METAL VOCABULARY

Wire = metal drawn out into the form of a thin flexible thread or rod.
Sheet Metal = metal formed into thin sheets, typically by rolling or hammering.
Alloy = A homogeneous mixture of two or more metals
Gauge = a standard measure of dimensions used to describe the diameter or thickness of metal or
wire
Malleable = a term used to describe metal that is bendable, able to be easily manipulated, or
formed
Copper = a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29.
Copper is a pure element therefore it isn’t made up of anything, but itself. It is a ductile metal
with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; a freshly
exposed surface has a reddish-orange color.

Í Copper Sheet Metal

Copper Wire Î

Brass = A yellowish alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes including small amounts of other
metals, but usually it is made up of 67 % copper and 33 % zinc.

Í Brass Sheet Metal ÍBrass Wire

Nickel Silver = an alloy made primarily of copper and including zinc, and nickel. It contains no
silver. This alloy is often referred to as "German Silver."

ÍNickel Silver Sheet Metal ÍNickel Silver Wire

Nu-Gold = A copper-based, nickel-free alloy that mimics the look of gold. Often referred to as
Merlin's Gold, it is made up of 85% copper and 15% zinc

ÍNu-Gold Sheet Metal

Nu-Gold Wire Î

TOOL VOCABULARY
Í Vise = A two-jawed clamp used to hold tools or work in place.
Hand-held vices typically hold smaller tools and Bench-vices are
usually used to hold stakes for forming.

Í Bench Block = a small block of steel with a polished surface

and crisp edges will provide invaluable for riveting, center-
punching and similar light hammering.

Í Bench Pin = A "v" shaped wood block that is used in jewelry

making to help support a piece while sawing or filing

Í C-Clamp = a clamp in the shape of the letter “C”

Centerpunch = a tool with a point for making an indentation in an object to allow a drill to make
a hole at the same spot without slipping

Jeweler’s Saw frame = a U-shaped steel frame with a handle and clamps that hold a jeweler’s
saw-blade

Metal Shears = Scissor-like hand tool used to cut metal. (Also called snips)

Safety Glasses/Goggles = required for use in the metals lab to protect your eyes.

Punches / Stamps = Tools made of hardened steel used to decorate, texture, and form metal.
 Í Hole Punch = Used to pierce metal in order to
insert the saw blade into it

Í Cordless Hand Drill = A drill is a tool fitted with a

driving tool attachment, usually a drill bit, used
for boring holes in various materials.

Í Ruler = a straight strip or cylinder of plastic, wood,

metal, or other rigid material, typically marked at regular
intervals, to draw straight lines or measure distances.

Í Flush Side Cutter = A tool that has sharpened blades on their interior
surfaces with jaws that end in a point that allows you to cut the wire from
any side or angle.

Í Round Nose Pliers = Smooth, round jaws used for

making loops and round bends in wire.
 Chain Nose Pliers = Pointed flat nose pliers, used for
gripping and tucking in wire ends, and getting into tight
places.

Wire Cutter = a tool for cutting wire.

File = a tool usually of hardened steel with cutting ridges for

forming, shaping, or smoothing metal surfaces

Needle Files = Small files made primarily for smaller,

delicate pieces of work.

Mallet = A leather, rubber, or plastic "hammer" used to

form, shape, bend, etc. metal with very little if any marking
or denting of the surface.

Rawhide Mallet = an organic tool that is used to shape metal

without marking the outside of the piece of jewelry.
Mandrel = A metal or wooden cylinder that secures a ring or other round jewelry that aids in
various tasks such as bending, forming, buffing, polishing, and carving.

Ring Mandrel = a rod of steel used to measure the size of an already

existing ring

Ball Peen Hammer = a hammer with a flat end and

rounded end.
MATERIAL VOCABULARY
Sandpaper = paper with sand or another abrasive stuck to it, used for
smoothing or polishing woodwork or other surfaces.

Beeswax = Used as a lubricant on a saw blade in order to keep

the blade moving easily across the metal. Use sparingly, it
sometimes gunks up the metal shavings and clogs the blade.

Saw-blades = Used in conjunction with a Jeweler’s Saw

frame. Saw blades come in many different thicknesses and
your blade selection will depend on the material being sawn
and nature of the work being done. For very fine delicate
work, and for cutting very thin material use a finer blade,
and for general purpose cutting a heavier blade. Saw blades
have a range of sizes, from finest to coarsest: 8/0, 7/0, 6/0,
5/0, 4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 1/0, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Rubber Cement = Used for adhering your design to the metal

Drill Bit = Used to pierce metal in order to insert the saw blade into it
Jump Ring = A ring that allows a pendant or jewelry piece to hang properly from a key
chain/necklace

Buffing Compound = A compound that has an abrasive that

will remove metal for the topmost layer to eliminate fine
scratches from metal

Rouge = a red colored polishing compound that produces a

brilliant shine after buffing

Buffing Wheel / Buffer = a machine that holds and spins

buffing pads used to polish/buff metal

Buffing Pads = Used in conjunction with a buffing wheel and

buffing compound in order to polish metal. Most buffs come in
size from 2 to 6 in. diameter, and also in a variety of special shapes
such as those used to polish the inside of rings, cups and bowls,
crevices, etc.
TECHNIQUE VOCABULARY
Stamping = Stamps are short steel rods used to impress a pattern or texture into metal. They can
be commercially bought or made.
Piercing = The use of a saw frame and blade to create shapes from within a piece of sheet metal
as opposed to coming in from the edge.
Forging = the controlled shaping of metal by the force of a hammer.
Rivet = A specific type of cold join that usually involves using a cylindrical piece of metal such
as a pin or hollow tube. They are slid through a snug hole and upset or bulged over on each end
to lock pieces together.
Riveting = A method of joining two objects together by making the same size hole in each piece,
passing a rod or a tube (that fits snugly) through both of the holes, cutting the top and the bottom
of the rod/tube almost flush with the top and bottom of the objects, then pounding the top and
bottom of the rod/tube to create a flat head that is bigger than the opening of the hole so that the
rod/tube does not slip out of the hole on either side.
Cold-Connection/Joining = Attaching two or more pieces of metal without the use of heat or
glue

Planishing = the use of a hammer or similar impact tool to smooth a metal surface

Texturizing = Changing a normally smooth/shiny metal surface by either sanding or using

another type of abrasive, chasing tool, chemical or heat, etc.
TECHNIQUES
PIERCING
Piercing = The use of a saw frame and blade to create shapes
from within a piece of sheet metal as opposed to coming in
from the edge.
Though it is a deceptively simple technique, piercing is not
only an extremely versatile process, but a preliminary step in
many other procedures. When done correctly, sawing is a
relaxed and rhythmic experience
• The piece being sawn should be horizontal and securely held. A wooden bench pin is the typical
arrangement.
• The blade must be tightly strung in the saw frame. (See Blade Insertion)
• The teeth of the blade must point out away from the saw frame and down toward the handle. To
determine the direction of the teeth, look closely or stroke the blade against fabric. The blade will
snag the cloth in only one direction.
• The blade should always travel at a right angle to the workpiece.
• The hand holding the saw frame should be relaxed. Do not clench or jerk the frame.
• The correct size blade has three teeth on the metal at a time.

Blade Insertion
Method #1 Clamp one end of the blade in
place and tighten the screw (A) finger-tight.
Adjust the length of the frame so the tip of the
blade just overlaps the other gripping plate then
tighten (B) the frame screw well. Lean the
frame against a table, blade uppermost, and
press hard enough to “spring” the frame. Slide
the loose end of the blade into place and tighten
the last screw (C). The frame springs back,
putting tension on the blade.

Lubrication
This is not always necessary,
but it sometimes speeds sawing
especially on “gummy” metals
such as copper. Beeswax can
be used for this.
Piercing
This is the term given to sawing when working
within a piece. Begin by drilling a hole in each
compartment to be sawn. Only a tiny hole will be
needed. With the blade secured into the frame at
one end, thread the other end through the hole and
connect to the frame as usual.
After completing the cut, it is often helpful to
refine the shape by ‘filing’ with the blade, rubbing
it along the sawn edge. To remove, loosen either
end of the blade and withdraw it.
RIVETING
Riveting = A method of joining two objects together by making the same size hole in each piece,
passing a rod or a tube (that fits snugly) through both of the holes, cutting the top and the bottom
of the rod/tube almost flush with the top and bottom of the objects, then pounding the top and
bottom of the rod/tube to create a flat head that is bigger than the opening of the hole so that the
rod/tube does not slip out of the hole on either side.
Rivet = A specific type of cold join that usually involves using a cylindrical piece of metal such
as a pin or hollow tube. They are slid through a snug hole and upset or bulged over on each end
to lock pieces together.
Making a Standard Rivet
1. Drill matching holes in the pieces to be joined. If many rivets are being made, set two before
drilling remaining holes. This will prevent the pieces from sliding or rotating.
2. The rivet is made of annealed wire that makes a snug fit in the holes. After being cut and filed
flat, this should extend a half a diameter on each side of the items being riveted together.
3. Holding the assembly slightly above a steel surface, tap the wire with a small cross peen in two
directions making a “+”.
4. As a head develops and the rivet is held in place, use the flat face of a hammer to shape and
smooth the rivet.

Preparing a Rivet (Forming one head before inserting.)

1. Drill holes and select a tight-fitting wire.
2. Hold wire in vise or in pliers supported against a
bench/table. Form a rivet head on one end of the wire, as in
#3 above.
3. Slide the wire into the workplace, tap lightly to seat it, cut
off excess wire and form second head to lock the rivet in
place.

When connecting soft
materials such as wood,
leather, etc. use a washer to
keep the rivet head from
pulling through. This can be
of almost any shape and
offers a good chance for
design enhancement.
If the wire on hand is a little
too large to fit a rivet hole,
sand or file a gradual taper.
This is faster than drawing
the wire down.
When forming a rivet head
in a tight spot, a flat punch
held in a vise is a useful
anvil
STAMPING
SANDING
Sandpaper is a special type of paper made from an abrasive material. In fact, sandpaper is often said to be
a coated abrasive. Sandpaper is usually used for home improvement to make a surface smoother and
remove tiny quantities of material from the surface. Sandpaper is used in different types of work. It is
generally made of garnet, emery, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, zirconium oxide and chromium oxide.
It is available in many different forms (sheet, disc, belt, and sponge) and sizes.
Distinguishing Coarse and Fine Grits
Sandpaper is numbered with grits, and according to this scale, the lower numbers mean that the grit is
coarse and the higher numbers mean that the grit is smaller and more refined. For this reason, you are
recommended to start working with coarse sandpaper and then continue with finer sandpaper as you move
on with the sanding job.
The average grit scale of sandpaper varies from 220 to 600, thus 220 is the coarsest type and 600 would
be the finest. There are four numbers that we use: 220, 320, 400, and 600.

COURSE GRIT

MEDIUM GRIT

FINE GRIT

Sanding Sheet
Metal

Be careful when you use sandpaper on sheet metal. Sandpaper can be used on several types of sheet metal
i.e. copper, brass, silver nickel, and nu-gold. Start sanding the metal with 220-grit sandpaper because if
you use a lower grit, you risk damaging the metal with deep scratches. You use sandpaper to remove
scratches and dings from the material.

NOTE: It is very important that you sand in one direction and maintain that direction all the time

Using 320-grit sandpaper

When you see that you have no more scratches left on the sheet metal, put away the 200-grit sandpaper.
Get up, go to the sink, and wash your sheet metal properly with soap and water. Gently dry it off with
paper towel and go back to your seat. Get out your 320-grit sandpaper -this will be one step finer than the
SANDING CONTINUED…
200 grit sandpaper. Use this new sandpaper by sanding in a perpendicular motion to the previous
direction. This means sand in the opposite direction that you already sanded in with the 200 grit
sandpaper. Inspect the material and check that the 220-grit sandpaper left no marks.

Using 400-grit Sandpaper

Once you finish sanding with the 320-grit sandpaper, make sure you wash it thoroughly and then replace
it with 400-grit sandpaper. Start sanding in a perpendicular direction to the previous one so that you are
now sanding in the same direction of the 220-grit sandpaper.

Finishing With 600-grit Sandpaper

Repeat the same procedures with the 600-grit sandpaper.

Now your material is sanded and it is ready to be polished. Always remember to avoid inhaling the
particulates removed by the sandpaper or wear a facial mask. You will also reduce the presence of
particulates in the air if you decide to use sandpaper with water.

Sandpaper is not used only to clean sheet metal prior to fabrication. It is also used as a finishing tool for
art jewelry. Sandpaper is usually used to give jewelry a shiny polished look; like that of a mirror, or a
rough look; as if the jewelry is scratched.
POLISHING
MISCELLANEOUS
Findings = originally the bits and pieces taken from recycled objects by silversmiths (who later
“found” a use for them). Today the term includes all manner of attachments that contribute to
the function of a jewelry piece, such as ear-wires, clasps, and so on.
OR…
Commercial or handmade fittings or fastenings used to attach jewelry to the wearer: clasps, ear
wires, earring posts, pin assemblies, etc.

Clasp = A fastening device, such as a catch or hook, used to hold two or more objects or parts
together, as with chains.

Chain = a connected flexible series of metal links used for fastening or securing objects and
pulling or supporting loads.