Make Earrings from Copper Washers Using Cold Connections

Before: Copper washers

Yesterday we demonstrated how to make earrings out of copper washers but some folks just do not want to (or have the equipment to) solder. No worries! There are many, many designs to make earrings out of copper washers using only cold connections. Today, we decided to continue our copper washer series and share one of a variety of cold connected earring designs we developed while playing around with copper washers.

 Materials
4 copper washers
20-gauge round brass wire

After: Copper and brass earrings by GeltDesigns.com

Tools
Mandrel
Round nose pliers 
Wire cutter
Wire round and cup bur (or flex shaft and cup bur)
Bordering or goldsmith hammer
Steel bench block
Tumbler

Step 1
Make the ear wires using the technique we demonstrated in yesterday's tutorial.

Texture washers with hammer

Step 2
Add texture to the copper washers. Place the washers on the steel bench block and hammer the washers.

Step 3
Use round nose pliers to form four (4) "S" shaped links.

Step 4
Assemble the earrings. Attach the washers using an "S" link. Attach a second "S" link for decoration. Attach the ear wires.

Step 5
Tumble the earrings to add strength to the ear wires and add shine to the copper.

Further Reading
"Mixed Metal Jewelry Workshop: Combining Sheet, Clay, Mesh, Wire & More (Lark Jewelry Books)": Mary Hettmansperger; 2010.
"The Jewelry Architect: Techniques and Projects for Mixed-Media Jewelry"; Kate McKinnon; 2010.

Related Tutorials
Make Hammered Copper Earrings from Washers
Make a Hammered Pendant from Washers 
Make a Heart Pendant from a Copper Washer
Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant
Make a Stamped Pendant from a Washer
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
How to Make "Fish Hook" Ear Wires 

Day 96  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: copper washer, scrap brass wire
New Jewelry a Day.

Make Hammered Copper Earrings from Washers

Before: Copper washers

In looking back through the projects we've made, my daughter and I realized that although we have shared many projects using copper washers, we did not share how to use copper washers to make fashion earrings. That omission did not seem very fair to ears... so today we decided to share an earring project. The question was... which one. There are so many different ways to use copper washers to make earrings. Oh... the choices.

These earrings are very simple to make using basic metalsmith techniques... but they are crowd-pleasers.

Materials
4 copper washers
20-gauge half-hard round sterling silver wire

After: Earrings by GeltDesigns.com

Tools
Mandrel
Round nose pliers 
Wire cutter
Wire round and cup bur (or flex shaft and cup bur)
Bordering or goldsmith hammer
Steel bench block
Soldering torch & equipment
Annealing pan
Flux
Sparex acid pickle
Pickle pot
Wet/dry sandpaper
Tumbler

Step 1
Make the ear wires. Create a loop at the end of 20 gauge sterling silver ear wires. Wrap the wire around a mandrel the size and shape of the ear wires after completing the first loop. Continue to wrap the wire until it wraps all the way around the mandrel. Cut the wire just before the wire intersects the created loop. Use pliers to bend the end of the cut wire so it is parallel to the loop. Use a wire rounder, needle files or a cup bur and a flex shaft to file the ends of the ear wire smooth. Repeat to make second ear wire.

Step 2

Hammer washer to add texture

Put the copper washer on the steel bench block and use your hammer to create texture in the washer. We used the hammer to create parallel lines just as we did in yesterday's hammered pendant, but you can use the hammer to create many different textures. Repeat with the remaining washers.

Step 3
Arrange the washers. Sweat solder the washers. We used a butane torch to sweat solder this project, but any torch will work (from a propane plumber's torch to a sophisticated goldsmith torch with an acetylene and oxygen mix).

Step 4
Attach the soldered washers to the ear wires to create the earrings.

Step 5
Tumble the earrings to harden, burnish and add shine.

Related Tutorials
Make a Hammered Pendant from Washers 
Make a Heart Pendant from a Copper Washer
Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant
Make a Stamped Pendant from a Washer
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
How to Make "Fish Hook" Ear Wires 
Thoughts on Soldering Torches & Other Equipment
Soldering for Jewelry Makers
Solve Your Soldering Problems

Further Reading
"Hot Connections Jewelry: The Complete Sourcebook of Soldering Techniques"; Jennifer Chin, 2011.
"Soldering Made Simple: Easy Techniques for the Kitchen-Table Jeweler";  Joe Silvera; 2010.


"Step-by-Step Jewelry Workshop: Simple Techniques for Soldering, Wirework, and Metal Jewelry"; Nicola Hurst; 2008.


Day 95  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: copper washer, scrap sterling wire
New Jewelry a Day.

Make a Hammered Pendant from Washers

Choose two copper washers

We made this simple, elegant pendant with only copper washers and scrap sterling silver wire. I really like the way it looks... and I especially like the fact that few would guess that this pendant was made only from found materials.

Find scrap wire

Materials
2 copper washers
18-gauge sterling silver wire

Tools
Bordering or goldsmith hammer
Steel bench block
Soldering torch & equipment (optional)

Step 1
Select two different sized copper washers.

Step 2
Add texture to the washers by placing the copper washers on a steel bench block and then hammering the washers with a bordering hammer.

Step 3
Select or create a bail. we made our bail from 18-gauge sterling silver wire that we collected from our scrap bin.

After: Sterling and Copper Pendant

Step 4
Put the textured washers on the bail. The bail will hold the two copper washers in place.... but if you do not want the washers to move (and make noise) when worn you can sweat solder the washers before putting the washers on the bail.

Related Tutorials
Make a Pendant Bail
Make a Heart Pendant from a Copper Washer
Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant
Make a Stamped Pendant from a Washer
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers

Further Reading
"The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide for Jewelers and Metalsmiths"; Vannetta Seecharran
"Complete Metalsmith: Professional Edition"; Tim McCreight; 2004.
"Jewelry: Fundamentals of Metalsmithing (Jewelry Crafts)"; Tim McCreight; 1997.

Day 94  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: copper washer, scrap sterling
New Jewelry a Day.

Make a Zipper Pull from Scrap Glass

Happy President's Day!

Spring is auction season in Washington, DC and today we made a custom zipper pull from scrap glass for a local school to sell at auction to benefit the scholarship fund. The zipper pull is in the kiln...so you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see the final product.

Make a Paper Bead Pendant

We are intrigued at the notion of making beads from scrap paper and decided to try our hand. Our first attempts were no where near as grand as some of the things we've seem folks do...but we decided to report our first results anyway. We hope our next results will be improved.

Before: Scrap paper

Materials
Scrap paper
Mandrel (tooth pick or barbecue skewer) or bead roller
Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge
Paint brush
Nail polish (optional)
2mm satin cord
18-gauge brass wire

Tools
Wire cutter
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

Step 1
Cut the paper selected for the paper beads into triangle strips. For a football shaped bead, cut a wide triangle. For a round bead, cut a thin, very long triangle (the length of four magazine pages).

Step 2
Roll the paper on a mandrel. We used a kitchen skewer. To secure the bead, we folded the paper over the mandrel and then glued the first inch or two with paper glue before we began rolling the bead.

Step 3
Roll the bead. Glue the last three inches of the paper to finish and secure the paper bead.

Step 4
Remove the paper bead from the mandrel and put the paper bead on a tooth pick.

Step 5
Coat the paper bead with Diamond Glaze or decoupage glue to make the bead water resistant (but not waterproof). Let the bead dry for an hour or two. Coat again.

Make paper beads

Duplicate to create the needed number of beads. In our case, we made two paper beads.

Feed bead on wire

Step 6
Feed the first of two beads onto wire and make a loop using round nose pliers. Secure the bead on the wire by creating a second loop on the other side of the bead. Trim off excess wire, if any, using wire cutters.

Step 7

Make bail on second bead

Feed the second paper bead on the wire. Make two loops on the end of the wire. Spread the loops apart using chain nose pliers to create a pendant bail. Push the paper bead flush against the created bail and then create another loop on the other side of the bead.

Step 8
Attach the two beads together.

After: Paper bead pendant

Step 9
Feed 2mm satin cord through the bail to hand the paper bead pendant.


Design alternatives
You can add color using household goods by painting the paper bead with nail polish. Allow the nail polish to dry. Apply a second layer of nail polish. Dry again. Decorate the paper bead by painting the bead with another color of nail polish. Use a paint brush or tooth pick for lines and other small details.

 Further Reading
"Creative Beads from Paper and Fabric: Create Your Own Crafts and Embellish Ready-Made Items; No-Sew Fun for All Ages"; Ann Krstn Krr; 2005.
"Paper Beads (Klutz)"; 2009.
"Creative Paper Jewelry: Earrings, Pendants, Beads & Pins"; Dafna Yarom; 2010.

Day 92  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: copper wire, orphan bead
New Jewelry a Day.