Foldforming

This book is written by the man considered to be the inventor of foldforming. Foldforming is a fun assortment of techniques that you can use to create interesting one-of a kind finished pieces very quickly. Even a complete novice to metalsmithing can make numerous fabulous pieces of jewelry during their very first class using simple foldforming techniques. All you really NEED to know before you begin is how to anneal your metal. If you are new to working with metal, foldforming is a good way to practice annealing and working with a torch since you will need to anneal your pieces before starting most techniques - make sure to get instruction on the proper and SAFE way to use a torch. Depending on your design and how much you deform your metal, you may need to anneal a piece numerous times before you're done.Some of the techniques could use a bit more coverage and it would be nice to have a few more specific instructions (like the exact-gauge to start with for a given technique, do exactly this, exactly this way, etc), but foldforming isn't actually an exact science. It is a very fluid and forgiving technique (or should I say techniques, since foldforming is really a collection of different processes). You will truly learn the most by trying out different techniques. Just remember ... annealing is your friend!!.Make sure to have a decent supply of copper sheets in several gauges - don't shortchange yourself by not having enough material to experiment with different techniques. Make sure to get some hearing protection - pick up a cheap pair of headphones to protect yourself. You can order them from Amazon or find them locally in a variety of stores. I found a pair that works great in the hunting section of a local big-box store for 10 bucks - and they're hot pink, so it's easy to find mine if I leave them on the work table. Also, the welding department at Harbor Freight can be your friend - I got an inexpensive pair of welding pliers (and lined them with scrap leather) that is VERY similar the expensive ones they sell specifically for jewelry making. I also got a welding chipping hammer for $3 and lightly rounded the edges - it works great as a substitute for a cross-peen hammer for fold-forming (which would have cost $50 plus shipping even for the cheapest one made for jewelry). Check Amazon for similar tools. Once again, you MUST anneal along the way, but if you want to work on items at home without a studio, you can use a small butane torch as long as you have some type of soldering stand or some type of soldering board or a firebrick (a regular brick won't do)..I purchased this when taking a Foldforming class at a local art center. Although it wasn't necessary to purchase the book for the class, I found that it was well-worth the cost and I was glad to have my own copy. Ultimately, everyone in the class ended up purchasing their own copy - anyone who didn't have an Amazon Prime membership had one of us who did have one make the purchase for them to get it more quickly. If you plan to take a foldforming class, make the most of it by getting this book for yourself. It's a fun technique, not to mention a great workout!! Nobody in our class was disappointed (and the class wasn't cheap), and everyone managed to build up their forearms due to lots of hammering. We all got lots and lots of practice annealing..Jewerly/metalsmithing classes and studio time are expensive, so if you are taking a class, make the most of it by getting your own copy of this book. Whatever minor shortcomings some may feel that this book might have, if you want a book on this technique (and really, there isn't a big choice), this book is the one you should get. Don't forget to anneal frequently..***I didn't get the Kindle version because people had commented that it wasn't in color, leading to many people being disappointed in it, so I would recommend the hardcopy. However, the Kindle version seems to have dropped in price considerably since I purchased the book, so it may be worth considering getting the e-book if you find the hardcover to be too pricey. If they ever add this book to the matchbook program, I will definitely purchase the Kindle version as well.BTW, did I mention that you will need to anneal your metal???

This is a great book that shares 25 years experience of the authors as well as tons of other artists he's worked with or learned from. Each basic fold gets an extensive explanation about how it's done and how to build upon it.The author spends a lot of time explaining why metal will react a certain way to certain actions in hopes of not just showing you how to fold metal, put in vise, hammer like this, but to have you thinking about why the metal moves with these choices you've made, how is strengthened or weakened, how you can shift one action slightly to get dramatic differences in outcome.This isn't a recipe book for how to create every fold there is, a how to make pendants, earrings etc. This is a book that helps you learn how to make basic folds, how to turn those basics into fancier folds and why the fold occurred so that you can really explore the vast potential of these methods without being constrained to the methods you learned, rather, freed of constraints by using your knowledge of how metal will react to your action and creating innumerable variables with metal, vise, hammers etc.I keep trying to think of an analogy for this book and I always come back to math. He isn't telling you to memorize your multiplication tables, he's telling you how to multiply so that the entire universe of numbers opens up to you.This is a book that belongs in every metalsmiths library. It leaves you wanting more tho lol!! A great follow up to this book would be a coffee table style book of foldforming artists works so you can really see what people have done with this skill. There are a few examples in the book of finished works.... beautiful ones... however, as a jewelry artist I would love to see more ideas of jewelry work to get my inspiration juices flowing. That's not a hit on this wonderful book by any means... just expressing how this awesome book deserves to have more books in this category to bounce off it, support it etc. Foldforming is still a bit underrepresented in the book category. Pinterest is the current go to inspiration point lol.Overall this book is wonderful. It's relevant for metalsmiths of art, jewelry, practical pieces (salad tongs?! Tea sets!! So many beautiful photos here) etc. I am going to get the hard copy tho. I get kindle when it's cheaper than hard copy, however, I find reference books are better hard copy. Sometimes photos can be confusing in the ebook layout. That's true of all ebooks so it's not a ding on this. Ebooks enable me to learn and read more than I would be able to if only hardcopy were available. That darn broke artist addage is too true here! LolThat reminds me, this book was wonderful about offering solutions of adapting what you have, inexpensive solutions to build or affordable solutions found at the hardware store for tools used in foldforming. Refreshing since tools seem to always be expensive and I'm always needing "just one more" to learn a new skill. No wonder we're always broke lol!!I really don't have anything negative to say.Great book... hopefully my review helps you l

This is a good book, often referred to by my silversmithing tutor but very expensive in traditional hardback format.

This book is wonderful. Very clear instructions for beautiful techniques, I thoroughly recommend this for anyone wanting to work with sheet copper.

Bought this for my kindle fire, I also have a first generation kindle that doesn't show the lovely pictures well enough so would not recommend for a non colour kindle. Very useful and clear instructions for someone starting fold forming. I like the coloured pictures that come with the explanations as they make the text easier to follow. My first attempt was quite successful.

The definitive work on the subject! Foldforming sounds simple until you try to do it - this book definitely helps you through the maze of possible problems; and also has lots of inspiring ideas and photos.

This is the bible on foldforming metal. It is a must-have for jewellers interested in this aspect of precious metal manipulation and I can't recommend it highly enough.