[Ganoksin] [Issue #131] Tips From The Jeweler's Bench

The Ganoksin Project
S i n c e 1 9 9 6
Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Techniques
http://www.ganoksin.com

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In This Edition:

1. Metaphors in Metal - Manfred Bischoff's Structuralist Jewelry
2. South Africa: The Big Picture
3. Colored Karat Golds for Investment Casting
4. Laser Welding - Making Soldering a Technique of the Past
5. Making a Shield for a Foredom Handpiece
6. Fold Forming - T-Fold with a Table Insert
7. Repairing Freshwater Pearl Earrings Using Mini Pulse III
8. [Beginners' Corner] Simple Method of Forming Jump Rings

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In This Edition of Tips From The Jeweler's Bench
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm

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1. Metaphors in Metal - Manfred Bischoff's Structuralist Jewelry
By Patricia Harris and David Lyon

Manfred Bischoff has a fascination with language. Like many Europeans
of his generation, Bischoff is fluent in several languages, including
German, English, French, and Italian. And, as an artist of his
generation, he is similarly versed in aesthetic theory that arises from
deep structure linguistics. Although he makes jewelry, he insists, "I
am creating language. If I find a sentence or a theme I like, then the
piece is done. I must only, search for how to do it."....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...d-bischoff.htm

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2. South Africa: The Big Picture
By Beard Morgan

For the residents of South Africa's poorest neighborhoods, jewelry
makes for a fresh start. Until 10 years ago, global economic sanctions
against South Africa generally forced South African companies to keep
their manufacturing in-house out of necessity. Post-apartheid, after
sanctions were dropped, the rand remained relatively weak against most
foreign currencies, again necessitating domestic manufacture. It comes
as somewhat of a surprise, therefore, to hear that the consensus among
South African jewelers is that there aren't enough of them in the first
place....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...ica-gembiz.htm

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3. Colored Karat Golds for Investment Casting
By Damiano Zito

In modern melting and casting technology, the need for products able to
front competition in the field of quality and price encourages the
development of new alloys that can guarantee better performance. Most
significant innovations have taken place in alloys for investment
casting, to improve the quality of castings. Additions of many elements
to gold alloys have been experimented, but only a few of them appear to
be sufficiently effective and easy to use. In this paper, we describe
work carried out to examine technical and practical performances of
some yellow 18 carat gold with additions aiming chiefly at improving
alloy castability. Alloys of different composition have been tested and
the effects of the different alloying additions have been compared, in
order to find the addition elements that show better performance and
able to give a true improvement of the quality level of the
castings....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...ld-casting.htm

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4. Laser Welding - Making Soldering a Technique of the Past
By James E. Gervais Crafford

When first starting to work with the laser welders, operators should
experiment with five or six different alloys commonly used. It is also
recommended to source different types of alloys in casting and
strip/stamping form. This gives the operator a better understanding of
the composition and thermal conductivity of the metals. Since close
attention must be paid to the thickness or thinness, shape, and fit of
the parts to be welded, operators should test-weld some parts together
at different settings (voltage, pulse length, beam diameter), then cut
a cross section of the piece to check the weld depth. This exercise
provides the operator with a "feel" for the different alloys and how
they react to various power levels....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/laser-welding.htm

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5. Making a Shield for a Foredom Handpiece
By Lee Epperson

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....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...dom-shield.htm

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6. Fold Forming -T-Fold with a Table Insert
By Charles Lewton-Brain

This page describes the steps to using a table insert in a T-fold. A
table insert is an object, or a composition of a group of objects,
inserted into the table when it is made, and then trapped. Items to try
include, washers, shapes of 16 gauge iron binding wire, screws, shaped
metal pieces designed for the purpose etc....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...rt-forming.htm

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7. Repairing Freshwater Pearl Earrings Using Mini Pulse III
By Mark B. Mann

14-karat yellow gold cultured freshwater pearl and diamond earrings
will be repaired as a demonstration of the new Mini Pulse III. The
connecting post and dangle jump rings were not soldered when originally
made. One of the dangles has become unattached to the post....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...ngs-repair.htm

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8. [Beginners' Corner] Simple Method of Forming Jump Rings
By Lee Epperson

This paper describes a simple process of forming jump rings. These jump
rings were formed from 16 guage sterling silver wire. The links will be
1/2 inches in diameter and will be used to create a pottery shard link
concho belt....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/jump-rings.htm

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