Have you ever thought about making it a trick when you see an amazing silver jewellery in the store? How do silversmiths create fabulous objects that we all covet? What technologies are involved and what tools do they use?
Silversmithing is a craft that takes years to learn, whether it is an apprenticeship as a silversmith or one of the university and university courses at major jewelry centers in Sheffield, Edinburgh, Birmingham, London and Dublin. Practice is critical to mastering this wonderful process, but anyone with patience and the right tools can achieve the foundation!
Silversmiths use a lot of techniques, some of which are as follows:
punching from
- This is to cut the metal using a perforated saw. Cutting can be functional to create a basic shape or decoration to form a pattern in the metal. If a pattern is formed within the sheet metal, a small hole is drilled into the sheet to allow the blade to be positioned. The blade is then attached to a puncture saw that looks like a hacksaw under tension. There are several grades of blades to choose from, from roughing to cutting speed to fine machining. All blades are delicate and easy to snap in, so work must be done slowly. The blade is fixed vertically and the metal moves slowly to form a curve or corner. The blade is lubricated with beeswax for a smoother cut. This work is supported by a table fixed to the table and has a V-shaped cut, thus supporting the area on either side of the cut. Small metal shavings called lemel are collected from the leather or paper cloth and then recycled to the new silver.
welding from
- Welded silver and other precious metals are somewhat different from those used for electrical or plumbing applications. Silver solder [also gold and platinum] melts at much higher temperatures than lead solder and therefore requires a torch. This poses a safety hazard and creates difficulties for the silversmith because the temperature required to melt the silver solder is very close to the temperature at which the workpiece itself melts. In order to control the temperature of the welding process, welding and other torch work are usually carried out in the dark, so the color of the metal during heating can be used to measure the temperature of the workpiece.
Silver is soldered with silver solder, which contains mainly silver. It has a variety of alloy mixtures that change its melting temperature and use. The softest solder, called simple, The lower melting point is therefore less likely to cause damage to the weldment. medium Have a higher melting point, and hard There is the highest. Parts that require multiple welds are initially hard soldered and then graded by subsequent soldering so that each addition does not melt or distort the previous weld.
Lead solder is never used with any precious metals or jewellery, as high temperatures can cause solder to spread over silver, contaminate silver and render it ineffective.
annealing from
- Annealing is a technique used to soften silver and other precious metals, making them more ductile and easy to use. The wrought metal is easily bent without damaging its molecular structure, thereby weakening the part. The more a piece of a workpiece, the harder and brittle it becomes, so repeat annealing is used to maintain its plasticity. Annealing is done with a torch and again in the dark. The work is heated until it glows soft pink, which is the point before melting. The block is then rapidly quenched in a bucket of cold water, which causes the molecules to freeze into the arrangement in which they are when they melt, and then make them easier to work with. However, any work that uses a torch will leave a burn on the silver and must be removed before further work, so the part must be pickled.
Pickling from
- Pickling is the process of placing an acidly dyed workpiece in an acid bath to remove any oxidation prior to operation. Although sulfuric acid is the most commonly used, for smaller silversmiths, safer pickling salts can be purchased. The pickling solution is kept warm to the processing speed, and once satisfactory results are obtained, the block is rinsed in running water and then rinsed with pumice to remove any final channels.
forming from
- Most jobs need to be shaped into the final form. This can be done in a number of ways, depending on the shape desired. Tubular shapes such as rings and bracelets are formed on a mandrel that is held in a vise while the annealed metal is hammered with a mallet or peg. The bowl and other curved parts are made of leather sandbags and wooden or metal arched pieces, using wooden or shaped metal hammers. When painting, it is necessary to repeat the annealing several times.
polishing from
- Once the molding work is completed, polishing is the last technique used by any silversmith on his work. This is a long process in which one piece is wiped with tapered wet paper and dry paper to remove any traces of work from the job and then remove the traces of the previously used paper. Once completed, it can be wheel polished [for larger parts like a bowl] polished fine polished mop on a pendant drill [such as a hobby drill], or barrel polished, immersed in soap solution, steel shot and rotated 10 Minutes or so. The finished result should be smooth and shiny without any traces of tools.
These are the basic skills of the silversmith. When learning the art of silverware, it is wise to use basic metals such as brass or copper until you reach proficiency, because it is much cheaper when you make a mistake! Design a simple part on paper, full size. The template is then cut and glued to the metal as a guide. Perforation prior to forming requires very careful perforation on the perforated member as it will have stress points that are easily separated. Once you have a perforated and molded design, either polish its shiny surface or brush it on a matte surface and then proudly wear it.
Orignal From: Silverware Manufacturing - Using the basics of silver, what do you need and how to do it
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