View our courses and events calendarI absolutely loved this class, and I feel it will help me take my work to a new level and explore new areas of craft. I enjoyed meeting and talking with so many talented artists, including the staff and interns at Metalwerx. I hope to return for a future workshop!
Links, Chains, and A Little Heat
Course Description
About this course
This course is designed to teach chains and links that combine cold and balled wire connections to make simple, elegant, or funky elements for chain link earrings, bracelets, or necklaces. Focus will be placed on using simple tools and techniques such as hammer forging, piercing, plier forming, texturing, and stitching, in combination with minimal heat from a torch to make closed-link, balled wire connections in a variety of designs. This class is perfect for those with limited access to studio tools or equipment and will build on basic metalsmithing knowledge. Some experience with utilizing heat is required. Torch safety will be covered during the course.
Class will be held live via Zoom during the designated time frame. A link to the Zoom room will be sent via email.
Each session will be recorded and you will receive a password protected link to the recordings that expire after 30 days.
Please read the Materials & Tools tab!
Meet the Instructor
Paulette Werger
Paulette Werger is a metalsmith and teacher who works in Lebanon, NH. She sells her work both nationally and internationally and is owner of Metalpeople East, a jewelry and hollow ware studio. She has taught metalsmithing at the University of WI, Montana State University, and at craft schools throughout the country. She serves as trustee for Society of Arts and Crafts and is a former board member of SNAG.
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 (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can find 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 strongly encouraged but not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/raw materials (the instructor will demonstrate in Argentium silver):
- 3-4 feet of round wire 16g or 14g - copper, brass, or silver (Rio Grande)
- 3-4 feet of round wire 20g or 18g - Argentium silver (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 3"x6" sheet 24g, 22g, or 20g - copper, brass, or silver (Rio Grande)
Hand tools:
- 1 x needle file set #2 or #4 cut (Rio Grande)
- 1 x round nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x needle nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x flat half-round pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x planishing hammer (Rio Grande)
- 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack of #4/0 saw blades (Rio Grande)
- 1 x flush cutters (Rio Grande)
- 1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
- 1 x rotary tool or hand drill (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack drill bit - #60 (Rio Grande)
- 1 x steel block (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack of pumice flat-edge wheel (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 1/16" screw mandrel - 3/32" shank (Rio Grande)
- 1 x torch - butane or other (Rio Grande)
- 1 x butane cartridge - if using butane (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 6"x6" solderite pad (Rio Grande)
- 1 x soldering tweezers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x fireproof torch area - steel baking sheet will work (Amazon)
- 1 x Solderite™ pad or fire bricks (Rio Grande)
- 1 x compressed charcoal block - optional (Rio Grande)
- safety glasses
- sandpaper - 220-600 grits
- Virtual Course
Tuition
$225.00
Instructor
Paulette Werger
Dates
February 9 -23, 2021
Weekly on Tuesday
Time
1:00 PM -3:00 PM
Length
3 weeks
Level
Basic and above
- Intro workshop or similar experience
Location
Virtual - Eastern Time Zone
