This How To’s category is a collection of procedures to guide and aid jewelry makers and jewelry enthusiasts on from customizing and modifying tools, metal forming and manipulation, to creating other works of art.
Featured are the materials for turquoise, platinum and 22-karat gold granulation earrings. The turquoise is 10.25 millimeters round and will be bezel set. The platinum is Pt-900-Ir, a platinum and iridium alloy. Once the platinum fabrication has been completed and the center stones set, the last step is performing the 22-karat yellow gold granulation using modern fusion-welding techniques.
Available in a wide variety of formulas, epoxy resins are used in jewelry making as adhesives, as coatings, and for casting. This reference article outlines the safety requirements for mixing and working with epoxy resins and introduces how to use adhesive and coating epoxy resins to include images and found objects in your work. The three featured projects demonstrate how to capture images in open and closed bezels as well as how to make a three-dimensional collage by layering resin in a deep reservoir..
The links in this 16-in. (40.6cm) necklace are forged so they become flat and work-hardened. The pearl in the featured necklace is held in place merely by the tension between the wire loops in the pendant. Four styles of links define the spare and simple line of this necklace. Even the shape of the hook-and-eye clasp echoes the rhythm of the overall design.
Early in 1984 Jack called to see if I’d be interested in creating an anniversary gift to celebrate twenty-five years of marriage with Ryoko. The question was posed “What can be created that Parallels the unique and creative skills that…
Considered to be one of the richest and most important archaeological finds in Great Britain, the Ship Burial known as Sutton Hoo was found near present-day Woodbridge, in Suffolk, in 1939. Coins from the burial mound date the site no…
While I was in graduate school at San Diego State University I became interested in the anodizing process. I had been working with aluminum in jewelry for a while when Arline Fisch brought back some basic anodizing aluminum information from…
Although the basic anodizing principles involved in the reactive metals have been discussed in the past, a deeper insight into the process can aid the artist in solving some of the technical problems encountered. The publication of my thesis, “Studio…
The word synclastic describes a form in which the dominant curves both move in the same direction. When the two dominant axes curve in opposite directions the result is known as an anticlastic form. A bowl is a synclastic form and a saddle is an anticlastic form.
Packing is hardly a glamorous subject. Yet, like labeling and billing, it remains one of those sine qua nons of your professional—without which, your business would not be. As a former gallery owner, the writer is all too aware of…
When a customer brings you a 4.27 carat, E color, VS1 clarity, Asscher cut diamond, it’s tough not to be intimidated and awed. The client, one of my best customers, also had very specific requirements for the platinum bridal set that would house the stone: The engagement ring and wedding band had to be comfortable, fit flush together, and show off the quality and shape of the stone. For the engagement ring, he wanted a simple yet unique mounting that would showcase the stone as best as possible. So I set off to do just that.
These cufflinks designed by Bill Holman were award winners in the AGTA 2004 Spectrum design competition. They are 18-karat yellow gold and feature Drusy agates with a 24-karat deposition layer over the exposed crystal formation. The small gemstones are 1.50 millimeter diamond-cut round sapphires. In this article, Holman shares the details of his approach for making these award-winning cufflinks and how.
First the stone’s diameter is measured at the pavillion and a dent is made in metal for the pilot drill (about 1mm diameter). Then the metal is drilled The metal is drilled again until the hole is about 3/4 the size of the diameter. Lubricate the drill bit. As long as there is a 0.3 mm seat left there enough to set with. It is an easy mistake not to take out enough metal, 3/4 of diameter of the stone is probably a bigger final drill bit than you think. Hold it top of the stone to see how much stone sticks out on each side of the bit.
[Step by Step] This five-strand spiral braid is made using one of the many textile techniques that Professor Arline Fisch demonstrated at the “Textile Techniques in Metals” workshop at the Bead’Button Show in June 2006. The simplicity of this technique offers quick and beautiful results even for a beginner metalsmith. To make the braid wearable, you will learn how to fabricate end caps and how to forge an S-hook clasp.
First one chooses an appropriate metal for the various parts, that is a metal with appropriate structural for it’s thickness and stress in use. In this catch there is little stress in use and therefore one can use even as soft metal as sterling for the components. In 14k gold one could.
In the last issue of Bench Magazine I demonstrated how I would go about wax model carving for this unusual mother’s ring design. Bead and Bright Setting: The Four Bead Method The wax model has now been cast into Platinum…
Bezel setting the center sapphire is normally pretty straight-forward, but I would like to share a few tricks that have helped me improve the outcome. Please follow along as I bezel set this sapphire using a lathe or a watch-maker’s…
Titanium and the other refractory metals other the metalsmith a new range of exotic colors – colors that are beautiful and subtle. The saying “less is more applies to titanium since the colors are created by the refraction of light…
One of the most important types of closures used in jewelry is the box clasp. This clasp and its many variations are usually built into jewelry such as bracelets, necklaces, and chains. However, as an exercise, this project demonstrates the fabrication of a sample clasp as an independent unit..
This Charles and Colvard created moissanite (hereafter referred to as moissanite) and two-tone karat gold in-line bracelet requires shortening by two links. The bracelet is held together by a heavy link-wire that’s wrapped around an open portion of the adjacent link and permanently joined, giving the bracelet maximum flexibility. Below is a procedure for shortening, reassembling and permanent welding of the link using pulse-arc-welding technology..
Rings with by-pass shanks are right hand and left hand specific and are not interchangeable. When creating a ring with a by-pass shank, the side of the shank closest to the hand should come from the side of little finger. The ring will then sit straight on the finger. This is because the skin joining the fingers together is lower between the little finger and the ring finger than between the ring finger and the middle finger. If the ring is created with the shank going the other way, the shank will contact the hand on the middle finger side first and cause the ring to twist while wearing it.
If you’re designing jewelry using CAD, understanding how the piece will be cast and then set and finished at the bench can mean the difference between failure and success. When modeling prong settings, there are a few tricks you can use to ensure the best results for your pieces. I learned the following rules during an Advanced Stone Setting Class taught by Blaine Lewis at the New Approach School for Jewelers in Franklin, Tennessee — and I’ve been applying them to my CAD models ever since.
David Nytch, proprietor of West ‘ Co. an independently owned jewelry store in Webster, NY is changing the way customers see his business. Nytch had observed that independently owned stores are often regarded by consumers as service centers and sources for education, purchasing their jewelry from a bigger, more familiar name. Adding Gemvision CAD/CAM technology to his armamentarium has enabled him to build his own brand of quality, original jewelry, positioning his business as a destination for custom design as well as a source for expert craftsmanship and consumer education.
Retailers seeking designers and model makers for fulfilling custom orders or for developing new designs exclusive to their inventories have a growing variety of options available to them. Companies providing these services through Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) are referred to as service bureaus…
The strength of Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing is similar to that of any other tool on the bench:it is most effective when itis the right tool for the job.Gemvision’s Matrix 4.0 provides users with powerful design, presentation,and production capabilities….
Computer aided design (CAD) was used to develop three designs in multiple views to show the customer. After the design was selected, the wax was milled and the ring was cast, pre-finished, set and polished. Foredom tools, equipment and accessories were used to make the process more efficient.
Advanced Jewelry Technologies (owned by this author) and Rio Grande are introducing a new CAD CAM system designed to make it far easier to make class rings, family crest jewelry, and corporate jewelry. This kit not only streamlines the concept…
These step-by-step instruction manual guides the process (see procedure for making the class ring). With a core product to produce, endless variations are possible. The system consists of two components. These components are ring making and bezel making. Bezel Making…
CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing) is bringing a new efficiency and profitability to the jewelry workplace. Who is better to use this technology than the bench jeweler with a working knowledge of jewelry construction? In this situation, a program…
Everybody scampers for executing orders in a rush against all odds to satisfy customers or – if you’#39;re lucky – to make customers smile with a piece you’#39;ve created with your craft.
But how about yourself? Why not take the time, unwind and focus on a gift for yourself. Besides all recent technical advances of CAD/CAM there’#39;s still the most sophisticated things in nature. So why not take put an orchid on your bench literally.
The casting investment process enjoys wide popularity in the production of commercial and one-of-a-kind art metal objects. However, production practice varies widely. At one extreme, design renderings are turned over to a production shop; at the other, the complete production…
Recently, a woman brought in her diamonds and asked to have a ring made with them. Her requirements were very simple. She wanted her I carat princess cut to be prong set as the center stone and her small princess…
Stone-in-place casting is growing in practice with manufacturers and retail manufacturing operations taking advantage of these labor saving techniques. Stone-in-place casting requires gemstones be properly set in the wax model prior to casting. The most often utilized style of setting for this procedure is channel for round, baguette and princess cut gemstones..
In response to Marilyn Shaw’s article “Photographic Images on Refractory Metals” (Metalsmith, Summer ’84, page 32), we have researched the possibilities of a safer alternative of producing photographic images (chromatec). The health hazards of the previous process (using xylene) deterred…
An experienced bench jeweler will often be able to create almost any design that doesn’t actually violate the laws of physics. But colored stones are softer and typically less durable than diamonds, and a setting designed for a diamond may spell disaster with an opal or an emerald. The resulting creation may be beautiful when you first present it to the customer, but if the piece is worn frequently, it’s likely to make a quick return to the jeweler’s bench for repair. In this article expert gem setters share their tips and warnings for working with colored stones.
The use of area inlay, called damascening or woven inlay, is common in the ancient metalwork of Iran, India, Japan, Spain and other countries. Since most applications require the use of ferrous metals as base materials, area inlay is not…
Granulation, a technique used in jewelry and metalwork, is the decorative use of minute metal granules attached to the surface of the same metal, or, in some cases, attached to each other. In attaching the granules to a surface or…
Steve Satow describes the procedure on creating a 14KW Rubellite Tourmaline Pendant. Creating a 14KW Rubellite Tourmaline Pendant Beginning components are two 14kw pendants, a lobster claw, a 6mm jump ring, a 16 inch strand of 6mm pearls and a…
Jewelers have been going green for many years by recycling old or worn-out tools into something new and useful. Setting burrs, normally used to cut seats in prongs, can’t be used once they become worn or damaged. But instead of throwing them away, you can create a new tool called a rotary burnisher to repair solder pits or minor surface porosity on a casting.
A worn-out bristle brush can easily be recycled into a useful tool called a whip burnisher or rotary hammer to improve or even eliminate minor imperfections and surface porosity in castings and other metal surfaces.
Sometimes, holding on to really little parts is the greatest challenge of my day. I use tiny cabochons almost daily for rings and stone-on-stone work, and I can’t tell you how many 5 mm bezels I have mangled or lost…
Below are steps for an easy way to create equal divisions in setting stones that jewelers need to know. Dividing something into equal parts is something jewelers do all the time. For example, you may have to set stones equally…
Steve Satow shows the procedure for a customized earring setting pliers using a normal setting pliers. Normal setting pliers can be modified to set stones in loose heads and earrings. Please wear your safety glasses. Most setting pliers have a…
This article describes a step by step procedure of a pair of simple pliers to become a pair of customized head polishing pliers. These pliers are just simple by pass style but are heavy enough to hold heads for polishing. They…
This project features a stock pair of earrings that are customized for cultured pearls. The request was to design earrings that would be unique, modern and functional – within a tight budget. To prepare them for the addition of 22-karat yellow gold granulation and the cultured pearls, a groove was created using a diamond wheel. A separating disc would have also worked. This groove will allow the beads to be positioned a bit lower on the earrings. Pearl posts were made and soldered.
This article by Steve Satow shares a step by step procedure on how t o make a customized ultrasonic sediment bucket. These are the parts you need for this project: A Gilmore plastic ball valve (that unlike regularball valves doesn’t…
While at the Atlanta Bench Jewelers Conference, my friend Elesa Dillon (the national sales manager for Southern Jewelry News and Mid America Jewelry News, which I also write for) asked me to help her pick out a gemstone to have…
A ring fits well when it is no longer felt on the finger. If in the course of time the size of the finger changes or if the ring is to be fitted for another wearer, a sizing of the ring is necessary. The first step is to determine the finger size, which is done with a ring sizer, a set of about 30 steel rings in graduated sizes.
The size of the bath must correspond to the rectifier. You cannot have a huge bath and a small rectifier. The tank must be made of glass, polypropylene or polyethylene plastic. Plastic is preferred because there is less chance of breakage. You can get a plastic container from the plastic supplier in your community. A glass tank can be obtained from a fish or pet shop. Be aware of leakage.
I was drawn to the idea of making enameled beads by Edmund Massow’s excellent article, “Enameling Copper Balls” (Glass on Metal, Issue 19, 2000). In the process of attempting to make cloisonne beads, however, I experienced a fair amount of…
After you learn to apply enamels by sifting, wet packing, brushing on crackle and firing the base coats, you are ready for some of the simple techniques that require only a feel for color. You can design a piece by repeating one technique or learning to combine techniques. If you are enameling samples of the technique on 3″ round or square 18 ga copper, one coat of crackle on the back is adequate. My beginners’ course ended with Doris Hall’s paisley design, which combined many techniques, and a simple cloisonn piece on a 1″ disc of fine silver.
I received this opal from a woman who had cut it years ago. Her customer was aware it had a small chip on the corner and she was leery of setting it. I wasn’t sure if it had been kept…
The Flat Topped Solitaire Setting is a popular style setting that is slightly more complicated to set than the standard solitaire mounting. I prefer this ring design as it makes the smaller stone app ear slightly larger in its overall…
Flush setting, or “gypsy setting” as it is sometimes known, is a somewhat exacting and delicate setting technique. The main reason it is called flush setting, and the key to the whole process, is that the table of the gemstone…
Use basic metalsmithing skills to create a brooch inspired by forms found in nature. Since the earliest civilizations, the leaf shape has been an inspiration for jewelry. With this 4 1/2 x 13/4-in. (11.4 x 4.4cm) brooch, you can evoke the beauty of fall foliage or the first leaves of spring. Experiment with patinas to enhance the hammered texture of your leaf.
This article describes step by step instructions how forged ring shank is done as described by Bradney W. Simon. For this solid shank we’re going to forge the shape out of a solid piece of platinum. The bottom of the…
Making prong settings for items that can not be fired in place. I would like to take you on an exploratory trip by incorporating Titanium into a piece of fine artisan jewelry that is beautiful on the front, and just as interesting on the back. Because Titanium is a unique material to work with, (and no two pieces are alike), I will discuss the method to my madness when working with it, and hopefully through this journey, you will develop ideas and methodology that will inspire you to create your own one-of-a-kind jewelry..
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to modify simple, everyday, common jewelry tools for better diamond and gem setting. Graver modification and burr modification and other tips for use of…
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set a diamond in a 4 prong and 6 prong setting. Filmed in full HD 1080p.
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set a diamond in a bezel setting and a channel setting. Filmed in full HD 1080p.
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set gems in a beautiful three-tier cluster setting with round claws and in a gypsy / flush setting. Filmed in Full HD 1080p.
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you how to set a diamond in a princess setting with round prongs and v-shaped claws as well as a 5-stone wedding band to compliment a…
Gerry Lewy draws on his over 40 years of diamond setting experience to show you the technique of bead setting stones including creating the beads from scratch. Filmed in full HD 1080p.
This article contains the following detailed steps to give you a better understanding why grinding and shaping onglette gravers are necessary and important. One of the most important aspects of diamond/stone setting is the correct preparation of your tools. Your…
One of the most popular setting styles today, fishtail settings are one of the few setting methods that show off melee really well. It gets its name from the fact that when viewed from the side, the prongs flare out…
This article is an extract from the book ‘Hinges and Hinge-Based Catches for Jewelers and Goldsmiths’ Not all sizes and wall thicknesses of tube come seamless from a factory or refiner. Especially when working in gold it is not cost…
Dichroic glass is simply beautiful. Often referred to as dichro or dicro, the term refers to multiple ultra-thin microlayers of metal oxides which are evaporated onto the surface of glass in a vacuum chamber. These oxides change the way that light is transmitted and reflected, so that as you turn the glass, the color changes. A dichroic coating appears to have additional colors when you turn it and view it from different angles. A piece of dichroic glass may appear one color when you look at it straight on, but different colors when viewed from the side or at an angle. The exciting news is that glass is not the only material that can be coated with dichroic material — paper can be coated with dichroic material as well.
The successful documentation of finished work is of vital concern to every artist. Excellent slides make better teaching tools, and it goes without saying that the quality of photographs weighs heavily when work is being considered for juried exhibitions. I…
Making a simple or basic link chain to display your pendant designs is a great way to add further value to your work, and it can be a fairly easy process. When I make my own chain, I like to…
These tweezers are great for gripping melee when straight tips don’t give you enough clearance. They allow you to slide melee down the channel without loosing your grip.
Customize a standard insulated tweezers to easily hold small objects much tighter…
The annealed metal is placed in a sandwich between soft ‘pusher’ paper and a hard paper which will serve as a monoprint paper die to emboss the metal sheet. The metal maybe pre-polished which leaves any areas that were cut out in the paper polished and tie surrounding areas matt and slightly textured by the paper.
A knot is what you create when you tangle up a piece of string and join up the two ends, which you can then deform at leisure – that is to say an imbedding of a circle into space. An interlacing is what you get when you let several people play this game within a tight space. A knot is thus an interlacing with one component…
Stand straight, facing the work. Once you get yourself into this correct body posture, use your feet to move yourself so that your arm is comfortably bent to slightly greater than a right angle, with the face of the hammer resting on the metal to be formed..
In the course of my 30 years in the jewelry industry, I can recall many instances of damaged equipment and potentially dangerous situations caused by how the handpiece is connected to the flexshaft. Here are a few observations that can make your equipment last longer and prevent possible injury.
The flexible shaft machine, commonly called a “flexshaft,” is a combination of a motor, handpiece and the flexible shaft that connects the two. The machine is usually operated by a foot pedal. Because jewelers often use more than one handpiece during the workday, the procedure of connecting a handpiece to the flexible shaft is a common operation, but is often done incorrectly.
This article, written by Dottie Wood, shares photos and step by step procedure on how to make a bas relief bowl. Read on for more details. I borrowed a kiln which had a controller that I could not figure out…
There are several ways to make a “box-setting” for enameled work pieces. This is one way on how to make a bezel. The piece you are setting should be finished, because every piece gets a bit larger during enameling. Don’t…
Step by Step Tutorial – Making Three-lead Four-bight Turks-head. The Turks-Head is a general class of three-dimensional knot that lends itself well to decorative uses. Materials required: 18ga Silver wire…
We are assuming you are using W1 water hardening square stock drill rod, W1 tool steel. Many suppliers will sell W1 tool steel. It is often called drill rod (In England ‘silver steel’). It should be square for less work in tool making, but round drill rod can be filed or forged to square. You should not use key stock, which some hardware suppliers will try and sell to you: it cannot be hardened as described below.
This project will teach welding, soldering and forging techniques. The ring is a handsome, plain design and can be applied to many applications. To make this ring, you will need.
Fold-forming is a hand-working technique applied to single sheets of metal to create surfaces and three-dimensional forms quickly without soldering. It relies on the metal’s plasticity and ductility to make hundreds of complex forms resembling chased, constructed, and soldered shapes. Using thin materials, you can create light, volumetric objects and surfaces. Radical changes in cross-section are possible in only three to five minutes using simple tools such as a hammer, mallet, anvil, vise, rolling mill, and your fingers.
Pewter, an alloy of tin, antimony, and copper, dominated European tableware for half a millennium until it was eclipsed by porcelain in the early 19th century. Now, almost two hundred years later pewter has entered a renaissance in the hands of creative metalsmiths. In this project, suitable for beginners, you will learn how to cut, form, fuse, solder, and finish pewter to produce a lovely and function cup.
This is a HIDI, (How I Do It). It is not the only way to make a piece like this, there are probably better ways, but this one worked for me. I also assume you are familiar with all the basic…
Every now and then when you are fabricating a piece or polishing a casting, a hole or hollow will pop up that needs to be filed and smoothed. You can usually get at it using a bur and abrasive tools in your flex-shaft. But when you just can’t reach the hole, an old-fashioned tool called a riffle file comes in handy. Featuring various bent and curved shapes, these files fit into odd internal surface profiles. They were used extensively in the past for working on carved and chased steel dies intended for stamping out jewelry and other metal shapes. Years ago you could find dozens of curves and shapes, but today the tools are difficult to come by, so your best bet is to make your own.
The assembly of this three stone pendant pendant appears simple but when using traditional methods to position and join the tiny parts it can be tricky and time consuming. Each of the bezel units will be connected by jump rings and will dangle when finished. Tack- and pulse-arc welding technology makes the soldering and assembly process easier and more proficient.
Using a relatively inexpensive metal and casting it in an ingot mold, you can create a sophisticated design at the low price point many cash-strapped consumers are looking for these days. Using silver casting grain minimizes costs and maximizes profits.
The construction process is simple enough if you have basic do-it-yourself skills. Firstly, assemble the timber frame as shown below using a length of 4×2 inch planed timber and a sheet of 1/2 inch plywood. In my case the base was 39 inches long by 16 inches wide. The plywood base was screwed to the bottom of the side members and then the top platform was screwed at one end.
You will require a 5 to 6 inch by 3 inch wide brass or copper tube, silver solder a cover on both ends a thicker one or double up for the base to retain the heat. Ideally the tube and top plate should be 1/8th inch thick with the base plate being.
This technique consists of the successive application of silver foil sheets, changing the colors of enamels among them, and then to wear away sectors, and discover each one of the colors used in the different layers. Apply the first of the layers of enamel. In this case we have used black enamel. It is very important to enamel the back face.
Yes you can make your own earring posts. It is generally more cost effective to buy them, but making them is not a problem and there are times that it is useful to know how.
In this project, I will demonstrate a clever method of making equally sized beads. These beads can be used for granulation or decoration, or they can be soldered inside rings to keep the rings from turning while worn.
This paper describes two simple methods of creating a shield to be used on the end of a Foredom handpiece. The shield will prevent grindings and dust from being slung into the face. Always wear eye protection when using the handpiece.
Tom Dougherty of Studio 2015 in Woodstock, Illinois, had an interesting process to share about making hoop earrings from tubing. He learned the process from Kenneth Guth, a neighboring goldsmith and acclaimed knife maker. By all accounts, Guth has always enjoyed sharing his knowledge with other people, and he has taught workshops on jewelry, metal work, and knife making, both at the college level and to the general public. The process is incredibly simple, and I’m delighted to share it with you here.
A short while back I prepared this short photo tutorial showing how I make leaves from metal. I have use this method whenever shaping leaves that adorn my creations. The tools are minimal and the process is straight forward. The leaf shown was made from copper and I photographed the process in stages to show the simplicity of manufacture, which was less than an hour. I thought this may be of interest to someone who may be interested in making leaves.
These pliers notch round prongs easily to a given depth and replace a bur for the job. They are made to suit a specific size prong and one makes similar pliers for different prong shapes, but all based on this idea. One obtains a pair of chain nose pliers either new or from a flea market and converts them into prong notching pliers.
Sawing is an essential skill for a bench jeweler. This article will show you a technique that will increase your sawing speed and accuracy when you need to make sharp corner cuts and reduce your likelihood of breaking delicate saw blades.
First, be sure to observe all sawing basics.
Before photography, lockets were decorated with miniature, handpainted portraits — a luxury few could afford. The advent of affordable photographic miniatures propelled the locket to the forefront of jewelry fashion during the sentimental Victorian era. Between 1890 and 1920, ornately crafted lockets were suspended from bracelets, necklaces, brooches, belts, and chatelaines. Ladies of fashion were not seen without one, and men wore them on their watch chains. During World War I, many soldiers wore lockets into battle as a reminder of loved ones at home. Lockets have since fallen out of fashion, and distinctive lockets are hard to find. With this project, you no longer have to rely on a fashion trend to have a high-quality locket — you can create your own. You will learn how to make the traditional hinged locket and an easier slide locket.
Industrial liquid enamel is a versatile material. It can be used as a base coat, directly on the metal, or as subsequent coats. It can be used to coat one side at a time, or both sides at the same time. It can be applied by pouring, dipping, daubing with a brush, spraying, ear syringe, and more.
Jewelers and metalsmiths have had to make their own tools throughout the ages to accomplish different tasks at the jeweler’s bench. One tool a jeweler can’t do without is a hammer. Today, many styles of hammers, made in a variety of shapes and materials, are available to the jeweler. The hammer used here as an example of how to make modifications is used for riveting, shaping, forming and working on rings for sizing. The hammer has one round/slightly contoured end (called the pean) one chisel-shaped end and a hardwood handle..
Often when soldering, it is necessary to use cross-lock tweezers to hold or steady the piece(s) being soldered. The pressure exerted by the arms of the tweezers can often by strong enough to deform the metal being soldered. The modification proposed below, allows the jeweller to control the pressure being applied by simply turning a wing nut at the base of the tweezers handle. The modification requires no special tools and can be done in less than 15 minutes.
This is a great modification of pliers to give you a tool that mimics the shape of your thumb and forefinger meeting, but can get into places where your fingers are too large to go.
Many stone setters would agree that one of the most challenging aspects of prong setting is getting the prongs down tight on the stone. It’s easy to take this process for granted. If it’s done well, you might never notice. But doing it poorly can result in damaged or lost gemstones, or prongs that snag clothing and feel rough or sharp to the wearer.
Steve Satow shows how to modify Standard insulated tweezers to become effective ring separating tweezers.
Casting is the most important method of commercial jewelry production. Even for small workshops, lost-wax casting is often the fastest method for creating a jewelry piece, especially if there is any complexity to it. However, one of the things that jewelers forget when carving wax models for lost-wax casting is just how different wax is from metal. They often use techniques and tools designed for working with metal for carving wax, even when it does not make sense to do so. By approaching wax as wax, not metal, jewelers can come up with new and faster ways of creating wax models for casting.
One persistent daily challenge a bench jeweler faces is trying to figure out the best way to hold onto tiny, delicate objects while performing mechanical operations such as sawing, filing or burring bearings for stone setting.
There are dozens of tools available for this purpose, some centuries old and some that are modern, sophisticated and often quite expensive. An alternative is to make a simple modification to a wooden ring clamp which holds rings and other jewelry items that turns it into a useful, multi-function holder.
For the illusion of “floating objects” Helen I. Driggs shares her technique, a step by step guide, on how to mount objects in matel frames. ******************** Bi-directional tabs are a decorative way to secure delicate objects that have very pronounced…
With this procedure you can dome nearly all regular or irregular shapes or forms, as long as the edges or the corners of the form are not too tight. The procedure worked well with copper sheet up to 5 mm…
I took in a broken hollow rope chain bracelet for repair this week. The bracelet had caught on a desk drawer and broke. I didn’t think it presented any special problems (outside of being hollow) until I looked further and…
This article offers instructions on how to resize platinum rings whether for a size smaller or bigger, as well as, repair bench tips and tricks. Rings are among the platinum items that jewelers most frequently receive for repair. To make…
Baguette stones have four corners and a rather deep pavilion. Because of this you must handle these stones with special care at all times. You must make sure that all the bearings being cut are totally in line with the…
One requires a taper on the end of the wire to grip it with when placed through a drawplate for drawing. One may obtain this taper in several ways.
The soldering process, used extensively in all aspects of jewelry manufacturing and repair, joins two or more pieces of metal together and when done properly, will result in a virtually undetectable seam. A better understanding of the soldering process can help you decide how to approach a particular soldering project.
This ring is in for repair and reconstruction. When it was originally made, 6-prong settings were used to mount the customers diamonds. All prong tops are severely worn and one prong has broken. The customer has requested bezel settings, so the prong settings were removed from the ring. The ring was re-sized according to the customers request and then pre-finished. For tacking the tapered 14-karat yellow gold bezels, the brass tweezers lead was modified to firmly hold a bezel. A ball bur was used to remove metal from inside each end of the tweezers.
For the last couple years the W.W. Carpenter Enamel Foundation has held “Intro to Enameling” workshops that are designed to walk beginning enamel students through multiple procedures in a short amount of time. Three projects were developed where choice of…
For the last couple years The W.W. Carpenter Enamel Foundation has held “Intro To Enameling” workshops that are designed to walk beginning enamel students through multiple procedures in a short amount of time. Three projects were developed where choice of…
For the last couple years The W.W. Carpenter Enamel Foundation has held “Intro To Enameling” workshops that are designed to walk beginning enamel students through multiple procedures in a short amount of time. Three projects were developed where choice of…
This gemstone-encrusted shield is named in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare who was worshiped as a patroness of the arts and crafts. She is always shown with her magic shield. Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry…
Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs, where we will detail all of the steps involved in adding a new piece of jewelry to our line. In this issue will we will be working with our latest design. I’ll take you…
The Grace Pendant was designed specially for the Heart Gala, a benefit for the American Heart Association that Stacey and I strongly support. The graceful curves of this white gold heart pendant embrace a pink sapphire that is accented with…
As a traditional symbol of good luck, this piece is inspired by the horseshoe. It is dedicated to the power and grace of the race horse including those of our very own Iroquois Steeplechase. Welcome to Stacey Rhodes Jewelry Designs,…
These pages contain a list of recommended tools to jewelry rendering, as well as a series of projects that I have used in classes. You could construct your own ‘self-study’ course using them.
This article covers routine repair and assembly projects accomplished using Mini Pulse Arc III. Tack-, fusion- and pulse-arc equipment settings will differ and are based upon the volume, amount of contact and alloy of the material you are working with. Practicing using like materials will give you a parameter for the settings required for your application. Keep a record of settings and tasks for future reference.
With a simple corrugation tool and basic metalsmithing skills, you can make these great earrings. The newest toy in my studio is a Microfold Brake. I have been having a wonderful time learning what can be done with this tool, experimenting and making metalwork that combines microfolding with my other favorite techniques. I have used the Microfold Brake for bracelets, earrings, pins, boxes, a teapot, and a Hanukkah menorah, yet I feel like I am just getting started with my explorations! I find the immediacy of the tool very alluring. I also like the way the rippling corrugation can be either organic – or geometric looking, depending on how it is manipulated and
finished.
In the early 1980’s, I made a drawing based on the theme of transformation, a sudden, intuitive grasp of reality – an epiphany. When it came time to make a new enamel to enter in the Enamelist Society exhibition “Surfacing,”…
It seems like a lot of laser repairs involve emeralds. I recall the Indiana Jones movies where “Indy” comes face to face with a snake (or snakes). “Snakes, I HATE SNAKES!” Have you ever been overheard saying, “Emeralds, I hate…
This article provides a step by step procedure on how to do laser welding prong repairs on a ring. Laser Welding Prong Repairs Project Use a separating disk to grind the prong flat. Place a redi-prong on a metal surface and tap…
Sometimes you get a job like this one. Your customer has a platinum and 18k yellow gold wedding band that doesn’t fit anymore. In this case (unlike most of us who have been married a while) the customer needs to…
This article is a step by step procedure in Laser Welding Solid Back on Opal Ring. The customer wanted a solid back on a ring in which the center stone wouldn’t take heat or where you would have to butcher…
Making a bezel for many stones such as an antique cushion garnet can be difficult when the mandrels on hand do not fit. With the miniature stakes the whole process is quick and easy. The side benefit is that they are more precise than only using pliers or unstable jewelry anvils…
Cloisonné is a French word that means ‘to be confined,’ ‘to be cloistered.’ Traditionally, the cloisonné technique consists in making the contour of a picture by fixing very fine metallic threads on the piece and in filling the resultant spaces…
David and Diana Howard, owners of My Jeweler, Inc. in Albuquerque , NM recently worked with a local church to design and manufacture a crown to be placed on a popular church icon painting. The churchs parishioners donated jewelry to the cause. Howard sent the old gold out for refining and received over 4 ounces of fine gold in return. He alloyed the gold to 14-karat yellow, poured ingots and rolled wire for the crown. The crown has over 600 contact joints so Howard decided to use tack- and pulse-arc-welding technology. Here is an overview of the procedures he used…
This is a metal frame for a brooch which can be made without any soldering. Findings can be glued or riveted to the back of the frame. You can enamel directly onto the frame or you can use it to…
This illustration is of a 14-karat white gold ring for three cultured freshwater pearls and two small accent diamonds. After preparing the wax, casting and pre-finishing, the ring was prepared for tack welding. There are 5 parts to be tacked – 2 small white gold settings and 3 white gold pearl posts. At each location for tacking the wire posts, a ball bur was used to create a small indentation slightly larger than the diameter of the wire.
These materials are for a platinum pendant and they include wire made of a platinum iridium alloy. This article covers a manufacturing method using tack-welding technology for making the wire setting for a pendant with a movable bail.
This custom job of 14 karat yellow gold earrings with diamonds and pink tourmaline is made easy using tack-welding technology. Tacking the pieces prior to soldering enabled me to ensure proper alignment and soldering procedures without the need for excessive and cumbersome holding devices. The soldering steps were minimized, reducing the potential for prong failure.
Okay, so this is a bit esoteric. I mean, how many people do you know that make silver whistles. It all started with a commission from a captain of a racing yacht. He had lost his whistle and he wanted me to make one that also had the shape of a Christian Cross. He uses it to whistle to his crew when they racing, because the wind and sea drown out his voice. (no pun).
This article features the manufacturing steps for a one-of-a-kind free-form pendant designed and created by Barney Jette. The center stone is a one-of-a-kind chrysoprase carving by Steve Walters, Ramona, CA and is highlighted by a cultured pearl.
Mokume gane translated from Japanese means “wood eye metal”. This rare metal lamination process was developed and used by Japanese craftsmen in the 17th century for the adornment of samurai swords. Today, mokume gane jewelry is growing in popularity and this article covers the details related to the manufacturing process, ring liners and rails, settings, servicing and quality issues.
This article is the second of a three-part series on Metal Spinning by James Seavey discussing the techniques in developing spinning skills. The process of metal spinning involves the entire body. As with any hand-forming process, it is the skill…
As skill develops in spinning, it becomes more important to have a sense of what forms can be produced. To fully appreciate the range of shapes possible, a thorough knowledge of tooling is needed. “Tooling” denotes the specialized tools needed…
This article page is from a segment of the Metalsmith Magazine (1986 Winter), “Health Hazards”, discussing questions from readers and answers provided by Linda Weiss-Edwards herself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Linda, Here is a copy of a paper on hydrofluoric acid, researched…
Like many jewelers, Jacob Albee of Jacob Albee Goldsmith in Burlington, Vermont, buys stones without always knowing what he’s going to do with them. That was the case with a near-perfect circle of agate. “It was just a very cool…
Extremely clean metal surfaces give better results. See the article on Cleaning metal Surfaces for more information on cleaning.
In high volume production operations, many jump rings need to be closed one after another. For such fast paced operations, pliers simply won’t do. Factory workers need efficient tools for closing jump rings. One such tool consists of a ring that has a slot head on it for gripping and steadying a jump ring (see photo). To make it, you will need a.
In photoetching a photo transparency defines the area of a metal plate to be etched. The transparency is the control unit, the program, that prescribes which parts of the light-sensitive resist will chemically harden, polymerize, to become impervious to attack…
Photoetching metal is simple AND FUN! Etching can be used for printing processes, as an artifact of art, or for roller print embellishment. It involves a mordant (acid) to etch an image onto metal and a resist to repel the mordant. A resist can take many forms: plastic, vinyl, marking pens, duct tape, nail polish, etc. As long as it resists the mordant, the procedure will work. This technique creates high resolution images, and intricate surrounding textures that give your pieces an organic quality. With current photocopier, digital imaging and laser printer technologies you have more design flexibility. You can add text, reverse images, and control contrast. The photoetching process we describe below essentially uses the same techniques that printmakers employ. Except we use brass, copper, bronze and silver instead of zinc as printmakers do. This process also gives you the options of soldering and making cold connections.
The following article explains photo techniques used to transfer images onto refractory metals. These findings were developed during my graduate studies at California State University, Long Beach, California. Traditionally photo resists have been used as a masking agent in the…
This is a beautiful old 14k yellow gold pocket watch. The outside view of the hinge shows bowing at the ends and small tears. Step by Step Pocket Watch Hinge Repair This picture shows considerable discoloration from rust and a hinge…
A micro-waterjet device can be used to achieve fine matt finishes on precious metal surfaces. Parts required for this are: jet or wet lap hammer; slow-running compressor, vacuum apparatus, and pressure sprayer (Figure 1). 1 Fine-grain material is poured into…
Editors Note: This article is excerpted from “A New Method for Preparing 3D Acrylic Photopolymer Patterns for Investment Casting,” a paper by James Binnion that was published in the proceedings of the 2016 Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology….
For setting round brilliant gemstones in prongs, many setters and bench jeweler generalists use a 90 degree low speed bearing bur to cut a bearing in one prong at a time. This procedure is made easy by using the Foredom AllSet with the easy cut prong guide covered in this article because it offers systematic controls for cutting prongs at a higher rate of proficiency. For this example a 90 degree low speed bur will be used to bur individual prongs at a controlled height and depth of cut using a Foredom #52 Quick Change Handpiece and the Foredom AllSet #52 Quick Change Adapter Kit..
This is the second in a series of articles on the art and skill of rendering jewelry and small metal objects. Here we show the stages of rendering from pencil roughs to finished pencil renderings with color to full-color renderings,…
This project shows a challenging repair and reconstruction of earrings with a broken Omega clip and heat sensitive gemstones.
A design riddled with undercuts and sharp little details just screams casting nightmare the moment the CAD file shows up. But sometimes even the most straightforward looking designs can cause real headaches for the caster. Take for example this three-stone palladium ring design that recently arrived at Jewel-Craft in Erlanger, Kentucky, for casting. It’s a bit unusual, particularly the center setting, which features eight prongs and a raised lip of metal where the stone sits. However, nothing about the design caused alarm.
Procrastination can sometimes lead to wonderful discoveries. Tom Arnold, owner of Facets Fine Jewelry in Arlington, Virginia, found this out first hand, when his avoidance of a particularly nasty sizing job led him to whittle away some time on a…
Securing curved stones when drilling can be a bit difficult. I use recycled ceramic china, beach pebbles, sea and river glass, and pottery shards in many of my cold connected pieces, which means I need to drill holes— a lot…
A step-by-step guide to single-row pavé settings Single-row pavé, which consists of a single row of small diamonds set into a narrow strip of metal, is a beautiful use of melee and one of the most popular setting styles…
One of the most popular setting styles today, fishtail settings are one of the few setting methods that show off melee really well. It gets its name from the fact that when viewed from the side, the prongs flare out into…
Single-row pavé, which consists of a single row of small diamonds set into a narrow strip of metal, is a beautiful use of melee and one of the most popular setting styles today. While more difficult than prong or bezel…
When I ran a trade shop, time was money, and I often found myself sizing 50 to 60 rings in a day. When you’re doing that kind of volume, being able to quickly size up rings can make a big…
Gravers are small cutting tools used for stone setting, texturing, de-burring and applying decorative embellishments and traditional hand engraving. Steps required to prepare new gravers include mounting, sizing, shaping, sharpening and proper storage. Gravers are among the most useful tools at a jeweler’s bench. Failure to properly prepare and maintain gravers not only presents a hazard, but also affects quality of work, proper technique and time efficiency. Here are some steps for preparing gravers for utilization with hand techniques.
This article describes the steps to making a basic T-fold, one of the main categories of fold-forming. Numerous variations are possible from this simple starting place.
This page describes the steps to making a basic wedge T-fold
This article describes the steps to making a chased wedge T-fold. To begin with a loop is made from a rectangular piece of sheet metal. The loop is placed into the vise and the jaws clinched tight onto the loop. You can see the angle the loop is tilted to in the vise. Vary the angle to alter the results.
This fold is an example of forging on the open side, and introduces how to use hardness dams in foldforming. Dams are work hardened spots, lines, or patterns within the sheet. This form illustrates the way we can use hardness dams to direct the movement of metal under force.
Rolled folds are folds which utilize the rolling mill and it’s unique properties of equal, directional pressure on the plastic metal. Many pleated folds work well as do a series of flattened T-folds of various types. This one demonstrates the fold-forming priniciple of This rolled fold is called a Heistad Cup.
The boat fold branch of T-folds is an interesting avenue. It permits you to have a curving, concave table, and to produce shaped tables as well as other complex derivations. The basic boat is begun by making a wedge T-fold. After the first angle is made the loop is tipped inthe other direction and pinched again to produce the boat pillow form.
When it comes to white gold, my customers want the brightest, whitest white they can get — and some are not willing to pay the premium prices palladium can command. So where do manufacturers turn for a bright white alloy that doesn ot require rhodium plating? Stuller Inc. in Lafayette, Louisiana , may be the place. When I first saw the new X1 nickel-white gold alloy, which falls into the Grade 1 category of the White Gold Whiteness Index, I was impressed by its color. But the true question was how it would perform in my casting shop.
Fabrics and precious metals would seem to be total opposites, like hot and cold or yin and yang. However, despite their obvious differences in hardness, they do possess similar properties-specifically, both are pliable and elastic, and can be stretched and manipulated. And just as fabrics and fibers can be suitable for knitting, crocheting, weaving, or other textile applications, so too can metal sheet and wire be suitable for-well, knitting, crocheting, and weaving. This crossover adaptability is especially evident with metals in the creation of jewelry and adornments. In their jewelry with metals, goldsmiths and silversmiths often apply techniques from weaving, sewing, and basketry, using sheet and wire in place of fabric and fiber to create intricate pieces that are lightweight and flexible. These methods provide an aesthetically rich yet simple way for a jewelry maker to engage with the material.
To learn the art of inlay, its best to start with the basics. This project will walk you through the fundamentals so that you become comfortable enough to move on to a more challenging project. Once you master this simple circular design, youll be setting stones and shells in plaques of various shapes and sizes in no time!.
In the early 1980’s, I made a drawing based on the theme of transformation, a sudden, intuitive grasp of reality – an epiphany. When it came time to make a new enamel to enter the Enamelist Society exhibition “Surfacing,” I…
This article describes the different tool alterations that any bench man needs to know and learn as guidance for their work and workmanship. These are simple chain nose pliers that are trimmed like in picture then the tip bent. After…
This article, “Transparency Making for Photoetching”, is the first of two parts written by Allan Liu and Carol Webb. Check out the second part of this article series “Photoetching for the Studio Jeweler.” Photoetching is a radical departure from the traditional…
Make the inner band the desired size first. 18 or 20 gauge is about right. Next make the bezel or inlay unit if it is an integral part of the design. Cut a paper template of the desired ring shape from stiff paper that fits over the inner band. The top part of the ring pattern should be slightly smaller than the bezel as it will stretch in the forming stages. Use small pieces of tape to hold the paper pattern together.
Because titanium behaves somewhat differently than the standard metals in the goldsmith’s workshop some special attention to its working is in order here. When sawing, begin the cut with a very light stroke, and increase the pressure only when the blade has securely caught. The sawblade can be protected with a lubricating grease, but even with this precaution it will dull quickly. Titanium can be worked with standard files, but.
Many tools sold in model/hobby stores can be used for jewelry making. During a recent visit to a hobby shop, I found these tube bending coils, which model makers use to build models that require bent tubing. Jewelry makers will find these coils handy when bending tubing for projects.
This vertical photography set can be constructed inexpensively to photograph small objects such as jewelry and vessels from high angles. Make the modified box of ¾” plywood, about 12 inches wide and 16 inches deep, with a height of 12…
Recently a customer requested that we make her an unusual mother’s ring. She chose a magnificent 3.56 ct. oval blue sapphire as her center stone and this design was made for her ring. The two bezel set side stones, one…
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