Anodized Niobium Earrings Project Download

Description

Learn to love working with niobium! This metal is easy to form, slow to work harden, and you can color it to suit yourself using an electrical charge. Build your basic fabrication and anodize skills with these unique earrings.

Required Materials:

• 28 gauge niobium sheet or precut niobium discs
• Niobium ear wires
• Small length of niobium wire, any gauge
• Electrolyte powder
• Acetone

Tools:

• HAND: Ball peen or chasing hammer, small anvil, dapping block and punch (I made one out of wood), small piece of compressed cardboard, centerpunch, drill press or flex shaft and 1/16″ drill bit, jeweler’s flat file, scissors or jeweler’s saw, circle template
• ANODIZING: Nitrile (or vinyl) gloves, anodizer (adjustable DC power supply 0-120V @ 1A), plastic tub to hold the electrolyte, small natural hair paintbrush, safety glasses
• FINISHING: Deburring tool (I use a sanding bit mounted in a Dremel flex shaft tool), files, 800 grit wet or dry silicon carbide sandpaper
• OPTIONAL: Dremel flex shaft tool with a small sanding drum, for deburring the drilled holes

Technique: basic fabrication and use of an anodizer
Originally Published: Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist November 2014