Stone on Stone
Join Michael Boyd for a live, virtual, workshop on his techniques and methods for setting stone on stone and more. Students will learn important tips for creating custom fit bezels, see his steps for drilling holes into stones, and learn to create mountings with tube rivets and epoxy. Explore ways of adding color, dimension, and texture to your work with stone layering techniques taught by a master in the field!
For more information about virtual courses, visit our Virtual Course FAQ page.
Please read the Materials & Tools tab!
Meet the instructor
Michael Boyd is is an internationally known artist. His unique creations in stone and metal are found in numerous private collections and have been widely exhibited at important juried shows, as well as prestigious galleries and museums including Ladyfingers Gallery in Carmel, CA, Patina Gallery in Santa FE, NM, the Aaron Faber Gallery and the Museum of Art and Design in New York.
Formally trained in painting and ceramics, for the past thirty years Michael has focused his creative work in jewelry making, a medium in which he is primarily self-taught. Michael is a generous and inspiring teacher who shares his skills in private workshops and at universities around the country, including Colorado State University, Bowling Green State University and the University of Alaska.
Michael has presented at the prestigious Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference in Denver. Active in the local arts community, Michael has served as a trustee/board member of the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center in Pueblo, the Colorado Metalsmithing Association and the Pueblo Arts Alliance.
Michael’s newest endeavor, the creation of the Colorado Center for Metal Arts, a teaching and community art center, has helped revitalize the Historic Arts District in Pueblo, Colorado.
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:
- various stones to layer on one another (Rio Grande)
- fine silver or gold bezel wire - enough for stones (Rio Grande)
- 6" x thin wall silver tubing - 1.8mm (Rio Grande)
- 3"x3" sterling silver sheet - 20g (Rio Grande)
- 3"x3" sterling silver sheet - 26g (Rio Grande)
Hand tools:
- 1 x round nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x flat nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x snips / flush cutters (Rio Grande)
- 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack saw blades - 2/0 (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 half round forming pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x center punch (Rio Grande)
- 1 x scribe (Rio Grande)
- 1 x riveting hammer (Rio Grande)
- 1 x steel block / steel surface (Rio Grande)
- 1 x small steel ruler (Rio Grande)
- 1 x sheet of sand paper - 220 to 600 grits (Rio Grande)
- 1 x dividers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x calipers (Amazon)
- 1 x bezel mandrel (Rio Grande)
- 1 x B20 diamond ball bur - 600 grit (Lasco)
- 1 x B50 diamond ball bur - 600 grit (Lasco)
- 1 x diamond drill bits - 1mm, 1.25mm, 1.5mm, 1.75mm, 2mm (Lasco)
- 10 min. x triple ripple diamond drill bits - 0.75mm (SFJS)
- 1 x hxtal 2-part epoxy (His Glassworks)
Torch setup:
- 1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
- 1 x Solderite™ pad / pan with pumice (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- 1 x torch - Smith mini, Silversmith, or butane (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- 1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (Rio Grande)
- 1 x soldering tweezers (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 6” silver solder - hard (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 6” silver solder - medium (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 6” silver solder - easy (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pickle - sodium bisulfate or citric acid (Rio Grande or Amazon)
- 1 x crock pot or lidded glass container (Rio Grande or 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:
- glass dish with flat bottom - for water
- vaseline
- toothpicks
- q-tips
- little cups - for epoxy and powder (1oz work best)
- hard work surface
- fan and open window - or ventilation system
- particulate dust mask
- safety glasses
- pencil, Sharpie, notebook - for notes
- rags/towels