You were mentioned the other day on the silversmithing subreddit as a wonderful resource, and I concurred by calling you the Bob Ross of silversmithing tutorials and was told I should pass that on to you. Enjoy! We think a lot of you.
I'm a beginner and completely agree! I'm taking it slow, practicing the basics A LOT! 😂 So hopefully will have a good foundation to build on and maybe one day make beautiful jewellery like Chads! Very inspiring 😍 XXX
I am complete beginner with an art form that requires use of so many skilled tools. My first few projects have been suitingly “quirky” and on the verge of discouraging. However, when things came together, the reward had that much more spring! I intended to audit the course but missed a paperwork deadline, so it’s been an interesting dance. My instructor helps with troubleshooting but doesn’t actually “fix” anything that goes wrong. However, she will supervise crucial fixes as time allows. The role of instructor is not one I envy at this point! I can tell she doesn’t want to stifle anyone’s creativity, but she also doesn’t want to underestimate anyone. So many things can go wrong with this art form! lol
Chad, as a metalsmithing instructor as well, I really appreciate this video for all your points, but most of all, your first one. I have a brilliant young (14 year-old) student who has really applied herself to this craft. She's been working with me (6 hours on Sundays one-on one) every week for almost a year - and she's good! A while back, near the start of our classes, we had a project that your first point really hit on. She had imagined and sketched a complex necklace for her upcoming prom. She wanted a 5 stone piece. She chose tube sets, prong sets, four different sizes rounds, and a pear - all natural stones. Her design was intended to be a Bridgerton (the series) style piece; delicate, ornate, and small. As well, we opted for gold and silver settings together. And attached to a very thin gold chain - all joins soldered (no openable jump rings). We went for it. I ended up having to fix/do too much of it, so it would be ready in time for her prom. It ended up being really nice, but I do wish I had discouraged this project simply because it WAS over her (very talented) head. I had the benefit as an instructor to reflect on weighing my desire to encourage confidence; "Yes, we CAN do (almost anything) with tools (and my teaching ability) available!" I was personally bestowed with the lesson of "hands off. " No fixing, and most of all, no time sensitive projects that my skills might be needed for - period!! I learned to be a better teacher! "Don't try to do a more advanced project than you're ready for." - or teach one! Thanks for dotting the "I" on that point. So true. As an instructor, I need to extricate my own excitement for the project and keep the student's success potential in mind. It's a balance. Seems basic, but it's really fundamental. I appreciated this video immensely. 🌺 🌺 🌺
Aww thanks Flying Chef! I haven't seen Bridgerton, but it sounds like it's Victorian or Art Nouveau-ish? I'm glad it all worked out in the end:). Thanks for appreciating the video. Doing videos like this help me to solidify in my own mind how I think about things, and whether I need to rethink my ideas or not. A little metacognition is always good:)
Hi Chad, thank you for this great advice. I had to scale back to more basic pieces because I was running before I could walk. My partner said, "Go back to basics first get good at that, then onto the more elaborate pieces. And totally about repairs! It's not worth it for me. And the final point pricing! I've really struggled, and it is what you say. I think I look at mass-produced jewellery and prices and try to price mine like so, my partner is like what on earth! Your point has made me realise that what I've been doing with pricing and confidence is a huge thing! Thank you for a great video, and thank you for your ebook. It was very helpful 😊
You’re welcome Starur! I’m glad you found this useful:). Keep practicing and gradually try new techniques and you will continue to add to your abilities!
Incredible!!! . I have felt identified with everything you have said!!!😅 You are really very right!! Thanks for all your advice!!! Your experience helps us a lot!! Thank so much!!
I enjoyed this video Chad. When I first started I tried to make pieces beyond my skill level and it was a bit disheartening. I then found your channel and started watching your videos, picked the projects that best fit my current skills and a bit more, watched them a couple of times, followed your instruction and saw improvement in my abilities after each project. I have continued working this way and feel that I am “getting there”. Still a long way to go but following your instruction and practicing, practicing, practicing is what it takes. Oh yeah, nice glasses!!
Thank you so much for your videos! I love watching you work and pick up a new technique or two to practice with every video. I try to recreate your stuff by seeing what will challenge my current skill set, and am very slowly working on the Celtic Knot ring with synth emerald instead of peridot. Slow and steady at first, but repeatable the more I practice! A lot of my family get nice gifts from my practice work!
Thanks Chad, for the guidance. As a novice just getting into silversmithing, this helps a lot. Especially with regards to the high costs of tools and silver.
One of the very best early projects to embark on is to make a chain. The longer the better. Excellent way to get better fast. New glasses? Pretty fast! 😊
I have to chuckle, the journey sounds a bit familiar! I just passed my 1 year anniversary, still love Silversmithing. Now when I push beyond my skill level (thank you Chad), I have the basic skills to make it a success. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take a 2 day class at the local rock club. They also offer a Silversmithing work area for a nominal hourly fee with all the tools, including a Smith torch.
@chadssilversmithing it's more like tutorials that are more advanced and not beginner friendly... many times it's more about the views and likes than about the actual teaching...it makes you feel like you will never be able to do this...lol...but you are very good about letting your viewers know that a certain piece or technique is more advanced...especially when it comes to soldering...it's good to know that it's normal to mess up...and that practice only helps...you actually say that something is more for beginners or more for advanced...it's very helpful to know that.
Hey Chad, thanks for another great video. I've been silversmithing for about 5-6 years now, and almost every point you touch on in this video I had experienced in some way. Except buying too many tools, my tools aren't for sale ;-). I had a little laugh today because after watching your video last night, my brother came to me today with a ring that has a broken band asking me if I could repair it for him. That's certainly not the first time family has asked me to make repairs to their jewelry, which I absolutely don't mind doing, especially if it's a quick little fix like this, but my mom likes to advertise to her co-workers that I'm an amateur silversmith and brings me pieces about every week or two to fix this or that. Of course, the people are never paying for the repairs, and I don't have the heart to tell my mom "no" when I know she's just trying to help her co-workers out. It is what it is. Hopefully beginner smiths will heed your advice, it certainly would have helped me back in the day. Thanks for all the work you do on this channel, it's greatly appreciated.
Hey Mike, when my sister-in-law found out I was making wire jewelry she asked me if I could fix a bracelet. I took a look at it (wasn't too complicated of a fix) & told her I would give it a try. Six months later I returned it & shared ALLLLLL the details (actually took about 5 minutes) but she hasn't asked me to fix anything since. ;-)
@@DD45 Ha ha! I hear ya. My brother recently visited and brought a 10K gold ring to me with diamond accents and a large black onyx that the band had broken on. He asked me if I could fix it. I told him that I don't typically work with gold (because I'm not made of money) but I'd give it a shot. I offered to order some gold solder since I didn't have any sitting around, but he said that he didn't care if I used silver instead since he was only in town for a few days. I was worried that the stone may crack from the heat during soldering. I used some TIX Anti-flux on the front side of the band to prevent any extra solder flow and soldered the band from the inside. I was able to get some easy (65) silver solder to flow without damaging any of the stones. I was nervous about pickling after soldering, but I did throw it in the pickle pot for about five minutes, then used the a felt polishing bit with super fine rouge to polish away any extra solder. I used a steam cleaner to give it the final polish (because it was going to be risky to use an ultrasonic cleaner with the onyx, and of course couldn't tumble it with the stones already set) and polish it all back up to look like new. I have to admit though, I'm usually pretty steady when making new pieces, but I was a little shaky worrying about everything that could go wrong with this one. I didn't ask for any money to repair my brother's ring, but later that night he treated me to go see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard live at Huntington Bank Pavillion in Chicago, so I guess it was worth it. Keep up the good work, brother, your content is an inspiration to much of what I create.
I’ve never used one of those Yap Mom:). Being an oxy/acetylene torch it certainly produces enough temperature. They generally have pretty small tips though-anyone here have experience with using a little torch to do a big piece?
@chadssilversmithing hi! Yes. I do. Smith Little has the poop to do the job. You do want the biggest tip; the rose bud tip. Also, I REALLY recommend the aftermarket specialty tips set (for the Little torch) from Paige Tools. I immediately switched to his tips and have had better results and versatility. His tips are ALL multi-orifice tips (Smith has only the rose bud). He'll explain how and why these are superior. But a cuff can be made with the Little Torch included tips if it's not too big. You need to be careful to keep the heat moving, it's a hot and focused flame. If the cuff is really large, I'll ADD (two torches simultaneously) my hefty head-held butane to bump the heat fast, if needed. I also make a "station" of kiln bricks, kind of like a soldering cave, to contain the heat. Always, the point is to get in hot and fast to get good flow and minimal oxidation. Hope that's helpful. My most used torch is the ambient air/acetylene (same as a Chad's), but if the cuff is a large piece, I need more power, I use the (real - not the cheap Asian fake one, its dangerous) Smith Little torch with Propane/oxy.
Fortunately I have ticked the first 4 boxes of advice but do you have any formulas to setting pricing ? You have taught me so much .... thanks so much 😊
Hello Nici! My formula is pretty fluid. I make sure I feel like I’m giving myself a fair wage for my time, add in materials, and then evaluate what the market will bear for individual pieces:)
Hey Nici :-) The formula I've been using for craft markets may give you a starting point. Cost of material ($/in or cm) ) + time ( I use an actual timer) at $15 - $20 per hour (depending on complexity) + retail markup of 1.5 - 2.5) depending on market location (some areas are more affluent than others). I think a lot of people might use that formula because it usually put me in the middle of the local pricing range.
Hi Chad. I have a Smith Little Torch (oxy/acetylene) which I've used for years. My question is, If I use a rosebud tip, would the bigger flame be more beneficial for all around work? I'm having a problem with overheating and burning my larger pieces when I use my #5 tip. Help!?
Hello gmorgan! I honestly haven't ever used a Little Torch, so I wouldn't be the best one to answer this question. Perhaps another viewer can chime in who has the experience to address your question?
I REALLY want to start silversmithing but it’s a little overwhelming to start, especially with the cost of tools and materials… it would be a little above 800 CAD just to start!
I've been making wire jewelery for about a year now (mostly copper & silver filled) and using a butane torch for the smaller (20 gauge & less) pieces & a MAPP torch for the larger stuff. Will a MAPP torch be hot enough for sterling or should I invest in an oxy-acetylene setup?
I've not really experimented with MAPP gas much, so I can't really speak to that, but I use an Acetylene/air torch, not to be confused with an oxy-acetylene setup. Its significantly hotter that propane or butane, and works great with silver. Many people use oxy-acetylene, but that produces a little more heat than you really need with silver most of the time. Maybe someone reading the comments who uses oxy-acetylene could offer some insights into how that works for them?
You were mentioned the other day on the silversmithing subreddit as a wonderful resource, and I concurred by calling you the Bob Ross of silversmithing tutorials and was told I should pass that on to you. Enjoy! We think a lot of you.
Thanks Denise! That is really nice to hear:). I'm flattered, and thank you also for joining my Patreon!
People think this is great and get excited, then realize what work it really is. You really cant rush it. Not rushing is what I love about it.
It’s hard to balance their excitement with guiding them to do something that they will be able to accomplish:)
@@chadssilversmithing I have the same problem teaching lapidary. Or I should say had.
I'm a beginner and completely agree! I'm taking it slow, practicing the basics A LOT! 😂 So hopefully will have a good foundation to build on and maybe one day make beautiful jewellery like Chads! Very inspiring 😍 XXX
I am complete beginner with an art form that requires use of so many skilled tools. My first few projects have been suitingly “quirky” and on the verge of discouraging. However, when things came together, the reward had that much more spring! I intended to audit the course but missed a paperwork deadline, so it’s been an interesting dance. My instructor helps with troubleshooting but doesn’t actually “fix” anything that goes wrong. However, she will supervise crucial fixes as time allows. The role of instructor is not one I envy at this point! I can tell she doesn’t want to stifle anyone’s creativity, but she also doesn’t want to underestimate anyone. So many things can go wrong with this art form! lol
Chad, as a metalsmithing instructor as well, I really appreciate this video for all your points, but most of all, your first one. I have a brilliant young (14 year-old) student who has really applied herself to this craft. She's been working with me (6 hours on Sundays one-on one) every week for almost a year - and she's good! A while back, near the start of our classes, we had a project that your first point really hit on. She had imagined and sketched a complex necklace for her upcoming prom. She wanted a 5 stone piece. She chose tube sets, prong sets, four different sizes rounds, and a pear - all natural stones. Her design was intended to be a Bridgerton (the series) style piece; delicate, ornate, and small. As well, we opted for gold and silver settings together. And attached to a very thin gold chain - all joins soldered (no openable jump rings). We went for it. I ended up having to fix/do too much of it, so it would be ready in time for her prom. It ended up being really nice, but I do wish I had discouraged this project simply because it WAS over her (very talented) head. I had the benefit as an instructor to reflect on weighing my desire to encourage confidence; "Yes, we CAN do (almost anything) with tools (and my teaching ability) available!" I was personally bestowed with the lesson of "hands off. " No fixing, and most of all, no time sensitive projects that my skills might be needed for - period!! I learned to be a better teacher! "Don't try to do a more advanced project than you're ready for." - or teach one! Thanks for dotting the "I" on that point. So true. As an instructor, I need to extricate my own excitement for the project and keep the student's success potential in mind. It's a balance. Seems basic, but it's really fundamental. I appreciated this video immensely. 🌺 🌺 🌺
Aww thanks Flying Chef! I haven't seen Bridgerton, but it sounds like it's Victorian or Art Nouveau-ish? I'm glad it all worked out in the end:). Thanks for appreciating the video. Doing videos like this help me to solidify in my own mind how I think about things, and whether I need to rethink my ideas or not. A little metacognition is always good:)
What you said about priceing is so true!
Thanks Denise!
Hi Chad, thank you for this great advice. I had to scale back to more basic pieces because I was running before I could walk. My partner said, "Go back to basics first get good at that, then onto the more elaborate pieces. And totally about repairs! It's not worth it for me. And the final point pricing! I've really struggled, and it is what you say. I think I look at mass-produced jewellery and prices and try to price mine like so, my partner is like what on earth! Your point has made me realise that what I've been doing with pricing and confidence is a huge thing! Thank you for a great video, and thank you for your ebook. It was very helpful 😊
You’re welcome Starur! I’m glad you found this useful:). Keep practicing and gradually try new techniques and you will continue to add to your abilities!
@chadssilversmithing Thanks Chad, I will do. Thanks again for your advice and help, tutorials
Thank you, greatly appreciate your reply.
My pleasure Yapmom!
Incredible!!! . I have felt identified with everything you have said!!!😅 You are really very right!! Thanks for all your advice!!! Your experience helps us a lot!! Thank so much!!
Thanks Ana! I'm glad it was useful:)
I enjoyed this video Chad. When I first started I tried to make pieces beyond my skill level and it was a bit disheartening. I then found your channel and started watching your videos, picked the projects that best fit my current skills and a bit more, watched them a couple of times, followed your instruction and saw improvement in my abilities after each project. I have continued working this way and feel that I am “getting there”. Still a long way to go but following your instruction and practicing, practicing, practicing is what it takes. Oh yeah, nice glasses!!
Thanks Bill! From what I’ve seen of your work, you are doing amazing stuff. I’m very impressed with some of your recent pieces.
Fell into the repair conundrum, enjoyed it but like you said hard to get paid fairly
I’m glad I’m not the only one with that experience:). Thanks Joseph!
Thank you so much for your videos! I love watching you work and pick up a new technique or two to practice with every video. I try to recreate your stuff by seeing what will challenge my current skill set, and am very slowly working on the Celtic Knot ring with synth emerald instead of peridot. Slow and steady at first, but repeatable the more I practice! A lot of my family get nice gifts from my practice work!
Thank you Bmdonlin! I’m really glad you are finding these useful:)
Excellent advice!
Thanks Chad.
You’re welcome!
Great advice!
Thanks Darlene!
Good advice!
Thanks Skunky!
Thanks Chad, for the guidance. As a novice just getting into silversmithing, this helps a lot. Especially with regards to the high costs of tools and silver.
Just pay yourself what you deserve for your hard work and creativity Toinette!
Thanks Chad! I’m just starting to make jewelry again after a 5 year hiatus and I really needed to hear this today! You are the man!
Congratulations Holden! I’m glad you are getting back into it:)
I use a butane torch mostly and then a plumber’s torch with MAP gas for bigger pieces. I haven’t splurged for a real torch yet
Do you have good results with the MAP gas torch? I haven't experimented much with those.
Excellent advice for the most frequent mistakes. Thanks 💟
You’re welcome Cecilia!
Excellent advice!
Glad it was helpful Lauryl!
One of the very best early projects to embark on is to make a chain. The longer the better. Excellent way to get better fast. New glasses? Pretty fast! 😊
Good advice! Yes, new glasses minus all the scratches on the previous ones:)
I have to chuckle, the journey sounds a bit familiar! I just passed my 1 year anniversary, still love Silversmithing. Now when I push beyond my skill level (thank you Chad), I have the basic skills to make it a success. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take a 2 day class at the local rock club. They also offer a Silversmithing work area for a nominal hourly fee with all the tools, including a Smith torch.
It would be nice when you are starting out to have a shop like that outfitted with tools you might not have yet. Thanks for the nice comment David!
Thanks very much as always Chad...I appreciate your videos and teachings 😊your honesty is so refreshing ❤😊
Sure:). Do you run into a lot of dishonesty on UA-cam here?
@chadssilversmithing it's more like tutorials that are more advanced and not beginner friendly... many times it's more about the views and likes than about the actual teaching...it makes you feel like you will never be able to do this...lol...but you are very good about letting your viewers know that a certain piece or technique is more advanced...especially when it comes to soldering...it's good to know that it's normal to mess up...and that practice only helps...you actually say that something is more for beginners or more for advanced...it's very helpful to know that.
As always" a very helpful video!! Thanks Chad!!
I’m glad you found it useful Amber:)
Thanks!
Thank you so much Amber!
Hey Chad, thanks for another great video. I've been silversmithing for about 5-6 years now, and almost every point you touch on in this video I had experienced in some way. Except buying too many tools, my tools aren't for sale ;-). I had a little laugh today because after watching your video last night, my brother came to me today with a ring that has a broken band asking me if I could repair it for him. That's certainly not the first time family has asked me to make repairs to their jewelry, which I absolutely don't mind doing, especially if it's a quick little fix like this, but my mom likes to advertise to her co-workers that I'm an amateur silversmith and brings me pieces about every week or two to fix this or that. Of course, the people are never paying for the repairs, and I don't have the heart to tell my mom "no" when I know she's just trying to help her co-workers out. It is what it is. Hopefully beginner smiths will heed your advice, it certainly would have helped me back in the day. Thanks for all the work you do on this channel, it's greatly appreciated.
I'll occasionally fix something for a friend, but make them promise not to tell anyone:). Thanks for the nice comment!
Hey Mike, when my sister-in-law found out I was making wire jewelry she asked me if I could fix a bracelet. I took a look at it (wasn't too complicated of a fix) & told her I would give it a try. Six months later I returned it & shared ALLLLLL the details (actually took about 5 minutes) but she hasn't asked me to fix anything since. ;-)
@@DD45 Ha ha! I hear ya. My brother recently visited and brought a 10K gold ring to me with diamond accents and a large black onyx that the band had broken on. He asked me if I could fix it. I told him that I don't typically work with gold (because I'm not made of money) but I'd give it a shot. I offered to order some gold solder since I didn't have any sitting around, but he said that he didn't care if I used silver instead since he was only in town for a few days. I was worried that the stone may crack from the heat during soldering. I used some TIX Anti-flux on the front side of the band to prevent any extra solder flow and soldered the band from the inside. I was able to get some easy (65) silver solder to flow without damaging any of the stones. I was nervous about pickling after soldering, but I did throw it in the pickle pot for about five minutes, then used the a felt polishing bit with super fine rouge to polish away any extra solder. I used a steam cleaner to give it the final polish (because it was going to be risky to use an ultrasonic cleaner with the onyx, and of course couldn't tumble it with the stones already set) and polish it all back up to look like new. I have to admit though, I'm usually pretty steady when making new pieces, but I was a little shaky worrying about everything that could go wrong with this one. I didn't ask for any money to repair my brother's ring, but later that night he treated me to go see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard live at Huntington Bank Pavillion in Chicago, so I guess it was worth it. Keep up the good work, brother, your content is an inspiration to much of what I create.
Great tips! ❤ I loled at buying used tools for cheap. 😂
I actually have bought some of my old students’ tools when they decided to stop doing it:)
This is helpful! I've seen some good formulas for pricing, but I'd be interested in hearing how you set your prices.
I’ll probably do a video on that at some point Zefferoni. Thanks for the suggestion!
Thank you for posting great advice. Is a Smith little torch, large enough to make cuffs with the proper tip? 😊
I’ve never used one of those Yap Mom:). Being an oxy/acetylene torch it certainly produces enough temperature. They generally have pretty small tips though-anyone here have experience with using a little torch to do a big piece?
@chadssilversmithing hi! Yes. I do. Smith Little has the poop to do the job. You do want the biggest tip; the rose bud tip. Also, I REALLY recommend the aftermarket specialty tips set (for the Little torch) from Paige Tools. I immediately switched to his tips and have had better results and versatility. His tips are ALL multi-orifice tips (Smith has only the rose bud). He'll explain how and why these are superior. But a cuff can be made with the Little Torch included tips if it's not too big. You need to be careful to keep the heat moving, it's a hot and focused flame. If the cuff is really large, I'll ADD (two torches simultaneously) my hefty head-held butane to bump the heat fast, if needed. I also make a "station" of kiln bricks, kind of like a soldering cave, to contain the heat. Always, the point is to get in hot and fast to get good flow and minimal oxidation. Hope that's helpful. My most used torch is the ambient air/acetylene (same as a Chad's), but if the cuff is a large piece, I need more power, I use the (real - not the cheap Asian fake one, its dangerous) Smith Little torch with Propane/oxy.
Fortunately I have ticked the first 4 boxes of advice but do you have any formulas to setting pricing ? You have taught me so much .... thanks so much 😊
Hello Nici! My formula is pretty fluid. I make sure I feel like I’m giving myself a fair wage for my time, add in materials, and then evaluate what the market will bear for individual pieces:)
Hey Nici :-) The formula I've been using for craft markets may give you a starting point. Cost of material ($/in or cm) ) + time ( I use an actual timer) at $15 - $20 per hour (depending on complexity) + retail markup of 1.5 - 2.5) depending on market location (some areas are more affluent than others). I think a lot of people might use that formula because it usually put me in the middle of the local pricing range.
@@DD45 thanks so much
The grandma-tip was hilarious and clever, though a bit mean 😂
I would never actually do that:)
@@chadssilversmithing same here, but the story gave me a good giggle 😅
Hi Chad. I have a Smith Little Torch (oxy/acetylene) which I've used for years. My question is, If I use a rosebud tip, would the bigger flame be more beneficial for all around work? I'm having a problem with overheating and burning my larger pieces when I use my #5 tip. Help!?
Hello gmorgan! I honestly haven't ever used a Little Torch, so I wouldn't be the best one to answer this question. Perhaps another viewer can chime in who has the experience to address your question?
I REALLY want to start silversmithing but it’s a little overwhelming to start, especially with the cost of tools and materials… it would be a little above 800 CAD just to start!
Unfortunately everything seems to be a bit more expensive these days. Maybe buy things in stages to spread out the cost?
Pricing is kind of difficult because the are people underpricing their jewelry...
Some people certainly do!
I've been making wire jewelery for about a year now (mostly copper & silver filled) and using a butane torch for the smaller (20 gauge & less) pieces & a MAPP torch for the larger stuff. Will a MAPP torch be hot enough for sterling or should I invest in an oxy-acetylene setup?
I've not really experimented with MAPP gas much, so I can't really speak to that, but I use an Acetylene/air torch, not to be confused with an oxy-acetylene setup. Its significantly hotter that propane or butane, and works great with silver. Many people use oxy-acetylene, but that produces a little more heat than you really need with silver most of the time. Maybe someone reading the comments who uses oxy-acetylene could offer some insights into how that works for them?
I made the mistake of buying lots of tools. Name it I have it! 😂
It is fun to get new tools:)