materials and tools used in the first three Silversmithing projects
Project 1
Stacking Rings
Materials: Sterling Silver: 12g half round wire, 12g round wire, and 20g round wire. Hard Silver Solder.
Project 2
Moonstone Ring
Materials: 26g fine silver sheet, 24g sterling silver sheet, 12g half round sterling silver ring shank (you can use the one you make in project 1), 10x8mm oval Moonstone Cabochon, Hard and Medium silver solder, black electrical tape on cardstock for creating depth behind the stone when setting.
Project 3
Faceted Stud Earrings
Materials: 26g Fine silver sheet, sterling silver earring posts and backs, pair of 5mm round faceted Aquamarines, shiny Mylar sheet for reflecting light behind the stone when setting
tools:
Work Station:
-jewelers bench with a bench pin or a table with a clamp on bench pin
-sharpie marker
-vise or engraving ball
Hot Work:
-Acetylene Torch (#1 & #0 tips)
-soldering board
-liquid flux and paste flux
-steel blocks
-bowl of water
-cross locking tweezers and third arm base stand to hold the cross locking tweezers
-soldering tripod and mesh screen
Hand tools:
-scissors ( I love the Joyce Chen cooking sheers)
-large half round or barrette file (#2 cut)
-fine point tweezers
-kiln tweezers
-saw frame and #4 blade
-dividers
-dowel set
-bezel roller for stone setting
Forming:
-anvil
-ring mandrel
-bezel mandrel
-goldsmithing hammer
-leather mallet
-ring sizer set
-bench vice
-hand drill
-optional ring stretcher
-swagging block
Polishing:
-320 and 400 grit sand paper
-green paper
-optional Micro-motor machine (attachments: Swifty knife edge polishing wheel and blue radial bristle brush heads)
-optional tumbler machine
Cleaning:
-pickle pot (crock pot with PH minus and water, set up near a window or well ventilated space)
-copper tongs
-rag or paper towels
where to buy:
They have all my favorites including the dowel set, Joyce Chen shears, swagging block, mico-motor, file and polishing papers.
Major US supplier with huge selection. This is where I purchased the silver and gemstones for these projects.
Resource List for where to buy tools on Lucy Walker’s site with great international options.