The Original Imaginative Captures

Do you have a stone, enamel sample or little found treasure that’s been lying on your bench just waiting for a great way to be incorporated into something? Well, imagine that you could take a workshop that would give you the strategies and tools to make that piece and along the way give you a new way to look at how you’re approaching your work and your workspace. This is Capturing. Based on many of the things we all ready know (the basic principles of stonesetting) Imaginative Captures can help you develop new, elegant, more fully integrated setting solutions and break down some of the rigid walls that exist between ideas, process and materials. This information packed workshop is designed to liberate the problem solver within by discussing the whys along with the how’s and offering a wide variety of tricks, shortcuts, studio tips and some really bad jokes. Among the topics demonstrated and discussed: cold connecting, caging, back setting, the flex shaft and advanced soldering techniques. Participants must have basic jewelry skills and a familiarity with tools and studio equipment. Required skills include drilling with the flex shaft machine, sawing, filing, silver soldering and basic bezel setting. Students should have experience with: the rolling mill, torches, hammers, buffers, etc. Those who enroll must be able to solder unattended. $25 materials fee payable to instructor, cash or check

Work by Andy Cooperman
Work by Andy Cooperman
Work by Andy Cooperman

Prerequisites:
  • Must be able to solder unattended.
Materials Included:
  • -Copper and brass wire for riveting
    -Finishing materials, such as sandpapers/emery and polishing compounds
Students Must Bring:
  • -$25 materials fee payable to instructor, cash or check
    -METAL: Sheet: 18-22ga.Appox. 6 X 6 - Whatever metal you wish from which to make several small brooches or jewelry objects: Sterling, copper, brass, bronze (even small amounts of gold). (Remember, we can always roll down thicker material.)
    -Clean (no solder) scrap (sterling, gold, bronze - if you have some): This can be handy to melt for wire or small amounts of sheet or simply to play with, fuse, etc.
    -Silver Wire (if desired) for riveting: 18 or 20 gauge round
    -Wire for possible forging or forming: 8, 10 or 12 ga. (We can even make wire from scrap)
    -Sawblades: 2/0, 6/0
    -Silver solder: wire or sheet: easy, medium and hard
    -Drills: any you have, especially: 1mm (18ga) approx. #58, .8mm (20ga) approx. #66
    -Magnifiers (loupes/optivisors) - if you need them
    -Measuring devices (if you have or use them)
    -Sketchpad and pencil
    -Dust mask
    -Several objects to incorporate: Participants should bring to class some small artifact, gemstone or found object that you find interesting-- or in some way compelling — for examination and even group discussion. Time permitting, these objects can be included in or even serve as points of depart for a piece of jewelry or a non-wearable item.
Students May Bring:
  • -Flex shaft tools: any burs, buffs, abrasives, etc. that you might like to use favorite pliers, files, small riveting or goldsmith's hammer or any hand tools
    -Solder pick (if you use one)