Jewelry designs often incorporate a number of identical elements, as in chains, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Creating many of the same item in an elegant and efficient way is always a production consideration. One-piece blanking dies solve this problem and allow a maker to easily cut out duplicate shapes from copper, brass, silver, gold and other non-ferrous sheet metals. Learn how to pierce these special “blanking” dies from sheet steel and then use them to stamp out multiples using basic shop tools as well as the hydraulic press. You will be amazed at how quickly you can go from an original idea to a duplicated shape as you make and use your own blanking dies during class. Then learn to decorate surfaces with 24k gold using the ancient Korean technique of Keum-boo. Instruction covers how to make your own gold foil and decorate the surfaces of three dimensional, flat, and textured metal objects plus inventive methods of forming, connecting, and engineering your work.  Prerequisite: Fabrication 1 or experience

Download the tool list for this class.