if all steps and procedures are not followed exactly, the
next stages of completion will become difficult or impossible to recover from.
Please learn early on that there are NO SHORTCUTS to the end product. Each
stage is critical in the final success of the finished piece.

Process: (must be followed exactly to make a successful piece of art)
Design/Layout:
1. You will work on 10 different drawings on graph paper.
2. We will choose one that will challenge you but remains simplistic enough for the
first project.
3. The design must have at least 3 cutout shapes and remain symmetrical.




Set to Scale:
1. The designs must be drawn to scale and should match the ring blank guide.
2. Match your ring size to 18 gauge measurement chart. (chart in packet)
Layout of Design to Sheet Metal (Copper):
1. Place drawing down on Sheet metal by using Rubber Cementproperly (allow
both piecesmetal and paperto dry and then place them together).
2. If you dont allow glue to drythe paper will peel off and slip more readily, and
therefore your design will be off in scale.
Jewelers Saw/Preparing Metal:
1. Attach your wood support piece with clamp to table surface.
2. Look at the Piercing instructions in packet.
3. Insert Saw Blade into top of frame, then push frame from handle using your
sternum and edge of tablecreating pressure on frame. Then place blade in slot
near handle and release pressure. Saw blade should be taut with the teeth
facing downward.
Piercing and Sawing Metal:
1. Cut out the desired outside shape of your metal.
2. Using a ball/peen hammer (square end) and a nail punch, tap the metal (to create
a slight indent) in all areas where you would like to remove metal from inside
shapes.
3. I will assist you in the drilling of inside shapes by placing a small drill hole (large
enough for saw blade to fit)
4. Saw blade must be threaded through hole and then reattached in saw frame.
5. Cut out all inside shapes.



File, Sand, and Finish by hand:
1. All filing must be done first using needle files of varying shapes and sizes.
2. Sanding begins with the lowest # grit emery (sand) paper and works gradually up
to highest #.
3. Examine piece for any scratches before moving to next # emery paper.
4. Finish piece by washing and drying it thoroughly.
Bend to Oval using a Mandrel and soft Mallet:
1. You will begin to gently round out the ring to fit your finger.
2. Using a Mandrel as a support and shaping tool, you will gently hammer the
copper ring into shape.
3. You must rotate the direction of hammering and placement on Mandrel to
maintain proper shape and curvature.
4. Interior walls should remain straight up and down.
File and Fit Solder Joint (exactly):
1. Using a flat file at a 90 degree angle to metal, file ends to fit flush together.
2. Use steel plate to force ends to connect with mallet.
3. Press pieces of metal together so that one edge is slightly overlapping other edge
and then pull apart so that seam is held together by pressurefor a good tight fit.
Solder Band Ring:
1. Metal pieces must be clean, no grit or fingerprints.
2. Solder does not fill in holes between pieces of metal, so joint must be fit together
exactly.
3. Flux the piece at joint (top and bottom) using a small paintbrush.
4. Flux is a chemical that is used to prevent the formation of oxides during
soldering and melting. It acts like a glue to show the solder where to flow
to when heated.
5. Place Solder on piece with a paintbrushdelicately, pieces of solder are very
small. (Lay out in a thin line along the seam).
6. Place ring on solder station, so seam is up.
7. Heat using soldering flameYOU MUST GET HELP FROM ME!!
8. Solder will curl and then turn to liquid which will flow into the seam.
Pickle Bath (to remove oxidation):
1. Using Copper Tongs lift piece from solder station and place into the pickle bath.
2. Be careful not to splatter on clothes (it will eventually create little holes where
pickle eats at fabric).
3. Do not use anything but COPPER tongsit will contaminate and ruin the pickle
acidity and can destroy other peoples projects.
Reshape ring to round form with Mandrel and Mallet
Final hand finish with emery paper to smooth the soldered joint
Final Polishing and Buffing using the buffing stations:
1. MUST WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES and PULL BACK LONG HAIR!!
2. Buffing compound is added to spinning wheelsminimally and only once.
3. Use two hands to support the band ring and only buff on the underside of the
spinning wheel.