Most Recent Posts 
![[]](/clipart/main-cat.gif) Jewelry I've been working on... | by valerieaheck
|  | This past week we learned how to bezel set an oval 8 by 10 mm stone. We haven't done the cleanup yet, so I'll show another picture once the bezel is clean.
We also did a channel set ring. This one is pretty good, my first one and it was my first one.
Here are some more of my projects we did a lot of stones setting this week and working with gravers. I was having a lot of trouble.... | | View full article... |
| Overused Hands | by jay whaley
|  | Having been in the jewelry making business since the late 60's, I've developed a pretty strong set of hands. I'm pretty proud of what they've accomplished over the years.
I've never had any major accidents with my fingers and hands, except for the bike accident I had when I broke my right thumb back in 1989, along with breaks in both forearms. Yeah, casts for 8 weeks, over both arms and thumbs. Oh, and then while playing with my sister's.... | | View full article... |
| Recent Projects | by Laurie Jane Kern
|  | I just posted a few pictures of three things I have recently finished.
Go have a look at the Metals 2010 page.
Project 1) The necklace was made using scrap silver that I cast into an ingot, then rolled out and roller printed. I then had to saw, file and drill each square so I could mount them on the chain I had made. I made a set of earrings and a bracelet at the end of 2009 that are.... | | View full article... |
| Patina Tips ‘n Tricks (Blog Carnival) | by Elaine Luther
|  | How to use liver of sulphur without dipping
Liver of sulphur is Potassium Sulfide. Buy it in lump form from a jeweler’s supply
company. You can buy it pre-mixed, but since it has a shelf life, it’s much better to buy it
in lump form and mix it as needed.
Break off a pea sized lump and add it to 1/2 a cup of warm water and dissolve the liver of sulphur.
To work, either the liver of sulphur or.... | | View full article... |
| Technorati Claim in progress – Claim | by Hanuman
|  | HSR7YANUHVF
This is a temporary post. We are adding the Orchid blog network to Technorati, so you can follow the orchid blog network there. please ignore this post. it will be deleted shortly.... | | View full article... |
| I Love Teaching AND Metalsmithing | by Cynthia Eid
|  | [caption id="attachment_192" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Cynthia Eid teaching a hydraulic press workshop"][/caption]
I was recently asked by a craft school's press department to write something about myself, why I like to teach at their school, and why people should take classes at their school. Having done so, I thought I'd share it. (I've made a few changes for this wider audience.)
I earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Jewelry, Design, and silversmithing from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a BS in.... | | View full article... |
| Tuyere and Bellows | by Jamie Hall
|  | The evidence for most of this comes from De diversibus artibus by Theophilus. A copy of the text, in English and Latin, is available here. Most of it has alternating pages of Latin and English - with a little ingenuity, I've managed to print the English portion of the book. The pages suit A5, or two pages on a landscape A4 sheet. Only the latter third relates to jewellery, so not all of the book needs printing. In addition to.... | | View full article... |
| Product Review - Koil Kutter, Koil Winder, John Fetvedt's Mandrels | by Beth Wicker
|  | I brought John Fetvedt in for a chain making workshop in January, and he recommended Dave Arens' Koil Kutter and Koil Winder (available from gemstonesetc@gainbroadband.com) for making jump rings. Since my daughter is a chain maille junky, I ordered both, and got John's set of mandrels to use with the winder (http://www.bijoux-de-terre.com/). When my daughter gets going on chain maille, you had better be ordering wire in hundreds of feet - she goes through it FAST <grin>!
She has been.... | | View full article... |
| Happy St. Patrick's Day | by dianegeisel
|  | I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from jewelry making since my dad’s passing. I just haven’t been in a creative mood. During that time I have been reading up on different techniques to use on copper and other metals. Etching and cold connecting have caught my interest and I will be experimenting with both of those very soon. I’m hoping that I catch spring fever and that will translate to some “happy projects”. I’ll share pictures shortly. Enjoy your.... | | View full article... |
| Men build things, and then we die... | by patpruitt
|  | "Its in our f***ing DNA....thats what we do.....and when it all falls down....We build it right back up again.....But this time bigger! Better!"
-The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Some how this this rings true, from the reconstruction of Chicago after the fires, to the the traditional mud and rock home that Marla and I will one day call our home.....so what is going to be the impact of our presence on this planet.
I have been very fortunate.... | | View full article... |
| Further South to Brazil | by richardcarew
|  | Brazil has several areas where opal is mined. Some of it is just fire opal, orange to reddish, to yellow. But this blog is about some of the finest Crystal precious opal in the world which is found around the town of Pedro Segundo named after the emperor Dom Pedro II or Segundo. Opal here is found both as a primary deposit and as alluvial deposits. Probably the most famous primary deposit is at the Boi Morto mine where opal.... | | View full article... |
| The Centurion Show picks Emerging Designers! | by Robyn Hawk
|  | If you asked twenty people in attendance at any of the venues of the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase (BTW - this is the city's official name for the shows) if they have been to the Centurion Show...most will answer that they have never even heard of it.The Centurion Show is an invitation only show that caters to the Retail Jeweler - spotlighting the finest of the fine jewelry industry and featuring the latest designs and trends from the.... | | View full article... |
| Stone setting, sculptural wire knitting among Spring 2010 weekly classes | by Metalwerx
|  | Metalwerx in Waltham, Massachusetts offers the following weekly jewelry-making classes starting the week of April 12. Enroll 30 days in advance and save 5 percent with Early Bird registration. You may register via our website or call 781-891-3854 to sign up.
Metalwerx offers classes for all skill levels. All weekly classes are 9 sessions, unless otherwise noted. Check www.metalwerx.com for class details, materials costs, and tools. Stay tuned for news about our Spring Weekend Workshops, as well as our Summer.... | | View full article... |
| MJSA Expo New York - Resources for Designers | by Robyn Hawk
| | Days for Designers! Designers coming to MJSA Expo New York can make the most of their trip by taking advantage of all the design-related events scheduled around the show. On Sunday, March 14, the MJSA Expo will open its doors at 10 a.m.. It will feature not only the latest tools, supplies, and technologies that can easily take a design from concept to creation, but also free seminars focusing on how to navigate in this changing environment. (Click here for.... | | View full article... |
| Andamooka on the Brain | by Michael Johnson
|  | I have a new batch of Andamooka in the kiln. I have been playing around with temperature settings, and with running gem grade Andamooka through it. Gem grade is much denser, and tends to explode in heat, but I am trying to find that perfect time and temperature for fully carbonizing the sugar, without burning out the carbon or damaging the stones. For the record 400F for two hours doesn’t carbonize the sugar. Last night’s batch was run at 500F.... | | View full article... |
| My first spring loaded, clapper style resin bracelet | by lianabennett
|  | This bracelet has been on my design list for a while now. I wanted a resin bracelet that was easy on and off, comfortable to wear, and oval shaped. The biggest hurdle was finding the spring loaded jewelry hinges. The next problem was finding a heat-proof bracelet mandrel for post curing the urethane resin (see previous post) Once these design challenges were solved, I created the master and molds. The final problem was finding the right glue that would bind.... | | View full article... |
| Making the base part of "Emergence" | by shelbyvision
|  | This sculpture (see previous post) was a big project, so I'm breaking up the process into several parts. The base was the first part I made, and the first attempt was a failure. I did not realize that the stem portion needed to be bent into its final almost-upright position before closing up and silver-soldering the form. One very large piece of bronze wasted.
The material is 1/16" silicon bronze, which is much more resistant to forming than the 16.... | | View full article... |
| Inlayers' Lathe Retrofit Kit For Sears Craftsman 22106 Wood Lathe is Finished... Batteries Not Included (But The Cat Is Extra!) | by aulë
|  | I know... it has been a while.
My only real excuse for not posting sooner is my obsession with getting my jeweler's lathe retrofit finished.
You'll also notice that I took down the initial pages of my planning and execution of this retrofit. This is because once I assembled my parts together, I realized that even though the unit worked it deserved a complete do-over. And then, the do-over needed some partial do-overs as well. That's what took so long..... | | View full article... |
| Influence of Poison on Silverware Design | by leonidsurpin
|  | Influence of Poisons on Silverware Design.
March 6, 2010
Preamble
We often use things surrounding us without much thinking of their origin, and why they are this, or that particular way. I have always been interested in old techniques and very frequently the best way to decipher a manufacturing method is to understand the reasons behind it. Silverware design in general and shape of drinking vessels in particular, is an area of exploration of this writing.
Introduction
To understand silverware.... | | View full article... |
| March 2010 - Local Gem Shows | by Robyn Hawk
| | 5-7--DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA: Show, "Gem Faire"; Gem Faire Inc.; Del Mar Fairgrounds/Exhibit Hall, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.; Fri. 12-7, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; $5 weekend pass; contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; e-mail: info@gemfaire.com; Web site: www.gemfaire.com5-7--LARGO, FLORIDA: 40th show and sale; Suncoast Gem & Mineral Society; Minnreg Hall, 6340 126th Ave. N; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $5, students $4, children free; finished and unfinished gems and minerals, jewelry, beads, equipment, tools, raffle, member displays, grab bags, magazine.... | | View full article... |
| Masters Workshop with John Cogswell | by Laela Cottone
|  | John Cogswell: Two-Day Masters Workshop on March 20th & 21st at Creative Metalworks with a "Meet the Artist" reception to be held on Friday March 19th from 4-8pm at Creative Metalworks in Kensington Md. To register or for more infomation please contact us at (301) 933-1500
Masters Workshop
with John Cogswell
Saturday & Sunday March 20th - 21st
"Creative Stonesetting"
March 20 & 21, 2010 (Sat & Sun) 10 am -4 pm
There will also be a “Meet the Artist” Reception for.... | | View full article... |
| Counter Blog to Jamie Hall's Cuttlefish Casting Blog | by loiskmartens
|  | Cuttlefish bone casting is a form of gravity casting and was used thousands of years ago by the Chinese and the Greeks, among other peoples. Logically the method was developed in geographical areas that were near the sea or ocean and therefore had access to cuttlefish bone. Landlocked areas used clay, sand or tuff stone for gravity casting. Gravity casting is still widely used throughout the world today.
I studied with Maestro Baiocco who had worked for Bulgari making signet.... | | View full article... |
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