Textures using a rolling mill.

Sue Lane
1 minute read

I have been asked to teach jewellery making skills to students on the jewellery degree course at Hereford College of Arts. I thought I would share some of the textures I did as examples for the session last week. We used copper, as we wanted to make lots of sample pieces, and used the rolling mill to press texture into the surface of the annealed metal.

Samples: Holes drilled in copper, then rolled with copper, silver oval links rolled with copper, feather rolled with copper.
Samples: Holes drilled in copper, then rolled with copper, silver oval links rolled with copper, feather rolled with copper.

Rolling mill texture samples; linen and copper, netting and copper, shapes cut in paper and rolled with copper.
Rolling mill texture samples; linen and copper, netting and copper, shapes cut in paper and rolled with copper.

This technique is so simple and makes lovely textures. i am always amazed that something as soft as a feather can press into copper.
This technique is so simple and makes lovely textures. I am always amazed that something as soft as a feather can press into copper.

A closer look at the texture created from putting linen through the rolling mill with copper.
A closer look at the texture created from putting linen through the rolling mill with copper.

We then used the textured sheet to press form shapes and solder together by sweat soldering to avoid solder running on the textures surface.
We then used textured sheet to press form shapes and solder together by sweat soldering to avoid solder running onto the textured surface.

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