Earrings with Metalwork, Rainbow Moonstone Gemstone Cabochon and Czech Fire-Polished Glass Beads
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Design Idea MK3C
-- Designer --
Patti, Jewelry Designer, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®
To learn more about Patti Miller, read her jewelry artist success story here.
: : : Materials : : :
Click here to view a full list of materials used in this design.
Please take the creative opportunity to select the products of your choice for this design, offered here at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. Some materials may not be available or listed.
- Cabochon, rainbow moonstone (natural), 10mm calibrated round, B grade, Mohs hardness 6 to 6-1/2
- Bead, Czech fire-polished glass, matte opal AB, 4mm faceted round
- Paddle pin, silver-plated brass, 1-inch spear style, 22 gauge
- Sheet, copper / zinc / nickel, nickel silver, half-hard, 6x6-inch square, 28 gauge
- Sheet, copper, half-hard, 6x6-inch square, 28 gauge
- Jump ring, silver-plated brass, 6x4mm oval, 4.1x2mm inside diameter, 18 gauge
- Jump ring, silver-plated brass, 8x5mm oval, 5.7x2.7mm inside diameter, 16 gauge
- Earstud, silver-plated steel and stainless steel, 10mm round with closed loop
- Adhesive, Devcon® 5 Minute® Epoxy, 2-part
- Torch, Micro Torch, steel and acrylic, black, 6x4 inches
- Firing block, compressed vermiculite, white, 6 x 4 x 1 inches
- Sanding pad, micro-mesh, 2-inch square, 1500-12000 grit
- Tongs, copper, 8-3/4 inch curved
- Tweezers, steel and fiberglass, silver and brown, 6-1/2 inches
- Hammer, steel and wood, 10-1/2 inches with 1-1/8 inch textured dual head
- Shears, Lindstrom®, steel and plastic, black and blue, 5-3/4 inches
- Disc cutter, steel and wood, 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 3/4 inch base for cutting 4mm-16mm squares
- Pickle compound, Sparex®, sodium acid sulfate / nitre cake / sodium hydrogen sulfate, for non-ferrous metals
- Disc cutter, steel and wood, 3x3x1-inch base for cutting 13x12mm-24x23mm stars
- Disc cutter, steel and wood, 3 x 3 x 1-inch base for cutting 6-16mm round / conical / convex
- Ball peen hammer, plastic and brass, black and yellow, 6-1/4 inches with 1-inch flat head and 1-inch ball head
- Lubricant, PRO-CUT™, wax
Instructions
Step 1
Gently use a file to roughen the pad of an earstud. Push the earstud face up into a block of clay so it sits level.
Mix a small amount of Devcon® 5 Minute® Epoxy according to manufacturer's instructions. Apply Devcon to the center of the earstud pad. Place a cabochon onto the earstud pad. Let sit on the clay to dry.
Step 2
Cut a 3-1/2 x 2-inch section of copper sheet with shears. Anneal and pickle the cut portion.
Step 3
Place the cut sheet on a steel block. Use the dotted side of a texturizing hammer to texturize the copper sheet. Use overlapping blows until the whole sheet has the desired texture. Anneal and pickle the sheet as needed to soften the metal.
Step 4
Use PRO-CUT™ lubricant generously on the disc cutters between each use.
Use large, round disc cutters to cut out a full circle. Replace the sheet in the cutter with a slight overlap over the previous cut and cut out an almost full crescent moon shape. Replace the sheet in the cutter with a significant overlap over the previous cut and cut out a thin crescent moon shape.
Replace the sheet in the cutter and cut out another full circle. Place the circle in the second largest square cutter to create a half circle.
Place the corner of the nickel sheet in the smallest star cutter and cut out a star.
Step 5
Cover the front and back of each cut out shape with painter's tape. Use a sharpie to mark the appropriate hole location then punch out holes with a hole punch, as seen in the image above. Remove the tape.
Lightly use a sanding pad on the star shape to give it a brushed finish.
Step 6
Pass a glass bead onto a paddle pin then form a simple loop.
Step 7
Referencing the image above, use a 6x4mm jump ring to attach the nearly-full moon to the full moon. Use an 8x5mm jump ring to attach the half-full moon to the nearly-full moon. Use a 6x4mm jump ring to attach the crescent moon to the half-full moon. Use a 6x4mm jump ring to attach the star to the crescent moon. Use the simple loop created in Step 6 to attach the paddle pin drop to the crescent moon.
Remove the earstud from the clay and attach the dangle just created.
Step 8
Repeat Steps 1 - 7 to create a second earring.
Have a question regarding this project? Email Customer Service.
Copyright Permissions
The pieces featured in the Gallery of Designs are copyrighted designs and are provided for inspiration only. We encourage you to substitute different colors, products and techniques to make the design your own.
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