Demystifying Tools - Hydraulic Press and Rolling Mill edition

This is the first in a series of classes designed to introduce you to tools and how to utilize them in your work.

This one focuses on the hydraulic press (and the different things you can use in it) and the rolling mill. Both of these tools can be pretty expensive, so knowing some of what they do can help you decide if you need one or if it's a tool better utilized at Open Studio :)

In this class, we will create several components that can be combined in class to make several pieces of jewelry.

We will roll a pattern plate into a copper blank that can be used as a cuff or cut up into other designs.

We will use the following in the press:

• a silhouette die to puff up a sheet of copper into a 3D shape (also can be patterned)

• a pancake die to cut out a shape in copper

• an impression die to press a design in copper

• a shot plate to make fine silver shot in a variety of designs.

The pieces can be combined into pendants, bracelets, or earrings. Your class fee includes a variety of copper sheet, fine silver wire, and copper color-match solder, as well as the use of the tools in class and any studio consumables such as flux, urethane sheets, and rolling folders. You are welcome to bring sterling or fine silver sheet (26-16 gauge), fine silver wire/scraps, and copper sheet (24-16 gauge) to use in the tools.