[Jewelry making - Article 01131] - Re: [Orchid] Studio clean-up routines

[R . E . Rourke]

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    the most practical tip I can give you is to replace the small brass
    filters inside your torches each year- at least clean them annually.
    Other than that I replace all o-rings and other gaskets that are
    relative to torches, compressors, handle/hose assemblies annually as
    well. I inspect pickle pots frequently for rust, cupric oxides, etc.
    inside the warming unit. &replace the seal on the nut inside the
    cover (a dab of silicone sealant) whenever it becomes loose. I keep a
    large powerful magnet on rollers and pass it over the floor every few
    weeks or when i have been grinding or shaping tools, gravers, etc-
    anything ferrous and then using a wet wipe dispose of it entirely. I
    inspect all bench blocks, punches etc. and remove any rust and
    re-season them all every six months as I live in humid areas( i use
    cosmoline on rollers on the rolling mills, and dry lithium grease on
    most other steel, alloys or cast iron tools and equipment. 

    I replace all fluids frequently though I know it's overkill in some
    cases; pickle remains good even after it absorbs copper ions and
    turns dark blue though I prefer to see the bottom of my pots and
    save the used but not depleted pickle for plating, garden use (it
    kills balck spot on roses and tomatos, and is beneficial for other
    plants and fights some soil and airborne viruses too). I have a water
    torch and replace the electrolyte/ flux every three months, topping
    up the water level between uses. I also make it a point to keep a
    piece of crepe gum handy to clean files. Ispend a lot on files when I
    buy them and protecting the investment as long as is possible is
    important to me and my wallet. I also replace diamond coatings, using
    the same basic process as someone explained in another thread,
    because given my wallet's state (read empty) I do not find all that
    much actual working difference in plated vs. sintered diamond files
    (burs are a different story as the uniformity of the industrial
    diamond grit seems largely more standardised in sintered burs) of the
    same shapes and functions. Soft copper works for cleaning the
    patterns, but far less effectively than latex or rubber gums. Also
    brushing out the openings of handpieces (always keep a bur in them
    according to manuf. instructions), and moving parts on equipment
    prevents problems later and adds to the potential return on your
    refining order -particularly if you brush the pieces out as soon
    after use as is possible and seperate the metal dusts into respective
    containers ( without seams or turns in their construction). You would
    be amazed at the amount you will collect after 6 months -a year. I
    sent in a film cannister of high karat gold dusts ( collected over
    two years, and free of contaminants) around the turn of the year and
    was amazed when I got a credit of $2100.00, I expected about $6- 

    700.00 based on similar submissions in the past. Using wet wipes to
    wipe down work areas then containing them inside a seamless plastic
    bag is also something that most refiners accept and ads up
    eventually. Letting them dry -just leave their container open- is a
    good habit to get into too as they will mould in humid dank areas
    rapidly. You want to store those things in lined or seamless vessels
    as ziplock type bags and trash cans, etc have too many places for
    fine particles to get trapped defeating the purpose of saving them
    in the first place. Installing an undersink/basin separator or any
    number of new products that attach to the gooseneck under your water
    sources also pays for the equipment's purchase with the first
    refining of the material- particularly if gold is your primary
    metal. Hope this isn't stuff you already know and is helpful in some
    way.
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