Silversmithing.... anyone ever ever tried it?

[Pappa]

If so, got any tips on where to start?

[Svartalf]

Become a master Blacksmith first.

It's too late for you to have home made wedding rings anyway.

and the Ammericans' Paul Revere Institute has demonstrated that silversmithing tends to make people into dangerous revolutionaries and terrorists.

[Pensioner]

I have done some of that. What do you want to make?

[Pappa]

I have done some of that. What do you want to make?

I'd like to make gold and silver jewellery, rings, pendants, brooches and the like. Starting with silver obviously makes the most sense. I bought a book on Amazon today, which should help. But if you have any suggestions for an absolute beginner (about what i might need to get in terms of tools and things I need to learn to do) I'd be very grateful to hear them.

[Clinton Huxley]

I've always fancied a torc.

[hadespussercats]

There's a nifty product on the market now that I'd like to try-- silver is suspended in... polymer? something like that-- so you can mold it like clay, then cook it, and some of the suspension material bakes out (you make it larger than you want finished) and you have a pretty silver thing.

As for actual smithing, no. But I've done a lot of soldering and cheap metal work, which I've gotten plated. I learned that on the job (internet, reading up, watching people and faking it) but you can do a lot of cool stuff, and hone your skills on cheaper materials.

[hadespussercats]

You really can find out a lot on the internet.

The main things I'd recommend are:
a nice smooth anvil
various clamps so you can set up pieces for soldering
flux and brushes
I'm not sure if silver specifically needs a certain sort of gun-- I don't think so, since I used silver solder.
--But one thing I loved was my creme brulee torch, which I used for brazing
I also bought cheapo gas-fueled soldering guns from Radio Shack. I think they burned hotter than the plug-in kind, plus it's really nice not to have to deal with a cord, or worry about melting it accidentally when you're focused on something else.
You can also get a pack of jewelry files-- they come in different shapes, and you can use the to shape punched holes, smooth cut edges, rough up a surface you're about to solder to.
A metal punch is also nice, put for a lot of applications, if you want to be cheap, I think you can just use a hammer and nail and then file the hole (just so long as the piece wouldn't be dented by the force.)
If you're making rings you'd need a mandrel-- again, if you're just playing at first you might be able to rig up something that'd work.
Oh, do you have a dremel already? They are very handy for all sorts of things-- grinding, drilling holes, etc.

Like I said, I generally worked with copper or whatever random metal bits I found that looked likely-- not silver. So YMMV.

Here's a couple pics of this one metalwork project I did, a few years ago:

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

[FBM]

My word, hades! Are you tired of hearing how talented you are yet? Or how beautiful your artwork is?

[hadespussercats]

My word, hades! Are you tired of hearing how talented you are yet? Or how beautiful your artwork is?

Aw, shucks! T'weren't nuthin'.

[FBM]

T'wuz, too!!!

[Pappa]

Thanks Hades, and those crowns are excellent. I have many/most of the things you said already, which is good to know.