Make Your Own Silver Locket

Make Your Own Silver Locket – Stage Three Jewellery Making

When: Thursday 6:30pm – 9:00pm

Duration: 8 Weeks (20 hours)

Cost: $650
Class size: Maximum 8 people

Prerequisite
You must have completed Learn to Make Jewellery Stage One - An Introduction or equivalent and Stage Two Soldering Intensive or equivalent. For example, a minimum of 40 hours jewellery training.

Course Description

Sydney’s only original Make Your Own Silver Locket course at The Bench. During this class students will concentrate on further developing their soldering skills and hand fabrication skills. You will build your confidence level with the micro torch by soldering a locket using sterling silver. You will design and make a silver locket of your design with a functional soldered hinge and clasp - The Bench provide you will all the materials needed and expert tuition.

The demonstrations will be fabrication-intensive and will cover locket construction step-by-step from start to finish. Additionally, students will learn to customize their own unique design on the front face of the locket. Tube setting small stones & engraving will also be discussed.

The cost of the Make Your Own Silver Locket workshop is calculated on the ever-fluctuating cost of silver. Fees at time of purchase are based on cost of Silver at time of advertising the course.

Numerous soldering techniques will be practiced intensively while working towards the completion of a simple locket exploring techniques in joinery (soldering, making a hinge & riveting), various levels of intricacy, and soldering methodology. You will continue to master a variety of techniques from pick to stick soldering. You will develop an understanding of how to control the flame of the torch, what makes solder flow, and how to problem solve quickly.

Course Objectives
During this course, not only will you make your very own heirloom locket, your expertise in jewellery making will exponentially develop. Upon completion of your locket, you may wish to set a stone (if you have completed The Bench Stone Setting course, why not set it yourself?). Alternatively, if you have not personalised your locket with a texture, you may want to have it personalised with engraving. The options are bountiful!

You will be guided through the following techniques over the first few weeks:

Soldering - Learn how to effectively solder small and large-scale pieces using silver.

Different techniques - Soldering pieces with multiple solder joints: a hollow shape, bezels, bails, jump-rings for jewellery and findings. Advanced techniques to remove fire scale and surface finishing on metals.

The science behind the technique - Preparing metals, flux and solder types for soldering. Flame and heat use

Hollow Forming - How to turn a 2D object into a 3D hollow form.

Findings/ connections - You will gain an understanding in how to attach clasps and connections or additional finer details such as making hinges and joining smaller components.

Advanced soldering – You will be able to undertake more complex solder joins, knowing what type of join and solder to use for the job at hand.

Confidence - Feel more confident at the torch while elevating your soldering aptitude, through this intensive weekly class.

Advanced soldering – You will be able to undertake more complex solder joins, knowing what type of join and solder to use for the job at hand.

Course Outcomes
All students complete their own silver locket. This intensive class will focus heavily on techniques and samples, with the objective of building up high levels of jewellery making proficiency as the instructor leads students with industry level expertise. Numerous soldering techniques will be practiced intensively while working towards the completion of a simple locket exploring techniques in joinery (soldering, making a hinge & riveting), various levels of intricacy, and soldering methodology. You will continue to master a variety of techniques from pick to stick soldering. You will develop an understanding of how to control the flame of the torch, what makes solder flow, and how to problem solve quickly.

Discussion between tutor and the students as a group and as individuals will take place each week, to guide you to improve your skills.

What’s Included
A $150 materials pack is supplied for you to make a sterling silver locket. Included in kit are: Hard, Medium & Easy silver solder, sterling silver sheet, sterling silver wire, base metals for samples and emery. If you wish to work on additional projects, a selection of materials will be available to buy from your tutor at cost price. Students may purchase and bring yellow gold and yellow gold solder to work on a side project.

Additional notes
All the tools, materials and consumables you need for the course will be available at the venue; including an apron. You may want to buy further materials from our metal suppliers – your tutor will provide you with supplier information.

For health and safety reasons, please bring along with you the following
Hair tie: If you have long hair, please bring along something to tie it back with.
Closed in shoes: We will be working with hot, sharp and heavy tools, so please wear shoes, which will protect your feet. Avoid wearing loose flowing garments.
Sketch book/note book/ pen and/or pencil: Please bring along a notebook for your own notes and design ideas. Notes will be provided to complement the techniques you will be learning but you may wish to make your own notes.
Remember: If you use glasses for reading and /or close up work please remember to bring them along.

Please read our Terms & Conditions and Refund and Cancellation Policy carefully prior to enrolling.

The Bench is a modern, industry standard workshop focusing on education and training for the industry and community. Director and principle tutor Erin Keys established The Bench because she wanted a place for a community to grow together and share their knowledge and experience. With little start up money and no regular funding, we raised funds to build a relaxed and friendly place to learn traditional and contemporary jewellery techniques, a space to develop ideas and projects such as ring making, silver jewellery and stone setting gems. We provide concept based jewellery classes to the absolute beginner, the aspiring maker and to the professional jeweller.

The Bench offers the community the following:
Jewellery Classes, jewellery specializations, professional jewellery development, private jewellery lessons, corporate team building and jewellery related activities.

Why learn to make jewellery at The Bench?
When you become a student at The Bench you are contributing to the viability and sustainability of our workshop, including the general maintenance. By learning to make jewellery at The Bench, you are supporting the establishment of a creative community, and are helping The Bench to evolve & experiment with new programs.

The Bench Jewellery School and Workshop is dedicated to building an unparalleled jewellery centre that delivers quality programs for the betterment of the community and the jewellery industry. The Bench is an open window to learn, design and share by creating experiences and fostering the next generation of makers. It is a place to learn, work, and discuss ideas and share knowledge, a laboratory for the creation of jewellery.

The Bench is a safe working and learning environment, complete with a wide inventory of tools and equipment. The Bench cultivates inclusive, creative and accessible spaces for everyone to have the opportunity to feel safe and welcomed. Our programs and activities offer opportunities for artists and audiences with disability to engage and participate.

Established in 2020, The Bench is located at the exquisite historic site, Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Green Square. The former South Sydney Hospital comprised a group of brick buildings dating from 1911. Within the precinct, the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre occupies the Esme Cahill building, which was the nurses’ accommodation block, opened in 1938. The Joynton Avenue Creative Precinct by Peter Stutchbury Architecture (PSA), in association with Design 5 – Architects as heritage consultant, completed for the City of Sydney. Easily accessed by Bus, Train, Ride, Walk and with Wheelchair accessibility.