This class continues my series on Keum Boo, an ancient Korean technique that literally translates as “attached gold”. The previous classes in the series concentrate on projects with gold bonded to flat silver - or almost flat in the case of the Cup of Gold Pendant class. This time I'm going to show you tips and tricks for carrying out the Keum Boo process on larger, more 3D shapes - in this case pieces of tube!
I use three different sizes of tube in the Golden Beads class. Tube is sold by a combination of inside diameter (ID) and outside diameter (OD). The sizes I'm using are listed below, but you can use whatever dimensions of tubing you wish in order to create the perfect sized beads for your projects.
These beads are perfect for earrings, pendants, bracelets and more. As part of the class I will show you how to change some of the beads from smooth round tube using hammers and pliers, and give some design ideas - two pairs of earrings and simple pendants. As a bonus, the class also includes two extra videos teaching how to make simple earwires and headpins.
Keum Boo bonds 24k gold and fine silver together, with no solder involved, just heat and pressure. It is a strong permanent bond, hundreds of times thicker than gold plating. As you can see from the class project a little gold goes a long way, making this a great way of adding the richness of gold to your jewellery without breaking the bank. It is a magical technique, and one that I never tire of teaching! I love the look on my students’ faces when they realise that their gold design has bonded beautifully onto the silver.
An understanding of the information in the first class in this series, the Golden Butterfly Pendant class, is useful. All of the Keum Boo classes can be found in The Art of Keum Boo course bundle
Tube sizes used in the class: ID 3.5mm/OD 4.5mm, ID 5mm/OD 6mm and ID 9mm/OD 10mm
1 hour 35 minutes long, 15 lessons