Demonstration: 2 hours at 20 Third Ave Long Branch NJ, Suite 202B, Located at the Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts

$20 per person, limit 4 students

Workshop: 4 hours (minimum) up to 8 hours (maximum - everybody out the door by 6pm!)

$40 per person for 1st 4 hours, + $10 per additional hour. Limit 4 students. Students must provide, or purchase separately , materials to complete a project. If you have not attended the demonstration, please call for details on what to bring, or what can be provided.

Contact:  Gary Snyder - 732-995-6721, garysnyder@garysnyderjewelry.com, or info@sica.org to enroll, or use the signup page at http://garysnyderjewelry.com/WorkshopsandClasses/WorkShopSignupForm.aspx

If you wish to be notified about future workshops and classes,  please subscribe to my SICA jewelry project mailing list here: Gary Snyder's Mailing Lists

This 2 hour demonstration introduces one of the primary elements in jewelry fabrication: the ring.

You can wear it on your finger, you can wear it in your nose,  you can thread one through your ear or hang one on your toe.

You can use them to connect things, or be the things connected.

Topics

1.       Properties of rings

a.       outer diameter

b.      inner diameter

c.       circumference

d.      width

e.      thickness

2.       Constructing a ring

a.       die punching / sawing with core drills

b.      forming by connecting two ends of a strip

3.       things to consider in  constructing a ring of a specific size

a.       what's it for?

b.      how strong does it need to be?

c.       how accurate does the size need to be?

4.       Math

a.       How to create a ring with a given inner diameter

b.      How to create a ring with a given outer diameter

Point to consider: As width of a ring (not the diameter, the width) gets larger, we stop thinking of it as a ring and start thinking of it as a tube. Many of the considerations for rings and tubes are the same, such as inner and outer diameters.

I will construct a simple gemstone finger ring, which will be assembled from, essentially, two tubes - one that slips over the finger, and one which holds the gem.

Steps:

1. ·         Decide upon the size the ring needs to be - tools used: ring sizers, or existing rings that fit, or calipers to measure knuckles with or accept someone's word that they wear a 7!
2. ·         Decide upon the style - we will be making a wide band gemstone ring.
3. ·         Decide upon the width - needs to leave some room all around the gem
4. ·         Decide upon the thickness of the band - needs to be thick enough to be sturdy and not uncomfortably sharp at the edges, needs to be thin enough to be comfortable between the fingers.
5. ·         Calculate the length and width of material needed to fabricate the band - tools: a sharp mind for math, or a handy calculator
6. ·         Cut the material - tools: depending upon whether the band is to be made from wire or sheet, and upon how thick the material is - scissors, snips, jeweler's saw, ruler, digital calipers
7. ·         Form the band - tools: Steel ring mandrel, forming pliers, soft but heavy mallet (nylon, or hide, or plastic, or wood)
8. ·         Prepare the ends of the band for joining - tools: jewelers saw, pliers
9. ·         Set up for soldering the joint. tools: soldering pad, "third hand", flux
10. ·         Solder the ring closed. tools: Torch, "hard" silver solder, soldering pick
11. ·         Clean up mess produced by soldering. tools: "pickle", abrasives, tongs, rinse water
12. ·         True up shape of the band. tools: Steel ring mandrel, mallet.
13. ·         Test the band for size and comfort - tools: the hand intended to wear the ring
14. ·         Adjust if needed. tools: any/all above + "inside ring" files
15. ·         Determine size of tubing needed to set the stone. tools: digital calipers, calculator
16. ·         Make the tubing. tools: swage block or metal dowels, draw plate, draw tongs, + torch/soldering setup mentioned above, scissors, "goldsmith's" hammer
17. ·         Cut tubing to make the setting. Tools: jewelers saw, (optional) tub cutting jig
18. ·         Drill hole in shank to accept the setting. tools: center punch or sharp graver, twist drill bits, hand drill or flex shaft
19. ·         Attach setting to shank. tools: soldering setup
20. ·         True the top of the setting to be level and even. tools: bastard or flat needle file
21. ·         Cut seat for the gemstone. tools: setting bur, pin vise or flex shaft
22. ·         Pre-finish the ring. tools: sand papers, files,  various other abrasives, polishes, flex shaft or polishing arbor
23. ·         Set the stone. Tools:  bezel pusher, setting punch, chasing hammer, burnisher
24. ·         Final polish. tools: various polishes, rotary, vibratory, or magnetic tumbler

Note: Students need not purchase every tool mentioned above in order to complete the project during accompanying workshop. Also, some of the tools can be made by the students themselves, such as bezel pushers, setting punches, and burnishers, from easily obtainable materials.