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    Fentz.silver nose ring on and in hand
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    Fentz.silver hinge being carved

Tiny Hinges Without Heat!

In this demo focused virtual workshop, students will learn techniques for making 3 styles of tiny hinges (the cutest of all hinges) for hoop earrings and body adornment! Only a variety of carving bits and basic jewelers hand tools will be needed to carve out the hinges from solid stock. There is no soldering required for the hinge making approaches that will be covered in this course, however soldered alternatives will be discussed! 

This workshop on tiny hinges pairs perfectly with Taylor's course on Tiny Clasps for Hoop Earrings and More!

Meet the instructor

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Taylor is an artist and metalsmith with interests rooted in anthropology. She is inspired by natural curiosities and human tendencies. Taylor completed a studio residency at Contemporary Craft while finishing her MFA at Edinboro University with a concentration in metals. She is currently a bench jeweler in Lewes, Delaware.

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.

 

Metal/raw materials (NOTE choose wire gauge to suit your comfort level with working small and know that small drill bits may break, so having more than one could prove helpful - additionally, thicker wire will be carved, so pick any shape you like): 

  • 1"-3" x silver, brass, or copper wire - 14g to 10g (Rio Grande)

  • 1"-3" x sterling round wire - 20g, 22g, 24g, or 26g (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x drill bits - #s 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x diamond coated carving bits (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x cup burs - OPTIONAL (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x krause burs (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x separating discs (Rio Grande)

  • 1 x screw mandrel - for separating discs

 

Torch setup:

  • 1 x torch setup - OPTIONAL

 

Hand tools:

 

Other/miscellaneous items: 

  • hard work surface

  • fan and open window - or ventilation system

  • safety glasses 

  • pencil, Sharpie, notebook

  • rags/towels

 

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