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Stacking Rings with Tube Set Bling!
What’s better than a tube set gemstone ring? A stack of them! This virtual course will focus on fabricating a set of tube set gemstone and sterling silver rings that can be stacked together or worn solo on different days or different fingers! Tube set gemstones add a fine contemporary element to rings and students will learn to fabricate various styles of tube set rings and to vary the height of their tube settings to add an extra dimension to the stack. The repetition of the band fabrication, setting fabrication, and the setting of the gemstones will help students learn and refine their skills in a short time frame.
Meet the instructor
"Growing up, I always was mesmerized by sparkling gemstones and metals and I often incorporate something illuminating into my designs. Whether or not I intricately plan a jewelry piece in advance of producing it or just spontaneously fabricate one as I go along, the result is inevitably something that is unique with a contemporary flair that complements, rather than overwhelms, a wearer. When designing jewelry or other metal work, I always think about whether I would wear it, use it, and/or display it. Anyone who knows me sees a reflection of me in what I design.
I produce fine contemporary jewelry and other metal designs primarily in the precious metals of gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. These are often further defined with the addition of texturing, gemstones and other unique lapidary, or resin inlay. I also manufacture photo-etched metal jewelry and etched cover plates that are attached to journals or are framed--wedding invitations, bar and bat mitzvah invitations, baby announcements, and the like.
In addition to participating in art shows, sales, and doing commission work, I love providing instruction in jewelry design and metal fabrication. My work can be seen and purchased at galleries and stores, as well as in my own online store. Designing and fabricating engagement and wedding bands and other jewelry, often with people's stones, is particularly meaningful to me."
-Wendy Jo
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:
- 12" x sterling round wire - 14g (Rio Grande)
- 2" x sterling heavy wall tubing - 3.56mm (Rio Grande)
- 3 x faceted gemstone or CZ - 3mm (Rio Grande)
Hand tool:
- 1 x stone setting bur - 3mm (Rio Grande)
- 1 x steel burnisher (Rio Grande)
- 1 x steel ring mandrel - with size markings (Rio Grande)
- 1 x sticky wax (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 1/4lb tube Tripoli polishing compound (Contenti)
- 1 x 6oz tube Rouge polishing compound (Contenti)
- 1 x pack miniature felt buffs - mounted (Rio Grande)
- 1 x snips / flush cutters (Rio Grande)
- 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack saw blades - 2/0 - any brand (Rio Grande)
- 1 x burlife / bee's wax (Rio Grande)
- 1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
- 1 x half round hand file - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
- 1 x rotary tool - flex shaft, micro motor, etc. (Rio Grande)
- 1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
- 1 x half round forming pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x rawhide / plastic mallet (Rio Grande)
- 1 x digital caliper (Rio Grande)
- 1 x sheet of sand paper - 220 to 600 grits (Amazon)
- 1 x scribe - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x ring clamp - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x ring sizer - to find your ring size - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x miter jig - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x tube cutting jig - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x stone setting punches - optional (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
Torch setup:
- 1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
- 1 x annealing pan with pumice - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x compressed charcoal block - hard (Rio Grande)
- 1 x torch - Smith mini, Silversmith, or butane (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- 1 x #0 torch tip - if using Silversmith (Rio Grande)
- 1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (Rio Grande)
- 1 x soldering tweezers - optional (Rio Grande)
- 1 x soldering pick (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 3rd arm (Rio Grande)
- 1 x cross lock tweezers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x paste flux (Rio Grande)
- 1 x copper tongs - for pickle (Rio Grande)
- 1 x small piece silver solder - medium (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pickle - sodium bisulfate or citric acid (Rio Grande or Amazon)
- 1 x brass bristle brush (Rio Grande)
- 1 x crock pot or lidded glass container - for pickle (Amazon)
- 1 x tempered glass container or sink - for quenching and rinsing
- 1 x small brush - for flux
- 1 x liquid hand soap - for cleaning metal
Other/miscellaneous items:
- hard/stable work surface
- safety glasses
- dust mask
- ultra fine point Sharpie