Cuttlebone Ring
Instructor: Judy Brown
Prerequisite: Cuttlebone Casting
Duration: 8 Hours
In Cuttlebone Casting, you learned the basics of casting with cuttlebone. In this workshop you will learn to manipulate your designs to achieve a unique sterling silver ring embellished with a tube set faceted stone. Cast metal can be brittle and requires additional specific steps to prevent cracking during the forming process. Once you learn to form a ring you can apply the same principles to forming a bracelet.
Design is a very important part of this casting process, as the casting can be somewhat erratic. You will learn specific techniques to design your ring, and an efficient way to design that minimizes the need to add borders normally accomplished by soldering on wires.
Techniques covered will include:
- Shaping the final casting into a ring without cracking the metal while forming.
- Cutting, filing, and fitting parts to the final design.
- Soldering the tube set into the design.
- Soldering elements for strength and design.
- Clean up and polishing.
Judy has worked with cuttlebone casting for over 14 years and loves the natural texture created from castings.
Bring your Metalsmithing toolbox, including the following items:
- 6”X6” brass OR copper OR nickel sheet (for prototype, OPTIONAL)
- 3-4 oz Sterling silver casting shot, or gold alloy shot
- 6” 18 gauge Sterling round wire
- 1 5mm Sterling silver tube set
- 1 5mm faceted stone that sits perfectly into the tube set. Please make sure your stone FITS!!
- 1 each easy, medium, hard wire solder
- 12” 16 gauge Sterling round or square wire (embellishments) or 14 gauge, your choice
- 4-6 cuttlebones (instructor will have some for purchase)
- some dental tools for carving cuttlebone
- some round or square copper, brass or nickel tubing for making impressions in cuttlebone
- 2 sheets of 220 grit sandpaper
- jeweler’s saw frame and bees wax
- 1 pk each #2, #1, #1/0, #2/0, #3/0, and #4/0 saw blades
- bezel roller
- drill bit assortment
- round needle file
- 1 set each blue, peach, & green bristle discs
- 1 pkg each magnum discs (coarse & medium)
- particle mask (P95 N95 or better) and safety glasses
- 1 pair each wire cutters, chain nose and round nose pliers
- 1/2 rd. 6 in Habilis file
- 1 each soft brass brush, soft paint brush, firm paint brush
- sharpie marker, fine or ultra fine point
- 1 each can of compressed air, sketch book, and Wite-Out with a brush
- OPTIONAL Foredom Drill Press Accessory for flexshaft
Jan. 2021 JB tr
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