Steel and Gold—Making Magic with Mixed Metals with Bette Barnett (Online)

In this online live workshop, students will learn how to create dramatic mixed metals jewelry by fusing gold to steel. The workshop consists of five two-hour online sessions from 10 a.m. to 12:00 pm (PDT) featuring instructor interaction, recorded demonstrations and group discussion.

After each class you will have an assignment and time to work on your own. In addition, after each day’s class, there will be an optional online “open studio” session to ask questions of the instructor and discuss your progress. During the class you will complete at least two different pieces of steel and gold jewelry.

Topics covered in the workshop:

Working with mild, cold rolled steel including sourcing, cutting, soldering and forming.
Hammer and roller patterning steel to add interest to fused pieces.
Preparing steel for fusing
Alloying gold in preparation for fusing
Fusing gold to steel sheet and heavy wire
Trouble shooting the fusing process
Patinating and sealing steel jewelry

Class Schedule:

Session 1: Working with steel

Session 2: Alloying gold and preparing it for fusing

Session 3: Fusing gold to steel sheet and wire

Session 4: Forming and soldering steel

Session 5: Patinating and sealing steel jewelry

Experience Level: This workshop is intended for students who have some experience working with a jewelers torch and performing basic metalworking techniques, such as soldering, forming, sawing end texturing.