Practical Course Practical Goldsmith

The twelve-volume "Practical Goldsmith" series offers an entirely new means of imparting knowledge and skills in a goldsmith's various work areas. Individual work processes are shown step by step with brief (English/German) explanations and in masterfully photographed, expressive illustrations created exclusively for the series. The author's description of many tricks and techniques, and his use of the most current methods, bear witness to his long experiences.

Modeling after a Photo

It is always a blow when one loses an item of jewelry, and especially painful when the piece was a personal gift or a family heirloom.

Take the loss of a cufflink, for example, the missing piece cannot easily be reproduced according to the remaining one, because the design must be reversed. (Figures 1 and 2). ln this case, you draw the remaining item exactly reversed, or photograph it at a scale of 1:1. You then lay a piece of transparent paper over this photograph and trace the piece. A simple flip of the drawing gives the modeler a reverse image of the original as a basis for creation of the lost cufflink. Book 2 of the Practical Series explains exact modeling and portrayal in easily understandable individual steps.

The Pulse Plating Process

Many techniques, tips, and information about helpful new methods are explained in Book No. 9. Among them is the pulse plating process, a time-saving plating technique impressive for the resulting high levels of hardness and unusual comfort. This process can be applied to gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, and platinum, and allows for a markedly thicker plate than the original galvanization process. Due to the any positive aspects of the process, you could even say it turns the galvanization technique upside down. And since environmental protection is taking on an ever higher priority in todays society, it is a great  dvantage that only acid baths are required.

This volume deals mainly with gel separation in the noble metals. Goldsmiths or galvanizers can even aim for exact results. Whether jewelry, instrument. Or sanitary facility, this process can be applied to anything. If metallic conductivity has been assured, even wood, shells, ceramic and porcelain can be galvanized. (Figures 3 and 4)

The advantages of this method of electroplating are less time spent, increased hardness of the final product, color consistency, and greater strength of the galvanic plate layer. (Figure 5)

As a new design possibility, items such as dental retention beads are optimal for this use. (Figure 6)

A single metallic unit (Figure 7) is created by a copper wire looped around the object, combined with the conductivity of the silver.

After the dry phase, the piece is placed in a fluid electrolyte. Whether copper, gold, or silver, the object has now been plated. lt is important to follow the directions for use provided by the bath's manufacturer (Figure 8)

Laser Technique / Pulse Plating

Book 10 of the Practical Course Series has to do with new techniques. The use of the plating process for galvanic models in the jewelry industry is explained. The pulse plating process is proven for objects that cannot be produced using casting techniques. (Figures 9 and 10). The most unusual client requests, up to and including reproduction of antique items (Figure 11), can thus be fulfilled, with the results identical to the original pattern. (Figure 12)

Practical-Series Goldsmith 1-10

The latest techniques presented in a series of clear illustrations and informative texts. Available at the RuehleDiebener-Publishing. www.gz-online.com