How to Make a Silver Gemstone Ring Without Workshop. Self Taught Silversmith

Okay, it's happening. Today I'm going to be silversmithing jewelry in the forest. Making jewelry in nature, in the forest, is something I always wanted to do but my anxious mind has found reasons not to, every single time. What if people see me? I don't have time, I don't have tools, I don't know where exactly I could go and so on. I felt too shy and postponed it for years. However, once the summer was coming to an end I thought that's it, I may not get another chance for a long time. So we're doing this. But first let me show you what tools I'm taking with me. I was packing like this for the very first time and I was worried I'd forget something. But these tools turned out to be enough. I forgot just one essential thing, which you'll see later in the video. It did have some consequences but I managed to sort it out. But honestly, sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the most important. So we have a small problem. I have not anticipated that this bench would be so chunky and it's hard to attach my bench peg onto it because this is too small. And obviously you could do that if you had like a clamp that you can purchase in any hardware store but I don't have that. So I'll just make it work somehow. I don't have a lot of sewing but a little bit so it would be very nice to be able to do that. So I'll see if I can attach my bench peg onto it or if I could use this bench itself for some simple sewing. We'll see. Let's actually open the other one first because I have my supplies here and I have my stones in here. So let's look at them and pick one for the project. I have my back plate. It's actually a good size. I pre-cut it at home so I won't need to do much cutting now. What are the stones for you may ask? To weigh down the tray and add some extra protection when working with the torch. The flame is very small but just to be extra cautious. I'm adding pickle powder into the water making pickle for cleaning silver. And I have my pickle, my water for quenching, just a clear water and also some flux for soldering. Our soldering station looks great, very simple but it should be perfectly enough. These little plastic bottles are crooked because I washed them in boiling water. And this is a piece of solder I'm adding to solder the bezel. Even outside don't neglect your safety. Okay so because of the wind the solder didn't flow too quickly and I actually melted this bezel a little bit. So I am going to change the wire to the gallery wire and it will be easier for me to create that bezel now. So the reason I have this little tray for barbecuing is because I didn't have a small baking tray but I'm going to get one because I think it would be much better for this kind of situation. One thing the wind is pretty strong so while I'm heating up my silver it's being cooled down by the air and by the wind. For next time I will bring extra pieces to create a little nook in here so that I can hide my silver from the wind and create a hot spot. So hopefully the silver will flow much easier. Actually I'm gonna sit on this side now because the background will be much nicer for you to look at. So I am turning everything around. Okay so next we are making a ring because actually do I make a ring or do I solder this first? Maybe I should tackle the bezel first just so to be sure that I can do it. Okay so I will wait for my bezel to get cleaned in the pickle and in the meantime I'm going to make a ring and for that I have a nice half round wire. It's a small one and it should make a really nice ring. Okay let's go. I am actually going to try these ring making pliers, ring bending pliers. Let's see. I'm very curious if they can be used. Wow okay wow that was so quick. I love it. Maybe something just a bit smaller but I can experiment right here using the smaller loop. I will shape it and then I will solder it. The silver is not perfectly cleaned as it would be in a hot pickle at home where it turns white and all oxidation is gone but it's okay I can still clean this using attachments. Okay this is less comfortable on this side because of this plank so I'm gonna go probably on the other side where it's not at an angle. I think it's gonna be easier without hitting that. Oh yeah let's try it out. Okay I think this feels better here because I'm not hitting the wooden plank. Guys get yourself a big clamp. This is some silversmith yoga. Okay guys let me know in the comments what should we call this asana. What is it? Write your ideas I would love to see them. I did it. You should definitely use a clamp or maybe just other solution because this was exhausting but I made it work so let's keep going. I'm going to file it now and prepare it for soldering with the ring band. It's not too bad is it? It's not as powerful as you know your pendant motor for dom or dremel or whatever you use because obviously this one is operated by the battery but it's still great. See if this is gonna work. Hope it works. Oh no oh no. Okay let's try again. I have no idea guys I don't know maybe it'll work maybe not. And this is the essential thing that I forgot. It should work. Anything to hold the string in place. If not at least I tried right? I will heat up the bezel first and then I will heat up the tweezers because currently they work as a sink heat sink so they are taking away the heat but let's try and heat them up and maybe maybe this is actually gonna work or I will solder them onto the bezel which is gonna be pretty funny. Okay it took forever but nope didn't work. That is so sad you guys. That is so sad. And all because I don't have like tweezers, third hand, wire, anything anything could help me solder it. Okay this may work. Let's see if it works. It really does. Obviously I am not going to throw the pickle away. I'm gonna close it and I'm gonna take it with me because obviously it's toxic and there's a lot inside so I'm gonna reuse it back at home. Finished and I really love it but I think it would look much better if I added some patina, darken it a little bit, bring out the details. So I'm actually gonna do that at home. I'm gonna add a little bit of patina. I didn't want to bring it here with me today because I didn't know how everything would go, which project I would make but this gallery wire looks really nice with just a tiny bit of patina and yeah I'm gonna do that at home. But right now this is finished and I really love how it turned out. For the first time making jewelry in the forest by this little charming lake I am very happy and I hope you enjoyed this video. Let me know if you're making jewelry outside from time to time, maybe in your garden, maybe while you're hiking, maybe you're traveling in a van. I'm very curious to hear that and if you haven't made jewelry outside let me know if I inspired you a little bit to maybe try it out. I'm very curious. And for today thank you so much for tuning in and I will see you in the next one. Bye!