[Ganoksin] [Issue #153] 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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clasp - A Convergence of Jewelers.
Nashville, Tennessee, September 15-17, 2006.

http://www.claspconvergence.com

Brought to you by Rio Grande, The Ganoksin Project, Manufacturing
Jewelers and Suppliers of America (MJSA), The Society of North
American Goldsmiths (SNAG), and Bench Media.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In This Edition:


1. Pricing for a Changing Metals Market
2. Design and Technology Drives Growth for Hart's Jewelers
3. Building Up a Thin Shank Using Pulse-Arc-Welding Technology
4. Don't Be Square -Learn How to Set Baguettes!
5. PMC and Faux Bone
6. Customize Your Tools - Insulated Ring Separating Tweezers

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Book! - Making the Most of Your Flex-shaft
By Karen Christians

Making the Most of Your Flex-shaft is the one resource you'll need to
ensure you gain maximum advantage from your flex-shaft system. Learn
how to select the right system, how to choose and use the latest
accessories and attachments, and how to properly maintain your system
for extended life. See why so many jewelers are reading this book and
discovering what they didn't know about their flex-shaft systems!

Prime Sponsor: Rio Grande
Patrons: Foredom and 3M Inc

Price: $34.95 (Shipping: $5 USA, $9 International)

Get your own copy of Making the Most of Your Flex-shaft:
http://www.ganoksin.com/item--Orchid...-flexshaftbook

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

SNAG 2006 Orchid Dinner

It is just three weeks until the SNAG conference and the Orchid dinner!


The dinner will be Thursday, May 25, at 7:30 the Kiff Slemmons
reception and it does not conflict with any SNAG activities.

The restaurant is only a third of a mile from the conference hotel, and
the food is excellent.

Cost: $35 per person

Dinner will include beef, chicken and vegetarian dishes, with
appetizers, entrees, (non-alcoholic) beverages, dessert, tax and
service charges all included.

Please send your checks, or your request for a PayPal invoice, by **May
15th** if you wish to attend. Email me at for an
invoice to pay by PayPal, or send a check for $35 to

Noel Yovovich
2112 Grant Street,
Evanston, IL 60201.
USA

You need to pay IN ADVANCE if you wish to join in on this fun social
occasion, and meet face-to-face with other Orchid-lovers while enjoying
a delicious dinner.

See you there!
Noel

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Pricing for a Changing Metals Market
By David L. Huffman

As you may have noticed (I'd be astonished if you hadn't), prices for
gold and silver, platinum too, are on the rise. First, a word of
advice: Don't panic, it doesn't mean we are going to have to price
ourselves out of our markets. Now if only we can convince the
customers, who are also privey to the knowledge of rising gold and
silver prices, that jewelry is still a good buy....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...als-market.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Design and Technology Drives Growth for Hart's Jewelers
By Mark and Lainie Mann

Hart Jewelers in Grants Pass, OR has been a family owned store for over
50 years. Owner Tom Hart proclaims, "Our customer is the most important
person in our store" and that's clearly apparent in the way the staff
interacts with clients, sells and services jewelry throughout the day.
"By keeping up with new technology, I have been able to service a wider
range of customers. Having the capability to design, manufacture and
deliver new and exciting products has allowed us to grow by 30% per
year for each of the last 3 years. This technology, while not easy to
learn has kept the business strong and interesting for us all"....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/hart-jewelers.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Building Up a Thin Shank Using Pulse-Arc-Welding Technology
By Mark B. Mann

This cultured pearl and diamond 14K yellow gold ring is in for sizing.
When the take-in person inspected the ring, they noticed that the top
portion of the ring shank had worn thin. The shank has become thin and
sharp at the top portion. It will be rounded out and built up using an
ABI Pulse-Arc-Welder and 14-karat yellow gold 30 gauge round wire. It
is not necessary to remove the pearl to do the build up....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...thin-shank.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Don't Be Square - Learn How to Set Baguettes!
By Gerald Lewy

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 long girdles of this shape of stone.....

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. PMC and Faux Bone
By Robert Dancik

It is easy to forget that when we remove PMC from the kiln, what we
have is a piece of metal and we can bring to bear on that piece any and
all of the myriad techniques employed in 'regular' metalworking. With
our standard PMC tools and not much more than an additional file,
hammer, and a drill, we can incorporate other materials into our PMC
and our PMC into other materials. I am using for this project Faux one,
a PVC product that is easy to use, extraordinarily durable,
inexpensive, and safe. It can be hammered, filed, sanded, polished,
heated, molded, drilled, and carved. The PMC can be pushed around or
into it and it is so tough you can hammer on it, which I do in the
project presented here....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/pmc-faux-bone.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Customize Your Tools - Insulated Ring Separating Tweezers
By Steve Satow

Steve Satow shows how to modify a pair of standard insulated tweezers
to become an effective ring separating tweezers.

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nena...g-tweezers.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Can You Help the Ganoksin Project?

The Ganoksin Project goal is to build a strong pool of information,
freely accessible, for the benefit of the trade and the general public.
If you benefited from our services and agree with our mission here's
what you can do to be part of our project.

1. Make a small donation
http://www.ganoksin.com/donate/

2. Advertise your business on Ganoksin
http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana

3. Tell newsgroup or mailing list about Ganoksin

Do you have a newsgroup? Are you a newsgroup member? Do you have a
mailing list? Then you can help us. Tell your newsgroup or mailing list
about The Ganoksin Project!

4. Invite a friend to join Orchid
http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm

5. Link to us from your pages
http://www.ganoksin.com/resources/about-linking.htm

6. Help us correct errors and broken links

7. Help us with spelling and grammar - Tell us about misspellings or
grammatical errors

The idea of requesting donations is to ensure the continued existence
and prosperity of the Orchid community and The Ganoksin website. It is
important that the group pay its own way if it is to be healthy.
Remember: The Ganoksin Project does not need to be wealthy, just
"healthy" :-)

Even if you choose not to support the project financially, you are
still welcome to use and enjoy Ganoksin services. Although the
information on this site is free, as is the access to it through the
Archives, the support system which makes this community possible is not
free. It costs money. Please consider supporting us with your kind
donation.

http://www.ganoksin.com/donate/

Thank you for being part of The Ganoksin project and for your kind
support!!

Hanuman
The Ganoksin Project
http://www.ganoksin.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Put an Orchid on your Bench

Join the most popular online community for jewelery makers, The Orchid
forums at http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ganoksin Project (http://www.ganoksin.com) is the largest virtual
single information source for searchable archived content for jewelry
and metals in the world. Its 6,500 Orchid members foster sharing,
support community, enhance productivity and encourage studio safety, by
promoting education in the jewelry and metal arts worldwide.

------------------------------------------------------------------------