Lapidary_Journal_Jewelry_Artist_-_November_-_December_2019

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THEIR TURN, PAGE 8

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the solder slightly, with round nose

pliers, to match the curve in the

silver wire. Solder should be as thin

as you can get it with a hammer and

a steel block.

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Move the fl ame fairly quickly all

over the piece, making sure the

fl ame reaches every part of the sil-

ver. The solder should melt between

the segments completely and make

a perfect join all at once.

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When cool, pickle until

completely white, rinse, then

make sure the joints are soldered

completely.

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This is the positioning of

the smaller segments of

the dragonfl y ready to be soldered.

You will use medium solder for this

step. Do not overheat. It will cause

The segments

of wire that are

to be soldered

together will

need to be

scalloped to

be soldered

properly. If you

omit this step,

you’ll run the

risk of solder

joints cracking

and solder

showing in the

final piece.

the previous solders to come undone.

As in the previous step, move the

fl ame fairly quickly over the whole

piece until the solder fl ows.

After the dragonfl y cools, place in

pickle until completely white, rinse;

then dry completely.

FINAL DETAILS

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Once the piece is cleaned and

dried, you can start the pro-

cess of forging the dragonfl y into its

fi nal shape. For me, this is the best

and most fun part of the process.

Using the fl at side of the planishing

hammer, strike downward evenly

across the entire surface of the

metal. Notice how the silver moves

when you strike it. If it moves too far

in one direction, hammer it on the

opposite side, and it will move back

in the other direction. Hammer it

until it is the shape you desire. Every

time I make one of these they are

truly one of a kind.

Once you’re fi nished shaping the

piece, you’ll want to decide what kind

of bail to use and solder it onto the

dragonfl y with easy solder. There are

so many choices: premade, cast, jump

rings as a bail, curved tubing. I’ll leave

that up to your imagination.

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This is the fi nal dragonfl y with

the bail I decided to use. I usu-

ally use low dome wire in various

widths, depending on the pendant

I’m making. I’ll bend the low dome

wire over a bezel mandrel to the

desired opening width and bail

length, saw off the excess, solder

the ends together, taper the sides

with a fi le, and then solder the bail

onto the pendant.

MICHAEL ANTHONY CHEATHAM, Gemolo-

gist (GIA), FJC has been making jewelry, cutting gemstones, receiving awards and teaching his

craft for 25+ years. Mostly self-taught, he studied with well-known Navajo Jeweler Richard Tsosie at

Idyllwild School of the Arts Summer Program to learn the granulation process. Michael continues to

show his jewelry at art festivals, American Indian

art markets, and museum art shows in the western United States.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 37