12/16/2007

Primrose & Lavender pendant

I read somewhere that if you can use a hot glue gun you can solder. I can attest this is true. I have fond early childhood memories of my father, bent over a circuit board with a soldering iron in his hand. I remember the smell, and his arcane ability to mend and create. I treasure that. If you are just starting out soldering, I recommend Simple Soldered Jewelry & Accessories by Lisa Bluhm. This post will show shading using Copic markers, soldering and attaching jewelry components! Being able to incorporate soldering with rubber stamping and paper arts produces objects of affection for me. Here are the steps I took to create a simple pendant. Copic markers: 0 - colorless blender, R00 - pinkish white, R02 - flesh, R05 - salmon red, V17 - amethyst, BV04 - blue berry, BV31 - pale lavender, YG95 - pale olive, YG97 - spanish olive, E15 - dark suntan, Ranger foam blending tool, Lockhart Primrose and Lavender dress image; Palette pad in Noir, Distress pad in Antique Linen, paper distressing tool. The next 3 photos will show how to shade using Copic markers: Step 1: Stamp image with Palette Noir onto white (Papertrey Ink) cardstock. Cardstock piece measures just shy of 1" x 3", which is the measurement of the microscope slides I'll be using later. This particular Lockhart image is a breeze to color - I just dotted the lavender with BV04, and lined the stems with YG95. Colored in the Primrose with the very pale R00. Step 2: Take R02 and add near the base of the primrose. Step 3: Swipe YG97, R02 and E15 onto a CD or other non-porous item to serve as a palette. Use 0-colorless blender to pick up these colors and add a hint of the hue to the stamped image. This technique is done the same way one would use waterbased markers and a blender pen. Step 4: Stamped image complete. Blender pen and YG97 were used to fill in between the stems. E15 & blender pen were used on the hanger. Note the BV31 that outlines the whole image - making it pop. Step 5: Small scale patterned paper is a must - I used a sheet from 7gypsies Maison 6x6 paper pack - picked words I liked on the paper and trimmed from sheet, tore edges, used the paper distresser & inked with Antique Linen and a foam blending tool. Adhere to stamped image and ink edges too. When inking the edges, don't forget the copper tape will conceal the immediate edges, so when blending, blend inward quite a bit so it shows in the final piece. Step 6: Don't forget the back! Sign the (just shy of) 1" x 3" sheet of decorative paper and date. I inked the edges here too. Step 7: Gather your soldering items: soldering gun/iron, jumprings (I use soldered closed jumprings, sterling silver metal, from firemountaingems.com), 2 clamps, lead-free solder, waterbased flux, two 1x3 microscope glass slides and copper tape. With exception to the jumprings, these items are inexpensive and available at stained glass shops and at major home improvement stores. I use a very moist sponge to clean the soldering iron tip and as a barrier to prevent the tip from accidentally slipping through the holder and burning my worksurface. I used 1/4" wide copper tape for this project. You can use a wider tape if you prefer; it will simply cover up more of your art. For thicker glass I use a wider tape. Step 8: Using a cleaner (I'm a big Method fan) and a clean paper towel, clean the glass very well. Touch the glass sides minimally until the copper tape is on, and do not touch the glass surface. Sandwich the stamped artwork (front and back) between the two glass panes, and apply copper tape. Step 9: After copper tape is applied I burnish with my fingers. I do not use a bone folder, as I've cracked the glass doing it this way - I'm too rough and push too hard. Make sure the copper tape is well affixed to the glass slides. This is key, so the flux does not creep underneath, causing the tape to pull away. Step 10: Apply flux (I use a cotton swab) and set up the slide using the clamps to hold it upright. You'll need this setup to apply the jumprings. Step 11: Continue and finish soldering attaching jumprings (see step 12). When I first started soldering, I used the tinning technique - which means you pick up a bit of solder with the iron and 'paint' the solder along the flux-lined copper tape, touching the soldered-covered iron to the art piece. Tinning produces a very fine, thin line of solder. What I like to do now, to achieve the chunky look, is to hold the solder coil in one hand and the iron in the other, and form a 'bridge' of solder onto the art piece. The same 'bridge' can be achieved by getting a big chunk of solder on the iron and swipe the piece, but not letting the iron touch the piece - there will be a 'bridge' of solder between the iron and the piece. Not gonna lie here - it takes practice. But heck, it is FUN!! Step 12: When mounting the jumprings, remember the bottom jumpring should be applied like this one - facing you. The charms will lay better. The top jumpring, that houses the cording, chain, etc., should be the opposite of this - so the cord will lay flat. If this does not make sense look at the jumpring placement of the finished piece. Step 13: Wash your piece with Oxy Stop. It will stop the oxidation of the solder and generally clean your piece. I go over it with Method cleaner too, and wash my hands. Next step: jewelry! Step 14: This pendant incorporates simple jewelry-creating techniques. I learned these online and from books. Here is a good site for the simple wrapped loops I created here. If you are starting out, you'll be confronted with a ton of tools. All you really need is a pair of wire cutters, flat-nose pliers and round-nose pliers. Sure you can get the other fancy tools later but for starting out these are what I recommend. I used sterling silver headpins; all jewelry components and tools were purchased from http://www.firemountgems.com/. Finished pendant. I left the resolution high on these pics so you can see details. Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did creating it!! :)

14 comments:

Sharon Harnist said...

You make me want to get out my soldering iron, Cindy -- this is beautiful! Thanks for the step-by-step instructions!

Carol (HB) said...

Cindy, you are AMAZING! The toot is so clear and understandable that I think even I can do this! (ya, right! lol)
The finished piece is GORGEOUS!!!

Gerrie Johnnic said...

No 1 but 2 lessons today! You are awesome! TU tu tu!

DeniseLynn said...

OMG - It's so cute. I love it - I wanna wear that! Thanks for the great tutorial.

Anonymous said...

Love your pendent, looks like fun, would love to give it a try sometime!

Bev Gerard said...

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!! Perfect, Cindy! I've been soldering the past week, and love to see your style via pics! I'm surely going to try to find the Oxy cleaning product too! Great too, Ms. Cindy!

~Tex

Heather said...

It is beautiful!

Question- what is the foam bledning tool you used to apply the Distress ink?

Unknown said...

Cindy - you never cease to blow my mind! This is just incredible!!!

Debbie Olson said...

Cindy, WOW!!!! I have all of this stuff except that Oxy cleaner. . . Must amake time to pull it out and play! Great job!!

Elizebeth said...

So I also solder glass and Im confused, do you not use a rheostat or did you forget to list that? If you dont use a rheostat then you cant keep the temp and electricity consistant in your soldering gun. It's also dangerous if you dont use one because the gun will continue to heat and you'll end up with silver everywhere.

Also, if you purchase glass that is cut specifically for soldering than you dont need to use microscope glass and its stronger, and I'm assuming cheaper.

Sorry if you think this is out of line, but I just want people to be aware of safety.

Cindy Lyles said...

Dear Elizebeth, I graciously thank you for your words of wisdom and concern. I do not use a rheostat as my iron contains a patented temperature control built right into the tip. In fact, using a rheostat on my particular iron could ruin the iron, but I would certainly understand the need for this on other soldering irons. I also enjoy using my butane-powered soldering iron, again, without (naturally) a rheostat. Glass: I prefer microscope glass as it is easy to source, does not need to be cut and I can focus on stamping. Do you stamp? Best regards, Cindy Lyles, StarLitStudio

Anonymous said...

The site is very easy to understand and follow and very pleasing to the eye. Thank you!

Charmingdesigns said...

Ok, I just dug out my soldering iron from about 15 years ago. I think I need a new tip...what size should I get? Im doing about the same size items as you are. Thanks. Laurie

Janet said...

An easy to follow instruction, looks like I wanted to do my own pendant the way that you do it, very creative though this one got much work to do before I get the result. Simply amazing. - juicy outlet