Forming metal is a vital part of jewellery making, so when a procedure the amount of skill involved is often overlooked. Forming identifies any process that maneuvers metal into the desired shape or design. Unlike several skills in jewellery making forming is much more a mix of a range of techniques that change an objects shape, in lieu of a particular process.
Beneath the heading of forming are processes for instance bending, chasing, repousse, sinking, hammering, using stamps/dies and forging. These processes will affect the pieces shape, thickness and infrequently the texture with the metal being handled.
Forming Tools
The range of bijou tools used for forming metal can be as wide and varied as the different processes contained within the skill. The main element forming tools available are:
Mallets
The simple mallet allows the craftsman to apply direct force without stretching or damaging the metal. Your head from the mallet is softer compared to metal so they won't mark the symptoms.
Mandrels or Triblets
Mandrels or Triblets bring forming shapes, and are most connected with rings or bangles. Mandrels can be purchased in an assortment sizes and shapes, along with both steel & wood.
Hammers
Hammers can complete a variety of jobs from stretching the metal, polish/smoothing or adding texture. Jobbing hammers are best for general use and metal forming. The planishing hammer is employed for smoothing, shaping and polishing metal. Riveting hammers were created having a small head for detailed rivet work. Raising, bossing and chasing hammers are employed in the different stages of forming.
Doming Blocks & Punches
Doming blocks & punches are the ideal way of shaping metal and making domed, shaped pieces or hollow beads. Components of circular metal/discs are place over the hollows of your doming block, so using punches and also a hammer the metal is created in to a shape.
Steel Blocks
Steel blocks provide you with the ideal flat surface for working, flattening sheet or wire or to support act as it's raised or forged, riveted or textured.
Swage Blocks
Rather like doming blocks, Swage blocks help form metal into tubes, curves and channels. Different blocks lets different size and shapes to be formed.
Sandbag / Grit Filled Cushion
These bags provided support whilst you work and form your piece. Guide keep work firm and place whilst working.
Pliers
Pliers use a many uses but you are the standard tool for holding/gripping, forming and shaping wire. Having a basic variety of needle nose, round nose, flat nose, half round as well as a pair of parallel action pliers, gives the jeweller the flexibility to try and do most jobs.
Stakes
Often employed by silversmiths, the metal is positioned above the stakes (usually clamped independently into a vice) and hammered to own shape required. Various shapes can be achieved by making use of different stakes.
Files
Files are very important for removing excess material, and fine tuning and shaping your piece. The various sizes available allow the jeweller to function large areas or at the more intricate level. To begin with purchase a choice of shapes containing round, square, triangular, half round and warding. Plus think about the cut which range from 0 the coarsest, to six the best possible.
Draw Plates
Draw plates are most frequently helpful to slow up the size or change shape of wire. Each plate carries a series of holes by which the wire is passed through, this then changes how big the wire. The holes within the plate are of decreasing size permitting you to continue draw down the wire on the required size.
Rolling Mills
These larger machines often seen in jewellers' workshops are ideal to scale back the thickness of sheet, or help decorate sheet. If used in combination with Square and D shape sections rolling mills enables you to form or shape wire.
This collection of forming tools & equipment allow jewellers, and metalsmithes to generate a variety of shapes, textures and patterns. Like with all jewellery projects the number of forming tools jewellers have will become using the basic i.e. pliers, hammer and possibly a doming set, after which it expand his or her projects demand.
Adam Hunter of Cookson Gold and silver coins covers the essentials of forming metal, and the equipment and tools essential for this mixture of essential techniques.
