Adventures in Chain-Making

Since November 2009, I have had the opportunity to work for a locally well known and respected jeweler, Rafael. I work only Saturdays and mostly just file paperwork, open the always locked door for customers, file new jobs, answer the phone, etc. But every so often, Rafael will teach me little bits about jewelry making; nothing too much or too complicated, but still, I will take any experience he offers to me.

This week, after telling me how much he wishes I was a jeweler and could help him, he offered to let me come in after hours and teach me about anything I asked (within reason). My first project is to make a large-ish chain. I started by pulling some silver into wire, which might have worked well if I hadn't lost my grip on the wire, slipped, and fallen on my behind :P After I accidentally pulled the wire much thinner than originally intended, Rafael annealed it, and I wound it onto a mandrel to make round links for a chain. I started to solder a few closed, but had to go home before I got very far.

Yesterday, I stayed late after work to finish soldering all the links together into a chain that was prolly about 14in; I think I will make a big clasp for it next time and make it into a necklace. I got progressively faster at the soldering, and figured out how to make it work [almost] every time. I even got lots of practice lighting and tuning the torch, since I accidentally put it out every other time I used it! Maybe sometime I'll post all the little tips Rafael has given me and I have figured out.

A side effect of soldering is all the discoloration on the silver, which makes for an interesting look, so I took a picture of all the rings I soldered closed before putting them on a chain.