Pendant with Dichroic Glass Cabochons and Wirework
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Design Idea C516
Dichroic Solar System Pendant
Tinned copper foil surrounds dichroic cabochons which are then placed on swirls of sterling silver to create this pendant.
-- Designer --
Tammy Honaman, Author, Jewelry-Making Expert and Educator, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®
To learn more about Tammy Honaman, 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.
- Adhesive copper foil, Venture Tape® MasterFoil™ Plus, 4.76mm wide and 1mm thick with adhesive backing
- Cabochon, dichroic glass, black and multicolored, 5-11mm non-calibrated round
- Flux, Canfield Blu-Glass™, low fume
- Jump ring, sterling silver, 10mm round, 7.4mm inside diameter, 16 gauge
- Wire, sterling silver, dead-soft, round, 16 gauge
Instructions
Step 1
Measure a length of foil to fit around the perimeter of a dichroic cabochon. Make an impression then trim at the impression. Peel a little of the paper backing from the foil then center the cabochon onto the sticky side of the foil.
Continue to peel the backing away and wrap the cabochon neatly--keeping it centered as you go.
Note: If you do not keep the foil even, the copper will look uneven on the top of the cabochon. You can use this as a design element if you’d like.
Step 2
Neatly press the foil against the cabochon. Using a burnisher, smooth the foil so it is pressed securely and neatly.
Repeat to wrap each cabochon in your design with copper foil.
Step 3
While working over a heatproof surface, grasp a cabochon with fiber-grip tweezers. Using a flux brush, apply flux to the foil, making sure to apply it to all areas of the foil. Solder will not stay on the foil if it isn’t fluxed properly.
Step 4
Plug in a soldering iron or, if working with the soldering torch, place the soldering tip onto the torch and ignite; allow the tip to heat up. Press the heated tip to the solder so a little bit of solder is gathered. Apply the solder to the foil. Repeat until the foil is covered in solder (or tinned).
Repeat Steps 3-4, tinning each of the cabochons in your design.
Step 5
Create a spiral at the end of the 5-foot piece of 16-gauge wire. Make the spiral large enough to extend out past the largest tinned cabochon. Apply flux to the center of the spiral covering an area as wide as the cabochon. Apply solder, tinning the fluxed area so it will merge well with the cabochon.
Step 6
Place the cabochon onto the tinned area on the spiral. Apply a small amount of solder to a spot between the cabochon and the wire. The heat will circulate around the wire and the solder from the cabochon and the wire will begin to meld. Add more solder if needed.
Step 7
Position the next cabochon in your design. Work the wire toward the cabochon then curve the wire around it, so the cabochon is nestled.
Repeat Steps 5 and 6, tinning the area of the wire where the cabochon will be attached and soldering the cabochon in place.
Step 8
Repeat Step 7 until all of the cabochons are in place. Trim the wire to allow for 2-3 inches beyond the last cabochon. Form a spiral at the top. Add a jump ring to the spiral so you can hang your pendant from cording of your choice.
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