I have an "Online" Beginning Silversmithing class on my website and via email. It is similar to the free "Online" Steamcasting Class that I have on the website and have emailed to the list in the past. If you enjoyed that class and would like to learn my method of silversmithing, I invite you to join the "Beginning Silversmithing Online Class." I have set a fee for this class as I did for the wire sculpture classes that have been a great success for me and seem to be a hit with the people that joined them.

The fee for the Beginning Silversmithing class is $119.00.

This Beginning Silversmithing Class is for anyone, including anyone that has never done any jewelry making or silversmithing. We will make a pendant with a stone in the "Southwestern Style" that will include soldering on leaves. I will teach my way of silversmithing, including using nothing but "hard" solder, spraying on flux, seldom using a jeweler's saw, and never using rouge to polish silver--to mention just a few.

Every aspect and technique of silversmithing for jewelry making that a beginner needs to know will be taught during this class. It will be taught as if each member wants to become a professional silversmith. This means that whether you wish to do it as a hobby, or pursue it as a career, you will have the knowledge necessary to be a successful silversmith. To view samples of my students work, please go either here:

Please Read on for details about the class.

For this fee each member will receive the following for twelve (12) weeks:

1. One class per week emailed to your personal email address. Each class is described below. If you like, the photos will be included with these emails. If not, a secret location on my site will be given to you to view or copy the photos as you wish.

2. Membership in an email list set up only for students of this class for the purpose of discussing the class and questions every member of the class has. It, of course, is a moderated list where no question will be considered stupid or too simple and will be answered thoroughly. If more photos are needed because of these questions they will be added to the site.

3. My personal help via email or by phone.

4. My guarantee that you will successfully complete the pendant and love it for its beauty.

• You will have to purchase some tools, supplies, silver, and equipment to complete this class. I will supply you with a list during the first class, and several mail order suppliers where they can be obtained. If you have no tools, supplies, silver, or equipment at all, the cost of all these will only be about another $150.00. Yes, that is all it should cost for the tools, supplies, and equipment that you really need to do silversmithing.

  Classes

  • Week 1: Tools and equipment needed for silversmithing.

  • Week 2: Supplies, chemicals and silver needed for silversmithing, including types, sizes, and gauges.

  • Week 3: Metals, their melting temperatures, characteristics, and uses. Types of solder will also be discussed at length.

  • Week 4: Making a perfect bezel every time. (A bezel is the silver part of a piece of jewelry that holds the stone in place.)

  • Week 5: Soldering, including lighting the torch, varieties of solder, how to solder, and much more.

  • Week 6: Jewelry designing. Very basic jewelry design principles that will help you design saleable jewelry.

  • Week 7: Shaping sterling silver. This includes twisting wire, making balls (exact same size, graduated and random sizes), bending design elements, and making jump rings and half round design elements. This also includes soldering on of all types of design elements.

  • Week 8: Making leaves and soldering them in place without ever filling in the detail with solder.

  • Week 9: Cutting off excess metal and filing to shape, including using a grinding wheel for silver.

  • Week 10: Bails, different types, and different ways to solder them on.

  • Week 11: Setting stones and pre-polishing.

  • Week 12: Buffing and finishing.

To join the class or for more information please email me at dnorris@frii.com and put "join" in the subject line.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

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