Post by account_disabled on Mar 13, 2024 7:07:59 GMT 2
Metal bending is one of the basic jewelry techniques that every jeweler faces in the design part. Becoming an expert in this technique is vital to avoid damage to the surface of the piece you are working on. Before using this technique, familiarize yourself with the following metal bending tools: 1. Deck Use mallets to bend metal without marking it. Those made of nylon and rawhide are very suitable for this type of work and for metal bending in general. Mallets are flat in shape and are used to create both ring bodies and bracelets. You can see them here. leather mallet How to make a ring body Use a mandrel and mallet to shape your metal into wire or a wedding ring. Using a vise secure the chuck and place the metal horizontally across it, one-third of the way to the end of the vise. It is easier to start by bending the metal to a smaller diameter than necessary since it is easier to extend the diameter than to decrease its size. Use the mallet to hit the wire where it no longer contacts the mandrel. What we will do with this is bend the wire. Next, continue moving the wire through the mandrel and remember to always keep the straight part horizontal. Fold one-third of its length and twist the piece to fold the other end. To adjust its shape, place your piece on a wooden surface and tap it with the mallet.
Solder your piece before shaping it into a perfectly round ring. 2. Hammers Steel hammers can be used in a similar way to mallets, but we will make the metal bending process faster. The difference is that they will streamline your design and make it slimmer. Unless you are using a texture hammer, using a hammer to bend metal will leave marks that you will have to remove. See hammers here. Flattening hammer 3. Braces, mandrels and stakes These tools will also be used to shape the metal. They are typically made of steel, but you will also find them made of wood and nylon. Note: Keeping these tools in good condition is essential to avoid damaging the metal. TIP: Regularly bake and clean the surface BYB Directory of the metal you are working on. TIP: Do not use a stake that has been hit with a steel hammer as it will mark the stake. This mark will be transferred to your metal. Use water or acid on steel tools, they can be easily damaged and repair is done through a fairly exhaustive process. 4. Pliers They are used to bend wire, strip, and sheet metal, as well as hold small objects you are working with.
There are several types of pliers, which will help you in carrying out different tasks. As a tip, use your pliers very carefully as they can easily damage white metals. Using pliers with nylon jaws can be a big help, or simply wrap yours with duct tape around their jaws. jewelry pliers Depending on what you want to achieve, you will need: round, flat and parallel nose pliers. They will help you achieve different shapes with your metal, adjust your shape or decrease or increase your curves. Parallel pliers are useful when making adjustments to shapes (for example, bending angles). Although most pliers will help. You can see our pliers here . For thicker wires, use a mallet. It is difficult to bend with pliers without causing damage, even if the wire has been trimmed beforehand. If you are not completely satisfied with the shape when finished, you can flatten and straighten the material again and start again. For best results, you should anneal your pieces. To do this, use a tanned leather mallet on a steel surface and protect any textured surfaces with masking tape. With the convex curve facing up, you will need to place the metal on the block. Next, use the mallet to the inside of the edges, continue doing so until the blade is flat again and repeat if necessary. In some cases you will need to pass the sheet through the laminator several times. The annealed wire can be straightened between two flat steel plates or tapped with a mallet. If your wire is long, use a vise and pull tightly on the end with pliers or use a vise.
Solder your piece before shaping it into a perfectly round ring. 2. Hammers Steel hammers can be used in a similar way to mallets, but we will make the metal bending process faster. The difference is that they will streamline your design and make it slimmer. Unless you are using a texture hammer, using a hammer to bend metal will leave marks that you will have to remove. See hammers here. Flattening hammer 3. Braces, mandrels and stakes These tools will also be used to shape the metal. They are typically made of steel, but you will also find them made of wood and nylon. Note: Keeping these tools in good condition is essential to avoid damaging the metal. TIP: Regularly bake and clean the surface BYB Directory of the metal you are working on. TIP: Do not use a stake that has been hit with a steel hammer as it will mark the stake. This mark will be transferred to your metal. Use water or acid on steel tools, they can be easily damaged and repair is done through a fairly exhaustive process. 4. Pliers They are used to bend wire, strip, and sheet metal, as well as hold small objects you are working with.
There are several types of pliers, which will help you in carrying out different tasks. As a tip, use your pliers very carefully as they can easily damage white metals. Using pliers with nylon jaws can be a big help, or simply wrap yours with duct tape around their jaws. jewelry pliers Depending on what you want to achieve, you will need: round, flat and parallel nose pliers. They will help you achieve different shapes with your metal, adjust your shape or decrease or increase your curves. Parallel pliers are useful when making adjustments to shapes (for example, bending angles). Although most pliers will help. You can see our pliers here . For thicker wires, use a mallet. It is difficult to bend with pliers without causing damage, even if the wire has been trimmed beforehand. If you are not completely satisfied with the shape when finished, you can flatten and straighten the material again and start again. For best results, you should anneal your pieces. To do this, use a tanned leather mallet on a steel surface and protect any textured surfaces with masking tape. With the convex curve facing up, you will need to place the metal on the block. Next, use the mallet to the inside of the edges, continue doing so until the blade is flat again and repeat if necessary. In some cases you will need to pass the sheet through the laminator several times. The annealed wire can be straightened between two flat steel plates or tapped with a mallet. If your wire is long, use a vise and pull tightly on the end with pliers or use a vise.