Intro to Ring Fabrication: Band Ring & Solitaire Ring (Beginner) [SM02]

In this 3.5-hour session, you will learn how to measure your fingers to create two rings, in two different ways. At the end, you will leave with two custom rings made by your own hands, and a solid understanding of how metal moves, bonds, and holds stone.

What We Will Build: You will fabricate two distinct rings using solid Copper:

1. The Simple Band Ring: A flat band ring where you will choose a textured ring blank to measure, size, and solder together.
2. The Solitaire: A band ring featuring a 6mm Cabochon Stone. You will learn to solder a pre-made bezel cup to your ring shank and mechanically "set" the stone to lock it in place.

What You Will Learn (The Science & The Art)

We don't just follow steps; we learn the why behind the process.

• Soldering 101: Understanding "Capillary Action"—how to draw molten solder through a joint using heat control.
• Oxidation: The ways in which we create, inhibit, and clean up oxidation.
• Sizing: How to measure the length of wire needed for a specific ring size.
• Stone Setting: How to push a bezel wall over a stone to secure it without glue.
• Finishing: We will use hand files, sandpaper, and scour pads to clean our solder seams and achieve a clean, industrial matte finish.

Important Class Notes

Why Copper? We work in Copper because it is the "Standard Practice Metal" of the trade. It behaves almost exactly like Sterling Silver under the torch but allows you to learn without the stress of ruining expensive materials.

• Note: Copper reacts with body chemistry and can turn skin green over time. If you wish to wear your practice pieces, there is a specialized micro-coating (ProtectaClear) that you can buy online to seal your ring. Hairspray, nail polish, and even clear acrylic are not durable enough for everyday wear of jewelry—we will discuss further in class.

The Finish

To maximize our time at the bench learning fabrication and soldering, we will focus on a structural finish (filing and sanding). High-gloss polishing is a separate skill set that requires its own safety training and equipment. We offer a separate Metalsmithing 1 Class [SM01] for those interested in learning professional polishing techniques.

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