in half lengthwise and snip each curl
into tiny chips. Repeat with medium,
storing each type separately in well-
marked containers.TWISTED WIRE
DECORATION9
To create a decorative border,
I anneal about 20 inches of
20-gauge round wire, fold it in half,
and secure one end tightly in a vise.
I place the other end in the chuck of
a battery-operated drill, tighten, and
press the button so the wire turns
slowly and becomes tightly twisted.
I pull just a bit on the power tool to
prevent kinks. I reanneal this wire, as
well as a 10-inch piece of 16-gauge
round sterling silver wire, trim so
they are equal, fi t both securely into
the chuck and vise, and turn again in
the same direction. Once the two are
twisted together, anneal again. I fl ux
the length with Prips because I am
going to heat the metal to a higher
temperature — a dull red glow — to
soften it. Otherwise it will be too
stiff. Quench, pickle, and rinse.
Tip: Don’t use a rotary or flexible
shaft tool. They spin way too fast.13
11 12
Note: When making jewelry, you
know how one idea can often lead
to another. I experimented twisting
wire more than two dozen times,
eventually discovering heavier
gauges could be twisted into easy-
to-make cuffs. You’ll find that story
on page 78.10
To get the decorative wire
to form a circle, I fi rst wrap
it around the 24mm mandrel. It
springs back a little, making it fi t
perfectly around the bezel cup. I
use the fi ne point Sharpie to mark
where I will trim it. Back at the
bench I cut the wire with a saw
and fi le both ends fl ush. Then I fl ux
and solder this ring closed with
hard solder. Since this wire pattern
is fairly tight, the seam becomes
almost invisible. This is followed by
a quench, pickle, and rinse.11
I use one of my largest doming
mandrels to true up the circle,
using a small, non-marring hammer.
I don’t want to slip it onto the bezel
cup yet, because it could mar
the softer metal. Then I place thedecorative ring on a piece of sand-
paper that is resting on a smooth
surface and rub it back and forth
to fl atten one side slightly. This will
improve its contact during the next
soldering step.SOLDERING
12
Using a matt knife and a
straight edge, I cut a 1-inch
strip off one side of my Solderite
board. (Put on your respirator when
doing this step.) I perch the bezel
cup on this strip, raising it up to
expose the back and edges. I place
small chips of medium solder around
the edge of the bezel cup. If I use
too much, the solder will obscure the
details of the twisted wire. Using the
#0 tip and a medium fl ame, I heat
the center, edges, and underside
until solder fl ows. I quench, pickle,
and rinse.13
I pat the bezel cup dry. Then
I fl ux the setting and the wire
on all sides and fi t the decorative
wire over the bezel, making sure it
is in good contact with the solder
underneath. Again, I place it on the
Solderite strip to get the heat under-
neath and work around the edges
with the fl ame until the medium
solder fl ows. I keep a few solder
chips handy and tuck them in with
a pick. I know the solder has fl owed
when they melt and disappear.
Quench, pickle, rinse, and pat dry.
To make sure the twisted wire is fully
soldered to the backing plate, try
prying it up with your fi ngernail. If it
is loose, trying reheating and adding
a little more solder.ADD CHAIN AND PEARL
14
The fi nal step is to attach
jump rings to the piece so
I can add the chain and a single
pearl drop. I decide to make jump
rings out of half-round wire, with
the fl at side out. I anneal a 5" piece
of 14-gauge half round, then wrap
it around a 3mm steel mandrel in a
vise, fl at side out.
14MAY/JUNE 2020 73
70 Lehndorff_VintageSwanPendant_mayjune20.indd 73 3/17/20 9:46 AM