How to Make Stamped Metal Jewelry
Gather your materials., Choose a blank., Select your stamps., Apply masking tape to use as a guide., Hammer in your first letter or shape.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather your materials.
Stamping letters and shapes into metal blanks for necklaces, earrings, and bracelets is the mainstay of making stamped metal jewelry.
Although you will need to invest in some special items to get started, you will be able to use these items over and over again.
Before you begin, you will need:
Metal blanks in the material of your choice.
Try starting out with aluminum, since it is cheaper than silver and copper.
A set of stamps.
Opt for a set of lower case stamps in a font that you like.
A hammer.
A hammer with flat edge and a ball peen on the other side is ideal for texturing metal.
However, a plain household hammer will work just fine if you are just getting started.
A stamping surface.
You can purchase a metal stamp pad at craft stores.
Masking tape.
Permanent markers or acrylic paint in the colors of your choice.
Rubbing alcohol.
Paper towels. -
Step 2: Choose a blank.
Decide which blank you want to use to create your design.
Metal blanks come in lots of different sizes, shapes, and metal types.
You can create basic circular tags or holiday themed shapes, like a snowman or Santa Claus.To help you decide, consider what you want to stamp onto the blank and what type of jewelry you will be using the blank to create.
For example, if you are planning to stamp a phrase onto the blank, then a larger blank will work best.
If you are planning on stamping just a shape or initials onto a blank, then you can use a smaller size. , Next, pull out the stamps that you will need to create your design and line them up in the order that you will need them.
This can help to prevent typos and make it easier for you to complete the project quickly.If you are planning on stamping a phrase on the metal blank, then just pull the letter stamps for one word at a time.
Holding the stamps up against your blank may help you to decide which ones will work and which ones will not.
Try positioning your stamps on the blanks to get an idea of how well they will fit and how you might arrange them , Before you start hammering, it is a good idea to use masking tape to define the area where you want your stamps to go.
Place your blank onto your metal surface and then apply a strip of masking tape going horizontally across the center.
You can use this like the lines on a piece of paper as you stamp the metal.Some people also like to use a ruler and pencil to draw notches on the masking tape.
This can help you to be even more precise when you are stamping the metal.
If you want your letters or symbols to appear in multiple lines, then start with the first line and then remove the tape after you have imprinted those letters/symbols.
Then, apply tape for the second line and imprint the letters and/or symbols for that row.
You can also use the tape to secure the metal blank into place on your stamping surface.
This will help to prevent it from slipping around as you hammer in the stamps. , To imprint the metal with the stamps you have selected, you will need to place them onto your metal blank and hit the top of the stamp with the hammer three times.
Make sure that your stamp is facing the right direction and properly aligned before you begin.
Hold the base of the stamp right up against the ridge of the tape with one hand and hit the top of the stamp with the hammer in your other hand.Give the stamp two or three good whacks with the hammer and no more.
If you imprint the stamp too much, then it could warp or otherwise damage the metal blank.
You may want to experiment with your first tag to see how the imprint looks depending on how many times you hit it.
You may find that hitting it once is enough for some types of metal.
After you hammer in your first letter or shape, repeat the hammering process with the rest of the shapes. -
Step 3: Select your stamps.
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Step 4: Apply masking tape to use as a guide.
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Step 5: Hammer in your first letter or shape.
Detailed Guide
Stamping letters and shapes into metal blanks for necklaces, earrings, and bracelets is the mainstay of making stamped metal jewelry.
Although you will need to invest in some special items to get started, you will be able to use these items over and over again.
Before you begin, you will need:
Metal blanks in the material of your choice.
Try starting out with aluminum, since it is cheaper than silver and copper.
A set of stamps.
Opt for a set of lower case stamps in a font that you like.
A hammer.
A hammer with flat edge and a ball peen on the other side is ideal for texturing metal.
However, a plain household hammer will work just fine if you are just getting started.
A stamping surface.
You can purchase a metal stamp pad at craft stores.
Masking tape.
Permanent markers or acrylic paint in the colors of your choice.
Rubbing alcohol.
Paper towels.
Decide which blank you want to use to create your design.
Metal blanks come in lots of different sizes, shapes, and metal types.
You can create basic circular tags or holiday themed shapes, like a snowman or Santa Claus.To help you decide, consider what you want to stamp onto the blank and what type of jewelry you will be using the blank to create.
For example, if you are planning to stamp a phrase onto the blank, then a larger blank will work best.
If you are planning on stamping just a shape or initials onto a blank, then you can use a smaller size. , Next, pull out the stamps that you will need to create your design and line them up in the order that you will need them.
This can help to prevent typos and make it easier for you to complete the project quickly.If you are planning on stamping a phrase on the metal blank, then just pull the letter stamps for one word at a time.
Holding the stamps up against your blank may help you to decide which ones will work and which ones will not.
Try positioning your stamps on the blanks to get an idea of how well they will fit and how you might arrange them , Before you start hammering, it is a good idea to use masking tape to define the area where you want your stamps to go.
Place your blank onto your metal surface and then apply a strip of masking tape going horizontally across the center.
You can use this like the lines on a piece of paper as you stamp the metal.Some people also like to use a ruler and pencil to draw notches on the masking tape.
This can help you to be even more precise when you are stamping the metal.
If you want your letters or symbols to appear in multiple lines, then start with the first line and then remove the tape after you have imprinted those letters/symbols.
Then, apply tape for the second line and imprint the letters and/or symbols for that row.
You can also use the tape to secure the metal blank into place on your stamping surface.
This will help to prevent it from slipping around as you hammer in the stamps. , To imprint the metal with the stamps you have selected, you will need to place them onto your metal blank and hit the top of the stamp with the hammer three times.
Make sure that your stamp is facing the right direction and properly aligned before you begin.
Hold the base of the stamp right up against the ridge of the tape with one hand and hit the top of the stamp with the hammer in your other hand.Give the stamp two or three good whacks with the hammer and no more.
If you imprint the stamp too much, then it could warp or otherwise damage the metal blank.
You may want to experiment with your first tag to see how the imprint looks depending on how many times you hit it.
You may find that hitting it once is enough for some types of metal.
After you hammer in your first letter or shape, repeat the hammering process with the rest of the shapes.
About the Author
Richard Wilson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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