DIY Network

Resin and Silver Pendants by Melissa Muszynski From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-409

Guest jewelry artist Melissa Muszynski creates funky and fun designs using silver and resin.

Materials --

Sheet of sterling silver 18-gauge
Solder -- hard medium and easy solder
Flux -- makes joints flow (liquid that is used with torch)
2 different size jump rings -- 18-gauge in 3mm and 1/4"
Resin liquid
Double-stick adhesive
Resin hardener
Whitener color
Color dyes paint pigments
Dixie cups

Tools --

Saw and saw blades
Torch (oxygen acetylene torch)
Paint brush to paint flux on
Tweezers to pick up pieces of silver
Triangle file
Sandpaper
Tumbler

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

1. Cut the 18-gauge sheet into six "L" shaped pieces and a back plate square about 1" square with a saw and saw blades. Cut small strips and they will be your walls. You score the strips and divide them up into how long you want the walls to be.

2. Bend the "L" shaped pieces into box shapes (figure A), then paint flux onto joint surfaces to be soldered. Then using tweezers, place solder onto the joining pieces, use torch to heat solder to a melting point. Then solder onto back plate starting with outside box and finishing with inside box.

3. Drill hole in back plate (figure B), saw around the box line to create center square that will show on back piece. Clean rough outside sides/edges with sanding belt.

4. When clean, solder smaller jump ring to the top of the piece. Solder the larger jump ring to a smaller jump ring. Clean off the oxidation with acid (called pickle).

5. Throw piece into tumbling machine to polish silver even more.

6. Resin is very liquid, so place the pendant on a piece of double-stick tape. Pour two parts of resin and one part of resin hardener into each of three Dixie cups. Add a little whitener so that the liquid is not so transparent.

7. Add a different coloring agent to each one. Stir with coffee stir until well mixed. Pour one color into the center square, and then a different color into the outermost square (figure C). It is okay to over fill these squares. Let set for 24 hours.

8. After 24 hours pour middle square, and then let set for 48 hours.

9. Peel paper from the double-adhesive tape on the back of the pendant. Sand front of pendant as it will be over filled to allow bubbles to rise to the surface before hardening. This brings out the silver frames of the boxes, and evens out the surface, allowing view of inlaid colors. Repeat for back of pendant.

10. Place into tumbler to polish the piece once again. Hang on necklace or leather cord and it is done.

11. You can create your own unique designs and colors (figure D).

RESOURCES :

Silver Framework -- made from Precious Metal Clay
PMC Supply
225 Cash St.
Jacksonville, TX 75766
Toll-free: 800-388-2001
Website: www.pmcsupply.com/diy

GUESTS :

Melissa Muszynski
Owner
Melissa Muszynski Designs
Phone: 415-661-4488
Website: www.melissamuszynski.com