Metalwork & Jewelry
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Visual Arts Department offers the only metalwork and jewelry concentration in the state with a curriculum addressing the full spectrum of processes necessary for the production of jewelry, hollowware, and small scale sculpture.
These fundamental techniques include sheet metal forming and construction, joining methods including soldering and cold connections, surface texture variations, casting, enameling, and basic stone setting.
The concentration emphasizes skilled craftsmanship, integrity of concepts and design, intrinsic motivation, familiarity with basic metallurgy, and an understanding of the history of metalwork and jewelry. The curriculum seeks to expand and diversify the research and creative problem solving capacity of students by encouraging departure beyond metal through the incorporation of alternate media. Students are able to strengthen both the quality of design and conceptual agenda behind their work in an interdisciplinary, diverse, and evolving environment in which students with broad interests and backgrounds develop as professional practicing artists.
The Metalwork and Jewelry studio, located in Fletcher Hall, occupies a 1,900 square foot space which is open to students seven days a week. The studio houses extensive equipment used in specialized processes including Annealing and Soldering, Forming, Casting and Mold-Making, Chasing and Repousse, Die Forming, Enameling, Finishing, Lapidary and Stone Setting.
Inventory of Equipment in Metalwork and Jewelry Studio
- 1- VIC12 Investment Machine
- 1 - Lincoln Electric Precision TIG 185 Welder
- 1 - SPX Power Team Quarter
- 1 - Bonny Doon Electric 6” Hydraulic Press
- 1 - Delta 16” 2-Speed Scroll Saw
- 1 - Delta 9” Band Saw
- 1 - Delta Large Drill Press
- 1 - Delta Medium Drill Press
- 1 - Proxxon Micro Drill Press
- 1 - Wilton 6” Belt/9” Wheel Sander Grinder
- 1 - Emerson 1” Belt Sander-grinder
- 1 - Delta Oscillating Drum Sander
- 1 - C&M Topline 24” Tumbler 10.5” dia Canister
- 3 - Prestolite Acetylene Torches, “B” size tanks
- 1 - Oxyacetylene Torch
- 1 - Smith Mini-oxyacetylene Torch
- 3 - Compressed Air/natural Gas Torches
- 1 - Caswell 25 amp Anodizing Rectifier
- 1 - Swest 10 amp Plating Rectifier
- 1 - 36“ Bending Brake
- 1 - Manual Rolling Mill
- 1 - 6” Benchtop Shear
- 3 - Swest 13”x 8.75”x 13.5” Firebrick Kilns
- 1 - 48” Metal Floor/step Shear
- 1 - 36” Slip Roller
- 8 - Small Flat-tipped Pliers
- 9 - Small Needle-nosed Pliers
- 9 - Small Wire Cutters
- 4 - Medium Wire Cutters
- 3 - Large Wire Cutters
- 7 - Wood Ring Clamps
- 6 - Ball Peen Hammers
- 6 - Sinking Hammers
- 4 - Forging Hammers
- 5 - Planishing Hammers
- 8 - Assorted Mallets (wood, rawhide)
- 44 - Assorted Stakes
- 1 - Sandbag
- 1 - Sinking Stump
- 1 - Surface Plate
- 4 - Ring Mandrels
- 2 - Bezel Mandrels
- 2 - Sets Wax Files
- 4 - Medium File Sets
- 25 - Large Files
- 15 - Jeweler’s Saw Frames
- 2 - Pitch Bowls
- 1 - Large Wax Pot
- 3 - 1-Gal Pickle Pots
- 3 - Annealing Pans
- 1 - Brush Plating Tool
- 1 - 5-Gal Aluminum-anodizing Setup
- 1 - 5-Gal Copper - Electroforming Setup
- 1 - 1 qt. Silver-plating Setup
- 3 High CFM Vent Hoods
- 1 - Auto-rolling Mill
- 1 - TAIG CNC Micro Mill LE
- 2 - 5-Gal/2hp Shop Vacs
- 2 - Foredom Flex-shafts
- 2 - I Shor Whirlwind Buffer/polishers
- 1 - 30-Gal/1hp Air Compressor
- 1 - Trinco DryBlast Lasting Cabinet
- 1 - I Shor Branson E-Module ultrasonic cleaner
- 1 - Reimers Portable Steam Cleaner
- 1 - Jet 9” Metal Lathe
- 6 - Ball Peen Hammers
- 6 - Sinking Hammers
- 4 - Forging Hammers
- 5 - Planishing Hammers
- 8 - Assorted Mallets (wood, rawhide)
- 44 - Assorted Stakes
- 1 - Sandbag
- 1 - Sinking Stump
- 1 - Surface Plate
- 4 - Ring Mandrels
- 2 - Bezel Mandrels
- 2 - Sets Wax Files
- 4 - Medium File Sets
- 25 - Large Files
- 15 - Jeweler’s Saw Frames
- 1 - Deep-throat Saw Frame
- 1 - Hacksaw
- 3 - 5” Benchtop Vises
- 3 - Assorted Sharpening Stones
- 1 - Small Anvil
- 3 - Large Anvil
- 10 - Alcohol amp
- 15 - Raising Hammers
- 4 - Riveting Hammers
- 6 - Chasing Hammers
- 1 - Centrfical Force Casting Michane
- 1 - Deep-throat Saw Frame
- 1 - Hacksaw
- 3 - 5” Benchtop Vises
- 3 - Assorted Sharpening Stones
- 10 - Assorted Draw Plates
- 4 - Hand Shears
- 3 - Burnishers
- 3 - Bezel Rollers
- 1 - Set of Diamond Burrs
- 1 - Set of Wax Burrs
- 1 - Set of Stone-setting Burrs
- 1 - Set of Mandrel Burrs
- 1 - Set of Metal Burrs
- 1 - Set of Stone-setting Tools
- 1 - Disc Cutter
- 1 - Set of Dapping Punches
- 2 - Metal Dapping Blocks
- 3 - Wood Dapping Blocks
- 1 - Combination Round- and V-pliers
- 1 - Set Assorted Chasing Tools