wedding bands

Had some more fun Silver smithing today

I know the album is kinda long , but maybe someone will enjoy it

I made some sterling silver wedding bands today for him and her

I used 18 gauge sterling ( 1mm thick )

draw your shape of the ring - I decided on a feather

you can either pre draw it on paper and then glue that to the metal or if it is an easy shape or you have a template you can draw directly on the metal

add some length right and left to make the rin size you need

start cutting with a jewelry saw and 1/0 blades

after you are done sawing take a chasing tool or a screw driver

start to add some texture

start bending your ring shank...

untile the ends meet flush

this is my solderig station

I use a so called third hand to hold the ring

I prefer wire solder cut into pieces

there are many types of solder ( sheet , wire , stick, paste )

lay your solder across the gap after you fluxed it and start heating with your torch

a small butane torch will work as the rings are small and heat quickly I have an acetylene / air torch which i prefer instead of the acetylene / oxygen ones ( its 1 tank of volatile gas vs. 2 tanks )

this is after soldering and quenching

the blackness comes from oxidation during the torching

to remove the oxidation you have to clean it in a Pickle bath

I use a small ceramic crock pot

this is after the bath

form the ring on a ring mandrel with a nylon hammer

basically you hammer away until you have a perfectly round ring

tada--------------round

now comes the clean up

I have a flex shaft ( yes I know .....) which is a dremel with a flexible hose . The bit I use is a 80 grit bristle brush

start polishing

nice and shiny

after polishing I add patina ( darken )

Another crock pot

I use lifer of sulfur - stinks like rotten eggs but gives a nice gray black patina

this is both rings - one polished and one still with the patina everywhere

polish until you are satisfied :)

hope you liked this one

www.nicilaskin.etsy.com