Making Jewelry from Silverware - Dremel Tool?

[Julles]

Esther and other have been prompting me to get a Dremel tool... perhaps this will be my push over the edge....

I have been looking at (and buying    ) necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made from old silver and silverplate forks, spoons, etc. 

Questions:

How do you bend the metal to fit around a wrist?  That would be a wide, gentle curve.

How do you bend the metal to make a loop for a chain to run through?  In other words, if you cut the spoon bowl off a spoon, and wanted to make a necklace pendant with the decorative end of the spoon, and wanted to bend the oposite end into a loop so you could put a chain through it, how would you make such a small, tight loop out of the silverware?  Alternately, of course, you could simply drill a hole and add a jump ring.

Would you have to heat the metal?  How?  How hot?  Would it scorch or change the finish?

Next, how do you cut off these ends of silverware?  I imagine a hack saw?  Or, is this something a Dremel tool would do? 

The ones I've seen at craft fairs have nicely sanded edges, too.  Does the Dremel do the sanding, as well?

Thanks
   

[Kittyzee]

Since I am not a silversmith (I wish!) I can't answer your questions.  These are questions I would ask my dad if he were alive, since he made jewely with raw gems and silver.  But these craft fairs that you go to--I'll bet the people that are selling their wares would be only too happy to discuss how they make their jewelry.  My dad went to many such fairs and it's how he learned the tricks of his trade.  Nothing better than to swap how-tos than with people who are actually doing it. 

You can also google your questions.  You'd be surprised at how many videos come up explaining how to do a particular thing.  I have learned some simple wire-wrap techniques by doing just that.   

[Esther]

Yup, your Dremel will come with cut off wheels---well not exactly wheels, they're flat like a saw blade but don't have teeth. Your Dremel will come, depending on the one you buy, with a huge assortment of bits. Some will hold sanding drums for wood and some for polishing and sanding for metal or stone. I don't even know what half of the bits are used for. I LOVE MY DREMEL. One was given to me in 1976 and died about 5 years ago. We right away bought a new one. Pete uses it too at times for little stuff. If I were you, I'd google this stuff also to find out for sure how to bend your silverware. You probably will want to make a jig out of maybe pipe to consistantly bend your stuff.  You probably don't have a bench vise, do you. Do you have a blow torch?  I'd head to Salvation Army/Goodwill and pick up some cheap silverware, not the real stuff first and then practice on it until you get it figured out. Do you have a garage workshop or work in your house?

I've seen wind chimes too made out of silverware.

Googled making silverware jewelery: http://www.life123.com/hobbies/jewelry-making/making-jewelry/silverware-jewelry.shtml
http://www.ehow.com/how_4425758_make-flatware-jewelry.html

Have you seen the Instructables website?? Go here:  http://www.instructables.com/
 and start searching for silverware jewelery or just jewelery. Also there is a website called eHow: http://www.ehow.com/  If you've not seen these DIY sites, you'll love them I bet.

[Desertponder]

I've been wanting to do this too. At Christmas time there was a couple at a local craft show that had all kinds of jewelry made from the old silver flatware. I bought a watch from them that I just love.

If you do some online searching there are a number of sites with supplies and instructional materials you can buy. Check for any local art studios that might offer silversmithing classes. We had a lapidary supply store that had classes here but they closed several years ago. I took one of their classes years ago but don't remember how to do all of it now. I would like to learn again but I just don't have the time to do it.
To shape the metal you'll need a rubber mallet and a mandrel.

I found this, it might be helpful.

http://www.starvingjewelryartists.com/index.php?showtopic=7847

[Julles]

Thanks, guys. 

I did Google, before I posted this thread, but could only find instructions like, "bend the spoon" and "cut the metal" but nothing about HOW to do those tasks.  Desert Ponder's link was REALLY explanative!

But - it all sounds quite hard, they way they are bending the metal.  I think I will forgo bending any of them, and instead just cut (with Skill saw, hack saw, or maybe I'll buy that Dremel...sounds like I would get a lot of use out of it), sand or file, and drill holes to make simple earrings and pendants.  If I were going to sell these things, I'd invest in the fancier tools.

Esther, I have a ton of tools and have done all sorts of handyman work, including installing faucets, adding electrical outlets, cutting and installing crown molding and hardwood floors, and tons more.  But I just use my driveway, or my garage, no formal workshop, and, oddly enough, not even an official (or safe) workbench.  Everything's mostly done on the floor or on plywood set on rickety kitty litter buckets.        I love all of it, and have sooo many hobbies and interests.

Isn't crafting so much fun?!!

[Bearb]

I am not much of a metal worker so take this with a large grain of salt. . .
I think the answers to some of your questions depends a lot on the metals (alloys, plating. . .) used for your particular piece of flatware. For example, tool steel will harden when you heat it and quench it quickly (dipping in water or oil) while copper will anneal (soften) with the same treatment. Of course you are not working with either of those metals but it illustrates the different working properties of various metals. Gentle and even heating will make any of the metals you will encounter easier to bend but the color may change with some metals at particular temperatures. Some metals will work harden and become brittle if you bend them too much. If you want to try heating, I would recommend starting with the lowest temperature you can get away with and test each different set of flatware first. You could cut off the tines and bowls and do your tests on them. For the gentle curves, I would try bending without heat first. This will take some muscle but is much safer. Bend either over a wide diameter pipe or make a jig as Esther suggests.

As for cutting the ends off, if you have a dremmel with the carbide cut off disks, they would do a good job. I would avoid the skill saw, by the time you figure out a safe way to do the cut you could have done it with the hack saw. If you use any power tool, WEAR EYE PROTECTION and remember every power tool set up seems safe right up until the point where you get hurt! In fact, I (for the most part) have stopped using my dremmel for cutting metal. The direction of rotation of the dremmel always seems to direct the sparks right where I want my face to be to guide the cut, the hacksaw almost always ends up being faster and always safer.

For polishing the edges after the cut, you can get great results with a good file and some fine sand paper. This message has gotten longer than I intended, if you are interested, I could explain the sand paper more. . .

[Esther]

The hardest part of cutting something with a hacksaw for me is to hold the item steady. That is why I asked about a vise. You'd probably want to maybe wrap the silverware in a rag so the vise wouldn't scratch it but then it might cause the silverware to slip. I don't know. You're going to have to do some trying before you figure out a good way to accomplish what you are trying to do. Unless you run across a person there who can advise you.

[Bearb]

"The hardest part of cutting something with a hacksaw for me is to hold the item steady." This is precisely why I would shy away from using power tools for this task (dremmel being the possible exception).

[Esther]

Bryan, several years ago I made a mesh cover for the pond, using PVC for the frame. Hubby is a plumber so is very adept at cutting PVC. I saw him cutting it and thought, "How hard can it be??" You should have seen me struggling to hold it between my knees like he did, hold it steady with my left hand and hold the hacksaw with my right hand. It took forever but I was determined to DO IT MYSELF. By the time I was done, it was waaaay dark and I was working from the light from the porch light. LOL. Lesson learned. Let DH help when he offers.

[Bearb]

Esther, that made me smile. . . I meant to second your recommendation of a vice or similar, holding the work can get awkward. I have the same trouble when I have to cut long pieces of PVC, I guess getting the hold it between your legs thing takes practice.

[Desertponder]

Its been years ago since I tried making any silver jewelry but it seems like I remember heating the silver and then shaping it. I remember using a jewelers saw(?) to cut pieces but that was before Dremels were plentiful and affordable. It was like a hacksaw but with a wire type blade. There is a method to the madness but I don't remember exactly what anymore. I remember it wasn't really hard but it does take practice to get a nice finished piece.

This is a website that I had bookmarked last summer when I was looking around for jewelry making info. Maybe it will help.

http://www.silverspiderforge.com/silversmithing.html

It also looks like there are some instructional videos on YouTube.

[Brian]

Esther & Bryan,
If you're dealing with small diameter PVC, there are some handy cutters, much like pruning shears that make fast work of cutting the pipe.  I got mine for around $5 on sale at Harbor Freight Tools.  Takes some hand strength, or you can rest the shears on the floor and use your body weight to cut.  Uses a ratcheting mechanism and makes nice clean cuts.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39749

[Esther]

Uhhuh Brian, I know but DH thinks they are for wooses. But when I got done that day I knew I was a woos. LOL

[Julles]

Thanks, everyone.

That's a good site, Ponder.

After reading all this, I am not going to try to bend the metal... the heating and cooling and strength required to bend the metal, plus I would not get the tiny loop I envision small enough to hold a neck chain.

So I'll fiddle with cutting with a hacksaw, or maybe invest in the Dremel at some point.  The suggestion to test on cheap stuff first is a good one.  I have three matching silverplate spoons that I'd like for earrings & a necklace, and don't want to mess them up.

[Kittyzee]

Julles, you probably already know this, but I have bought old silverware at flea markets for next to nothing.  When DH and I first got married, my in-laws bought us a dishwasher (which I never had before) and I needed more silverware to use while the dishwasher filled to a full load and it seemed that I ran out of silverware before it was ready to run.  I bought bunches of the stuff dirt cheap--nice too!   

I also have a wind-chime that hangs over the kitchen sink made from old silverware--I'll try and take a pic of it and post to give you some ideas.   

[emm]

Julles,  I know I'm a little off topic here but I wanted to tell you about a great pair of earrings I have made from an engraved silver cake tray.  The person who made them cut an earring shape with some of the engraved pattern on each piece and then curved the earing slightly to give it a nice shape.  The earrings are both the same shape but the engraved design is a little different on each one.  Actually I lost one of these last summer while walking in the mountains.  Was one of my favourite pairs.  Couldn't begin to tell you what tools and techniques were involved in the process.

emm