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The E-Mail Newsletter for Bench Jewelers
May 2001
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<> <> <> <> <> TABLE OF CONTENTS <> <> <> <> <> RUN YOUR SHOP WITHOUT IT RUNNING YOU A feature article on shop management issues
QUOTES WORTH RE-QUOTING Motivational insights from some of the best
REVERE FINDING TIPS This new column contains useful tips to help you find things in the studio from Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
TRADE SECRETS Tips and Tricks to make your work on the bench a little easier
ON THE BENCH Learn a new technique or brush up on basic skills with this
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PRECIOUS METAL MANAGEMENT
Effective precious metal management can increase the profitability of any jewelry shop. Material management is not an exciting or enticing topic to many. However, due to the high cost of the material handled, its management can make or break the profits in the shop.
Elaborate bookkeeping systems for precious metal control in the shop is seldom needed. In the retail jewelry shop, proper inventory management consists of physical organization more than record keeping. Often an item is ordered although several are in stock, because inventory is so disorganized that you cannot find it, or the person placing the order never bothers to look.
Inventory is a liability, although it shows up on the balance sheet as an asset. There is no value to inventory until you sell it. The cost of the money to carry inventory is a real expense although it never shows up on a profit and loss statement.
Good service does not depend on high inventory, but on proper inventory handling and ordering. Most jewelry stores carry excessive amounts of inventory in their shops. Because the amount of inventory in the workshop is small compared to the overall inventory of the store, it is considered insignificant. However, you must control its cost to maximize profitability.
Typical inventory turn in many repair shops is once every two to three years. At one store, enough cufflink backs were found in inventory to last the next thirty years. Inventory levels in the shop do not need to be this high. In some stores, inventory can be as low as turning over weekly. Others needing a higher inventory to process work while the customer waits, turn inventory once every eight to ten months. Average inventory turn should be six to eight times a year, turning over every month and a half to two months.
With the availability of findings from many companies, and express mail services, you do not need to carry large inventories. Many companies now provide overnight services for a minimal fee. They have negotiated with a carrier to handle all their volume at reduced rates. Often, if a findings company is located close to your town, you can even receive first class mail in one day. As you can receive inventory economically overnight, less inventory is needed in the shop.
Inventory Organization
When it comes to inventory HOW you organize the inventory is not as important as THAT you do organize it. Regardless of how you store inventory, it is important to keep it organized and separated. If you take a part out to show a customer put it back. Do not leave it lying around on the counter where it can become lost. Make certain you put it back in the right compartment or bottle.
Inventory should be kept near the place jobs are checked and orders placed. Then, when a job needs a part you can easily look in your inventory to see if you have one before placing an order.
A systematic filing system is needed for both findings and gold stock. Store gold stock and casting grain in a cabinet with drawers separating Karat Color
Keep inventory of findings separated by: Type Style Size Karat Color
One method of storing findings is to stand up plastic bags received from suppliers in drawers. Have different drawers for each type of finding; i.e. clasp, round crowns, oval crowns, etc. In each drawer use dividers to separate the bags by style or size. For example: In a drawer for crowns, you can have dividers for 1/4ct, 1/3ct, 1/2ct, etc. Then behind each divider keep each style of crown in a separate bag. For example: 4 prong tiffany, 6 prong tiffany, basket, etc. Alternatively, dividers can separate style and bags can divide size. For example: dividers marked box catch, lobster catch, spring ring, etc. Behind the dividers place separate bags, one for 4mm, one for 5mm, one for 6mm, etc.
Another system to organize findings is to use plastic storage boxes with hinged lids and divided compartments. The large ones with 18 compartments work well. Use a separate box for each type of finding, and separate the findings in the compartments by size and style. To assist in finding the item and returning it to its correct compartment, be certain to label the outside of the box and inside each compartment.
Leatherette boxes with plastic bottles also work well for storing inventory. Whichever system is used it should be kept in closed drawers or behind cabinet doors. This will keep dust and dirt in the shop from accumulating on them.
Store all 18k and platinum findings in a separate cabinet or drawer. This will help prevent mixing them with 14k findings.
RECORD KEEPING
Gold Stock
Conduct a monthly inventory for gold stock used in sizing rings, half shanks, etc. Keep this inventory in a logbook, by weight for each type of metal. For instance, all 14k yellow stock weighed together, all 14k white weighed together, etc. Each month, determine the amount used and compare it to the workload to ensure the usage is in line.
To determine the amount used, start with last months ending inventory (current month’s beginning inventory), add any purchases and subtract ending inventory (amount you have just weighed). The difference is the amount used that month.
If a large amount of gold is used for a project, for example making a fabricated piece of jewelry, the amount should be weighed at the time of use and written in the logbook. At the end of the month total the amount used for major projects, subtract this amount from the total used. It will give you the amount used for repairs (sizings, etc.).
Casting Grain
Keep a perpetual inventory log for casting grain. As gold is used, subtract its weight. When new material is purchased, add its weight. Catalog additions and subtractions daily. Perform a physical inventory monthly and compare it to the balance. Note any discrepancies. Investigate major shortages.
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Only those who risk going too far will ever know how far they can go.
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If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. Henry David Thoreau
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No one can make you feel inferior unless you agree with it. Eleanor Roosevelt
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It takes less time to do a thing right than it does to explain why you did it wrong. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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There comes a time in life where you need to stop learning lessons – and start applying them. Debra Simon
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Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk. J. C. Penney
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Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
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Here are some useful tips to help you find things in the studio from Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
Finding The Right File By Alan Revere
Most of us have a drawer full of loose needle files and it is a real hassle to poke around until you find the one you want. You can save lots of time by going out and getting several jars of colored nail polish. Then color code your files; use red for round, turquoise for triangle, black for flat, etc. Put the color in stripes around the handle indicating the cut of the file: 2 stripes for #2 cut, 4 stripes for #4, etc.
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When doing re-mounts often the stones we have to set need to be cleaned before we can set them. A quick and easy method to clean them at the bench is to place the stones in the palm of your hand, and sprinkle table salt over them. Then rub together with your finger. The abrasiveness of the salt will clean the toughest gunk off the stones, and the 2 to 2 1/2 hardness of salt makes it safe for even colored stones.
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When annealing white gold, use a bushy flame and heat the gold to a red color. Then, hold the metal at this temperature for several minutes by playing the flame across the metal. Heating the metal for too short of a time will not completely anneal the metal. Refiners anneal white gold in ovens and hold the metal at annealing temperatures for a half hour. Always allow the gold to air cool slowly. NEVER quench white gold, as this will cause it to become brittle.
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Do not use highly polished tools to push prongs over stones. They will have a tendency to slip off the prong and possibly damage the stone.
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Use a steady, slow to medium speed. Flex-shafts can operate at speeds up to 14,000 rpm. Burs and drills should not approach this speed while cutting metal. You should operate the flex-shaft at no more than medium speed, and The Larger The Bur The Slower The Speed. High Speed burs are a description of the type of steel used and not indicative of the speed used to operate.
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Turn your bench light off while soldering. Then it will be easier to see the metal turn dull red and judge the metal’s temperature.
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When channel setting it is best to intentionally cut the seat too small. Then, gradually enlarge the seat to fit the stone. This will help keep you from over cutting too large a seat.
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All cutting tools must be kept sharp. Dull cutting edges are dangerous to use as they have a tendency to slip off the metal rather than bite into it. Burs that slip can cut or pierce your fingers. Dull cutting edges take longer to perform the work resulting in lower productivity. They cause excessive heat buildup that could damage some jewelry or the tools themselves. Dull cutting edges produce poorer quality work. They leave more burs on the metal rather than cutting cleanly. In addition, they do not always cut true, resulting in off centered holes, and un-even or un-true cutting.
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If you have a tip you would like to share with our readers send it in an e-mail to mailto:Brad@BWSimon.com
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<> <> <> <> <> <> GOLD SPONSOR <> <> <> <> <> <>
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IT’S INVISIBLE Part 2 By Robert Gravley
For illustrations of this process go to: http://www.bwsimon.com/TradeSecrets/InvisibleSetting.htm
In Last months article we looked at how invisible set stone are set. This month we will explore how to perform various repairs to jewelry with invisible set stones.
Occasionally either through normal wear or a sloppy repair a stone will need to be tightened. To tighten an invisible set diamond you must reset the rail back in the groove of the diamond. I use my wood dowel screwed in to my reciprocating hammer. Using a light touch, I tap directly down on the stone's table. This tapping causes the rail to push into the groove of the diamond, tightening the stone. The metal takes the path of least resistance. You must use extreme caution excessive tapping could cause a cascade of problems:
1. A diamond may break from touching another or from careless tapping. Remember to use a light touch two or three taps at a
2. Careless tapping will cause the rail to collapse or break off
3. Excessive tapping will sink the stone causing the girdle to
Repairs
When a diamond falls out and the rail has gone with it, a new rail must be installed.
1. Clean the piece thoroughly (aseptic)
2. Remove any traces of the old rail using a flat graver and or a
3. Refit the diamond and check for obstructions.
4. Create a new rail using platinum. I cut a knurl from a piece of
5. Glue the platinum wire in the groove using cyanoacrylate
6. Test fit the diamond, trim the setting if necessary for the stone
7. Remove the stone and clean the piece by steaming. Inject the
8. Insert the diamond; excess solder will ooze out around the
9. Flip the mounting over and inject more solder into the azure.
10. The moment the stone becomes hot the cyanoacrylate
11. Apply a coating of boric acid solution and heat the area from
12. The solder flows and makes the bond with the new platinum
13. If done properly the diamond should look no different than
Sizing An Invisible Set Ring
The most important thing to keep in mind is you cannot bend the
1. To properly size an invisible set mounting down you must prep
2. Remove a piece to reduce the finger size: for example 1size =
3. Using your fingers or a pair of ring benders close the shank
4. Solder the joint and solder closed the darts file, sand, polish
5. Do not pull the ring on a mandrel to round out the shank. This
Note: make sure all employees are aware of this; especially the
Sizing Rings Up
1. Follow step 1 above, by sawing darts 7/8's the way through
2. Cut the shank at the back and bend the shank at the darts to
3. Solder in the sizing piece.
4. Solder in the darts by using wedges of gold or wire.
5. File, sand, polish and buff.
6. Do not try and round the shank. If you were careful when
Platinum mountings cannot be sized using this method due to
Robert Gravley is Atlanta Shop Foreman for the Shane Co
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Jewelry Dealers World Trade Net
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Copyrighted, 2001, B W Simon. All rights reserved.
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