DIY Aluminum Stamping

While associated with food and soda, aluminum makes a light and durable piece of jewelry.

Jewelry stamping can be done on many different kinds of metals, including aluminum. Aluminum shapes are both light and inexpensive, and because aluminum is light, it is cheaper to ship. Aluminum also can be obtained in a wide range of colors, both bright and muted, so it's a versatile choice of jewelry-stamping metals. Aluminum blanks can be used to make a pendant necklace, a charm bracelet, an anklet, a zipper pull or cell phone charm.

Things You'll Need

• Aluminum blanks
• Masking tape (optional)
• Scissors
• Non-skid shelf liner
• Jeweler's anvil
• Jewelry metal stamps
• Metal claw hammer

Instructions

1. Examine your aluminum blank for scratches or marks. If there are marks on one side of the blank, use the other side as the "face" of the jewelry. If you are planning to write on your piece of jewelry, tear off a piece of masking tape and stick it to your blank, using the line from the edge of the tape as a straight edge.

2. Use your scissors to cut a small piece of non-skid shelf liner and set that on your work surface. Place the anvil on top of it. This will prevent your anvil from moving while you work. Place your blank, face up, on top of the anvil.

3. Select your first stamp and place it where you want it to go, with the "stamp" end on the face of the blank. Strike the other end with the hammer once. Continue selecting new stamps, placing and striking them until you have completed your design.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have not used anodized aluminum, the markings you made may not show up very well. If you want your stamped design to stand out more, fill it in with a fine-tip permanent marker. If you make a mistake, you can remove the permanent marker with rubbing alcohol.

• Layer a smaller, plain stamped piece of aluminum over a larger anodized piece of aluminum for contrast.

References

• Making Jewelry Now: Metal Stamps - Tips and Techniques