DIY Network

Anodized Earrings by Sandra Mayer-VanderMey From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-407

Sandra Mayer-VanderMey, guest jewelry artist, shows you how to turn plain earrings into an array of colors that will remind you of a rainbow.

Materials --

1 gallon of distilled water
Trisodium phosphate (TSP)
3" x 3" sheet of niobium with finished surface and protective coating
3" x 3" or larger sheet of titanium or any other reactive metal
12" of 18 ga titanium or niobium wire
Jump rings
Ear wires
Anodizer or any direct current 3 amp power source capable of reaching 150 volts
Teaspoon
Quart size or larger glass or clear plastic container or a small fish aquarium
Needle nose pliers with wire cutter
Ruler
Fine line permanent marker
Metal hand shears or bench shears
Jewelry file
#220 sandpaper
Metal hand punch with 1/16" die or drill with 1/16" drill bit
Paper crimper
Wooden dowel (1/4" to 1" diameter) or a wooden spoon handle
Piece of plastic grid (for cross stitch)
Rubber gloves in perfect condition

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

1. Starting from one edge draw two lines 1/2" apart on the plastic coating of the 2" x 3" piece of niobium with a permanent marker.

   Note: Niobium is a natural element similar to titanium. It can be ordered through the Internet. You can order it with or without plastic coating. If it does not have the coating, you need to coat it yourself with clear tape to protect the finish while you are working on it. Anodizing is a coloration process where you dip the jewelry in electrolyte and hit it with voltage and the voltage determines the different colors.

2. Keeping the protective surface on, cut out the two strips with sharp metal hand shears. Because the metal is thin, it will curve slightly. Carefully flatten each strip on a clean, firm surface with your hand.

3. Continuing to keep the surface protected, carefully file all the edges with a small jewelry file. Always file in one direction and make sure to round off each corner. You will have to hold each piece firmly on the edges while doing this since the metal is a very thin gauge and may bend (figure A). If it does, the crimping process will take out any bends.

4. Sand all the edges and corners on both pieces with #220 sandpaper until smooth. It is best to file it by leaving the sandpaper flat on your surface (figure B). Leave the plastic coating on.

5. With a permanent marker, make a dot in the corner (not the center!) on one end of each piece for the hole (figure C). With a metal punch (1/16" die) or 1/16" drill bit cut out the hole. This will be the hole for the jump ring and ear wire and will be used for suspending pieces into the electrolyte while anodizing.

6. Now you can remove the plastic tape or coating, being careful not to scratch the finished surface. Roll each strip through the paper crimper (figure D) holding the crimper as tightly closed as possible. Roll once for a more subtle crimpled look or several times for a deeper crimp.

7. Beginning with the hole at the very top, coil each crimpled piece around a wooden dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon firmly with your hands and slide off. Make sure the pieces are coiled in opposite directions so they make a matching pair. You can stretch out the coil if you want them longer.

8. Cut a second length of 18-gauge niobium or titanium wire 3" long. Make a hook on both ends and attach both earring pieces back-to-back on one end. Close the hook slightly so the earrings will not slide off. Doing both earrings together will guarantee matching color bands.

Figure E

Preparing the Cathode Piece

Note: The cathode is inert but necessary for the anodizing process.

1. Punch or drill a 1/16" hole at the top and the center of the 3" x 3" titanium piece.

2. Cut a 3" length of niobium or titanium wire and make a hook on both ends.

3. Firmly attach one end of the wire through the hole in the titanium. Close the wire hook making sure there is good contact with the titanium.

   Safety Tip: Make sure the anodizer is shut off!

4. Attach the other end of the wire to the alligator clamp on the cathode (negative/black) lead of the anodizer or other power source.

5. Completely immerse titanium into the prepared solution. Make sure alligator clip is not immersed.

6. Cut the plastic grid into a square the height of the container, wide enough to stand up on its own and completely cover the front of the titanium piece. This is a protective barrier so anode and cathode do not make contact during the anodizing process.

7. Dissolve one teaspoon of the TSP in a gallon of distilled water. To dissolve the TSP quicker, pour out a cup of water from a gallon of distilled water into a Pyrex glass measuring cup and add a teaspoon of TSP. Microwave on high for one minute and then pour it back into the remainder of the gallon of water.

8. Pour enough of the solution into the glass or clear plastic container almost to the top.

9. Making sure the anodizer is turned off; attach the other end of the wire to the alligator clamp on the positive lead (anode/red) of the anodizer.

   Safety Tip: Make sure and wear rubber gloves to reduce the risk of electrical shock!

10. Holding the positive lead with earrings attached in one hand, turn on anodizer with the other. Turn the voltage dial to 60 volts.

11. Now carefully dip just the bottoms of the two jewelry pieces into the solution. Gradually lower earrings into the solution with one hand while lowering the voltage dial with the other hand from 60 volts to 50 volts, from 50 volts to 40 volts, from 40 volts to 30 volts, and from 30 volts to 20 volts. Hold the earrings for five seconds at each voltage increment. This will give you five bands of color (figure E) -- you can do more or less according to your preference.

12. When earrings are completely immersed and the coloring is complete, turn voltage dial to zero and turn off power source.

13. Pull earrings out of electrolyte and rinse under hot water. Dry off with a paper towel.

14. Finish by attaching jump rings and then the ear wires.

RESOURCES :

Niobium and Titanium Sheet and Wire, Anodizer and all Anodizing Supplies
The Reactive Metals Studio Inc.
Cottonwood, AZ
Phone: 520-634-3434
Website: www.reactivemetals.com

Paper Crimper, Ear Wires, Jump Rings and Plastic Cross Stitch Grid
Michael's Crafts
Website: www.michaels.com

Metal Punch
Harbor Freight
Website: www.harborfreight.com

GUESTS :

Sandra Mayer-VanderMey
Owner
Future Light Metals
Phone: 818-367-4329
Email: smayer55@comcast.net
Website: www.futurelightmetals.com