Carving Wood Jewelry with Wire Inlay
This demo-fucused virtual course will provide an introduction to wood carving at the jewelry scale. We will utilize many tools and techniques familiar to the jewelry studio, as well as new ones that make the incorporation of this multifunctional material possible for any studio space! The focus of this class will be placed on carving a wood earrings, which are an excellent small-scale introduction to many carving processes and techniques.
After carving, the class will explore wire inlay possibilities as a surface embellishment. Students can expect to come away with an understanding of the working properties of wood, the tools needed to manipulate wood on a jewelry scale, and a variety of ways to incorporate it into jewelry work. Students must be comfortable working with a rotary hand piece.
For more information about virtual courses, visit our Virtual Course FAQ page.
Please read the Materials & Tools tab!
Meet the instructor
Daniel DiCaprio earned his MFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University and a BS in Art Education from Nazareth College. DiCaprio currently teaches at UL Lafayette. His prior experience includes maintaining a studio practice, working as a professional goldsmith and teaching Jewelry and Metalsmithing at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.
"My work is an exploration of transitional moments. The process of adaptation and evolution informs my practice by highlighting the instant when something is forced to change. I seek to emphasize this moment of intersection in particular and maximize the tension it creates. Referencing what we are and where we came from, the pieces are created to articulate the tenuous balance between survival and destruction that all life forms maintain in the world."
Visit www.danieldicaprio.com to view more of Daniel's work.
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name to be redirected to a page where you can view the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is not required - observers are welcome.
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1 x Typhoon ball nose bur - with mwx discount (Foredom)
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1 x Typhoon bud bur - with mwx discount (Foredom)
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1 x ebony - 5/8" x 1 3/4" x 7" (Wood Craft)
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metal wires - and marching size drill bits (Rio Grande)
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your preferred findings or wire to make them (Rio Grande)
Hand tool (note the rasp is the instructors favorite brand, but another brand or a course file will also work in a pinch):
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1 x 6" modeller's rasp file (Tools For Working Wood)
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1 x chain nose pliers (Rio Grande)
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1 x snips / flush cutters (Rio Grande)
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1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
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1 x pack saw blades - # 2/0 (Rio Grande)
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1 x pack saw blades - # 4 or any # 2-6 (Rio Grande)
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1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
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1 x half round hand file - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x rotary tool - flex shaft, micro motor, etc. (Rio Grande)
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1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x sheet of sand paper - 220 to 600 grits (Amazon)
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1 x calipers (Amazon)
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1 x cyanoacrylate glue - any brand (Walmart)
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drill bit to match your chosen earring findings
Other/miscellaneous items:
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hard/stable work surface
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safety glasses
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dust mask
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kebab skewers, balsa wood, or dowels
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masking tape or painters tape
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pencil
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white marking pencil
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spring clamps or small ratchet clamps
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paper - for drawing
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rubber cement or spray adhesive - optional
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spray lacquer - Deft and Krylon are common brands
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small fan and open window - for dust
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bandaids