Mother Daughter Tribute Pendant Project Download

Description

Hidden initials and birthstone colors make this pendant personally meaningful.

Skills: Forming, filing, sanding, soldering

Materials Needed to Complete this Project:

• Round copper wire for practice, 18 gauge, 1-1½ feet
• Sterling silver square wire, 18 gauge, 1-1½ feet
• Crystal beads in birthstone colors or faceted gem beads, 3mm or your choice
• 24g or 26g ball head pins (depending on bead inside diameter), quantity is your
  choice
• 3.2 mm 18 gauge square wire jump ring (same gauge as pendant), quantity 1-3 
• Hard, medium and easy silver solder wire (rolled or hammered flat) 
• Optional bail: sterling hinged enhancer with snap closure, 6×8 mm recommended for 18 gauge square wire

Tools Needed to Complete this Project:

• FORMING:
  • Sandpaper 400 grit and 600 grit
  • Wire cutters
  • Hand file #2 cut
  • Needle file set (various shapes)
  • Round nose pliers
  • Bail making pliers
  • Flat nose pliers
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Planishing hammer
  • Steel block
• SOLDERING:
  • Smith torch with smaller tip size 00
  • Striker 
  • Paste flux
  • Large rectangular charcoal block (wrapped on narrow edges with twisted wire)
  • Fire brick
  • Solder pick
  • Copper tongs
  • Bowl with water for quenching
  • Pickle pot (or crock pot)
  • Pickle (or PH swimming pool cleaning agent)
  • Third hand with cross locking tweezers
  • Insulated cross locking tweezers
• POLISHING:
  • Flex shaft
  • Red narrow bullet 3M abrasive tip (medium grit) that fits on threaded mandrel
  • Black flat edge 3M abrasive disk (high grit)
  • 3 radial 3M abrasive spiral disks (“spider leg”) used together on mandrel and held with a tiny screw 
  • Small screwdriver
  • Mandrels to fit each tip
  • Polishing papers
  • Polishing cloth
  • Brass brush
  • Rotary tumbler
  • 1-2 pounds mixed shapes stainless steel shot
  • Fine metal cleaner (concentrate, dilute according to label)
• SAFETY:
  • Safety glasses
  • Dust mask or respirator

Originally Published: Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, December 2017