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Understanding Metal Hardness

June 29, 2016 by Rio Grande Leave a Comment

The Rio Grande blog has been around since 2010, and we’ve shared lots of great articles about the art of making jewelry in that time. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be digging through the archives and republishing some of the posts that our audience found most helpful. In this post from 2013, Eddie Bell explains metal hardness and when you should use which hardness.

Understanding Metal Hardness

Knowing how to choose the correct hardness of sheet and wire metals for your jewelry techniques and designs helps you achieve the good-looking, long-lasting results you want. Below, we share some of what we know about metal hardness and we hope it enriches your experience at the bench.

Metal hardness is one of the trickiest things to try to explain—the term is relative to the particular metal or alloy, for starters; depending on the elements that make up each particular alloy, what’s called “hard” in one metal won’t bend, form, work, or feel the same as a material designated as “hard” in another metal.

The Hardness Relativity

Metal is composed of individual crystals arranged in a pattern and density specific to that type of metal. Because of this, the range of hardness from soft to hard will be relative to each metal (see the Vickers hardness chart below). Dead-soft sterling, for example, does not feel or behave the same as dead-soft white gold.

If you will be soldering on the piece you’re making, you may as well start with dead soft because it’s easy to work with and any hardness the metal may have will be lost when you apply heat to solder. If you will be cold-working the metal (manipulating, forging, twisting, folding, etc.), you may want to start with dead-soft metal and anneal it every so often as needed to resolve the work-hardening and return the metal to a dead-soft state. Jewelers who wire-wrap usually use 1/2-hard wire because it holds its form well in the finished design—as the wire is bent to wrap it, the working hardens the wire further so that the finished jewelry is stronger.

Any kind of cold working such as rolling, drawing, bending—even uncoiling and coiling wire—increases the hardness incrementally. Annealing can return the metal to dead soft, and further work will again begin to harden it. Mills that make sheet and wire typically measure the hardness of their products based on how much the product has been worked (a percentage of reduction, for example, in rolled sheet or drawn wire) since they were last annealed to dead soft.

The descriptions below offer, in general, what you can expect from the various hardnesses, but remember that these will vary in degree depending on the metal you’re working with, what you’re making and how you work.

Dead Soft

Metal that is dead soft is in a relaxed state at its molecular level, so it is easy to bend, shape and hammer. The act of bending or shaping will gradually work-harden the metal—right up to the breaking point. Dead soft metal will not hold its shape if put under stress in structures such as hinges or clasps.

1/2-Hard

Metal that is 1/2-hard has been worked a bit, tightening the grain at the molecular level. This metal is harder to bend and hammer, but it is still possible in some cases to shape the metal—it just takes more force. While still malleable, it will also hold its shape under a certain amount of stress; it is ideal for wire-wrapped structures that will support other components. If you are fabricating an item that needs both strength and a thinner gauge, you would probably choose 1/2-hard.

Full-Hard

Metal that is tempered (or significantly work-hardened) will be difficult to bend but will hold whatever bend you put into it pretty stubbornly. This hardness is ideal for clasps or hinges.

Spring-Hard

Metal thoroughly hardened will lose pretty much all of its malleability and will actually spring back into its original shape when bent by hand. This hardness is ideal for ear wires, jump rings head pins and pin components.

It is important to remember that metal hardness is changeable. Metal alloys will harden and soften in a number of ways. Most metal alloys used to make jewelry become harder from cold-working (stressing) them and can be made softer by a process called annealing.

Work-hardening can be pictured easily if you imagine bending a paper clip. Keep bending the paper clip back and forth, and eventually it breaks. With each bend the wire has become “work hardened” and more difficult to bend until it simply can’t bend anymore and breaks instead. The same thing happens to sheet metal passing through a rolling mill or to wire pulled through a draw plate—each pass makes the metal a bit harder. Twisting wire will work-harden it, too; this is great to know for making ear posts—by adding a twist, you can keep the wire round while giving it more strength. When hammered into shape on a steel plate, sheet and wire become work-hardened (and they take on a nice hammered texture, too). Basically, anything done to the metal (without heat or abrasives) that changes the shape of the metal—such as bending, forming, twisting, stretching and so on—work-hardens it.

The point here is, if you start with dead soft metal and work it or stress it, it will get harder. If you heat and cool alloyed metal in a very specific process, you can harden it. On the other hand, if you take a harder metal and heat it either by soldering on it or by deliberately annealing it, you can soften the metal—all the way back to dead soft, if that’s what you want.

So What Hardness Should I Use?

For our customers, we tend to start by asking questions that can help narrow the options—starting with “How do you want to use your metal?” and “What metal are you using?”

If you will NOT be wire-wrapping:

Will you be applying any heat to your metal?
Do you plan to acid-etch the metal?
What type of jewelry are you making?

If you will NOT apply heat to the metal, we tend to recommend a dead-soft hardness and let the work harden the material in the finished piece. For items such as cuff bracelets, we tend to recommend 1/2-hard because they will further work harden, and you want the finished piece to be stronger than, for example, a pair of earrings. If you WILL be applying heat, start with dead soft because the heat will remove any hardness anyway. You can harden the finished piece as needed (see heat-hardening link below). If you plan to acid-etch the metal, we tend to recommend 1/2-hard or spring-hard varieties.

If you WILL be wire-wrapping, we tend to recommend:

For sterling or Argentium silver, use 1/2-hard. (Argentium tends to work-harden more readily than traditional sterling, so you may want to try a dead soft in that metal to see how it suits your work.)
For 14K white gold, use dead-soft.
For yellow gold, use 1/2-hard for 19–22 gauge; use dead-soft for 18 gauge and heavier.
For base metals, dead soft is the starting point for just about everything and can be work-hardened if needed.

If your finished silver or gold pieces will take some stress when worn (rings or bracelets, for example), you can harden the finished piece by heating it to increase its hardness. See our handy How to Heat-Harden Silver tip for more information about this.

We hope this helps unravel the mysteries of metal hardness. At least it may be a good start. Nothing teaches better than experience, so I encourage you to experiment with hardness. Push the envelope and try different things with different hardnesses. See what works best for the work you’re doing and pieces you’re creating. And let us know what you discover—we love learning from your experience, too!

How to Tighten the Head on a Jeweler’s Hammer

April 20, 2016 by Heather Apodaca Leave a Comment

If you own a jeweler’s hammer with a wood handle, the head will probably come loose at some point or another, whether you’re working with a top-of-the-line Fretz hammer or a basic beginner’s hammer. It can be frustrating to deal with an unsteady hammer head when your work calls for precision. Mark Nelson shares a few of his tips for tightening the head on a hammer quickly and easily in this short video. Learn his tricks and never suffer from a wobbly hammer blow again.

Do you have a trick for tightening your jeweler’s hammer head? Share it with your fellow jewelers in the comments section.

Registration Open for Rio Grande’s Winter Workshop—An Adventureland for Jewelers

November 22, 2014 by Viqui Sanchez Leave a Comment

When the busy season is over, and you’ve tidied up the shop, that’s the perfect time to get to Rio…retool and restart your creative energies at the Rio Grande Winter Workshop Series!

Registration is open for the 2015 Rio Grande Winter Workshop Series! Start the new year right by immersing yourself in an array of new and returning classes that cover everything from keum-boo to metal forming to fabrication to laser and pulse arc welding. Make a day or two of it, or plan to take a whole week! The classes, demonstrations, and tours lined up for the week of Winter Workshop give you lots from which to choose. Gain a new skill—or hone a skill you’ve already got. Make plans now, and reserve your seat early!

Here is a snapshot of the classes available during your week at Rio:

Prong and Bead Setting Trends class

Learn stone-setting from a master who is known and respected throughout the industry; Blaine Lewis will teach two separate classes (Bezel and Flush Setting and Prong and Bead Setting) on setting a variety of stone shapes in a variety of setting styles. See and use his innovative new TrendSetter wheels that allow you to get more out of every minute of practice time.

Double-Down on Swanstrom Tools class

Join two experts, Tim Sheriff of Swanstrom Tools and Lauren Tobey of Meltdown Studios, in the Double Down on Swanstrom Tools class. This is a self-guided class where you can choose your own projects from nearly a dozen offered and create them using the Swanstrom specialty forming pliers or the Swanstrom disc cutters (all five shapes!).

Left to right: Basic Casting Class and Basic Soldering class

Take basic classes in Casting with Phillip Scott and Gregg Burgard and in Soldering with Joe Silvera. Then continue on with Joe and take your soldering Beyond the Basics in his intermediate class.

Left to right: Wax Freehand Lathe Turning and Wax Carving Figurative Pieces

Get into wax carving, by hand or on a lathe in two classes taught by renowned wax carver Kate Wolf, owner of Wax Tools. Her classes, Wax Freehand Lathe Turning and Wax Carving Figurative Pieces will offer new depths to your skills in shaping and carving wax models.

Try your hand at computer-aided drawing in the CAD with 3Design class taught by David Swallow and take your design in a whole new direction.

Left to right: Keum Boo Basics Class, Enamel on Fold-Forms Class, and Making Multiples: Blanking Dies and Pattern Development class.

Like to try new decorative techniques? There are classes on Enameling Cabochons, Cloisonne Enameling and Enameling on Fold Forms—all taught by master enamelist Ricky Frank. Discover how easy and affordable it is to integrate gold into your designs with beautiful results in Keum Boo Basics with Joe Korth. Get with Jayne Redman to learn how you can create blanking dies and cut precise, duplicate shapes from sheet to make matching components in her Making Multiples class.

Left to right: Beginning Hydraulic Forming and Intermediate Hydraulic Forming

If you love to push metal around, take Beginning Hydraulic Forming or Intermediate Hydraulic Forming, both taught by Peter Gilroy. Or, use more traditional techniques to do your pushing in Bill Fretz‘s class on Metal Forming with Miniature Stakes.

Left to right: Pulse Arc Welding with PUK and Laser Welding Made Simple

Interested in pulse arc welding? Or laser welding? This is your year! Choose between PUK or Orion and take a class that features pulse arc welding with one or the other of these brand-name arc welders. In addition to our own expert, Sessin Durgham, each manufacturer is sending a representative to co-teach these classes—talk about added value! Or, if you’re more excited at the idea of using lasers, join our own laser welding maestro, Phil Scott, for the Laser Welding Made Simple class and use a Neutec® PulsePoint® laser welding machine!

And, to put a brilliant finish on your work, check out Surfaces 1: Textures, Treatments, Techniques with John Sartin.

Remember that, before and after classes, during lunch breaks and in any free time you have, you can take advantage of the many free, expert demonstrations taking place throughout the day. And sign up for a tour of the Rio Grande facility and see where it all happens every time you place an order; meet the people who make it their business to get you the products, know-how, and support you need to help make your business succeed and grow.

Find details about the classes, the demos, the tours, and more at the Rio Grande Winter Workshop website. Make your plans early and register now—classes fill up fast!—to give yourself a restorative jump-start on your creativity for 2015!

Influencers in Jewelry Design: Alexander Calder and The Bauhaus

November 3, 2014 by Marlene Richey Leave a Comment

Red Mobile, di en:Alexander Calder. 1956. Lamiera verniciata e bacchette di metallo. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The roots of contemporary American jewelry design can be traced directly back to the 1920s, when Alexander Calder and the Bauhaus emerged as two of the major influencers of the century. Each is huge when taken individually, but together they make up the foundation for much of what is happening today in jewelry design.

Contrary to what you might expect, the line between you or me and Alexander Calder and the Bauhaus is surprisingly direct. Let me explain: When I was a student in the 1960s, my teachers included talented jewelry professors, such as Ramona Solberg, who were the product of the jewelry studio movement of the WWII era. (Being a studio jeweler exclusively was a challenging way to make a living and support a family in the ‘50s and ‘60s, so many of these artists taught in universities to supplement their incomes.) Ramona and her colleagues learned their art/craft from practicing artists and traditional jewelers of the pre-WWII period. And these older jewelers, in many cases, had direct links to emigrants from the post-WWI Bauhaus movement, as well as American sculptors such as Alexander Calder.

When it came time for me to join the work force in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, there was a huge influx of people graduating from college with degrees in art, and we all had to figure out quickly how to make a living at our art or find another profession. Thus began what I call the “American Jewelry Design Movement”. In many cases, we chose to create jewelry that we could sell or to become a gemstone dealer, bench jeweler, appraiser, stone setter, caster, jewelry photographer, stone cutter, polisher, designer—you name it. The first craft shows, such as the Rhinebeck show, were only a few years away, and Mort Abelson’s Jewelers of America, Designer Section was created just a couple years after that. Suddenly new opportunities and venues began to spring up and have a life of their own. (Ask almost anyone of the baby boomer generation—regardless of their career—and you will see a similar professional pattern.) However, almost all of us in the jewelry industry can trace our roots back (whether we know it or not) to the incredible influence of world-renowned sculptor Alexander Calder and the German Bauhaus movement.

The Bauhaus

Barcelona_mies_v_d_rohe_pavillon_weltausstellung1999_03

Barcelona Mies van der Rohe pavillon weltausstellung1999 03 CC BY-SA 3.0

The focus of the Bauhaus movement was on architectural and industrial design in all mediums. Its credo was “dedication to the unity of the arts with the crafts.” Though it was only in existence from 1919 to 1933, the Bauhaus School, started by Walter Gropius, had a huge impact on the art world. It had among its extraordinary staff members such luminaries in the contemporary art and design world as Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and Mies van der Rohe. Many of these influencers left Germany when the school closed its doors in 1933 (due to increasing political attacks and harassment from the Nazis and other groups) and sought asylum in other European countries and in the United States, where they spread their credo of “less is more.” They were setting the stage for a century of clean-lined, geometric, contemporary design and art.

Alexander Calder

L’Homme, sculpture de Calder, parc Jean-Drapeau, Montréal. Photo by Jean Gagnon – CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

American-born sculptor Alexander Calder is best known for his wonderfully colorful mobiles. He is less well-known as one of the most influential studio jewelers of the early part of the 20th century. It is estimated that he created 1,800 individual jewelry pieces, most of which were gifts to friends and colleagues. Although there is no one “father” of contemporary jewelry, he is as close as we get. Calder was not a trained jeweler, and he took pride in the fact that his work, which incorporated lots of twisted wire with no solder, had that hammered, handmade look about it. That was what distinguished his jewelry from the traditional jewelry of the time. Looking at it, you immediately can see the connection to his sculptures: they all move and flow with graceful kinetic energy. To get a glimpse of Calder’s distinctive and charming jewelry design, go to Calder Foundation—they feature an extensive gallery of his works.

It is with a sense of great pride that I trace my professional, artistic and design roots back to a time and a philosophy that I deeply admire. It is remarkable that events which unfolded nearly a hundred years ago could have such an impact on my life and the lives of so many others.

Do you see the influence of Calder and the Bauhaus artists in your work? Did you have a mentor or professor whose was also influenced by these artists? Tell us your story. What aspect of the contributions made by these influencers remains timeless and prevalent in contemporary jewelry design? I’d love to hear from you—join in the discussion!

Knowledge is Power: Santa Fe Symposium is All About Learning and Registration is Open Now!

October 15, 2014 by Viqui Sanchez Leave a Comment

For most people, May is all about the burgeoning spring, shaking off the last chills of winter and looking forward to the coming summer. For jewelry makers—from bench jewelers to manufacturers—May is all about the Santa Fe Symposium®, the premier conference on jewelry manufacturing technology. In May, 2015—May 17–20, to be precise—the brightest and most inquiring minds in the jewelry industry will come together in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for more than three days of learning, collaboration and inspiration. Registration is open now, and I urge you to make plans early to come and be part of it. And, in case you’re thinking to yourself, “Why would I go? It doesn’t sound like I’d get anything out of that…”, allow me to show you why the Symposium is the event for you.

2014-SFS-Juliet Hutton-Squire and Maia Adams

Juliet Hutton-Squire (right) and Maia Adams (left) of Adorn Insight present jewelry fashion trend research—no matter which facet of the industry holds your interest, the Symposium serves it.

Experts and innovators from around the world present their findings from the production, the research, the testing, the learning they’ve been focused on over the past year or more. Fellow experts, colleagues, and jewelry pros throughout the industry listen, ask questions, pose challenges, and generally bask in the know-how. Every person attending becomes immersed in all things jewelry-making—from designing to fabricating to manufacturing to running jewelry businesses of every description. No matter what you do within the jewelry industry, you will find precious nuggets of information that you can build on and apply to your business…and, just as important, your knowledge and experience will provide nuggets that others will seize and build upon. The energy is palpable and the benefit to each participant is incalculable.

The experience was amazing. coming into [the Symposium], I was terrified. When I came in, there were friendly face, friendly eye contact. I walked away [afterward], instead of being intimidated, being empowered by a lot of the people here, being encouraged and having a sense of connection. —Hannah Leigh, Pearkissee Designs.

At meals, breaks, and throughout the day, SFS participants indulge in conversation about their passion for making jewelry.

At the Santa Fe Symposium®, your day begins with a bit of breakfast and conversations with other jewelers whose passion for their work brought them here just as yours brought you. Through the day, wide-ranging presentations draw you into one discussion after another, getting you thinking. You’ll have time to think over and talk about what you’ve heard during breaks for stretching your legs and while enjoying meals. At the end of the day, you gather for a delicious dinner and some fun with friends, new and old. A restful night’s sleep and you do it again—only better. By the end of the Symposium, you’ve gained:

KNOWLEDGE

Presenters at the Symposium share information, insights and know-how openly, giving you the kind of access that’s impossible to find anywhere else. The learning opportunities are endless and deepen exponentially through discussions and conversations about how these insights and cutting-edge research affect your industry.
PROBLEM-SOLVING

Take what you learn, add your own experience and know-how to bring fresh ideas to the discussion and to formulate strategies that can address your challenges back home. At the Symposium, you’ll be surrounded by people who face some of the same challenges you do.
IDEA SHARING

What started in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1987, inspired by a profound lack of available information in the field of jewelry manufacturing, has developed organically into a forum that is without equal. And, at its heart, is the idea that sharing ideas is the greatest impetus there is for professional development and innovation. The knowledge that the whole truly is greater than individual parts are on their own drives the event year after year.

The greatest value is talking to people, talking to speakers. And at the dinners, when you’re talking much more in detail, apart from the presentation. There is no other place in the world where there is this concentration. Are you in the field? Then here you have to come. —Damiano Zito, Progold S.p.A.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

Santa Fe Symposium attracts jewelers and non-jewelers, too, from far and wide, creating a one-of-a-kind pool of like-minded jewelry professionals and artists. The shared experiences at the Symposium create bonds that hold firm beyond these three days, that carry over from one year to the next. And with the immediacy of the internet and social media, keeping those bonds strong and growing has never been easier.
THE SAUL BELL DESIGN AWARD COMPETITION AWARDS DINNER

Called “a beautiful mashup” by Rio Grande President Alan Bell, the juxtaposition of the premier conference on jewelry technology (the Symposium) and the celebration of distinction in jewelry design (the Saul Bell Design Award competition) galvanized both groups as they came together for the first time in 2014. It was such a success that the events will once again “rub shoulders,” as Alan puts it, with the winners of the design event being honored on opening night of the Symposium and the Symposium members welcoming the Saul Bell Award winners as attendees to the conference.

In Q&A sessions, presenters answer questions and foster discussion about their topics.

For 2015, presentation topics range from methods for blackening silver to internet marketing to investment casting of titanium to digital design to brand building—it’s all here and there will be a great deal that could directly benefit you and your business. So decide now and plan early to take full advantage of this year’s powerhouse of ideas. If you are a lifelong learner (and how can we succeed if we’re not?) who works to ride the crest of the fast-moving pace of your industry, there is no question…the Santa Fe Symposium® is for you.

Register now to attend the 29th annual Santa Fe Symposium. And stay tuned for a more detailed sneak peek at the topics and speakers for 2015 …

Focusing on Facets: A Photography Primer for Jewelry Artists with Jim Lawson

August 8, 2014 by Laura Marrich Leave a Comment

Jim Lawson teaching a photography class during Rio’s Summer Workshop Series. Photo by James Gros

Look at the liquid-silver sheen radiating off of one of Jim Lawson’s photographs, and you can almost feel the cool weight of metal resting on your skin. His stones and gems appear lit from within, luminous and breathing like aurora borealis in miniature.

More than a static image, each piece that Lawson shoots becomes alive under the careful gaze of his camera lens. And the longer you look, the more your eye discovers. These aren’t just photographs—they’re practically animated films! How does Lawson manage to pick up these kinetic qualities with his camera?

Jim Lawson: Jewelry &emdash; by Michael Boyd

Jim’s photography has a kinetic quality. Photo by Jim Lawson. Ring by Michael Boyd.

“When I photograph a piece, I pay a great deal of attention to how the light flows across the piece,” Lawson tells The Studio. “And I also pay a great deal of attention to the tonality in the background in the shadows that are cast upon it. How you treat the background is just as important as how you treat the piece.”

Another important element of Lawson’s work is that he uses a digital camera instead of traditional film.

“Putting myself in the place of a jewelry artist, I can’t imagine wanting to shoot film, given how good digital has become,” he says. After the shoot is over, photo-editing software takes digital images to the next level. “For me, Photoshop is a very integral part of the process, especially with the gems,” he says.

It also doesn’t hurt that Lawson has been at it for 35 years, photographing and teaching art professionally while racking up covers on Jewelry Artist/Lapidary Journal and Step by Step Wire magazines.

For jewelry artists, stepping behind a camera to document a finished piece can be disorienting. And talk about pressure! Without a quality image, even the most creative and well-finished piece will look, well, lackluster.

“There are several things that make shooting jewelry difficult,” Lawson concedes. “First is the small size. Second, you can have a piece that has a multiplicity of different reflective surfaces, which all require different treatments for lighting. And there are some pieces that require styling and that can get to be very tedious and time-consuming.”

Jim Lawson: Jewelry &emdash; By Jacob Albee

Jim’s photography has a weighty, beautifully balanced feel. Cuff created by jeweler Jacob Albee and image taken for Jewelry Artist Magazine.

But with the proper equipment and attitude, even a novice photographer can capture the opulent beauty of gemstones and jewelry. “One of the things that I emphasize to the artists in my workshop is having the right equipment so that you can work quickly,” he says. “You want to be able to spend your time making jewelry and using a minimum amount of time to do quality photographic work.”

Jim Lawson’s Top 10 Tips for Photographing Jewelry

Lawson taught a sold-out class on Photography Basics for Jewelry Artists as part of Rio’s 2014 Summer Workshop Series.

“I really enjoy teaching photography. And I really enjoy teaching it to jewelry artists,” Lawson says. “Many of them can’t justify hiring someone to do their photography for them, so I do my best to give them the tools they need to do their own photography.”

If you weren’t one of the lucky people sitting in the room this July, you can still benefit from Lawson’s wisdom. He agreed to share some of his favorite pieces of advice right here with The Studio.

“Obviously, photography has become more and more important to the jewelry artist,” he says, “so I try and teach things that will make the process go as quickly as possible and get high-quality results.”

Jim Lawson: Jewelry &emdash; By Bill Fretz for Interweav

Fretz cuff shot by Lawson. Image taken for Jewelry Artist Magazine.

Take a (Three-legged) Stand
“Invest in a good tripod. It’s very difficult to shoot good photos of jewelry without one.”
Style with Care
“Pay very close attention to how you style and layout a piece. This is where the tripod comes in. It’s much easier to style a difficult piece if the camera is in place and on a tripod.”
Start Clean
“Make sure that your backgrounds and jewelry are clean. It’s much easier to clean the jewelry and background before you start shooting them.”
Be Insensitive
“Use the lowest ISO [light sensitivity] setting your camera has. That way you get the most quality your camera is capable of.”
Shoot in the Raw
“Shoot raw files if your camera will allow. It will give you more flexibility and ultimately a higher-quality image in post-production.”
Max Out on Quality
“Choose the highest image quality your camera will allow, whether you are shooting raw files or JPEGs. You can’t go back and make things larger after you have moved on to the next photo. But you can always make things smaller. Always keep the original file intact.”
Kill the Vibe
“Use a remote release or the self-timer on your camera when making exposures. Vibration is the enemy of sharpness.”
Stick with the Kit Lens…for Now
“If you buy a new camera, start out with the kit lens that comes with it first. It will probably do most everything that you need. Then you can decide if you need an additional macro lens or two.”
Pick with Precision
“Keep a dental pick or some other similar small device handy to move gangly parts of the jewelry around.”
Just Breathe
“Be patient.”

Explore Jim Lawson’s catalog of eye-popping photography at his website, Jim Lawson Photography. Get more personal insights and information on upcoming workshops on his blog, Jim Lawson Jewelry Photography.

Learn all about Rio’s Workshop Series on the workshop page of Rio Grande’s website.

Hammers Demystified: A Tour of Jewelry-Making Hammers and Their Many Uses

June 30, 2014 by Yvonne M. Padilla Leave a Comment

Forming, riveting, raising, chasing, goldsmith’s, texturing—so many hammers for jewelers to use (the list goes on and on)! Here at Rio, we L-O-V-E hammers. We love them so much that we stock well over 100 hammers and hammer kits.

Left to right: Rawhide Mallet, Brass Mallet, Fretz Jeweler’s Planishing Hammer, Fretz Silversmith Wide Raising Hammer, Fretz Janus Hammer

With such a wide range of choices, how do you know which hammer or mallet to use? In the video below, Mark Nelson discusses the different hammer types and styles. Take a look to see if the hammer you’ve been wondering about is featured.

The Rio Grande website has even more information about choosing and using hammers. Need a quick reference guide on the definitions of hammers? Check out our list: How To Pick the Right Jewelry Hammer. Is the head of your favorite, reliable old hammer coming loose? Check out our website to learn how to fix loose hammer heads. Want to see some hammers in action? We have plenty more hammer videos (just click on the “Videos, Projects, classes and more” tab).

Do you have a favorite hammer? Share a story, photo, or project made with one of the most beloved tools on the jeweler’s bench!

Rio Grande’s Winter Workshop Series: Today’s Tour of Jewelry Making Classes

January 29, 2014 by Amy Cliser Leave a Comment

Today I visited several of the bustling classrooms here at Rio Grande’s Winter Workshop. Some participants were quiet and intensely focused on trying new techniques. Others worked in a happy cacophony of clanging and then paused to examine their progress. I even met an art director for the film industry who had never made jewelry before but was amazing himself by casting a skull ring for the very first time.

Learning and discovery is all around us! I team taught Smart Tools to Help Grow Your Business, and during my part of the class, a participant literally exclaimed, “Ah-ha!” I saw that happening not just in my class, but all over the building today. Rio Grande is wonderful place to be this week.

Here’s a collection of photos from today’s Winter Workshop hustle and bustle. It may just wet your whistle and get you planning your trip to the Workshop next year! Learning new jewelry-making skills is the perfect tool for expanding your business, turning an artistic slump upside down, creating a sabbatical for yourself, and taking a fantastic edu-vacation.

Clockwise from center left: Prong & Bead Setting Trends with Blaine Lewis, Fold Forming with Charles Lewton-Brain, Forming Metal with Miniature Stakes taught by Bill Fretz, Cloisonne Enameling with Brilliant Transparent Colors taught by Ricky Frank, Basic Casting with Phillip Scott and Gregg Burgard

Does one of our Winter Workshop classes strike your fancy? Consider coming to the Land of Enchantment for your own Rio Grande classroom experience—We’d love to see you here!

Welcome to Rio Grande’s Annual Winter Workshop!

January 23, 2014 by Amy Cliser Leave a Comment

Just one of our classroom’s tables of tools. I call Winter Workshop “The jeweler’s playground.”

Rio Grande’s annual Winter Workshop starts this Sunday, and we are busy setting up benches, cameras for close-ups of instructors’ work, Foredom® flex shafts, anvils, 3DESIGN® software–you name it! Don’t get me wrong, we’re still answering the phones, taking orders, boxing them up, and getting them on the truck, but now we’re also getting ready for a week of learning! It’s a transformation that our students say yields magic, and we can’t help but love that.

We’re always excited to greet our attendees, and this year they’re from 38 states and 7 countries, joining us right here in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from as far away as Chile, Japan, and Australia. They’re taking classes ranging from cloisonné enameling with master enamelist Ricky Frank, to wax carving with THE Kate Wolf, to CAD with 3DESIGN, taught by David Swallow, to jewelry business know-how with Marlene Richey and friends. It’s a literal who’s who of instructors!

During their time at Winter Workshop, participants will get a special behind-the-scenes look at Rio’s facilities. They will mingle and crowd around workbenches in the demonstration area, which will feature tools and techniques from JoolTool, Durston , Swanstrom, MIDAS® E-Coating and much more. The students will bond with each other over wonderful meals and exchange jewelry experiences and tips. And finally, when they’re ready, they’ll place their orders in our Will Call area and pack them into that extra suitcase they brought for this express reason. Then, they’ll carry their exciting new tools and supplies, a world of new knowledge, and a sense of satisfaction and inspiration, back home to make more jewelry.

That’s the Winter Workshop experience. And now, let the learning, mingling, eye-opening, ah-ha-ing, goal-reaching, and jewelry making begin! Readers, be sure to stop by The Studio next week as I post more Winter Workshop excitement.

I’m sitting in the instructor’s chair now. . .but the venerable Bill Fretz, creator of the famous Fretz hammer, will be sitting here this week!

Rio Grande Tech Team’s Holiday Wish List: Picks for Every Jeweler!

December 2, 2013 by Ashli Brooke Taylor 1 Comment

This is a busy time of year for our Technical Support team as we talk to jewelers about a new process, help them through a jewelry-making challenge, and suggest tools and equipment that will make their work at the bench that much more successful. And as we talk about these innovative tools, each and every one of us, as fellow jewelers, can’t help but get a bit giddy about what WE would love to have for our OWN benches this holiday season! Here are some of our favorite and most coveted tools and equipment.

Phil Scott (The Laser Dude and Rio’s In-House Stone-Setter and Graduate Gemologist)

Foredom 1090 Rotary/Hammer Dual Handpiece Micro-Motor System: To restore a 60-year-old rifle for his son, Phil determined that his Foredom® flex shaft was the right tool for the job because he needed a micro-motor with more speed and extra control. Along with a new micro-motor, Phil says that Sam Alfano’s stone-setting and engraving DVD series would be a great gift for a stone-setter.

For some high speed and great control, you can’t go wrong with a Foredom®.

One of several engraving DVDs from jeweler Sam Alfano.

Sessin Durgham (Award-Winning Metalsmith and Stone Carver)

Sessin’s been a good little jeweler this year so spoiled himself a bit early with a shiny new Orion 150s Pulse Arc Welding System. Got a question about an Orion? Call us at 800.545.6566 and ask for Sessin! He also loves all of the LUXI Polishing Compounds; they are non-toxic, water soluble (easy clean-up), and provide a bright, gorgeous lustre!

Sessin loves his new Orion Pulse Arc Welding System

LUXI Super Fine White Polishing Compound—stocking stuffer for the jeweler!

Thomas Flores (Precious Metal Clay™ Guru)

Thomas has his eye on the Bonny Doon Vertical Vise along with one or two Bonny Doon stakes. Thomas already has the Bonny Doon Urethane Hammer (pure AWESOME), and wants to form PMC Sterling™ bracelets with these tools.

Thomas is asking for a Bonny Doon vertical vise—a favorite among jewelers….look at those reviews!

This is one of many Bonny Doon forming stakes on Thomas’ wish list

Gregg Burgard (Master of Rapid Prototyping and Glass Caster Extraordinaire)

Gregg could use 3DESIGN® CAD software to perfect his jewelry creations. He also mentioned he was interested in getting into more stone-setting, and a GRS BenchMate Stone-Setter’s Kit would do the trick. It’s the perfect gift for any jeweler who’s starting to do stone-setting work or who wants to upgrade their bench.

Jewelry-design perfection with 3DESIGN® CAD software….Gregg asks, “Yes, please?”

Ready to start stone-setting like Gregg? Ask for the GRS BenchMate!

Ronnie Mares (Equipment and Fabrication Expert)

Every member of Tech Support (and every jeweler who’s used one) loves the Swanstrom Disc Cutter sets. Ronnie needs the newest teardrop shape to add to his bench. Disc Cutter. He also wants a Durston rolling mill. Who wouldn’t? Ronnie says there are so many things to do with a rolling mill…the most important? Rolling out scrap metal to make more jewelry! They are also great for texturing metal and rolling wire.

Ronnie wants the newest Swanstrom teardrop shape disc cutter to add to his growing collection (he’s pretty obsessed with these, as are many jewelers).

Who wouldn’t love a Durston Combination Rolling Mill in their studio?

Mark Nelson (Rio’s Television Celebrity and “His Exaltedness Highness of the Third Realm of Awesomeness”)

Mark thinks the new Slide & Lock™ Height Adjustment Bracket is the coolest! It allows you to move your bench pin up and down giving you more versatility depending on your project. Also, Mark has noticed a change in his vision (ah, age), and absolutely loves CraftOptics™, especially the 1.5 bifocal. CraftOptics come in a wide range of magnifications to fit various vision needs.

The New Slide & Lock™ is a must at every jeweler’s bench

Mark’s protecting his eyes with the best: CraftOptics™ 1.5 bifocals.

As for me, I’m asking for the new Fretz Planishing Hammer.

I already have the smaller Fretz Planishing Hammer, along with several other beautiful Fretz hammers, but this one is equally amazing and I must have it! It is larger than the other nylon hammers and has eleven inserts. Other than feeding my hammer addiction, I really could use the Durston Complete Cupola Daps and Forming Set.

I work with these in the lab at Rio and they are my favorite dapping tools around, with a beautiful high polish finish and sturdy design.

“I’ve been such a good girl this year….pretty please?”

This is one heck of a dapping set!

What’s on your list this holiday season? Leave us a comment below and share wish list favorites!

Rio Grande’s 2014 Winter Workshop Series: Registration is Open!

November 13, 2013 by Shelby Chant Leave a Comment

Pull up to a bench right here at Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during our 2014 Winter Workshop Series, January 26-31.

Registration is now open for this week-long event where you can get hands-on in any number of jewelry-making classes taught by the industry’s most beloved and talented instructors, watch demonstrations of the tools and processes that will enhance your work at the bench, and tour our 180,000 square-foot solar-powered facility. What a great way to experience Rio firsthand and start 2014 with a shot of creativity and learning! Take a peek below at what we’ll be offering to start planning your schedule. The 2014 line-up is a good one, and classes fill fast, so register soon!

Metal Forming

Fold Forming Workshop with Charles Lewton-Brain

Like to push metal around? There are classes on Fold Forming taught by Charles Lewton-Brain, on Forming with Miniature Stakes taught by Bill Fretz, and on Hydraulic Forming taught by Peter Gilroy. Or, pick up your favorite Swanstrom forming pliers and get creative with wire in Tim Sheriff’s class on Jewelry Making with Swanstrom Wire-Forming Pliers.

Stone Setting

Bezel and Flush Setting Trends class with Blaine Lewis

Learn stone-setting from master Blaine Lewis who is known and respected throughout the industry. Blaine will teach Bezel and Flush Setting and Prong and Bead Setting, two classes which explore the setting of a variety of stone shapes in a variety of setting styles. See and use his innovative new TrendSetter wheels that allow you to get more from every minute of practice time.

Reactive Metals

Anodizing Reactive Metals Class with Bill Seeley

Learn how to add incredible color to designs by using titanium or niobium sheet and wire, then anodizing them in Bill Seeley’s Anodizing Reactive Metals class.

The Basics: Casting, Soldering & Cold Connections

Left: Cold Connections Boot Camp with Helen Driggs ; Right: Mark Nelson’s Basic Soldering class.

Take basic classes in Casting with Phillip Scott or Gregg Burgard and in Soldering with Mark Nelson. Then learn how to connect pieces without soldering (cuz sometimes you wanna stay outta the heat) in Helen Driggs’ Cold Connections Boot Camp.

Wax Carving

Wax Freehand Lathe Turning Class with Kate Wolf

Get into wax carving, by hand or on a lathe in two classes taught by renowned wax carver Kate Wolf, owner of Wolf Tools. Her classes, Wax Freehand Lathe Turning and Wax Carving Figurative Pieces will offer new depths to your skills in shaping and carving wax models.

Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

CAD with 3Design Class with David Swallow

And try your hand at computer-aided drawing in the CAD with 3Design class taught by David Swallow and take your design in a whole new direction.

Enameling

Cloisonne Enameling with Ricky Frank

Get into enamelling with artist Ricky Frank in his classes, Cloisonne Enameling with Brilliant Transparent Colors and Enamel Cabochons: Fun with Color and Light.

Precious Metal Clay

Narrative Frame Pendant in Metal Clay Class with Patrik Kusek

If you love working with PMC and other metal clays, push your work a bit further with master clay artist Patrik Kusek in his class, Narrative Frame Pendant in Metal Clay.

Surfaces

Textures, Techniques, Treatment Class with John Sartin

And, to put a brilliant finish on your work, check out Textures, Treatments, Techniques with John Sartin. To take a closer look at John’s extraordinary skill and imagination, be sure to read his spotlight here on The Studio!

Smart Business Tools

Smart Tools to Help Grow Your Business Class

Or, perhaps you want to do some work on the business side of your business—if so, don’t miss Smart Tools to Help Grow Your Business, a team-taught class taught by Marlene Richey, Julianna Silva, and our own Arien Gessner and Amy Cliser. Each of these instructors brings a different realm of expertise to the table for you to apply to your business’ success.

Visit the Winter Workshop page on our website for complete class descriptions, instructor information, a list of demonstrations, ideas on where to stay in Albuquerque, and how to register for the event. And if you joined us last January for the 2013 series, tell fellow readers what you thought…just drop a note in the comments!

Winter Wonderland—er Workshop—at Rio Grande

October 24, 2013 by Viqui Sanchez Leave a Comment

Just about the time your busy season winds down, with the holidays behind you and the spring still ahead, you’ll be looking around your shop, maybe starting a list of plans for the new year. While you’re at it, remember to plan some rest and recharge time for yourself! On the professional side, Rio will be here to help with the 2014 Winter Workshop series—featuring an exciting array of new and returning classes. Come join us, gain a new skill—or hone a skill you’ve already got!

Make a day or two of it, or plan to join us for a whole week. The classes, demonstrations and tours lined up for the week of Winter Workshop give you lots to choose from. Here is a quick taste of what you can do in your week at Rio: