I'm not a beader but was interested in the metal working information. It was good for small scale projects. If I were a beader, the example projects in the book are quite attractive. ( )

Metalworking 101 For Beaders, by Candie Cooper is pretty much what it sounds like. This is a book for those with some experience with beading and stringing who have a definite style and want to expand their personal set of techniques to use some metalwork techniques. This is not a bench jewelry textbook, simply an introduction that does not pretend to be anything else.

The author's sense of humor is obvious without being obnoxious and made me smile and even laugh out loud a few times. Also apparent is her excellent sense of style and color matching. These projects look GOOD, even if a few are not to my personal taste, and in my opinion this book is a good bridge between beading and bench jewelry.

The tools covered are mostly basic, with the exception of a flexible shaft machine and dapping block, both of which are also somewhat pricey. There is a basic guide to wire and metal types, fluxes and hard solders, but less safety information than I personally would like. Also I personally prefer a jumbo butane torch to her pencil propane torch for heating metal in both safety and the ease of use, but this could just be a personal preference. In her discussion of tools, her comment about collecting "Gadgety-whatcha-macall-its" literally had me laughing aloud. One simple phrase to describe half the Rio Grande tool catalog. Well done, Ms. Cooper.

Sections on basic metal techniques were about average, with some good basic safety and other advice. A nice table on p. 25 lays out several different metal textures, a nice touch. Etching and reticulation are briefly touched on but not enough in my opinion to do either very effectively. Look elsewhere for further information. Doming, forming and drilling are briefly covered, and then there is an excellent section on basic soldering and fusing with a good series of images. Finishing and polishing are reasonably good, but Ms. Cooper neglects to mention that you really want to do several grits of sanding before a final polish, at least 220 an 400 or adding 600 grit. This could cause serious frustration to a new crafter.

The projects are all very well thought out, and the finished products are all sellable on a professional basis. A few of the material choices are not to my tastes, and the same with the particular shapes included, but the author takes pains to mention that these are only her ideas. She even shares sketches from her personal book that inspired the designs.

I like the Bamboo bail for a donut bead, though I would personally have used a tube rivet at the bottom instead of a wire spiral. The Woven Copper necklace is lovely, but definitely on the large and almost gaudy side. I actually like the sketch idea on that one better than the finished design. The Bee and Blossom toggle is not to my personal taste, but is a very cute design that could be adapted to other shapes. The Fiesta Flower is interesting, but instead of beads, I would have used ribbon or fibers and made it into a barrette.

The Profusion ring has an interesting idea of stitching a wire ring closed with metal, and I plan to try it without the bead cluster on top. The Cut Copper tubing idea is interesting, but honestly, I have seen this one done in a lot of books, so it did not really impress me. Goldfish in Blue is pretty, but the sawing is way too complex for the level of crafter that this book seems to be aimed at. Trust me, anyone who is just starting to work with a jeweler's saw is NOT going to be able to pull this off. Heck, I know I cannot and I have been working with one for a while. Charmed Tubing is a neat idea, though I would have left the tube hollow and not bothered soldering rings onto it...I feel the charms obscure the silver tube to the point that it is almost not worth the trouble.

Midsummer's Night bracelet is just lovely, a perfect way to show off that special focal bead. Many thumbs up to this one! Thumbs down to the Square Bead cuff, it may be a good way to practice soldering, but the result looks like Christmas tree tinsel mated to the remnants at a bead shop. Ugly and impractical. We are back to doing well with Cat's Cradle, another donut bead bail and a simple but pretty one. Geometric Brooches are also well designed and pretty while still interestingly challenging. Fanciful Feathered Friends are utterly adorable and would likely sell very well if personalized and changed to reflect the individual's own style. The Graceful S clasp is a great idea for mix and match bead strands, and if set with a stone could also be a focal point for a necklace. The Techno Bangles are in my opinion overdone and impractical, and I suspect not sturdy enough for regular wear. The last design of the Leafy Lariat makes up for them though, and is simple and pleasing.

All in all, I was very impressed by this book. On a scale of one to five with one being something you would not gift to an enemy and five being worthy of being shown in a gallery, the projects are a three to a four. On a scale of one to five for difficulty, with five being a master crafter and one having never seen a pair of pliers, these designs are about a three. For clarity of instruction, on a one to five scale, the directions are a four.

This book exceeded by far my expectations, and I can recommend it highly to any beader who is ready to begin taking up metal work, with the caveat that you read other books for more safety instructions and detailed directions for technical skills. Overall, four out of a possible five stars. ( )