Titanium and Niobium: An Introduction
This class is an introduction to working with titanium and niobium on a jewelry scale in the home studio. We will explore the unique characteristics of these metals and how to take advantage of them in your own work. This class will focus primarily on providing valuable information regarding these metals, however, demonstrations showing various techniques and approaches will also be included. Students will learn what is needed to anodize and color these metals, create patterns, what tools to get to work with these metals most efficiently and how to design with wearability in mind while considering the unusual and exciting properties of these metals.
The goal of this class is to clarify how to work with titanium and niobium and add it to the students own jewelry designs. The instructor recommends holding off on purchasing materials and/or equipment until after the student has taken the class and decided whether they want to work with the materials.
Meet the instructor
Kirk Lang is a Seattle based Studio Artist. He holds a MFA from the University of Washington in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts and a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in Jewelry & Metals. His work can be seen in such publications as MJSA Journal, 500 Metal Vessels, 500 Necklaces, 1000 Rings and Metalsmith Magazine. He was selected for a solo exhibition at the Metals Museum in 2014 and for inclusion in the 2016 Biennial at the Bellevue Arts Museum. He has received several awards including an Artist Trust Fellowship, Artist Trust GAP Grant and an Individual Project Grant from 4Culture. Most recently, he received a Saul Bell Design Award for his jewelry in both 2019 and 2020. Recurring themes in his work include time, space and mythology, in the form of wearable and interactive sculptural objects.
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.
The goal of this class is to clarify how to work with titanium and niobium and add it to the students own jewelry designs. The instructor recommends holding off on purchasing materials and/or equipment until after the student has taken the class and decided whether they want to work with the materials.
Note: To order from Reactive Metals, you must either call, email, or fax in an order form found here
Supplies:
- 20g sterling silver sheet (Rio Grande)
- Titanium Starter Kit (Reactive Metals)
- Niobium Starter Kit (Reactive Metals)
- Anodizing Kit (Rio Grande)
- Pyrex Beaker (250ml) (Rio Grande)
- Neo Latex Gloves (Rio Grande)
Hand Tools:
- 1 x round nose pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x chain 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)
Studio Setup:
- 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 pilers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x center punch (Rio Grande)
- 1 x scribe (Rio Grande)
- 1 x ring clamp (Rio Grande)
- 1 x rawhide/plastic mallet (Rio Grande)
- 1 x riveting hammer (Rio Grande)
- 1 x chasing 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 (Amazon)
- 1 x calipers (Amazon)
- 1 x dividers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x sanding sticks/paint stirs (Rio Grande)
- 1 x parallel pliers (Rio Grande)
Basic Torch Setup:
- 1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
- 1 x Solderite™ pad/pan with pumice, etc. (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- 1 x torch - Smith mini, Silvermith, 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 3d arm (Rio Grande)
- 1 x cross lock tweezers (Rio Grande)
Other/miscellaneous items:
- hard work surface
- fan and open window - or ventilation system
- safety glasses
- pencil, Sharpie, notebook
- rags/towels