Wearable Wood + Metal
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts July 31 - August 12, 2016
Like peanut butter and chocolate, wood and metal are great materials that work well together--but combining them successfully isn’t always so simple. This class will equip you with the techniques necessary to create beautiful, wearable objects from wood and metal. Learn versatile approaches including pique-style inlay, making mixed-material chains, attaching findings such as earposts and ring shanks, and stone-setting in wood; get familiar with appropriate adhesives and durable finishes. Previous jewelry or wood experience is helpful but not necessary.
Welcome!
Thanks for your interest in "Wearable Wood + Metal"! During the two weeks we will explore a wide range of ways of working with and combing wood and metal. Our class time will include demonstrations, slideshows, group critiques, and lots of time to work.
This course is extremely flexible. Each of you will take the information I provide and come up with something unique. The tools and supplies below will help you to get the most out of the course, but feel free to go with your gut: bring more of what interests you, less of what doesn't. If you're a beginner, try to bring a little of everything listed. I understand that both transportation and cost can be an issue, so please just do your best.
Feel free to get in touch with questions; I will add clarifications to this page so please check here periodically for updates. I look forward to meeting you!
This course is extremely flexible. Each of you will take the information I provide and come up with something unique. The tools and supplies below will help you to get the most out of the course, but feel free to go with your gut: bring more of what interests you, less of what doesn't. If you're a beginner, try to bring a little of everything listed. I understand that both transportation and cost can be an issue, so please just do your best.
Feel free to get in touch with questions; I will add clarifications to this page so please check here periodically for updates. I look forward to meeting you!
Class Tools and Supplies
Some materials and tools will be purchased by the studio and used communally; the cost of your share will be added to the class supply fee. Items marked with an asterisk* should be available at the Haystack supply store, but may be more expensive there, so consider making any bulk purchases in advance. .
ESSENTIAL
-sketch book, mechanical pencil, white eraser
-inspiring images of jewelry, wood jewelry, wood objects, etc.
-any appealing wood or small wooden objects. There will be some pieces for us all to share, but bringing your own wood will allow you to make more work--and, potentially, work that means more to you! Please try to avoid wood that is extremely dirty or which may have been chemically treated (most notoriously, scraps from pressure-treated decking). Items to look for include:
-carved trinkets, game pieces, toys, or pieces from broken furniture
-broken instruments or pieces of furniture
-twigs or small branches from your yard or neighborhood
-driftwood
-wooden kitchen or bathroom implements (spoons, brushes, juicers, etc)
-pre-made wooden shapes (dowels, beads, spheres, cubes, doll house parts, etc) from hardware or craft stores
-at least two dozen jewelers' sawblades (#3 or #5 for wood, #2/0 or #4/0 for metal)
-dust mask (bring one you find comfortable if you are prone to allergies or asthma; masks with an exhale valve are great if you wear glasses since they won't cause you to fog up)
-safety glasses (if you prefer your own)
-x-acto or similar craft knife handle, with extra blades
-your favorite jewelry tools (saw frame, pliers, burnisher, etc)
OPTIONAL
-sterling wire*, sheet*, or tubing; silver bezel wire; assorted brass, copper, or gold wire (we will have a small amount of round 20g sterling wire for each student and more will be available in the shop but if you anticipate using a lot you may want to order your own; heavier round or half-round wire or sheet are useful for ring shanks, various wires and sheets are useful for inlay or chain-making)
-silver solder*
-stones (small round cabochons are easiest; if you want to set many matching stones, also bring a drill bit of the same diameter; for large or irregular stones, consider bringing silver bezel wire)
-paints or pigments (eg watercolor, acrylic, gouache, colored pencils, oil pastel, eye shadow, etc)
-small soft paint brushes
-chain or beads
-any small-scale wood-working tools you happen to have (such as small block plane, spokeshave, cabinet scrapers, knives, files, rasps, small pruning or utility saw, etc; see below for specific information on chisels)
-assorted small drill bits and burrs for use in flexshaft (if you anticipate doing a lot of inlay you may want to bring several drill bits that match the diameter of your wire; this chart may be helpful http://www.riogrande.com/Content/Drill-Bit-to-Wire-Gauge-Conversion-Chart-CG-html?pos=2)
-chisels, if you would like to learn hand carving (please see below for details)
ESSENTIAL
-sketch book, mechanical pencil, white eraser
-inspiring images of jewelry, wood jewelry, wood objects, etc.
-any appealing wood or small wooden objects. There will be some pieces for us all to share, but bringing your own wood will allow you to make more work--and, potentially, work that means more to you! Please try to avoid wood that is extremely dirty or which may have been chemically treated (most notoriously, scraps from pressure-treated decking). Items to look for include:
-carved trinkets, game pieces, toys, or pieces from broken furniture
-broken instruments or pieces of furniture
-twigs or small branches from your yard or neighborhood
-driftwood
-wooden kitchen or bathroom implements (spoons, brushes, juicers, etc)
-pre-made wooden shapes (dowels, beads, spheres, cubes, doll house parts, etc) from hardware or craft stores
-at least two dozen jewelers' sawblades (#3 or #5 for wood, #2/0 or #4/0 for metal)
-dust mask (bring one you find comfortable if you are prone to allergies or asthma; masks with an exhale valve are great if you wear glasses since they won't cause you to fog up)
-safety glasses (if you prefer your own)
-x-acto or similar craft knife handle, with extra blades
-your favorite jewelry tools (saw frame, pliers, burnisher, etc)
OPTIONAL
-sterling wire*, sheet*, or tubing; silver bezel wire; assorted brass, copper, or gold wire (we will have a small amount of round 20g sterling wire for each student and more will be available in the shop but if you anticipate using a lot you may want to order your own; heavier round or half-round wire or sheet are useful for ring shanks, various wires and sheets are useful for inlay or chain-making)
-silver solder*
-stones (small round cabochons are easiest; if you want to set many matching stones, also bring a drill bit of the same diameter; for large or irregular stones, consider bringing silver bezel wire)
-paints or pigments (eg watercolor, acrylic, gouache, colored pencils, oil pastel, eye shadow, etc)
-small soft paint brushes
-chain or beads
-any small-scale wood-working tools you happen to have (such as small block plane, spokeshave, cabinet scrapers, knives, files, rasps, small pruning or utility saw, etc; see below for specific information on chisels)
-assorted small drill bits and burrs for use in flexshaft (if you anticipate doing a lot of inlay you may want to bring several drill bits that match the diameter of your wire; this chart may be helpful http://www.riogrande.com/Content/Drill-Bit-to-Wire-Gauge-Conversion-Chart-CG-html?pos=2)
-chisels, if you would like to learn hand carving (please see below for details)
Shopping for Chisels
Although it will not be the main focus of our class, small-scale carving is one of my favorite activities, and I'm happy to offer instruction to anyone who is interested. You can make a good start with only an x-acto knife, but if you are very motivated you may also want to invest in a few chisels. Choosing the right tools is a very personal decision, based on considerations such as your hand size, scale, studio situation, and budget. Adjust my recommendations to fit your own situation. And if you already have tools similar to these, great! Bring them along!
SHAPES
As a basic starting point, I recommend getting three chisels:
-a C- or U-shape (aka “sweep” or “gouge”)
-a V-shape (“parting tool” or “veiner”)
-a flat blade with either a squared-off or angled (“skew”) cutting edge
SHAPES
As a basic starting point, I recommend getting three chisels:
-a C- or U-shape (aka “sweep” or “gouge”)
-a V-shape (“parting tool” or “veiner”)
-a flat blade with either a squared-off or angled (“skew”) cutting edge
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SIZES / STYLES
Almost any shape of tool will be available in many different sizes and handle styles. When choosing, keep in mind the size of the work you want to make, the size of your hands, and how much room you have for storing tools (handles can take up a lot of space!). BRANDS Of the many great options available, I think that the Flexcut brand offers the best balance of affordability and quality. Flexcut chisels are available either with fixed handles, or as interchangeable blades that snap into different handles; the snap-on blades take up less space so I can easily carry around one handle and 12 different blades in a small tool roll. Flexcut offers a variety of beginner kits; these are generally fine, but I were choosing my tools individually I'd get a handle and these blades (you can see them on the Tool Profile Chart pdf): SK317 45 deg. x 5/32" (4mm) Parting Tool SK407 #2 x 9/16" (15mm) Skew Double Bevel SK402 #8 x 3/8" (10mm) Sweep Another brand that I like is Dockyard; they sell sets of tiny microchisels that I use for carving details and for working with wax. SHARPENING There will be sharpening tools for you to use in class but if you plan to carve on your own some sort of sharpening system is essential. It's easy to keep Flexcuts and other small chisels sharp with the Flexcut SlipStrop. STORES I keep my eyes open for sales and have bought from many local and online sources, but Woodcraft.com is very reliable and offers a "birthday club" discount. |
My tool roll with one handle and many blades; note that I store them point down.
A boxed beginners set with fixed handles.
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MY RULES OF CHISEL OWNERSHIP
1. Don't buy more than you need; start with 2-3 and grow your collection as appropriate.
2. Don't waste your money on cheap tools.
3. Treat your tolls with care: keep the ends capped or covered, never let a cutting edge touch another piece of metal!
OTHER TOOLS
Other hand tools I may introduce in class include: razor saw, adze, draw knife, drill, crooked knife, or mallet. Don’t run out and buy these, but feel free to bring any that you already have and I can explain how and when to use them.
1. Don't buy more than you need; start with 2-3 and grow your collection as appropriate.
2. Don't waste your money on cheap tools.
3. Treat your tolls with care: keep the ends capped or covered, never let a cutting edge touch another piece of metal!
OTHER TOOLS
Other hand tools I may introduce in class include: razor saw, adze, draw knife, drill, crooked knife, or mallet. Don’t run out and buy these, but feel free to bring any that you already have and I can explain how and when to use them.