Silver Framed Glass Necklace

Materials:

piece of scrap stained glass
silver bezel wire
silver tube
torch
solder
flux
sheet of sterling silver
pickle solution in heated crock-pot
purchased silver necklace chain with clasp
drill press, 1/16" bit
tracing paper
glue stick
water
tin snips
burnisher
jeweler’s file
safety glasses
blue and green fine point permanent markers
black permanent marker
jeweler’s saw
vice
rotary tool with sanding disc
220-grit sandpaper
glass nippers
scissors
pliers
beeswax
tube cutter
steel wool

1. Choose a piece of stained glass and trim the edges if desired. Sand the edges smooth (figure A) using 220-grit sandpaper.

2. Create a frame by wrapping a piece of silver bezel wire around the sides of the stained glass piece (figure B).

3. Apply flux at the frame seam and solder together with a torch. Heat until the metal turns white and drop it into the pickle solution to clean the metal.

5. Trace the inside of the frame onto a sheet of tracing paper, then draw the design that you want to cut out of the sterling sheet. Color the area around the design with a black permanent marker (figure C).

7. Drill holes in sections of the design so that you can insert the jeweler’s saw blade to cut out the design (figure D).

8. Cut out the design using a jeweler’s saw. Tip: Apply beeswax to the blade so it won’t stick while cutting. File the edges to smooth (figure E). Remove the tracing paper by dropping the piece in a bowl of water.

9. Apply flux to the silver sheet. Solder the frame onto the sheet with the design cut out of it, put in pickle to clean (figure F). Place the glass piece inside the frame to support the walls while trimming off the excess sheet (figure G). File edges smooth.

10. To make the chain attachment on the pendant:

• Measure a piece of silver tube to fit the top edge of the piece.
• Place the silver tube in a tube cutter to hold it in place and cut the piece with a jeweler’s saw (figure H).
• Apply flux, solder the tube on the top edge of the piece (figure I) and clean in pickle.

11. Insert stained glass piece inside the frame.

12. Cut a "v" shaped notch into each corner of the bezel wire frame using tin snips (figure J). File smooth.

13. Bend each side over and smooth out with a burnisher (figure K).

14. Rub steel wool over the surface until desired finish is reached and polish.

15. Slide purchased silver necklace chain through tube.

E-mail: fieryliondesigns@yahoo.com