Easy
solderhttp://www.ArtJewelryMag.com 59Marthe Roberts/Shea’s work has been shown in galleries
nationally and has appeared in Art Jewelry’s Gallery.
She teaches jewelry making at the Cheltenham Center
for the Arts (Cheltenham, Pa.) and the Main Line Art
Center (Haverford, Pa.). She is also the president of the
Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths. You can reach her
via her website, http://www.jewelrybymars.com.17
Thread the wire
through the small
tubes on the sides of the
locket. There should be at
least 2 in. (51 mm) of wire
above the locket to allow
room for placing things in
the locket when it’s open.
Slide the top up and
down the wire, and make
sure the collar fits tightly
into the bottom. It’s all right
if the sliding motion is a
little rough; it will become
more fluid after polishing.18
Use 18-gauge (1.0 mm) sterling silver wire to make two^1 ⁄ 8 -in.
(3 mm) OD jump rings. Use easy solder to attach one to each end
of the wire. (It doesn’t matter if the jump rings are parallel or perpendic-
ular to the locket, as long as they both face the same direction.)NOTE: The jump rings will be used to attach chain to the locket, and
act as a stop to keep the locket top from sliding off.Use easy solder to attach a sterling silver chain to the jump rings.
I like a long chain for this locket (30–32 in. [76.2–81.3 cm]). It’s easier
to open, close, and see what’s inside the locket when it hangs lower
on the body.
Polish or patinate the locket as desired. (I used a 1-in. [25.5 mm]
muslin buffing wheel and rouge with a flex shaft.)15
Fit the top and bottom
of the locket together.
If the fit is snug — great! If
it’s too tight, sand the collar
until it fits. If it’s too loose,
use a straight burnisher at
about a 20° angle to burnish
the collar outward a little at
a time. Burnish, test the fit,
and repeat as necessary.16
Straighten 6 in. (15.2 cm) of annealed 14-gauge
(1.6 mm) sterling silver wire.TIP: Long wires are hard to straighten. After
annealing the wire, clamp one end in a bench
vise and hold the other end in draw tongs. Pull
the wire until you feel it stretch a little. Don’t
pull too much — it could snap. If done correct-
ly, the wire will remain straight in the vise even
after you remove the tongs.The wire will be a little longer now. Trim it to 6 in.
(15.2 cm), and file the ends flat. Mark the center point
of the wire. Use half-round pliers to start bending the
wire at the center point. Form the wire until it follows
the curve of the dome on the bottom of the locket
and the legs of the wire are parallel.ASSEMBLY
Illustrations by Marthe Roberts/Shea.