A Selection of Jewellery Making Techniques using Metal

Setting Wire Rivets

                Use a brass gauge or callipers to measure the diameter of the rivet hole. Select wire that is the same diameter as the rivet hole – the wire should fit snugly in the hole.

                Measure how thick your metal piece is at the rivet hole. Your rivet wire will need to be this long plus a little more. A general rule is to add half the wire’s diameter to each end of the rivet. Cut the rivet wire to length and file the ends flat with a needle file.

                Insert the rivet wire into the hole, resting one end of the wire on a bench block. Centre the metal piece on the rivet wire, and lightly hammer one end of the wire with either the tapered face of a riveting hammer or the rounded face of a ball-peen hammer. Flip the piece over and lightly hammer the other end and gently flare it. Since you are only flaring a little each time, you may need to flip and hammer many times to achieve the flare you’d like.

                To further flatten the rivet, hammer each end with either the flat face of a chasing hammer or a planishing hammer. Clean up the edges of the rivet with a needle file, if desired and then sand and polish the rivet.

Polishing Metal

                To polish metal you’ll need a buffing machine or a flex shaft tool, plus a separate buff for each kind of pre-polishing and polishing compound that you use. Thoroughly clean your handmade jewellery piece between steps, and take care not to cross-contaminate your buffs and compounds; this could result in ruined buffs and scratches on your piece.

                To pre-polish, secure a soft cloth buff on the buffing machine, or insert a miniature buffing wheel bit on the flex shaft. To charge the buff with compound, hold a stick of pre-polishing compound against the spinning buff until the buff has a light coat of compound on the edge. Press your handmade jewellery piece against the charged buff, moving the handmade jewellery piece continuously. Don’t hold your piece against the spinning buff in one place for too long – you could end up wearing away material or creating scratches from the buff. Clean your piece with dishwashing liquid and a soft toothbrush. If your piece is suitable, you could also clean it in an ultrasonic machine.