Back On The Chain Gang: What to Bring!

Back On The Chain Gang

Whether you're making jewellery, assemblage or a journal, often the need arises to add a chain or clasp for that finishing touch. Join jeweller Keith Lo Bue for two days of instruction in how to create your own links, hooks and clasps from scratch. Participants will make a variety of samples...learn the satisfaction of the do-it-yourself approach!

REQUIRED TOOLS/MATERIALS:

The tools below are things you will be certainly using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class:

• Roll of 'reo tie wire' or 'black annealed wire' (found in hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be dark grey-black) If met with blank stares, tell them it's for tying reo-rod together. NOTE: I will have this wire available in the class for $5 a bundle.

• Roll each of 18 and 22 gauge 'dark annealed' wire: Go <here> and select "Keith Lo Bue Supplies" link, then scroll down to '18 Gauge Dark Annealed Wire' - the 22 gauge is accessible from there as well.

• Jump-Ring mandrels - Those of you who have experience making jump-rings at home can prep a handful of several diameters of the steel wire above. If you have mandrels already, bring them with you. If you don't, you can bring any solid metal bars of different diameters - a phillips-head screwdriver makes a good mandrel, if all else fails!

• A small hand drill - either a power drill <here> (or, as a last resort, a hand-crank manual drill, such as the Fiskars model, seen<here>) NOTE: The drill linked to by Ozito is the first decently priced drill of its kind in Australia, and luckily can be found at pretty much all Bunnings stores. Be sure to writer down the model number and bring it with you to the store. You will be very happy to have one of these, trust me!

• Hard-wire shear cutter: Go <here> and select "Keith Lo Bue Supplies" link, then scroll down to 'Cousin Parrot Beak Wire'.

• 3M Wet-Or-Dry (Micron) Polishing paper - quite simply some of the coolest polishing equipment money can buy <Here> I'll have some available for purchase in class as well.

• Rawhide mallet <Here>

• Medium table bench vice <here> Try to order this one from Roz, as I've had them imported with her and they are EXACTLY what is needed. Note: DON'T bring the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured. This will be used not only to grip wire when working, but to forge, or flatten the wire on the anvil surface - this is why the heaviness is so important.

• Jeweller's saw with a 4" to 6" (150mm) frame depth <Here>

• Jeweller's saw blades: (get 1 dozen (or more) of #3/0 (that's "three-zero") or 4/0 size, any brand

• Bench pin: <Here> (if yours doesn't come with a clamp to hold it to the table, bring a BAR CLAMP <here> Alternatively, you can bring in a flat piece of timber, about 20 x 10 x 2cm with the bar clamp above and I'll be happy to create a custom pin for you!

• Steel bench block: <Here> Be sure to bring a small piece of leather or sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this!

• A medium-sized ball-pein hammer <here> About a 4oz hammer is perfect.

• A pair of linesman's pliers: Crescent makes a wonderful new compound-jaw model that works wonders with the steel wire. Bunnings, etc. has them, but you can see what they look like <here>. Those with small hands may want to find a smaller pair of linesman's pliers - just be sure they have that elliptical opening in the jaw, as it plays an active role in wireworking.

• Jewellery pliers: A standard pair of round-nose pliers can be used with the steel wire, but it may put a strain on hands, as well as be a bit small for the large diameter of the wire. Therefore, I have found a LARGE round-nose plier, PERFECT for the wire <here>. A flat-nose plier is also needed, but any size can work.

• Needle files <here> Note: This is OPTIONAL

• Ring clamp <here>

• Standard steel drill bit set

• Two extra 1/16" drill bits

• Brass brush <here> I'll have some available for purchase in class as well.

• Fine (0000) steel wool (find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store)

• Piece of scrap wood to drill into

• A decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the the best, a can of Renaissance Wax.

• Ear plugs, if you're sensitive to hammering (we'll keep the noise down as much as possible, but there will be some, so just to be safe....

• Safety glasses! THIS IS A MUST.

• a pair of close-fitting leather work gloves

Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.

See you there! Keith

	Back On The Chain Gang Whether you're making jewellery, assemblage or a journal, often the need arises to add a chain or clasp for that finishing touch. Join jeweller Keith Lo Bue for two days of instruction in how to create your own links, hooks and clasps from scratch. Participants will make a variety of samples...learn the satisfaction of the do-it-yourself approach! REQUIRED TOOLS/MATERIALS: The tools below are things you will be certainly using in the workshop, and to avoid having to wait for a communal tool to become available, you should plan on getting them for the class: • Roll of 'reo tie wire' or 'black annealed wire' (found in hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it should be dark grey-black) If met with blank stares, tell them it's for tying reo-rod together. NOTE: I will have this wire available in the class for $5 a bundle. • Roll each of 18 and 22 gauge 'dark annealed' wire: Go <here> and select "Keith Lo Bue Supplies" link, then scroll down to '18 Gauge Dark Annealed Wire' - the 22 gauge is accessible from there as well. • Jump-Ring mandrels - Those of you who have experience making jump-rings at home can prep a handful of several diameters of the steel wire above. If you have mandrels already, bring them with you. If you don't, you can bring any solid metal bars of different diameters - a phillips-head screwdriver makes a good mandrel, if all else fails! • A small hand drill - either a power drill <here> (or, as a last resort, a hand-crank manual drill, such as the Fiskars model, seen<here>) NOTE: The drill linked to by Ozito is the first decently priced drill of its kind in Australia, and luckily can be found at pretty much all Bunnings stores. Be sure to writer down the model number and bring it with you to the store. You will be very happy to have one of these, trust me! • Hard-wire shear cutter: Go <here> and select "Keith Lo Bue Supplies" link, then scroll down to 'Cousin Parrot Beak Wire'. • 3M Wet-Or-Dry (Micron) Polishing paper - quite simply some of the coolest polishing equipment money can buy <Here> I'll have some available for purchase in class as well. • Rawhide mallet <Here> • Medium table bench vice <here> Try to order this one from Roz, as I've had them imported with her and they are EXACTLY what is needed. Note: DON'T bring the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured. This will be used not only to grip wire when working, but to forge, or flatten the wire on the anvil surface - this is why the heaviness is so important. • Jeweller's saw with a 4" to 6" (150mm) frame depth <Here> • Jeweller's saw blades: (get 1 dozen (or more) of #3/0 (that's "three-zero") or 4/0 size, any brand • Bench pin: <Here> (if yours doesn't come with a clamp to hold it to the table, bring a BAR CLAMP <here> Alternatively, you can bring in a flat piece of timber, about 20 x 10 x 2cm with the bar clamp above and I'll be happy to create a custom pin for you! • Steel bench block: <Here> Be sure to bring a small piece of leather or sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this! • A medium-sized ball-pein hammer <here> About a 4oz hammer is perfect. • A pair of linesman's pliers: Crescent makes a wonderful new compound-jaw model that works wonders with the steel wire. Bunnings, etc. has them, but you can see what they look like <here>. Those with small hands may want to find a smaller pair of linesman's pliers - just be sure they have that elliptical opening in the jaw, as it plays an active role in wireworking. • Jewellery pliers: A standard pair of round-nose pliers can be used with the steel wire, but it may put a strain on hands, as well as be a bit small for the large diameter of the wire. Therefore, I have found a LARGE round-nose plier, PERFECT for the wire <here>. A flat-nose plier is also needed, but any size can work. • Needle files <here> Note: This is OPTIONAL • Ring clamp <here> • Standard steel drill bit set • Two extra 1/16" drill bits • Brass brush <here> I'll have some available for purchase in class as well. • Fine (0000) steel wool (find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store) • Piece of scrap wood to drill into • A decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the the best, a can of Renaissance Wax. • Ear plugs, if you're sensitive to hammering (we'll keep the noise down as much as possible, but there will be some, so just to be safe.... • Safety glasses! THIS IS A MUST. • a pair of close-fitting leather work gloves Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address. See you there! Keith