[July 2003] 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. Shine On - Jewelers are beaming about bristle discs
2. Shaping Up - The evolution of metal clay design shine On
3. How laser welders are impacting jewelry manufacture and repair
4. Finding Flaws - Identifying and preventing wax defects
5. Minimizing cracks during jewelry manufacturing, and beyond
6. Successful e-commerce is a matter of careful planning.
7. Workshop Air Quality
8. Channel setting - Set 'Em Straight
9. Dermatitis and the Jeweler
10. V Prong Setting - To V or Not To V

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http://www.creativegem.com

Make your gemstone shopping easier, safer and cheaper by buying
directly from the source at http://www.creativegem.com

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Put an Orchid on your Bench

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

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I am happy to announce the new format of the "Tips from The
Jeweler's bench" at Ganoksin. (http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat).

Our continues publishing of high quality material over the years and
the recent information sharing agreement with MJSA
(http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archi...7/msg00417.htm) made it
necessary to create an easy and convenient navigation tool.

The new format of "The Tips from the jeweler's bench" was created as
a response to this necessity through a sensible approach of
information organization in hierarchical structure. I hope you will
find the new site format useful.

Best Regards
Hanuman

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In This Edition of Tips From The Jeweler's Bench

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1. Shine On - Jewelers are beaming about bristle discs

how one of 3M's radial bristle discs to a non-jeweler friend, and you
are almost guaranteed to get a lukewarm response: 'This is what
you're so excited about?' But to the jewelers who have eagerly
adopted them, these simple circular brushes are 'the greatest thing
since flexi-straws...

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/ajm-shine-on.htm

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2. Shaping Up - The evolution of metal clay design shine On

In 1996, Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico, introduced artists
and jewelers in the United States to Precious Metal Clay -PMC from
Mitsubishi Materials Corp. in Tokyo. The material, a mixture of
fine-grained metal powder with an organic binder, could be worked
like clay, but became a solid piece of metal when kiln-fired....

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

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3. How laser welders are impacting jewelry manufacture and repair

The one tool that allows each of these jewelers to do their jobs
better is a laser welder, a technological advancement that is
becoming increasingly common in trade shops and manufacturing
facilities. By using a sharply focused beam of light to produce very
high heat in a small area, lasers are allowing jewelers to routinely
accomplish tasks that would once have been either impossible or too
time consuming to be worthwhile....

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

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4. Finding Flaws - Identifying and preventing wax defects

Manufacturer spend much time and money diagnosing defects that are
believed to originate in the casting process, but actually occur
during waxing. Many companies run in circles, changing this
gate/sprue, that metal, these temperatures, and screaming at
suppliers to try to fix the 'mystery' problem. While these areas
certainly can be the source of problems, many defects are
misdiagnosed as casting defects, and thousands, perhaps millions, of
dollars are wasted in search of non-existent flaws in the casting
process....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/ajm-wax-flaws.htm

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5. Minimizing cracks during jewelry manufacturing, and beyond

As many jewelry manufacturers and goldsmiths know from hard
experience, cracking in jewelry can occur at any time during its
manufacture. It can also occur much later, after the jewelry has
been sold to the consumer or during repair. Cracking can also occur
in the processing of the starting materials (the casting grain and
mill products from which the jewelry is to be made), and may not be
detected until several stages later in the manufacturing process....

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

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6. Successful e-commerce is a matter of careful planning.

The ongoing debate over the necessity of e-commerce in the jewelry
industry is coming to a close. From small shop artisans showcasing
their custom work to major manufacturers providing their customers
with the ability to place and track orders online, virtually every
jewelry business has an Internet presence-or is planning for one.
But getting involved in e-commerce is still not a simple proposition.
Like any business decision, selling online requires research,
testing, and refining; a simple Web site is no longer the sole
requirement for success....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/ajm-ecommerce.htm

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7. Workshop Air Quality.

Four areas in the jeweler's workshop produce harmful substances that
MUST be properly removed from the shop in order to maintain the
jewelers' health. The toxic particles produced are generally chronic
in nature. This means that immediate reaction is not apparent, but
twenty or thirty years of continued exposure can lead to poor health
and sometimes early death....

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

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8. Channel setting - Set 'Em Straight

Over the past decade, channel setting has grown in popularity.
Setting small diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and even emeralds into
channels has become commonplace in most shops. Hardly a week goes by
without some form of repair being preformed on a channel set piece.
The following tips will hopefully make this work a little easier....

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

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9. Dermatitis and the Jeweler

Dermatitis is a group of skin conditions that may often be contracted
by exposure to chemicals and metals. These may include scaling,
splitting, eczema and so on. Dermatitis is a real hazard for
jewelers. Metal workers suffer high rates of skin disorders....

Complete Story:
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/dermatitis.htm

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10. V Prong Setting - To V or Not To V

Several shapes of stones have pointed ends, including marquise, pear,
heart, and princess. Because these points are often thin and
fragile, it is important to protect them with a prong. This is
particularly important on rings where the stone may be subject to
more abuse than in pendants, earrings, or brooches. Although a
standard prong will usually suffice, a V shaped prong is preferable.
A V-prong provides additional protection and will more securely hold
the point of the stone....

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

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Put an Orchid on your Bench

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

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Enjoy
Hanuman