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 Necklace from Lock Washers & Toys

Before: toys and lock washers

I am not sure what type of toys these are; my daughter thinks that they belonged to one of her brothers. She thinks they were used to build action figures that were "like tranformers but not transformers." 

After: Necklace by GeltDesigns.com

Whatever they were, we both thought they were interesting to look at and the hole made them prefect to use as beads. We used lock washers as spacer beads and strung them simply on 2 mm satin. OK, not the most innovative project we've done this year... but it was quick, easy and made a  cheerful, fun accessory.

Materials
4 lock washers
2 toys
2mm satin cord & findings


Related Tutorials
Make a Necklace from Figurines
Make a Lizard Pin from a Toy
Make Dog Earrings from Toys
Make Post Earrings from Vintage Game Pieces

Day 87  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: toys, lock washers
New Jewelry a Day.

Make a Valentine's Day Pendant from a Copper Washer & Scrap Silver

Before: Scrap silver

Valentine's Day is coming soon. My daughter and I decided that we would spend this week making different Valentine's Day themed and inspired jewelry... and it would not be NJAD unless we used found objects. Just to add to the challenge we decided to put a time limit on our projects: they need to be done in 30 minutes or less.

After: Pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Today we took some scrap sterling silver and a copper washer to make a framed heart pendant.

Materials
18-gauge sterling silver sheet metal
copper washer
18-gauge sterling silver wire

Tools
Jewelry saw & blade
Wax candle
Half-round file
Wet/Dry sandpaper or 3M bristle discs and flex shaft
Torch
Charcoal block
Annealing pan
Pickle and pickle pot
Copper tongs
Soldering pick
Hard solder & flux
Round nose pliers
Wire cutter

Mark the silver

Step 1
Draw a heart on the scrap metal. Use a jewelry saw and blade to cut out the sterling silver heart. File the edges smooth.

Prepare metal

Step 2
Sand the sterling silver heart and the copper washer to remove tool marks and dirt. You can use sandpaper or 3M bristle disks and a flex shaft to speed the sanding process. Clean with soap and water. Dry.

Solder silver on copper

Step 3
Solder the sterling silver heart to the copper washer. Pickle to remove oxidation.

Step 4

Scrap wire

Locate scrap wire. Use round nose pliers to create the bail. Cut off excess wire, if any. File the ends smooth.

Add bail

Step 5
Remove the pedant from the pickle. Rinse with water. Dry.

Step 6
Attach bail.


Related Tutorials
Soldering Tips for Jewelry Makers
More Soldering Tips
Thoughts on Soldering Torches & Other Equipment

Further Reading
"Complete Metalsmith: Professional Edition"; Tim McCreight; 2004.
"Step-by-Step Jewelry Workshop: Simple Techniques for Soldering, Wirework, and Metal Jewelry (Step By Step)"; Nicola Hurst; 2008.
"Soldering Made Simple: Easy techniques for the kitchen-table jeweler"; Joe Silvera; 2010.
"Hot Connections Jewelry: The Complete Sourcebook of Soldering Techniques"; Jennifer Chin; 2011.
 
Day 79.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: scrap silver, copper washer
New Jewelry a Day.