Chapter 6. MAKING DISKS AND DOMES

Disks and domes are used as the foundation of jewelry and also as a means of decoration. They are often given a high polish and take the place of stones in a design. Sometimes wire units are applied to a flat disk or a dome surface for variety and texture.

Cutting disks 20 gauge or lighter sheet metal

Lay the metal on a lead block. Cut a disk from the metal sheet with a dapping die cutter.

18 gauge or heavier sheet metal

Make a circle with the dividers on the metal. Saw or cut the disk. This applies also to oversize disks.

Punching domes

Select a hollow in the dapping die block slightly larger than the disk.. Raise the disk with the dapping die punch to make the dome. Raise domes larger than the standard punches with the round head of a steel hammer or mallet. Place a disk too large for the dapping die block in a hollow made in a lead or wooden block and dome the disk with the round head of the mallet. To smooth the larger domes, place the mallet head in the jaws of the table vise, the round end up. Hold the cup side of the dome on the mallet. Hammer the domed surface with a mallet to make it smooth.

The metal is placed on a lead block when the disks are being cut.

In both procedures the tool is held in a vertical position and the blow of the mallet is from directly above. Necklace of disks and domesDisk and dome unit 22 gauge silver sheet

Cut ten 5/8 inch disks with the dapping die cutter. Draw a line through the center of each disk A. Measure 1/16 inch from the edge and indicate with a scratch on the centered line. Scratch a center line on one side of a 5/16 inch dapping die cutter B. Register the line on A with the line on B and cut out a disk. Dome the small disk and file the top of the dome, C.

22 gauge silver wire

Cut a wire length 1 1/4 inches. Make a 1/8 inch ring on one end of the wire D. Solder the ring on the filed section of the dome E. Loop the wire end around the small rim of the disk, then around a mandrel to form a coil. Turn the wire end inside the coil.

The chain

Hammer two wire nails 1/2 inch apart into a block of wood to make a jig. Cut off the nail heads and file smooth.

22 gauge silver wire

Make an oval coil of wire on the jig. Remove the coil from the jig and insert a piece of cardboard through the coil to keep it straight while sawing. Saw the coil on one side to form oval rings. Bring the wire ends together and solder the joint. Hold the center firmly together with the pliers. Insert the end of the round nose pliers in one looped end and turn forward. Repeat with the other looped end and turn backward. Join, with a ring, the looped ends of the two oval links and the coil on the disk. Repeat the above to form the chain.

Two simple chains, either of which can be used or the drop can be this shape

A good way to hold the dome firm while soldering.

Press the rim of the dome on a sheet of asbestos to form a groove. Cut a V from the edge to the groove. Put the dome in the groove and bend the wire to form a clamp.

B and C soldered to the back of A

Scarf holder22 gauge copper sheet

Cut the metal to pattern A. Pierce the opening. File all edges and finish with emery cloth. Dome A slightly. Tin the cupped side.

24 gauge brass sheet

Cut and dome a 3/8 inch disk B. File the base even. Punch a hole in the center.

24 gauge silver sheet

Cut and dome a 3/8, inch disk. 22 gauge silver wire Cut and double a 1 1/2 inch length. Solder the looped end in the cup of the small dome C. Insert the wire ends through the hole on the cup side in B. Make a coil on each wire end. Solder B and the coils to the back of A.

18 gauge silver wire

Cut three 4 inch lengths. Solder the ends together D. Cut one 3 inch length E. Shape and tin the coiled end. Hold D and E to A with cotter pins. Solder all together.

Belt buckle and buttons

20 gauge copper sheet

Cut and dome two 1 1/2z inch disks A for the buckle, and as many disks A as desired for buttons.

26 gauge brass sheet

Tin the sheet. Cut to pattern B. Dome B to fit the A domes.

22 gauge copper sheet

Cut two strips 3/4 by 1/4 inch C. Turn the ends to fit inside A. Cut a strip 1 inch by 1/4 inch D. Turn one end to form a hook.

18 gauge copper wire

Cut the required number of 2 inch wire lengths for the button shanks and one length for the buckle fastener. Bend E for the button shanks and F for the buckle fastener. Tin C, D, E and F where the contact is made with A domes. Flux the cupped side of B. Hold to A with cotter pins. Place on screen and hot plate until the solder melts. Flux C, D and F and hold with cotter pins on the cupped side of the large A domes. Make sure B is held firmly on the domed side. Sweat together. Solder E on the back of the small A domes with the soldering iron.

E-shank for the button parts assembled for soldering

Bracelet

back view silver wires added two wires

14 gauge copper wire

Cut three 15 inch lengths of wire. Hold 3 inches of the ends in the jaws of the table vise. Clamp 3 inches of the other loose ends in the jaws of the hand vise. Hold taut and give the hand vise twenty-four full turns. Make a flat wire coil on each wire end. Cut the 1/4 inch holding end even with the coil. Raise the center of the coil on a lead block with a dapping die punch and tin the raised center.

24 gauge silver sheet

Cut and dome six 3/8 inch disks. File the base of the domes even. Tin the inside of the domes. Flux the tinned surface of the domes and coils. Lay one of the coil ends on the screen and hot plate.

Place a dome on each coil and solder together. Repeat the above process on the other end. Hold the head of a wooden mallet in the jaws of the table vise. Bend the twisted wire length around the mallet to form the bracelet. Shape to fit the arm. Curve one end with round nose pliers. Bend the other end. The coils must lie flat on the arm.

22 gauge silver wire

Cut three 15 inch lengths. Wind a wire in the first groove of the twist. Leave one inch of the wire free on each end. Coil the silver wire in every third groove between the copper wires.

Pull the wire tight during the coiling process. Repeat the above with the other wire lengths. Coil the loose ends. Solder the coils on the back under the domes. Smooth any rough surfaces with a file and emery cloth. Rub the domes with fine pumice powder to remove scratches. Polish with metal polish. Finish with chamois skin. Lacquer the twisted wire.

three wires with ends soldered on the back

Ring ornamented with a dome 14 gauge silver wire

Cut one 8 inch length of wire. Make a 1/2 inch flat coil on one end. Cut the 1/4 inch holding wire. Tap the coil flat with a mallet and raise the center with a dapping die punch. Tin the raised center.

24 gauge silver sheet

Cut and dome a 3/8 inch disk.

Tin the inside of the dome. Place the coiled end on the screen and the dome on the tinned coil. Sweat together. Hold the coil on the #3 ring on the ring mandrel and coil the loose end of the wire to form the ring. Curve the ends and solder a 1/4 inch silver bead on the wire end with tin solder and a soldering iron. Cut and dome a 1/8 inch disk and solder to cover the hole in the bead.

silver coil raised and tinned larger dome soldered to the coil

the ring is formed on the ring mandrel

Slide for a sport tie 20 gauge copper sheet-turquoise matrix stone

Transfer the patterns A and B to the copper sheet. Cut both to pattern. Place B in the forming block and curve slightly. Place the stone on A and indicate the edge of the stone with a scratch line on each arm. Remove the stone and turn the ends at right angles on the scratched lines. Tin the back of A and hold on the curved surface of B with cotter pins. Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder melts.

20 gauge copper wire - woven silk cord

Make two tapered coils C about seven rings each. The small end of the coil should fit the cord snugly. Hold the coils together with cotter pins and solder together. Leave a thin coat of solder on the back. Solder C to the back of B. Make sure the soldering tweezers hold A on the front while holding C on the back. Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder melts. Make two tapered coils about fifteen rings each D. A knitting needle may be used for the mandrel. Remove all scratches with pumice powder and emery cloth. Set the stone between the arms of A. Turn the ends over the stone with the burnisher. Polish and lacquer the slide B and the coils C and D. Wind the cord ends with fine binding wire. Cover the ends with liquid cement and insert in the coils D.

To make the forming block

Drill a 3/4 inch hole in a block of wood. Saw the block in half to divide the hole lengthwise. File the curve of the groove to an oval shape. Smooth with sandpaper. File and smooth a dowel or broom handle to fit the curve in the block.

Pendant with reflected stone silver, shaped and marked prongs cut and finished bead soldered to the cup Pendant with reflected stone

The stone in this pendant is chrysocola with a high polish, the bright color reflecting on the polished surface of the silver cup. Any stone with a flat base can be used. The pendant hangs from a cord which matches the blue of the stone.

24 gauge silver sheet

Cut a paper pattern larger than the base of the stone. Transfer the pattern to the silver and cut out. Scratch the outline of the stone in the center. Dome on a lead block with a round headed wooden mallet. Hold the cup side on the round head of a wooden mallet held in the jaws of the table vise.

Tap the surface with a flat faced steel hammer. Flatten the dome to fit the base of the stone. Center punch inside the outline of the stone. Drill holes as indicated. Saw four prongs. Turn the prongs up from the cup. Round the end of the prongs with a file. Tape a 1/4. inch silver bead on a wooden stick. File a slit in the bead. Insert the pointed end of the cup in the slit. Solder to the bead on the back with tin solder.

Bowknot barrette

22 gauge silver sheet

Transfer the design to the metal. Cut A and B to pattern. Cut a strip 1/2 inch by 3/16 inch C. Cut a strip 1/4 inch by 3/4 inch D. File all edges smooth. Bend A and B slightly. Bend C at right angles to fit the center of B. Make hooks on both ends of D. File the curve of the hooks flat. Tin the filed surface of the hooks and the flat top of D, also the top of the commercial clasp. Solder D to the tinned surface of the clasp. Place A on B and C in the center. Bend the arms of C around AB as shown. Solder C to B.

Place the tinned hooks of D on the back of B. Solder in place with the soldering iron.

D soldered to the clasp

Polish with emery cloth, pumice powder and silver polish. Rub the cup with a burnisher for a high polish. Bend the prongs over the stone with a burnisher.

L soldered to A and B, back view

Insert the cord through the bead on the pendant. String the beads on the cord, holding in place with a knot.

Boy's ringof silver and onyx

The depth of the stone determines the length of the ring shank and also the distance the holes are bored from the ends. The stone may be oblong or square, with or without a beveled edge. Measure the finger with ring sizes, and the circumference of the size on the ring gauge. Draw the pattern for the shank, allowing for enough metal to extend above the stone.

18 gauge silver sheet

Transfer the pattern and saw the ring shank A. Place one arm of the dividers over the end of A and set to measure e 1/8 inch more than the depth of the stone, scratch a line. Repeat on the other end. Divide these lines into three parts. Drill holes, as marked, to fit 12 gauge wire.

Oblong stone 1/8 inch in depth

Measure the base of the stone and add Y% inch to the length on each end.

26 gauge silver sheet

Transfer the pattern B to the metal. Cut B and bend the ends. Tin the back. The work is held in the ring clamp while sawing, finishing, and setting the stone.

12 gauge silver wire

Cut three lengths 3/4 inch C. Tin the wires on one side. Bend A around the ring mandrel to make a loop. Thread wires C through the holes. Be sure the tinned side of the wire is turned up. Flux and bind B to the wires. Bind the arms of A close to the edge of B.
Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder melts. Hold in a ring clamp. Saw the protruding wires leaving a short end. File to form knobs. Place the stone in B. Bend and burnish the silver over the stone. Burnish the ends of A.

The ring is formed on the ring mandrel or reshaped on it if it becomes distorted.

Girl's ring of silver and chrysocola

The width of the stone determines the length of the shank. Measure the finger with ring sizes, and determine the circumference of the ring on the ring gauge. Draw the pattern of the shank long enough to include the circumference of the ring and the two flanges.

18 gauge silver sheet

Transfer the pattern for the ring shank to the metal A. Saw to pattern. File all edges smooth.

22 gauge silver sheet

Draw the outline of the stone on a sheet of paper and add enough to the outline to form arms to hold the stone. Transfer the pattern to the metal. Saw to pattern B. Bend the arms at right angles and file them to the thickness of 26 gauge. Bend A around the ring mandrel. Shape with a mallet. Turn the ends with pliers and tap to flatten slightly. File across the turned ends to make flat and even. Tin the underside of B and the turned ends of A. Flux the tinned surface of A and B. Wire together. Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder melts.

Clean and polish. Place the stone on B. Bend and burnish the arms over the stone. File any rough edges and smooth with emery cloth. Burnish to a high polish.

Butterfly brooch of copper and brass

28 gauge brass sheet

Saw A from the brass sheet which has been tinned on one side. 22 gauge copper sheet Saw B from the copper sheet. File all edges smooth and finish with emery cloth. Make a groove in a wooden block. Draw a center line through A and B. Place the tinned side of A on the block and hammer into the groove. Hammer a groove in B. File and tin the rib on the back resulting from the groove on the front.

18 gauge copper wire

Cut a 6 inch length of wire. Make a 1/2 inch tapered coil 3/16 to 1/8 inch C. Bend the beginning ring at right angles to the coil. Tin one side of the coil. Cut a 3 1/2 inch length. Loop in the center D. Insert the looped end through the ring into the coil. Solder the wire to the ring.

26 gauge copper sheet

Cut and dome a 1/4 inch disk. Solder the dome to the coil. Flux the tinned surface of A and C. Hold together with cotter pins and soldering tweezers. Place on a screen and hot plate until the solder melts. Tin the back of a commercial clasp. Solder to the tinned surface of B with a soldering iron. Polish and finish with lacquer.

Butterfly brooch of silver Guide lines are marked with the dividers.

24 gauge silver sheet

Saw A and B to pattern.

The edges are crimped with the pliers. A commercial clasp is soldered to the back.

File all edges smooth and finish with emery cloth. Mark on the back of A and B the placing of the punched domes. Place on a lead block and punch the spots indicated to raise the domes on the front. Scratch guide lines with dividers on the edge of A and B.

Crimp 1/8 of an inch from the edge with round nose pointed pliers. Let the pliers touch the scratch line. Hold the metal firmly with the pliers, using a rolling motion of the hand forward and backward to make the crimp.

18 gauge silver wire

Make a 1 1/4 inch tapered coil 1/4 to 1/8 inch.

the cross the chain

Foliated cross and chain THE CROSS

inch silver tubing

Saw A 3/4 inch and B 1/2 inch.

20 gauge brass wire

Cut four i inch lengths and make units C.

24 gauge silver sheet

Cut and dome a 3/16 inch disk. Directions for making the cross are on page 31.

THE CHAIN

1/8 inch silver tubing

Saw the required number of 5/16 inch lengths. 20 gauge brass wire Cut three 1 inch lengths for each tube. Insert the wires in the tubes letting them extend 3/8 inch from each end. Coil the ends D. Link the D units together with 1/8 inch rings. Make hooks on two of the units and solder a ring in one hook.

Chain with onyx and silver beads 26 gauge sheet brass

Cut and dome two 1/2² inch disks for each onyx bead in the chain. Lay the dome, cup up, on a lead block. Punch a hole in the center of each. File the rough edges smooth and finish with emery cloth. Coat the inside of the domes with liquid cement and place on a 1/4 inch onyx bead. The holes in the bead and domes must register. Let the cement dry.

20 gauge brass wire

Cut two lengths a 1 1/4, inches and one length 1 1/2 inches, three wires for each onyx bead. Make a hook on one end of each wire. Insert two short wires and one longer wire through the hole in the capped onyx bead, being sure the long wire is in the center between the short wires. Turn the ends to hold the bead firmly. Make a 1/8 inch wire coil. Saw the coil into rings.
Link the rings together to make a double chain. Cut a wire length 1 3/8 inches. Thread a 1/8 inch silver bead on the wire between two onyx beads. Loop the ends of the wire. Join the bead units with the chain.

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