At Bushwick Jewelry Casting, we offer a range of classes in jewelry casting. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced jeweler, our classes are designed to help you learn and improve your skills. Our classes include wax carving, metal casting, stone setting, and more.
Our Offerings
Intro to Jewelry Casting
Learn the technique of lost wax casting. Create silver or gold jewelry by forcing molten metal into a mold made from carved wax. The wax is then eliminated from the mold with heat and injected with molten silver or gold to produce a solid metal version. A great class for anyone interested in making jewelry. All materials, equipment and tools are provided in the classroom for the 4 week class including up to 1 ounce of silver.
Advanced Jewelry Casting
Advanced Jewelry Casting includes more carving and wax manipulation techniques. This 4-week class may also be taken multiple times, as there are several options in which to focus on. In this class, we introduce: wax pens, more wax tools, mini lathe, mold making and vacuum casting, organic materials, detailed carving and cast in place stones. Students also have the opportunity to be more involved with the casting process, such as loading the kiln and operating the torch without assistance.
Soldering for Beginners
Soldering (silver or gold soldering) is an essential technique for jewelry making (not to be confused with soft or lead soldering). Jewelry soldering is a technique used to:
- create jewelry from metal using wire, sheet or other elements
- attaching jump rings (essential in chain making)
- attaching earring backs, stone settings,
- finding or hardware that you might need on jewelry—a lot of them are
going to be attached using this technique of soldering.
Materials: Easy, medium and hard solder & flux
3D Jewelry Design, Printing and Casting
First, you will learn how to create your designs using Blender as it is the most accessible and free software for this class. Once you have finished your design, it’s off to the Form 2 3D printer. The next step is to invest (a special mold for casting) your piece. On week 3 you will cast your piece using precious metal. Centrifugal casting is used as a means of casting, detailed jewelry or small scale sculpture. Once your piece has been cast, the final step will be to finish and polish it.
Please download Blender https://www.blender.org/download/
Metalsmithing
This introductory metalsmithing class is designed for both those with little to no previous experience as well as those who want to hone, develop and learn new skills. Students will have an opportunity to learn and develop a wide range of fundamental jewelry-making skills that are essential for building a solid foundation. A wide variety of tools and techniques include: safe practices for working in a jeweler’s studio, proper use of hand tools, soldering techniques and torches, flex shafts, hammers, polishing equipment, jeweler’s saw, files, pliers, doming blocks and more. You will learn how to cut, solder, saw, drill, rivet, pierce, dome, texture, drill etc. This class is designed for each student to create a minimum of 2-4 pieces during the 8 week session. In this introductory course, one will learn the following skills:
- Basic overview of metal properties and manipulation
- Sawing, piercing, drilling, doming, soldering, and fabrication
- Rivets, clasps, hinges, and chain making
- Rolling mill and hydraulic press
- Texturing, raising, forming and spiculum
- Chasing, repoussé, and patinas
Enameling
Students will learn to enamel and bezel set in this 5 week course. Class will meet either via Zoom or in studio from 7:00-10:00 PM weekly. During the course, techniques include enameling on copper or silver and bezel setting . Enameling is a method of applying powdered glass to metal and then firing it to the melting point creating a solid layer of glass. This process allows one to enhance pieces with a variety of colors and patterns. Bezel setting is a rim of metal used to frame and secure an enameled piece or stone. Upon completion of the course students will gain a full understanding of the described processes and multiple finished pieces.
Stone Setting 2 Day
This intensive 2-day class teaches you several stone setting methods to take your work in silver jewelry to the next level. The stone settings covered in this class include bezel, tube, flush, and prong.
Bezel setting involves setting a stone by pushing (burnishing) the elevated portion around the top. This is a key technique for setting stones and allows you to set a range of natural stones in a range of sizes.
Step bezel setting is a variation featuring a delicate ridge running around the interior that supports the edge of the stone while using less material, reducing cost and weight.
Tube setting is a simple yet effective technique, allowing neatly setting usually small stones into silver tubes.
Flush setting, or gypsy setting, allows setting gemstones flush with the surface of the piece.
Prong settings are thin, small strips of metal that extend upward from the piece creating a cone-like cradle to hold the center stone. A seat must be cut for the stone to hold the stone, so in this class, we will be using ready-set prong settings.
Students will also learn:
-
The properties of faceted stones
-
Different types and sources for pre-fabricated settings.
-
How to cut the bearing using files and burs.
-
Seat and set faceted stones.
This class is very intensive so come prepared.
All the materials for practice including stones and metal will be provided, however, students will be responsible for stones and metal for their project with a small selection will be available for purchase. While materials are provided, bringing stone-setting burrs is suggested (tool details will be provided in the confirmation email). Feel free to bring your own stones to see if they can be suitable for class or alternate projects.
Two Day Bootcamp
This immersive 2-day boot camp gives you all the skills to get started with wax casting. You will be able to make multiple designs in wax or use organic material for your casting!
DAY ONE: The first hour of class you will learn various wax carving and manipulation techniques. Then Scott, our instructor, works individually with each student to get them started based on their skill level. Beginners will learn how to form the wax for their piece. By the end of day one, the wax piece will be invested (a sacrificial mold will be made of the wax design). If you finish investing your piece before 8pm, you can leave early, of course.
DAY TWO: The mold will be ready for the casting process. The piece will be cast and the rest of this class session will be used for finishing and polishing.
All materials, equipment and tools (including a Flax-shaft) are provided in the classroom, as well as 1oz. of sterling silver for beginner students.
Additional silver will be available for purchase at cost for project require more than the provided 1 oz. of included sterling silver.
​
Grillz
This class is designed to create custom grills using a laminate process. The first day, students will have an impression using professional grade material and a model of their teeth. Next, the model will be vacuum formed and the design process will be completed. Wax and stones may also be included to enhance the design as well. The second day of class, the grillz will be cast and polished. Students will be responsible for the cost of metal. If using silver, it is suggested that it is made of .999%. For gold, no less than 14K. Students may purchase metal at cost from Bushwick Jewelry Casting prior to day two.
Class cost includes professional mold and model, laminate, wax, tools and casting.