Back On The Chain Gang: What to Bring!

Back On The Chain Gang

Whether you're making jewelry, assemblage or a journal, often the need arises to add a chain or clasp for that finishing touch. Join jeweler Keith Lo Bue for inspired and detailed instruction in how to create your own links, hooks and clasps from scratch. Participants will make a variety of samples...learn the satisfaction of the do-it-yourself approach!

REQUIRED TOOLS/MATERIALS:

The tools below are things you will be certainly using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class:

Note: Volcano Book Arts has a great Metalsmithing starter kit for $54 that comes with a jeweler's saw, Bench Pin, Saw Blades, Rawhide Mallet, Needle Files, Wooden Hand Vise (ring clamp), 2 Storage Tubes for Blades. This will take care of all those items on the list in one hit, so it's recommended: <Here> "Metalsmithing Starter Tool Kit"

• 'Re-bar tie wire' <here> (also found in most hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be dark grey-black). NOTE: You won't need to haul the whole roll, as it's quite heavy - bring 1/2 of it with you and you'll have plenty!

• roll of 19 guage 'dark annealed' steel wire: <Here>

•set of steel jump-ring mandrels <Here>

• a small hand drill - A fantastic one, perfect for the class <here>. A better purchase you cannot make, I mean that.

• Hard-wire shear cutter <here>

• Flush-cutter. An absolutely BRILLIANT pair of flush-cutters can be found <here>. They cost around $29. If you cut wire with any frequency, these are more than worth the money. I covet my pair, which I paid way too much for ($70!), but even so, I wouldn't give them up for anything. However, if you want a cheaper alternative ($17), these will do - <here>

• 3M Wet-Or-Dry Polishing Paper This is simply a MUST HAVE. Comes in a pack of six sheets. Be sure to number them on the back when you first open the package, 1 being roughest to 6 being finest. <here>

• rawhide mallet <Here>

• small table bench vise <here> DON'T bring the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured.

• bench pin <Here>

• steel bench block: <Here> Be sure to bring a small piece of leather or sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this!

• a small hammer <here>

• a pair of lineman's pliers (a new, cheap and SUPERB pair can be found <here>

• jewelry pliers:
a round-nose (a PERFECT one for the class can be found <here> - choose the 6 1/4" or the 7"), and a flat-nose <here>

•Hard-wire shear cutter <here>

• a small jewelry plier with a serrated edge on the inside (gripping edge)

• small file (any fine-tooth file will do)

• Ring clamp <here>

• standard steel drill bit set <here>

• Two extra 1/16" drill bits <here>

• wire brushes <here>

• fine (0000) steel wool (find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store), or better yet, this brilliant new synthetic steel wool pad by 3M <here>

• 3M Micron Polishing Paper - set of 6 sheets <here>

• Piece of scrap wood to drill into

• 2 bar clamps (this is the perfect set, of a 12" and 6" - <here>)

• a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the the best, a can of Rennaisance Wax.

• ear plugs, if you're sensitive to hammering (we'll keep the noise down as much as possible, but there will be some, so just to be safe....

• jeweler's saw (get a 'deep' one, ideally with 5" to 6" 'throat' <here>

• Jeweler's saw blades (an inexpensive assortment like <this> is perfect for the class - the primary size blade we'll be using is a 3/0 size.)

• Safety glasses!

• a pair of close-fitting safety gloves

Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.

See you there! Keith

	Back On The Chain Gang Whether you're making jewelry, assemblage or a journal, often the need arises to add a chain or clasp for that finishing touch. Join jeweler Keith Lo Bue for inspired and detailed instruction in how to create your own links, hooks and clasps from scratch. Participants will make a variety of samples...learn the satisfaction of the do-it-yourself approach! REQUIRED TOOLS/MATERIALS: The tools below are things you will be certainly using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class: Note: Volcano Book Arts has a great Metalsmithing starter kit for $54 that comes with a jeweler's saw, Bench Pin, Saw Blades, Rawhide Mallet, Needle Files, Wooden Hand Vise (ring clamp), 2 Storage Tubes for Blades. This will take care of all those items on the list in one hit, so it's recommended: <Here> "Metalsmithing Starter Tool Kit" • 'Re-bar tie wire' <here> (also found in most hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be dark grey-black). NOTE: You won't need to haul the whole roll, as it's quite heavy - bring 1/2 of it with you and you'll have plenty! • roll of 19 guage 'dark annealed' steel wire: <Here> •set of steel jump-ring mandrels <Here> • a small hand drill - A fantastic one, perfect for the class <here>. A better purchase you cannot make, I mean that. • Hard-wire shear cutter <here> • Flush-cutter. An absolutely BRILLIANT pair of flush-cutters can be found <here>. They cost around $29. If you cut wire with any frequency, these are more than worth the money. I covet my pair, which I paid way too much for ($70!), but even so, I wouldn't give them up for anything. However, if you want a cheaper alternative ($17), these will do - <here> • 3M Wet-Or-Dry Polishing Paper This is simply a MUST HAVE. Comes in a pack of six sheets. Be sure to number them on the back when you first open the package, 1 being roughest to 6 being finest. <here> • rawhide mallet <Here> • small table bench vise <here> DON'T bring the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured. • bench pin <Here> • steel bench block: <Here> Be sure to bring a small piece of leather or sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this! • a small hammer <here> • a pair of lineman's pliers (a new, cheap and SUPERB pair can be found <here> • jewelry pliers: a round-nose (a PERFECT one for the class can be found <here> - choose the 6 1/4" or the 7"), and a flat-nose <here> •Hard-wire shear cutter <here> • a small jewelry plier with a serrated edge on the inside (gripping edge) • small file (any fine-tooth file will do) • Ring clamp <here> • standard steel drill bit set <here> • Two extra 1/16" drill bits <here> • wire brushes <here> • fine (0000) steel wool (find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store), or better yet, this brilliant new synthetic steel wool pad by 3M <here> • 3M Micron Polishing Paper - set of 6 sheets <here> • Piece of scrap wood to drill into • 2 bar clamps (this is the perfect set, of a 12" and 6" - <here>) • a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the the best, a can of Rennaisance Wax. • ear plugs, if you're sensitive to hammering (we'll keep the noise down as much as possible, but there will be some, so just to be safe.... • jeweler's saw (get a 'deep' one, ideally with 5" to 6" 'throat' <here> • Jeweler's saw blades (an inexpensive assortment like <this> is perfect for the class - the primary size blade we'll be using is a 3/0 size.) • Safety glasses! • a pair of close-fitting safety gloves Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address. See you there! Keith