How to Make Enameled Copper Jewelry - Big Big Forums

Jolie Rouge · 05-13-2009, 12:35 PM

How to Make Enameled Copper Jewelry
by Stevie Kremer

Copper enameling is the process of fusing powdered glass to a piece of copper using high heat. The copper pieces may be in the form of a finger ring, or disks or other shapes that can be hung as earrings or linked together with copper jump rings to form bracelets or necklaces. Sometimes pins are attached to the backs of these enameled copper pieces to make pins or broaches. They may also be attached to long pins to form hat pins or stick pins. With practice, enameled pieces can be quite detailed and colorful.

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You'll Need
Pre-cut Copper Shape
Copper Sheet
Jeweler's Saw
Fine Steel Wool
Scouring Powder
Enameling Powder
Kiln
Enameling Fork
Enameling Tripods
Fine-mesh Sieve
Paper Towels
Typing Paper
Epoxy Cement
Flat-sided Bead
Pinback

Steps

Step One Choose a pre-cut shape of copper sheet for your enameled pendant or use a jeweler's saw and cut a shape out of a copper sheet. Clean the surface and edges of your chosen shape of copper sheet by rubbing it with a piece of fine, steel wool. If you do not have steel wool, you may use scouring powder, such as Ajax, and water. The object is to remove all traces of dirt and oil. After cleaning and drying, handle the copper with a clean paper towel so you do not transfer oil from your hand onto the copper. Place a coin on a half sheet of typing paper, and place the clean copper shape on top of the coin.

Step Two Fold, then unfold a second whole sheet of typing paper. While holding the fine-mesh sieve over this creased paper, gently tap some opaque enamel powder into the sieve. Note that this opaque or backing enamel is simply mixed enamel powders that have been left over from previous work. Carefully slide the half sheet of paper with your flat copper piece on top of the creased sheet. Holding the sieve over the copper piece, gently tap the side of the sieve while moving the sieve back and forth above the copper until the depth of the enamel is about the same as the thickness of the copper piece.

Step Three Carefully place the copper shape on a trivet so that the front of the piece is not touching the trivet. Lift the trivet with the Enameling Fork and place it into the hot kiln that is about 750-820 degrees C. After about one minute, when the enamel turns bright orange and appears grainy, use the Enameling Fork to remove the copper piece from the kiln and place it on a heat-resistant surface until it is cool--about 10 minutes.

Step Four Tap the unused enamel powder onto the creased sheet of paper and, using the crease as a slide, return the powder to the original bottle of backing enamel. Turn the piece over after it has cooled. If there is any "scale" or discoloration on the copper, clean the un-enameled side with steel wool again. Follow the same procedure to put transparent enamel on the front of the copper piece. Transparent powder takes a little longer to fire than the opaque powder. If you did not allow the enamel to fire long enough, it will appear opaque maroon instead of transparent.

Step Five Add more colors/layers to the front of the piece, firing after each addition. Usually, begin with the lightest and most transparent color and work toward the darker, opaque colors. The final firing will be a bit longer than the others to ensure all layers are fused together.

Step Six Use steel wool to polish off the scale on the edges of the copper piece. When done properly, the edges will be bright copper. You may use epoxy cement to attach the disk to a flat-sided bead so that you can wear it as a pendant, or if you wish, you may attach a pinback to the piece to wear it as a pin.

Tips & Warnings

Remember that light transparent colors won't show on darker colors.

If you intend to put a jump ring through the disk, drill the hole before enameling, and make it a bit larger than you think you will need, as some enamel powder will undoubtedly accumulate in the opening.

Copper pieces should never be balanced on the points of a trivet.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4489465_make...r-jewelry.html

We made some this wekend with the Girl Scouts - but we used a different method - propane torch over a buddy burner instead of a kiln. The lady who did the project for us will NOT divulge her sources for materials so I am looking for more info.

Does anyone here do this ??

Jolie Rouge · 05-13-2009, 12:37 PM

How to Make Copper Jewelry Pendants
By Melanie Marten, eHow Editor

Copper jewelry starts with a basic piece of copper. Creating attractive and stylish copper jewelry pendants is relatively easy. With some basic tools and an individual style, you can make copper jewelry in many attractive shapes.

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need:

Copper sheet of 5 mm thickness
Large-size metal scrapbook punch
Small hole punch
Copper or steel jump ring
Embossing stamp or a nail
Mallet
Metal file or nail file
Bottled patina (optional)

Step 1 Slide the edge of the piece of 5 mm copper sheet into the scrapbooking metal punch. This punch should have a relatively large (1/2 inch or more) solid shape pattern. Press on the punch to cut out the copper. You may have to stand on the punch as copper is stronger than paper. You may also use a punch that is specially made for metal.

Step 2 File every edge of the copper punched-out shape to remove metal burrs and sharp points. The edges will be sharp so be careful handling the copper jewelry pendant shape. Smooth all the edges with the file.

Step 3 Use the smaller hole punch to make a hole in the copper jewelry pendant where it will be hung from the necklace. Attach a copper or steel jump ring to this hole by bending the ring open sideways, slipping it through the hole and bending it back together again.

Step 4 Use a metal stamp, leather embossing tool or a simple nail to make a pattern on the copper pendant if desired. The stamps should be laid over the copper pendant shape. Then use the mallet to gently but firmly shape the copper. The nail is used as a miniature punch and hammered down to either make holes or slight depressions in a pattern of your choice.

Step 5 Apply a prepared, commercial patina liquid to the copper pendant if you desire a weathered, rainbow-hued or old-fashioned look. Experiment with different finishes and different methods of applying them--dunking, painting or dripping them--for different copper jewelry pendant looks.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4448977_make...-pendants.html

Jolie Rouge · 05-13-2009, 12:54 PM

This link has a video :

Video Transcript
"This is John Mendez with Expert Village and I have made my enamel for the jeweled frame. And what I like to do is I like to jewel about an inch, maybe two inches, depending on how much you want to do, but you have to remember this is just on there with hot glue so the more that you do the more risk you have of losing the beads by handling it. So I only like to do small portions at a time and then go in with your resin and hardener before it starts to harden. You can just drop it anywhere. You can let it just drop on top of the beads but in between and what that will do is gravity will just take it in. I use a head pin or tooth pick and just kind of squeeze it into those little crevices. And you can go around and do that in between all of the beads and make sure that you get all the empty spots. Don't be afraid to touch all the beads because like I said, gravity will pull this down into all those little tight spots and later on you can clean it up with a razor blade after it's cured and hardened. You can go around and take off all the little pieces with a razor blade. So you want to be really ample about applying this to every little crevice. And you can see there where I have done it. Now once you get all those little piece in there finished you can go ahead and bake this at one hundred degrees in your oven and it will harden up in about a half hour. "

http://www.ehow.com/video_4467918_us...g-jewelry.html

Jolie Rouge · 05-13-2009, 12:55 PM

This link shows how to make enameled copper beads : http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...pper-balls.htm

Jolie Rouge · 05-13-2009, 01:12 PM

The Society sponsors a variety of workshops before and after its biennial conferences. Workshop registration for the Society-sponsored workshops will begin in March 2009. 12 of the 14 workshops will be held at The Crucible in Oakland. Additional information on each workshop is available by clicking the links below.

http://www.enamelistsociety.org/Acti...shops2009.html

Resource http://www.ask.com/bar?q=how+to+make...shops2009.html

Enamel Supplies
Allcraft Jewelry Supply Company
Thompson, Latham (English) enamels, enameling and metal-working supplies, metal and books.
135 W 29th St., / Suite 402; New York, NY 10001
Tel: 800-645-7124; Fax: 800-645-7125

American Metalcraft
Copper shapes; copper foil, enameling steel, firing tools
2074 George St.; Melrose Park, IL 60160
Tel: 800-333-9133; Fax: 800-333-6046

Bovano of Cheshire
French (emaux Soyer Cristallerie de St-Paul) enamels
830 S. Main Street; Cheshire, CT 06410-3417
Tel: 800-847-3192 or 203-272-3208; Fax: 203-250-7527

Coronado
Selling Soyer Enamels, from Cristallerie de St-Paul. Our prices do not have competition on the web, and we are sending our productos to USA via courier. Site is in Spanish.
Santa Engracia, 158; 28003 Madrid; Spain
Tel: (0034) 91 533 34 46; FAX: (0034) 91 533 11 30
CIF: 00261231-C

Enamel Emporium
Japanese enamels from various manufacturers, enameling supplies from Japan.
P.O.Box 450977.; Houston, TX 77245-0977
713-433-1817

Enamelwork Supply Co.
Ninomiya (Japanese) enamels, enameling supplies including Ginbari Foil, and books.
1022 N.E. 68th; Seattle, WA 98115
800-596-3257 or 206-525-9271 or email Coral

Georgies Ceramic & Clay
Paragon, Cress and AIM kilns,Thompson enamels, copper shapes, firing tools and supplies
756 NE Lombard; Portland, OR 97211
Tel: 503.283.1353 or 800.999.CLAY (800.999.2529); Fax: 503-283-1387

Ellen Goldman
Thompson enamels
Thomsonlaan 36
2565 LB Den Haag
Netherlands
31 70 3607916

Leslie Ceramics
Thompson enamels, kilns, kiln repair, supplies, tools and books
1212 San Pablo Ave
Berkeley, CA 94706
Tel: 510-524-7363; Fax: 510-524-2387

Mandel’s
Thompson Enamel supplies
PO Box 172; Startup, WA 98293
(360) 793-2807
email

Metalliferous
Metal shapes, foils, cloisonne wire, tools and books. Can walk in and shop like in a candy store
34 West 46th Street; New York, NY 10036
888-944-0909, Fax: 212-944-0644

Reusche & Co.
Enamel painting and screening supplies
1299 H St.
Greeley, CO 80631
(970) 346-8577

Rio Grande
Enamel supply catalogue, PMC supplies, kilns, as well as complete line of supplies for metal-working of all types.
7500 Bluewater Road NW; Albuquerque, NM 87121-1962
(800) 545-6566

Rynne China Company
China paints, lusters, palate boxes, decals, oil brushes
222 West Eight Mile Rd
Hazel Park, MI 48030
Tel: 800-468-1987; Fax: 248-542-0047

Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies
Thompson enamels, kilns, custom die-cut metal shapes, a wide range of enameling supplies and books.
P.O. Box 6776; Gardnerville, NV 89460
800-525-5959; 775-265-3284

Thompson Enamel, Inc.
Major supplier in U.S including books. The website has links to all major distributors of Thompson Enamel.
650 Colfax Avenue; Bellevue, KY 41073
859-291-3800, Fax 859-291-1849

Myron Toback Inc.
Jewelry tools, silver and gold stock. Distributor of Schauer enamels
25 West 47th Street; New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 398-8300 or (800)223-7550; Fax: (212)869-0808

Vitrum Signum
Enamels by Blythe, Milton Bridge (Latham), Soyer, Schauer, British Professional, metal blanks, cloisonne wire, foils, painting enameling supplies, PnP film
Gresham Works, Mornington Road
North Chingford, London E4 7DR
United Kingdom
Tel: 44(0)20 8524 9546; Fax: 44 (0)22 8524 9546; email

WARG Enamel & Tool Center
Carries Thompson enamels and many other related tools for enamelists. Also carries a full range of jewelry making and metalsmithing tools and teaches/sponsors classes.
Pauline Warg
10 Oak Hill Plaza; Scarborough, ME 04074
207-885-9382 or 800-970-3382

Jolie Rouge · 05-13-2009, 01:20 PM

Copper Enamel Starter Kit
Price: $113.95

This exclusive supply kit includes basic enamel tools and firing supplies, plus a wonderful assortment of enamels to create colorful enamel art: 10 opaque powders, and 8 oz. of thread enamels in a 7 color mix. With the copper bracelets and pendants, which are great beginner projects, and our favorite beginner book "Beginners Guide to Enameling" and all you need is an enameling furnace or kiln to create some beautiful works of art on your very first try!
Blue flower below created by Stephanie Braman. Other projects from book in kit. Made by author and artist Jinks McGrath.

http://www.delphiglass.com/jewelry-s...kit.html#goto#

http://www.delphiglass.com/enameling...l-assortments/

Transparent Enamel Assortment For Metals
Price: $12.95

Add some exciting color to your metal art with this enamel assortment. Use for copper, gold, silver, steel and metal clay. Includes 10 colors of transparent enamels. 17 gm per color.
First project below made with metal clay, texture sheets and enamels by Linda Bernstein. From "PMC in Mixed Media" book #6483. Second project made with copper and enamel by Dorothy Cockrell. From "Beginner's Guide to Enameling" book #6553.

http://www.delphiglass.com/enameling...or-metals.html

Beginner's Enameling Kit

This kit is ideal for those who are learning how to enamel. The kit has been put together with all the necessary items to introduce enameling to the classroom or to establish a camp craft program. The kit is also an ideal way to start your own workshop, without a large investment. The kit contains all the basic equipment and materials, including instruction, all at a bargain price! The kit includes:
Enameling Furnace (see price below).
HS-1 & HS-2 Trivet for hotplate furnace (included with BEK-1 only).
HS-3 Trivet (included in BEK-2 & BEK-3 only).
K-10 Spatula for removing trivet from furnace.
PH-2 Hot Pad (6-5/8" x 6-5/8").
SM-3 2" Sifter for applying enamel.
2 oz. Thompson's Holding Agent.
(6) V-14B 1-1/2" copper squares.
(6) V-6 1-1/2" dia. copper circles.
(6) V-34 1-7/16" copper ovals.
(8) 2 oz. quantities of opaque enamel colors which include: 1175 Mocha Brown, 1237 Butter Yellow, 1360 Jungle Green, 1410 Robin's Egg Turquoise, 1620 Daphne Blue, 1720 Mauve Purple, 1880 Flame Red, 1996 Black.
8 oz. ALV-1 Assorted transparent and opaque lump enamel.
1 oz. OTV-8 Seven color mix enamels threads.
Beginner's Enameling Course by Woodrow Carpenter.
Copper Enameling by Gerry Coleman, Marguerite Koenig and Edna Berry.

BEK-1 Comes with HP-4 Furnace ea. $218.00
BEK-1X Without Furnace ea. $ 90.60

BEK-2 Comes with DT-1 Furnace ea. $225.85
BEK-2X Without Furnace ea. $ 72.70

---

Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies,LLC
In the USA phone or FAX 800 525-5959;
Outside the USA phone or FAX 1-775-265-3284.
Email Schlaifer's at ses@enameling.com

http://www.enameling.com/Samples_Kits.html
BEK-3 Comes with TK-1 Furnace ea. $275.30

BEK-3X Without Furnace ea. $ 72.70

http://www.thompsonenamel.com/produc...s/beginner.htm

LaurenC · 05-14-2009, 08:41 AM

I love doing arts and crafts. And this one is challenging, but had a fun time trying it. Thanks for sharing the instructions.