Fusing and Welding


Master the skills of fusing and welding for jewelry making. Our articles include in-depth examples of creating and repairing pieces and tool reviews.

How to Repair a Hollow Rope Chain

How to Repair a Hollow Rope Chain

I took in a broken hollow rope chain bracelet for repair this week. The bracelet had caught on a desk...
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The Best Flux For Soldering Jewelry: How To Choose The Right One For Your Project

Technical Briefs deals with technical concerns of interest to a wide audience, addressing topics as diverse as vanguard technology and...
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950 Palladium: Custom Made Components

950 Palladium: Custom Made Components

When making custom jewelry with any alloy, certain components within the piece are often hand made to enhance the final...
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Laser Welding Basics – Part 1

Laser Welding Basics – Part 1

This article will run over multiple issues of Bench Magazine. I plan to start with the basics of welding and...
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The Plique a Jour Technique with Torch

The Plique a Jour Technique with Torch

Plique-a-jour, in French, means "applied to carved spaces" or "membrane where daylight passes through". The 'plique-a-jour' enameled jewelry is endowed...
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Basic Bead Setting Techniques

Basic Bead Setting Techniques

First the stone's diameter is measured at the pavillion and a dent is made in the metal for the pilot...
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Platinum Jewelry Advanced Joining Techniques

Joining is a very important production technique in the field of jewelry production. Therefore it is useful to know, what...
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Damascus and Pattern Welding

Damascus and Pattern Welding

True damascus steel is made by a casting process utilizing very high carbon steel. The material is held at or...
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20 Laser Welding Tips

20 Laser Welding Tips

This article offers some laser welding tips that might make your life as a laser welder a bit easier. Read...
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Welding Aluminum for Successful Anodizing

Welding Aluminum for Successful Anodizing

This article includes descriptions of dangerous activities. These descriptions are not to be deemed instruction, any inference to the contrary...
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Laser Welding Replacing Soldering

When first starting to work with the laser welders, operators should experiment with five or six different alloys commonly used....
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Laser Welding Basics – Part 4

Laser Welding Basics – Part 4

I want to take what I have written in my previous articles 
and start tying it into jewelry welding applications....
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Step-by-Step Guide to Upsizing Rings

Step-by-Step Guide to Upsizing Rings

When I ran a trade shop, time was money, and I often found myself sizing 50 to 60 rings in...
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De-oxidized Sterling Silver Alloys

De-oxidized Sterling Silver Alloys

Sterling silver alloys typically contain about 7.5 percent copper, an addition that not only provides strength to the otherwise pure...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Creating Jewelry

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Creating Jewelry

For this project, the No. 1 tip was used with the ABI Pulse Arc Welder. Five tips come with the...
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Laser Welding Basics – Part 3

Laser Welding Basics – Part 3

Back when I was going to school, if I had known I would be writing an article about laser welding...
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Goldsmithing: Fusing Technique

Goldsmithing: Fusing Technique

When precious metal is heated to temperatures approaching its melting point there is a short span during which the outer...
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Aluminum: Welded and Wearable

Aluminum: Welded and Wearable

The purpose of this paper is to acquaint the reader with the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing aluminum as a...
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Comparative Analysis of Three Welding Systems

Comparative Analysis of Three Welding Systems

AJM Magazine asked me to perform a comparative analysis of three welding systems performance in several different precious metal welding...
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Re-tipping Platinum Prongs

Platinum is a very durable metal, so prongs will last a long time. However, it is sometimes necessary to re-tip...
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Bracelet Tongue Replacement

Bracelet Tongue Replacement

With the popularity of tennis bracelets over the last 20 years, replacing broken tongues has become a common repair in...
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Laser Repair: Bangle Bracelet

Laser Repair: Bangle Bracelet

It's an "everyday" kind of repair job. The customer brings in a bangle bracelet that has a broken safety slide....
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Laser Welding Sterling Silver

In laser welding of Sterling Silver ' lower silver bearing alloys (coin silver) we have about seven choices in laser...
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Alloys – Look on the White Side

In the jewelry industry, it's rare to have an alloy without drawbacks, particularly when the alloy is not yellow. When...
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Bracelet Shortening and Reassembling

Bracelet Shortening and Reassembling

This Charles and Colvard created moissanite (hereafter referred to as moissanite) and two-tone karat gold in-line bracelet requires shortening by...
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950 Palladium: Setting Fabrication

950 Palladium: Setting Fabrication

This simple pendant design will be made with 950 palladium wire. Tack-welding technology will be used to temporarily hold the...
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The Creation of White Gold

The Creation of White Gold

White gold presents unique challenges. Who among us has not struggled with white gold at one time or another? Some...
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950 Palladium: Fabrication and Assembly

950 Palladium: Fabrication and Assembly

This article covers methods and techniques for hand fabrication, soldering and assembly for a custom designed 950 palladium and cultured...
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950 Palladium: Selling Points

950 Palladium: Selling Points

Designers and manufacturers have embraced 950 palladium alloys for a variety of jewelry manufacturing products. At the recent JA Jewelry...
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Repairing a Sterling Silver Shell Cameo Pin

Repairing a Sterling Silver Shell Cameo Pin

Repairs and alterations of jewelry that has been in families for generations is an ongoing request at retail service departments....
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Master Metalsmith Alan Adler

Master Metalsmith Alan Adler

I first discovered Allan Adler's Silversmithing Shop about 23 years ago when I arrived in Southern California to begin my...
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Fabricating a Crown to Fit a Stone

Often jewelers are called upon to hand fabricate a crown to fit a stone. This is necessary when either the...
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Repairing an Omega Earring Clip

Repairing an Omega Earring Clip

This project shows a challenging repair and reconstruction of earrings with a broken Omega clip and heat sensitive gemstones.
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Benchtop Hydroflux Welders

Connections are an important part of jewelry manufacturing. We make them with suppliers, with retailers, even with the people who...
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950 Palladium: Manufacturing Tips and Techniques

950 Palladium: Manufacturing Tips and Techniques

The "other white metal" is making its presence known and it wont be long before light, bright and white 950...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Closing Chains

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Closing Chains

This sterling silver chocker chain is handmade from 16 gauge round wire. It has multiple interlocking links. The customer leads...
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Speedwire Solving Problems for Laser Welding

Speedwire Solving Problems for Laser Welding

When Glenn Manning of Manning Jewelry in Foley, Alabama, bought his first laser welder almost a decade ago, he thought...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Box Clasp Tongue Repair

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Box Clasp Tongue Repair

This 14-karat yellow gold heavy bracelet chain has a broken tongue at its critical springy location. An ideal method for...
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Laser Welding Basics – Part 2

In my last article I wrote about the various adjustable parameters, and the effects of changing those parameters. In this...
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Laser Repair: Emerald & Diamond Ring

Laser Repair: Emerald & Diamond Ring

It seems like a lot of laser repairs involve emeralds. I recall the Indiana Jones movies where "Indy" comes face...
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Laser Welding Channel Repair

Laser Welding Channel Repair

In previous articles we have looked into the "art" of prong repair using the laser (Full Prong Replacement and Tipping...
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Richard Reinhardt: Discontinuous Continuity

Richard Reinhardt: Discontinuous Continuity

Richard Reinhardt's best-known pieces today are silver bracelets, constructed in concave or convex forms that curve smoothly and logically in...
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Making a Platinum Wire Setting

Making a Platinum Wire Setting

These materials are for a platinum pendant and they include wire made of a platinum iridium alloy. This article covers...
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Setting a Pear Shape Emerald in a Full Bezel

Setting a Pear Shape Emerald in a Full Bezel

For this demonstration of Setting a Pear Shape Emerald in a Full Bezel I will be setting a large emerald...
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Laser Welding Tipping Prongs

Laser Welding Tipping Prongs

Last issue we installed a new full prong on an opal and emerald pendant. This issue was supposed to be...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Sterling Silver Bracelet

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Sterling Silver Bracelet

To demonstrate how pulse-arc welding performs on sterling silver, this bracelet was cast, finished and assembled without the use of...
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Nickel White Gold Welding

Nickel White Gold Welding

In this article I will be referring to terms that I have defined in previous articles. If you wish to...
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950 Palladium: Laser Welding Techniques

950 Palladium: Laser Welding Techniques

According to Frank McAllister, the quantity of individual pieces of jewelry made from 950 palladium has surpassed the same for...
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Pearl Earring Repair Using Mini Pulse III

Pearl Earring Repair Using Mini Pulse III

14-karat yellow gold cultured freshwater pearl and diamond earrings will be repaired as a demonstration of the new Mini Pulse...
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Granulation Using Fusion Welding

Granulation Using Fusion Welding

This ring is manufactured using Hoover and Strongs 14-karat white gold alloyed with palladium. It was cast using standard casting...
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Architectural Portraits of Vicki Ambery-Smith

Architectural Portraits of Vicki Ambery-Smith

For nearly 30 years, Ambery-Smith has been using architecture as an inspiration for her work. Her name has become synonymous...
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Platinum Ring Sizing and Torch Welding

Platinum Ring Sizing and Torch Welding

Sizing and torch welding a platinum ring with diamonds channel set down the shank could be risky to the diamonds....
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Laser welding jewellery with Rofin Performance

Laser welding jewellery with Rofin Performance

Short video showing examples of what can be achieved, repairing jewellery items with a manual laser welder - the StarWeld...
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950 Palladium: Manufacturing Methods

950 Palladium: Manufacturing Methods

Palladium, long used as a luxurious jewelry metal, has recently experienced renewed interest largely due to its purity, natural white...
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How to Build Up a Thin Shank

How to Build Up a Thin Shank

This cultured pearl and diamond 14K yellow gold ring is in for sizing. When the take-in person inspected the ring,...
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950 Palladium: Finishing Procedures

950 Palladium: Finishing Procedures

Practicing specific procedures for pre-finishing and polishing of 950 palladium will make a stunning difference in the final presentation of...
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Master Metalsmith John Prip

Master Metalsmith John Prip

One observation on the career of John Prip (more often called Jack) is the way in which the man and...
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Installing and Repairing Hinge Rivets

Installing and Repairing Hinge Rivets

Installing or repairing hinge rivets can be difficult with a torch. Flooding a hinge with solder and permanently joining a...
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Beam Path Check

Beam Path Check

With the Nd:Yag Micro Laser Welders, being used by the jewelry, and other industrial manufacturing / repair industries, there is...
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Pulse Shaping: Energy Over Time

Pulse Shaping: Energy Over Time

Laser technology is still so new to 
our industry and there is still so much 
to discover. Fortunately, I believe...
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950 Palladium: Successful Design Considerations

950 Palladium: Successful Design Considerations

Well designed 950 palladium jewelry plays to the strengths of this unique metal -- the aesthetics of its light, bright,...
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950 Palladium: Superior White Color

950 Palladium: Superior White Color

Striking differences between elements such as color, tone, texture, reflection, refraction, pattern and shape create contrast. Contrast not only enhances...
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American Holloware Changing Criteria

American Holloware Changing Criteria

The expressions which have come to identify the pre- and post-World War II generations - Me decade, suburban frontiersmen, spoiled...
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Flat Topped Solitaire Setting

Flat Topped Solitaire Setting

The Flat Topped Solitaire Setting is a popular style setting that is slightly more complicated to set than the standard...
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Special Repair Work

It is not uncommon for moving parts to wear out. This is to be expected because of increased friction as...
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Fabricating a Free Form Opal Pendant

Fabricating a Free Form Opal Pendant

I received this opal from a woman who had cut it years ago. Her customer was aware it had a...
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Laser Welding Full Prong Replacement

Laser Welding Full Prong Replacement

One of the most frequent repair jobs involving the laser is prong repair. This is the first in a series...
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Making a White Gold and Turquoise Cameo Pendant

Making a White Gold and Turquoise Cameo Pendant

This article covers techniques for making this custom designed 14-karat white and 22-karat yellow gold granulated pendant for a customers...
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950 Palladium Bridal Jewelry Manufacturing

950 Palladium Bridal Jewelry Manufacturing

Retailers have been converting bridal inventories from white gold to palladium as manufacturers expand the selection of new palladium jewelry...
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Making a Double Domed Pendant

Making a Double Domed Pendant

This article covers techniques for making an 18-karat double domed yellow gold pendant. The front side will have a bezel...
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22K Gold Granulation on Turquoise Earrings

22K Gold Granulation on Turquoise Earrings

Featured are the materials for turquoise, platinum and 22-karat gold granulation earrings. The turquoise is 10.25 millimeters round and will...
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Making a Crown Using Welding Technology

Making a Crown Using Welding Technology

David and Diana Howard, owners of My Jeweler, Inc. in Albuquerque , NM recently worked with a local church to...
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950 Palladium: Stock Mountings and Findings

950 Palladium: Stock Mountings and Findings

The reintroduction of white, bright and light palladium for use in the jewelry industry has quickly introduced an expanding assortment...
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Laser Mokume – The Satow Method

Laser Mokume – The Satow Method

The traditional Mokume process yields very beautiful results but is extremely labor intensive. Along with the high price of labor...
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Fabricated Reversible Pearl Pendant

Fabricated Reversible Pearl Pendant

Design ideas often begin one way, then evolve into something different. Such was the case with Robin Waynee's two-sided palladium...
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Jewelry Welding – Jewelry Repair: Rings

Jewelry Welding – Jewelry Repair: Rings

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 2

Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 2

Custom jewelry projects for tack-, fusion-, and pulse-arc-welding sometimes call for special welding tool lead attachments. Bench jewelers often make...
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950 Palladium: Fabricating Custom Earrings

950 Palladium: Fabricating Custom Earrings

This article examines manufacturing procedures used to hand fabricate 950 palladium earrings. These custom earrings designed by Lainie Mann feature...
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Design Layout Tip

Design Layout Tip

Designing stock pieces for my jewelry store has never been more fun than it is now that I have a...
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Remount Preparation Using Tack Welding

Remount Preparation Using Tack Welding

Tacking settings in location on remounts using tack-welding technology offers the bench jeweler many advantages over traditional assembly methods... Tack-welding...
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Fixturing Using Welding Technology

Fixturing Using Welding Technology

Fixturing is a technique of using tack- and/or pulse-arc welding technology to temporarily position parts prior to soldering, pulse-arc or...
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Reconstructing Earrings Using Welding Technology

Reconstructing Earrings Using Welding Technology

These fashion drop earrings contain oval diamonds weighing 1.78 carats. The customer is concerned about loss because of the open...
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Laser Welding Prong Repairs

Laser Welding Prong Repairs

This article provides a step by step procedure on how to do laser welding prong repairs on a ring.  Laser...
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Laser Welding Plique a Jour Owl Brooch

Laser Welding Plique a Jour Owl Brooch

Laser welders, it seems, have as many applications as there are imaginations and types of jewelry. This laser welding project...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Ring Prong Replacement

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Ring Prong Replacement

This 14-karat yellow gold, emerald and diamond ring has a broken prong requiring prong replacement. Steece Hermanson will replace the...
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Setting and Shank Assemblies

Setting and Shank Assemblies

Setting and shank assemblies are routine work in many retail manufacturing jewelry shops. Heres a method for expediting this process...
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How to Make a Three Stone Dangle Pendant

How to Make a Three Stone Dangle Pendant

The assembly of this three stone pendant pendant appears simple but when using traditional methods to position and join the...
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Laser Welding Solid Back on Opal Ring

Laser Welding Solid Back on Opal Ring

This article is a step by step procedure in Laser Welding Solid Back on Opal Ring. The customer wanted a...
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Making Custom-Designed Earrings Using Welding Technology

Making Custom-Designed Earrings Using Welding Technology

This custom job of 14 karat yellow gold earrings with diamonds and pink tourmaline is made easy using tack-welding technology....
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How To Avoid Destructive Tack-Welds

How To Avoid Destructive Tack-Welds

As a technical adviser to bench jewelers I often troubleshoot tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc-welding applications. One of the more frequently...
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Pulse Shaping Test, 14k Ni WG

Pulse Shaping Test, 14k Ni WG

The following is one method of adjusting parameters after altering the pulse shape. This article is not intended to promote...
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Jewelry Repairs with ABI Mini Pulse Arc III

Jewelry Repairs with ABI Mini Pulse Arc III

This article covers routine repair and assembly projects accomplished using Mini Pulse Arc III. Tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc equipment settings...
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Sizing a Silver Ring using the PUK Welder

Sizing a Silver Ring using the PUK Welder

www.BenchJewelersNetwork.com How To Size a Silver Ring with the PUK Welder. For more videos, and articles on jewelry repair and...
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Platinum Granulation Process

Platinum Granulation Process

Granulation, a process dating back a lot longer than I can remember, is clearly one of jewelry histories most prominent...
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Laser Repair: Emerald and Diamond Bracelet

Laser Repair: Emerald and Diamond Bracelet

This article by Steve Satow describes the procedure for repairing an emerald and diamond bracelet using laser technology. Top view...
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Pulse-Arc-Welder: Pearl and Diamond Pendant

Pulse-Arc-Welder: Pearl and Diamond Pendant

This karat gold pendant design calls for several solder joints in close proximity. To facilitate the assembly, I tack and/or...
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Jewelry Welding – Prong Re-Tipping

Jewelry Welding – Prong Re-Tipping

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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Installing New Tapered Bezels

Installing New Tapered Bezels

This ring is in for repair and reconstruction. When it was originally made, 6-prong settings were used to mount the...
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The PUK Fine Welding Devices

For two years now, the manufacturer Lampert has been cooperating with the Laboratory for Welding Technology and Thermal Treatment at...
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Jewelry Designs: Athena Pendant

Jewelry Designs: Athena Pendant

This gemstone-encrusted shield is named in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare who was worshiped as...
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Making a Pearl and Diamond Ring

Making a Pearl and Diamond Ring

This illustration is of a 14-karat white gold ring for three cultured freshwater pearls and two small accent diamonds. After...
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Bench Mag Favorite Tips 2002

Bench Mag Favorite Tips 2002

This article page is from a section "Favorite Tips" from BENCH Magazine 2002 submitted by readers and BENCH Magazine Staff...
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Laser Platinum Fabrication

Laser Platinum Fabrication

It is becoming common practice to do more and more platinum fabrication with a laser welder. For this project, you...
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Faster, More Efficient Laser Welders

Faster, More Efficient Laser Welders

Since their introduction to the jewelry industry, laser welders have been lauded for their speed, accuracy, and convenience of use....
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Jewelry Welding – Ring Resizing

Jewelry Welding – Ring Resizing

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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Pulse Shaping: Variable Constants

Pulse Shaping: Variable Constants

In my last article about welding nickel white gold, (Ni WG),I said I would weld the same Ni WG shank...
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Moissanite Necklace Repair with Welding Technology

Moissanite Necklace Repair with Welding Technology

This necklace contains Charles ' Colvard created moissanite. It has been mistakenly pulled and a few links have broken. Repairing...
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950 Palladium and Tahitian Pearl Earrings

950 Palladium and Tahitian Pearl Earrings

These 950 Palladium earrings were designed by Tom McLaughlin of Lennons Jewelers, Syracuse, NY. The top portion of the design...
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Jewelry Welding – Fix Porosity

Jewelry Welding – Fix Porosity

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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The Contemporary American Custom Goldsmithing

The Contemporary American Custom Goldsmithing

About five years ago, Robert Fairbank, John Reynolds and I created a "living entity" called Goldsmiths 3 in Concord, Massachusetts....
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Making Custom-Designed Diamond and Tourmaline Earrings

Making Custom-Designed Diamond and Tourmaline Earrings

The customer has selected the pair of earrings shown the rough sketch. The top portion is cast, the bottom piece...
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Jewelry Designs: Titan Pendant

Jewelry Designs: Titan Pendant

Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece...
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950 Palladium: 22K Granulation Wedding Band

950 Palladium: 22K Granulation Wedding Band

This band was designed and rendered using Gemvision Matrix jewelry design software. The 22-karat granulation beads measure approxiametely 1.0 millimeter...
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Orion Jewelry Welder Overview

Orion Jewelry Welder Overview

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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Customized Stock Earrings

Customized Stock Earrings

This project features a stock pair of earrings that are customized for cultured pearls. The request was to design earrings...
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950 Palladium: Making a 3-Stone Ring

950 Palladium: Making a 3-Stone Ring

When heated to high heat soldering temperatures, some 950 palladium alloys will develop a bluish-purple surface discoloration. It is easily...
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Jewelry Welding – Custom Welding

Jewelry Welding – Custom Welding

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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Jewelry Designs: Steeplechase Pendant

Jewelry Designs: Steeplechase Pendant

As a traditional symbol of good luck, this piece is inspired by the horseshoe. It is dedicated to the power...
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Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 1

Welding Technology Tool Modifications Part 1

Proper holding and firm contact between parts during tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc-welding is essential. Aside from pieces not meeting properly,...
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Jewelry Designs: Maya Pendant

Jewelry Designs: Maya Pendant

Welcometo Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece ofjewelry...
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Jewelry Designs: Hope Pendant

Jewelry Designs: Hope Pendant

Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece...
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Jewelry Welding – Welding Findings

Jewelry Welding – Welding Findings

Rio Grande carries the Orion Jewelry Welder - an affordable laser welding alternative for all jewelers. These welders provide three...
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Pd Bypass ring

Pd Bypass ring

A ring fabricated with 950 Pd using an industrial TIG machine to fuse the joints. Demonstrates integrity of this type...
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Creative Side Metal Works

Creative Side Metal Works

Introduction to Creative Side's new large scale welding and metal forming studio.
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950 TruPd solitair

950 TruPd solitair

This mount was fabricated using 950TruPd. Note that the raised areas cause from hammering the taper in the shank were...
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