Silver Nuggets

by Judy Larson

Category: Findings
Technique(s): Butane Torch Techniques
Skill Level: Beginner

These little silver nuggets are like potato chips-you can't stop at one! They add just the right amount of rustic elegance to lake-stone jewelry. And on their own, they are so unique and special.

Materials

No materials listed

Tools

Digital Tabletop Balance and Counting Scale, 1000G

SCL-292.50

SCL-292.50
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $80.00
Gold Club Price: $60.00

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Basic Soldering Kit

G15-4

G15-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $58.95
Gold Club Price: $44.21

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Deluxe Titanium Soldering Pick, Blue Handled, 6-1/2 Inches

SPK-930.00

SPK-930.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $5.97
Gold Club Price: $4.48

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Magnesia Soldering Block

SOL-455.00

SOL-455.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $7.95
Gold Club Price: $5.96

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CHARCOAL BLOCK - HARD

SOL-482.00

SOL-482.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $14.95
Gold Club Price: $11.21

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Copper Pickling Tweezers, Curved, Reinforced, 8-1/2 Inches

TWZ-959.00

TWZ-959.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.95
Gold Club Price: $7.46

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NATURE'S TOUCH CITRIC PICKLE, 2LB PLASTIC JAR

CLN-163.00

CLN-163.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $17.95
Gold Club Price: $13.46

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Pickle Pot, 16 Ounces

CLN-584.00

CLN-584.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $31.95
Gold Club Price: $23.96

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Thumlers Tumbler Model AR-2 Rock Tumbler

G34-114

G34-114
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $286.22
Gold Club Price: $214.67

Out of Stock

Stainless Steel Shot - 1 lb Bag

G24-4

G24-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $43.95
Gold Club Price: $32.96

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Instructions

Step 1

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions for the space you are working in as well as all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies you will be using to complete the project.

Decide how large a nugget is desired. It is best to make a few small silver nuggets to start. The first photo shows nuggets, left to right, made with a scrap silver gram weight of 2.15g, 2.5g, and 3.5g. The second photo shows four 3.5g nuggets. Notice how different in shape and size they appear. The third photo shows the differences in thickness. No two nuggets will ever be alike, but the more nuggets you make, the easier it will become for you to manipulate the molten silver into similar shapes.

Judy Larson's Silver Nuggets - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, silver nuggets

Step 2

Weigh scrap metal. If making earrings, try to vary weight no more than a tenth of a gram in each pile. Since the nuggets aimed for here were 2.5g, some had to be removed. Snip a little bit off a piece and re-weigh until the desired weight is achieved.

Step 3

Place each pile of measured scrap silver in different areas on the soldering surface.

Thoughts on soldering surfaces when making nuggets: A magnesia soldering block was used for this project. It would, however, be preferable to use a charcoal block. Why? The surface of the magnesia block sticks to the bottom of the melted scrap. It is easy to remove from cooled pieces but takes a bit of time. Also, the bottom of the cooled melted pieces appears more pitted and a bit rough. There is less of a chance of this happening with a charcoal block. I was just too lazy to go out to my garage and get the charcoal block where I had last left it and my magnesia block was already on my work surface. A charcoal block would be my first choice, a solderite board my second choice, and a magnesia block my third choice. All will work when making this project.

Step 4

The photos in this step are snapshots of making one nugget. Heat around the scrap pile with the butane torch head on a butane canister. The solder pick is used to push the slightly molten metal sections together. The pick can also pick up and fold over sections that just do not seem to want to melt into a nugget easily. The pick is used to manipulate the metal into a rough nugget shape. During this process, pull the heat back, and then back in while shaping the molten metal a bit with the pick. Do not continually heat the metal close to the end. It is easy to see when the piece has been heated too much as it becomes very liquidy (technical term - lol) and wants to ball up.

Pull the flame back enough to keep the molten metal hot while manipulating the molten metal with the solder pick but not so close to completely melt it, making just a large, melted ball of silver. The pick is your friend. Keep pressing the top of the molten silver a bit with the tip of the pick, going in different directions. If the surface of the nugget becomes granular looking, hit it with the torch to smooth things out. But remember, things go fast at the end so it is easy to heat the metal too much and lose the nugget shape.

Step 5

Do not quench the nuggets. Allow them to cool naturally. Since they are quite thick, it will take a while. After 45 seconds or so, the nuggets can be moved to a steel bench block or anvil to help them cool faster.

Step 6

If sterling silver was used to make the nugget instead of the Argentium used here, nuggets will have fire scale and can be pickled, rinsed, and dried once they are cool.

Step 7

Use files and sanding pads to clean and refine any rough edges on each nugget.

Step 8

Filing a small flat section on a jump ring opening and on a nugget end/side will result in more surface area touching, thus making the best soldered connection.

Step 9

If a jump ring is to be added to a nugget, the nugget may need to be placed in a depression so the two flattened areas can meet up when pushing the jump ring into medium paste solder place on the flat area of the nugget-first photo. Or the jump ring may need to be lowered by pressing it into the solder block and then pushing the nugget with medium paste solder on the flat area up to it-second photo. Heat only the nugget, NOT the jump ring, until the solder flows. Allow the pieces to cool naturally.

One edge of the nugget with the added water cast cup was thinner than the other edges, making it easier to attach a bail made with a jump ring. See Simple Bail on a Coin Pendant-fourth and fifth photos.

Step 10

Allow the pieces to cool naturally. Pickle, rinse, and dry the pieces. Use files and sanding pads to clean the solder join.

Step 11

Tumble the pieces for several hours.

Step 12

Patina the nuggets. Allow them to dry. Remove patina from the raised areas so as to highlight the shape of the nuggets.

Step 13

What will you make with these cute little nuggets? Charms, pendant, dangles?

Step 14

The nuggets are ready to use in your creations.
Thoughts on orientation of jump rings on nuggets - Adding a leaf and a silver nugget to a lake stone pendant seemed like a good idea, and it was, except for the orientation of the jump rings. A perpendicular jump ring means that the leaf and nugget naturally want to slide behind the pendant when worn - first photo.

A jump ring attached in the same plane as the nugget sits nicely on the side of the lake stone pendant-second photo. What happened to the first nuggets and the leaves? They were put together on a leather cord and made cute little petite pendants.

The more you practice and the more nuggets made at the same time, the greater the chances of being able to match similar shapes together for earrings - third photo. Adding embellishments to a nugget, such as the water cast cup with an added silver ball in the fourth photo, kicks the organic look up a notch.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!