Chapter 3. THE BASIC PROCESSES

Following are the basic processes for all jewelry making. Cleaning and filing keep the metal in condition for sawing and soldering which are construction processes, and for wire working which is a decorative process. Polishing and lacquering are finishing processes which bring out the technique of construction, and if well done, enhance the beauty of the article.

SAWING

Sawing with a jeweler's saw blade set in a jeweler's saw frame is used for metals which are too heavy in gauge or too intricate in pattern to be cut with shears. This type of saw can be used for straight, curved or angular lines which often form the outline and shape of the design. The saw blade comes in several different sizes. The coarsest used in this book is # I and the finest #0.

The thickness of the metal must be greater than the distance between the teeth of the blade to prevent the metal from becoming wedged between the teeth, and the saws from bending and breaking. For example, saw 18 gauge metal with a # 1 saw blade.

TRANSFERRING THE PATTERN TO THE METAL

Transfer the traced pattern with carbon paper and a hard pencil.
Scratch the traced design into the metal. Wipe the metal with a damp cloth to remove the carbon lines.

SETTING THE BLADE IN THE FRAME

The worker should be directly in front of the V in the bench pin with the shoulder about 3 inches above the bench top.

With the frame in a horizontal position, place the upper arm of the frame in the V of the bench pin. Hold and press the handle against the body and clamp one end of the blade in the lower jaw. Press the frame, clamp the loose end in the upper jaw. Release the pressure. The blade must be taut.

SAWING THE PATTERN

The right arm holding the saw frame vertically should be directly in front of the bench pin. Use the full length of the blade when sawing straight or curved lines. For angles use the center of the blade with short strokes in one place to make a space in which to turn the blade.

Place the blade in the lower jaw, teeth pointing down toward the handle and away rom the frame. Press the arms of the frame toward each other while inserting the blade in the upper jaw.
Saw with a vertical stroke, the blade always perpendicular to the metal.

PIERCING

Piercing is the term used when the metal is sawed out leaving an openwork design, or when the background is sawed out leaving the design in the metal. Transfer the pattern to the metal. Make depressions with the center punch in the sections which are to be pierced. Insert the twist drill in the chuck of the hand drill and drill holes marked by the punch. Care must be taken in selecting the drill so the size of the hole will not destroy the traced line of the design.

Set the saw blade in the lower jaw of the saw frame. Thread the blade through the drilled hole nearest the center of the design. Support the metal against the lower jaw of the frame while inserting the loose end of the blade in the upper jaw of the frame. Saw out the section. Follow the directions under sawing. Return the saw frame to the horizontal position. Loosen the blade from the upper jaw, and remove from the pierced section. Insert the end as before through another drilled hole. Repeat as above until the design or the background has been pierced.

FILING

Filing is used to smooth rough edges, to level irregular surfaces and remove excess solder. The files most commonly used for jewelry work are needle files which come in a variety of shapes designed for various contours and angles. Large files from four to six inches in length come with a tang to be fitted into a wooden handle. These files are used for larger areas or when a greater amount of metal has to be filed away. They can also be used for finishing an edge as they come in both coarse and smooth cut. It is good to have an assortment. Only a few are shown on the tool pages.

Clean the metal with pumice powder. Place the metal on a steel surface plate. Tap with a mallet to straighten. Rub the file lightly with chalk; this helps to keep the teeth from becoming filled with metal filings. Hold the metal firmly. Put the pressure on the forward stroke, remove the pressure on the back stroke to keep the cutting edge of the teeth from becoming dull. Clean the file at intervals. Remove the burr on the filed edge with a scraper or coarse emery cloth.

The work must always be held firm either in the hand or in a vise or ring clamp. The file is pushed in one direction, either forward or down, away from the worker.

SOLDERING

Soldering is a process used to hold metal pieces together by using another metal or combination of metals which melt and flow at a lower temperature than the metal to be joined.

For the following projects soft solder of tin and lead is used. Pure tin is used as solder only with sterling silver, as it is the color of silver and retains its brilliance. To help the flow of the solder and to keep the metal in condition when heated, a substance called flux is necessary. The flux referred to in this book is in paste form.

An electric soldering iron, or electric plate, will heat the metal enough so the solder will flow on the parts to be joined. Wire or small pieces of metal may be soldered with the iron. The electric plate is used for large areas of metal, or that of heavy gauge which cannot be heated enough with the iron. The metal to be joined must be held firmly until it cools.

Soldering irons can be obtained in several different types with replacement tips. The copper tip of the iron must have a thin coating of solder before it can be used. This process is called tinning.

TINNING THE IRON

Heat the iron. Turn off the electric current. File the hot tip until it is a bright copper on all surfaces. Reheat the iron. Rub the hot tip in the flux and solder until a thin coat of solder covers all surfaces of the tip.

SOLDERING WIRE JOINTS AND SMALL PIECES OF METAL

Hold the metal pieces firmly together.
Pick up the solder with the tip of the iron and place on the joint. Heat the metal until the solder flows.

SWEATING A SAWED DESIGN OF METAL TO A METAL BACKGROUND

Clean and flux one side of the metal sheet from which the design is to be sawed. Lay pieces of solder on the fluxed surface. Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder flows. Spread the solder with a hot iron to form a thin coat on the metal. Rinse in water and dry. Saw the design and file all edges smooth.

Clean and flux the background sheet. Clamp the design to the sheet and soldered surface down. Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder melts. This is shown when a thin light line appears between the two metals. Let cool before removing the clamps.

CLEANING, POLISHING AND FINISHING

The processes of cleaning polishing and finishing, as presented in this book, are done by hand without the use of acids or motor driven polishing buffs.

The condition of the metal to be cleaned determines which tool or abrasive should be used first to remove scratches or other defects. Start with the coarsest tool or abrasive necessary and use in succession others finer than the one just used. When smooth and clean, the metal is ready for polishing. The final steps in finishing a piece of jewelry are very important, for if they are done well they will add much to the beauty of the article.

USE TOOLS AND ABRASIVES IN THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE

Clean the metal with fine pumice powder and water, using a soft cloth for flat surfaces and a brush for recessed parts.

This will remove discoloration and will show which of the tools or abrasives should be used first. File in the direction of a deep scratch, using a long stroke with a coarse file, and continue with finer files. Remove excess solder with a file, scraper or emery cloth. Remove marks of the file and minor scratches with emery cloth, or scotch stone dipped in water, rubbing in a circular motion to avoid wearing a groove in the metal. Rub the metal with fine pumice powder and water. Rub a piece of felt, charged with tripoli cake, over the metal surface (the felt may be mounted on wood and used as a hand buff). Wash in hot soap suds to remove the oil.

POLISHING AND FINISHING

Polish with prepared metal polish for luster. Rub the curved side of the burnisher over the metal until a high polish has been obtained. Finish copper and brass with a thin coat of lacquer.

TO OXIDIZE STERLING SILVER

Dip the polished silver in a solution of liver of sulphur (a lump about 1/2 inch in diameter dissolved in a quart of warm water). When the silver becomes dark rinse in cold water. Dry the metal and rub with a soft cloth dipped in whiting or fine pumice powder. Do not lacquer.