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Simple Soldering: A Beginner's Guide to Jewelry Making
Metalworking is generally regarded as a skill that takes years of dedication, requires a large studio space, and costs a lot of money. Fortunately, Simple Soldering proves that does not need to be the case. This handy how-to guide is complete in its exploration of the craft of creating soldered metal jewelry, including tools, techniques, and 20 beautiful projects that beginners and enthusiasts can make at home.Author and teacher Kate Richbourg demystifies basic soldering for any home crafter, showing how to create sophisticated, polished, and professional-looking jewelry pieces through simple soldering techniques. First, she instructs how to set up a jewelry workspace that fits the confines of your budget and living space. Detailed step-by-step instructions walk you through the basic tools and materials you need, plus how to use them. A sample chapter gives a host of introductory exercises that teach solid skills, allowing you to test these techniques on a small scale. Finally, you'll discover 20 finished projects that include earrings, pendants, rings, bracelets, and clasps that may also include bead or wire embellishment.Kate also demonstrates how to combine and layer techniques to gorgeous effect. She also examines common mistakes, shows how to correct or adapt them, and gives advice on when it's time to start over. Most of all, having taught thousands of classes on soldering, Kate has a "you can do it!" attitude that shines through to help even the most reluctant jewelry maker fire up the torch with ease.With Simple Soldering, the art of metal working one-of-a-kind jewelry is now at your fingertips.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 30, 2015
Simple Soldering, A Beginner's Guide to Jewelry Making, by Kate Ferrant Richbourg is a complete course in soldering. It is taught with all the clarity and enthusiasm for which the author is famous. The reader learns to solder from this book (assisted throughout by the two hour accompanying DVD). Then he or she is offered some wonderful projects which progress in complexity. All of them are beautiful and add major incentive to master each technique being taught.
The first part of the book devotes itself to the basics of soldering. Every step of the way, the author is a reassuring presence. The reader will learn how to set up a work space, what tools will be needed for a "Solder Setup", and the additional materials needed. You are provided with everything necessary to know how to proceed from the idea of being a jewelry maker, to the actuality. Even the littlest questions you may have are discussed in sidebars. And always, safety is a factor in the equation, in Simple Soldering.
I was knocked out by the method of learning devised by the author. I have never seen anything like it. It is wonderful. What the reader is presented with is a step by step sampler to learn the different methods required in soldering. You go through the sampler projects one by one, until you have completed the entire sampler.
When you are finished, you have sixteen little squares, each of which has taught you a technique you need to know for soldering. These can be mounted and framed like a picture, or made into a linked necklace. Personally I would go for the necklace, because the little squares, which have served to instruct so well, are very beautiful. They each measure 1" by 1" and use copper as the base. When linked up they would look incredibly hip and fascinating. What a way to learn and what a way to show the world what you now know!
The second part of the book is comprised of projects which will add to your understanding of soldering. It plays an irreplaceable part in jewelry design. The projects go from easiest to most complicated. It is the hope of the author that the reader will start with the beginning project, and learn by making each succeeding one in order. In this way the reader masters every aspect of what is being taught seamlessly.
This is where the Sampler you created in part one really shows its stuff. Each project refers back to the Sampler squares which you made (and are probably wearing on your neck right now, and maybe sleeping in it, too! I plan to!).
The first project is the "Hook & Eye Clasp" and the "Dapped Bead Caps". In this project, you will be referring to techniques you learned from Sampler square 2 (Texturing) and Sampler square 14 (Shaping and soldering domes). Isn't this method of teaching wonderfully fun? As you progress, you will be making beautiful rings, chain earrings, a lovely pendant with a pearl dangle, stack rings, cool ear wires you would never be able to find in any store, a stunning soldered key pendant, and more. Each project has the charm of artisan style. The hand crafted look is very evident and completely appealing. None of the designs are anything less than keenly beautiful. Kate Ferrant Richbourg is not only one of our greatest instructors, she is one of our greatest designers.
When you reach the end of Simple Soldering, A Beginner's Guide to Jewelry Making you will want to keep this super book close by your side for reference. It will be able to help you always, now that you have made the leap from learning to designing using soldering. What a treasure this book and DVD set is. Soldering becomes accessible and fun, with the help of terrific book!
The first part of the book devotes itself to the basics of soldering. Every step of the way, the author is a reassuring presence. The reader will learn how to set up a work space, what tools will be needed for a "Solder Setup", and the additional materials needed. You are provided with everything necessary to know how to proceed from the idea of being a jewelry maker, to the actuality. Even the littlest questions you may have are discussed in sidebars. And always, safety is a factor in the equation, in Simple Soldering.
I was knocked out by the method of learning devised by the author. I have never seen anything like it. It is wonderful. What the reader is presented with is a step by step sampler to learn the different methods required in soldering. You go through the sampler projects one by one, until you have completed the entire sampler.
When you are finished, you have sixteen little squares, each of which has taught you a technique you need to know for soldering. These can be mounted and framed like a picture, or made into a linked necklace. Personally I would go for the necklace, because the little squares, which have served to instruct so well, are very beautiful. They each measure 1" by 1" and use copper as the base. When linked up they would look incredibly hip and fascinating. What a way to learn and what a way to show the world what you now know!
The second part of the book is comprised of projects which will add to your understanding of soldering. It plays an irreplaceable part in jewelry design. The projects go from easiest to most complicated. It is the hope of the author that the reader will start with the beginning project, and learn by making each succeeding one in order. In this way the reader masters every aspect of what is being taught seamlessly.
This is where the Sampler you created in part one really shows its stuff. Each project refers back to the Sampler squares which you made (and are probably wearing on your neck right now, and maybe sleeping in it, too! I plan to!).
The first project is the "Hook & Eye Clasp" and the "Dapped Bead Caps". In this project, you will be referring to techniques you learned from Sampler square 2 (Texturing) and Sampler square 14 (Shaping and soldering domes). Isn't this method of teaching wonderfully fun? As you progress, you will be making beautiful rings, chain earrings, a lovely pendant with a pearl dangle, stack rings, cool ear wires you would never be able to find in any store, a stunning soldered key pendant, and more. Each project has the charm of artisan style. The hand crafted look is very evident and completely appealing. None of the designs are anything less than keenly beautiful. Kate Ferrant Richbourg is not only one of our greatest instructors, she is one of our greatest designers.
When you reach the end of Simple Soldering, A Beginner's Guide to Jewelry Making you will want to keep this super book close by your side for reference. It will be able to help you always, now that you have made the leap from learning to designing using soldering. What a treasure this book and DVD set is. Soldering becomes accessible and fun, with the help of terrific book!
January 3, 2016
Good introduction to soldering
I am no novice to soldering and although I use a different type torch the basic steps were covered we!l.
I am no novice to soldering and although I use a different type torch the basic steps were covered we!l.
April 2, 2019
This is a decent tutorial on soldering for jewelry. The instructions are clear, photographs are plentiful, and the DVD is actually pretty helpful. I've been taking a beginner's jewelry class and the author's instruction in this book gives another viewpoint on how to do things. Some explanations are a bit abbreviated but it IS an intro book. This book might inspire you to take a class!
September 11, 2019
Lots of good advice in this book. Very useful!
September 7, 2020
Great book for beginners that want to learn how to solder...Easy to understand instructions...
Read
June 7, 2021Good instructional, although the projects themselves are mostly not to my taste.
May 20, 2023
very useful
Very useful short and to the point recommend to anyone that starting to get into soldering, great explanation and pictures.
Very useful short and to the point recommend to anyone that starting to get into soldering, great explanation and pictures.
May 30, 2025
basic
Good basic book. Step by step great 101 course. Easy guide to basic soldering and walk you through basic techniques and methods.
Good basic book. Step by step great 101 course. Easy guide to basic soldering and walk you through basic techniques and methods.
December 5, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this book. Often times craft books that are supposed to teach skills kind of suck. This book has quite a few different kinds of projects, all of which use different techniques in different combinations. I love the fact that first half of the book is all about samplers. Sometimes, you don't want to make samplers, you just want to jump into a project. However, with metal working samplers are key. You really DO want to practice your techniques before applying them to more expensive or sentimental materials. I think this book does a fantastic job of explaining how to do all the techniques displayed, and has a great selection of photographs that helpfully illustrate more complicated procedures. A great beginner to intermediate metal working book!
October 9, 2016
Great
This book is very informative. If gives step by step instructions and images of how each idem should look. I felt the instructions where clear and easy to understand. This book is great for people who make their own jewellery.
This book is very informative. If gives step by step instructions and images of how each idem should look. I felt the instructions where clear and easy to understand. This book is great for people who make their own jewellery.
March 16, 2013
A great beginners guide for the art of jewellery soldering.
January 26, 2016
Very good introduction to soldering for jewelry making as well as easy metal projects. Thee are also simple projects to get started with detailed instructions.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews