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<=> <=> <=> <=> E-BENCH <=> <=> <=> <=> The E-Mail Newsletter for Bench Jewelers
December 2003
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<=> <=> ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER <=> <=>
E-BENCH is a FREE monthly newsletter for Retail Jewelry Store Owners, Shop Managers, Bench Jewelers and Anyone Else That Is Interested.
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E-BENCH is a BENCH MEDIA Publication BENCH MEDIA is a B W Simon Company Bradney W Simon – Publisher Daniel Spirer - Proofreader
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<=> <=> <=> TABLE OF CONTENTS <=> <=> <=>
REVERE’S TIPS FOR JEWELERS Tips for Jewelers, Who Do Repairs from Alan Revere
FEATURE ARTICLE Learn how to make your shop more profitable, a new technique, or brush up on basic skills.
STEWART'S BENCH TIPS Bench Tips from Stewart’s International School for Jewelers
AT THE PLATINUM BENCH Tips for working on Platinum from Platinum Guild International
FAVORITE TIPS Tips and Tricks to make your work on the bench a little easier and more productive from Bradney W. Simon CMBJ and E-BENCH Readers.
GERRY’S GEMZ Stone setting tips from Gemz Diamond Setting
WORKSHOP SAFETY FOR JEWELERS Tips from Charles Lewton-Brian
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
Books from MJSA/AJM Press: At the Bench and The Platinum Bench
Simplify your
bench work! The Platinum Bench by Jurgen J. Maerz and At the Bench by Gregg Todd and Greg Gilman, feature a wealth of time-saving tips, and illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions on the repair and fabrication of gold, silver, and platinum jewelry. Based on the popular At the Bench section in AJM, both books feature hundreds of photographs on everything from simplified pave setting to easy 18k inlay in platinum.
To download sample chapters, go to http://www.mjsainc.com/info_press.php. For more information, call 1-800-444-6572, ext. 3038.
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<=> <=> REVERE’S TIPS FOR JEWELERS <=> <=>
Tips for Jewelers Who Do Repairs from Alan Revere Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
Learn which gemstones are safe to heat, clean ultrasonically, steam, set under pressure, etc. and remove the rest before exposing them to potential damage.
Find a lost diamond on the floor by shutting off the lights and searching with a flashlight.
Avoid damaging the quality stamp when repairing an item. If you remove the stamp and replace it, you might be held responsible for its accuracy.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
A sensible man embarks on an enterprise until he can see his way clear to the end of it. Aesop
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
Jewelry Dealers World Trade Network http://www.JewelryDealersNetwork.com
<=> Bench Jeweler Discussion Channel <=> >
Ask questions, share tips, and take part in the ongoing discussions, or just read and take in all the advice from many excellent jewelers from around the world.
Membership includes: Topical Discussion Channels, including Bench Work, CAD-CAM, Stone Setting, and many more. You may buy, sell and trade on the Buy/Sell Channels, Plus Much More.
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<=> <=> <=> FEATURE ARTICLE <=> <=> <=> Bench Ph.D. Part 2
Last month we looked at the need for organizing your bench. This month we will look at methods for organizing it. You can find last month’s article and all back issues of E-Bench at www.BWSimon.com/EBENCH.
Organizing your tools is not just a matter of having a place for everything and everything in its place. It requires putting tools in an order that make sense to you, the person who uses them. For example, the seemingly logical manner to organize your solder would be in rows for easy, medium, and hard, sorted in columns by karat and color. However, this is much too confining for many bench jewelers, who may prefer to organize their solder by placing their 14K yellow gold easy flow solder on the right side of their flux bottle and the white on the left side. 18K solders are over by the boric acid and alcohol cup and hard solders are next to the solder tweezers.
There is no set pattern to organizing your bench; each jeweler should arrange their tools in a manner that is logical to them. This arrangement will be dependent upon:
The Types of Tools Used Most Frequently
The Type of Work Most Often Performed
The Personal Mannerism Of The Jeweler
Alan Revere in his book “Professional Goldsmithing” uses the following description to illustrate this type of organization. “Watching a master goldsmith at work is like watching a concert organist who, in a frenzy of seemingly blind activity, reaches for just the right note at just the right moment, orchestrating the complexities of his or her art without impediment.”
In reading that description I am reminded of the church my family attended while I was a child growing up. The church was an old church built in the 1880’s. It had a large pipe organ in the center of the choir loft. The organ consisted of five keyboards, and over 100 buttons above and to the sides of the keyboards. What looked like a clutter of buttons and keys to me, an untrained musician, was a systematically arranged musical instrument.
The organist, without taking his eyes off the music, would move his fingers, hands, and arms around in a seemingly meaningless manner. Nevertheless, he produced some beautiful music.
In the same manner, a jeweler works at their bench surrounded by, what may seem to the uninformed, a clutter of tools. However, when needed, without moving their eyes from the stone they are setting, or other work they are performing, they retrieve the tool without effort. Once they perform the work, they just as effortlessly return the tool to its place. There it is ready for the next time they need it.
There are few hard and fast rules for organizing the tools on your bench. However, there are two principles to keep in mind that can be helpful and make your bench more practical, convenient, and comfortable.
Organizational Principle #1
The first principle is to place tools used most frequently closest to your workspace, making them easier to get to and put away. Tools used less frequently should be stored further away. These tools should still be within reach; just a little extra effort is needed to get to them.
Often jewelers make the mistake of organizing like tools together. For example, all pliers hang together on one rack. This is a big mistake. Pliers used everyday get mixed together with ones you do not use often. This makes it harder to find the ones you need. In addition, pliers that are seldom used take up valuable space near the bench pin. Then, tools that are used everyday end up being relegated to a drawer or stored further away making them harder to get to.
A better alternative is to have two smaller racks for pliers. One should be near the bench pin for pliers used everyday and a second rack placed further away, on the side of the bench, for example. The same applies for all types of tools. Place the tools used most often closer to your bench pin, where you do your work. Place the other tools further away, still within reach, but not quite as conveniently.
Tools used less than once a week should be stored in the back of drawers or in the bottom drawers. If your bench is already full, these tools can be stored on shelves or storage units next to your bench. Shelves or cabinets mounted on the wall above your bench can also be used. You want to be able to get to them easily, but you do not want to clutter your bench with tools that you seldom use.
Organizational Principle #2
The second principle is to position tools in a manner that requires little, if any, extra movement in order to retrieve them and put them away. I call this type of arranging your workspace as Ergonization. Ergonization is a combination of the two words ergonomics and organization. Ergonomics involves arranging the work area to fit the body and movement of the worker. Organization involves arranging things in an orderly, functional manner. The goal of Ergonization is to adapt the organization of the work area to fit the worker. This maximizes worker efficiency in a comfortable and convenient manner.
In order to do this you must understand your workspace in relationship to the movement of your arms and hands. Watch how you move when you work. Notice the natural paths your body, arms, and hands take.
For example, a plier rack can be mounted on the front edge of your bench centered in the path your hand moves to begin work. Then when you move your hand from its normal resting position to work at your bench pin it can pick up a pair of pliers on the way. When the work is finished you can put the pliers back on the rack as your hand moves away from the bench pin. If the rack is properly placed, the pliers are picked up and put away without effort.
A saw frame can be placed on a hook on the leg of your bench. The handle of the saw frame is at the exact spot your hand reaches when you place your arm comfortably at your side.
Your favorite file or hammer can be placed in the tool tray just above your lap tray. Place it right next to the natural resting position of your hand while resting on your lap tray. Then, when needed, take hold of it while bringing your hand up to your work. When finished, put it away as you place your hand down to rest. (Other files not used as often should be stored somewhere else so as not to clutter the area around your favorite file or two.)
Another problem is storing tools used together in the same place. Sometimes you want to do this such as placing your solder tweezers, solder pick, flux bottle, etc. near your solder pad and torch. However, this does not always prove to be the best thing to do.
For example, I usually use my rawhide mallet with my ring mandrel when sizing rings. Since they are used together, I store them together in the tool tray just above the lap tray in my bench. I found that most of the time these tools were never put ‘away’. I came to realize that I used one tool in one hand and the other tool in my other hand. In order to reach them stored together, I had to reach and twist my body to get to them. Whenever you have to reach, twist, stretch, or turn to get to a tool, you are very unlikely to put it away. It is so much easier to just lay it down on the bench or in the lap tray. The key to keeping your bench organized is to make putting away the tools you use most often as easy as laying them down.
Since I use my ring mandrel in my left hand, and my mallet in my right, I now store my ring mandrel on the left side of my tool tray and my mallet on the right side. Then when needed both hands can reach out and pick-up the tools. When finished I can just as effortlessly put my hands down and put them away, which makes it easier to find them the next time I need to use them. In fact, I can sit down at my bench at any time, reach out my hands, and pick up my ring mandrel and mallet without ever looking down to find them.
You do not need fancy, expensive equipment to organize your bench. In fact, too many people make the mistake of buying all sorts of commercial organizing products in the mistaken belief that these products in and of themselves will automatically organize their workspace. Unfortunately, this will not happen - and often they only add to the clutter.
Your goal in organizing your bench should be to make it comfortable, personal, and workable. The only permanent way out of chaos is to discard your string of excuses and accept responsibility for yourself and your work environment. Instead of saying that your bench is messy because you are creative, use your wonderful God-given abilities and come up with a creative way to organize your bench. Do not try to organize your bench in a left-brain, abstract way - accept your differences, and learn to enjoy and appreciate the unique ways your brain works.
Remember there is no such thing as hopelessly disorganized.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
I never could have done what I have done without the habit of punctuality, order, and diligence. Charles Dickens
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
BENCH ROM The Multi-Media Magazine for Bench Jewelers
BENCH ROM is an affordable method to learn new skills and develop your career. Discover New Techniques Learn New Tips to Improve Your Work See New Products and Technologies Demonstrated All right from your home or shop without having to travel to a seminar or trade show.
“Bench Rom is great,” says jeweler Bill Scores “It’s like being in the shop of a Master Jeweler and watching over his shoulder.”
Log onto www.BWSimon.com/BenchRom for more information or to subscribe
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<=> <=> STEWART'S BENCH TIPS <=> <=>
Bench Tips from Stewart’s International School for Jewelers http://www.stewartsintlschool.com/
Sometimes when you try to tighten a diamond the prongs spring back. To tighten the diamond in these situations you need to tighten the diamond VECTORALLY. Using a non-serrated pointed nose pliers bend the adjacent prongs a little, below the girdle, towards each other and go all the way around the diamond.
To "SQUARE OFF" a diamond in a four-prong setting, the prong should rest on the upper girdle facet (Split Facet) with the tip of the prong to the lower edge of the Star Facet. Place the prongs at the corners of either square.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
What is the use of running when we are not on the right road? German Proverb
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
The Ganoksin Project
www.ganoksin.com
The Gem and Jewelry Pre-Eminent Online Resources. Open to the
public
Free of Charge.
A substantial library of articles, publications, reports, and technical data on gem and jewelry related topics; as well as a sizable collection of art and jewelry galleries, for both the casual visitor and the professional, also host the popular Orchid online forums for jewelers.
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<=> <=> AT THE PLATINUM BENCH <=> <=>
Tips for working on Platinum from Jurgen J. Maerz CMBJ, Director of Technical Education for Platinum Guild International http://www.pgi-platinum-tech.com
Sometimes when annealing platinum it is possible to contaminate the platinum with other metals. Some filings or some solder chips on a soldering surface or any other metal on the bench can be melted into platinum, thus contaminating the area.
To repair, grind the contamination away with a ball burr leaving a hole that you can fill. Next, take a small piece of the same platinum alloy the object is made of and weld it to fill the hole. Filing the excess metal away, you create an invisible repair. To prevent this contamination from happening in the first place, soak your platinum in a 10% solution of Nitric acid for about 10 minutes, before annealing, welding or soldering.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4: 11 – 12
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo
Coming April 23 - 25 2004 to Chicago IL
Exciting New Workshops – Seminars - Demonstrations – Networking Opportunities - Exhibitor Show
All activities during this three day event will be directed toward the Bench Jeweler, Making This The One Show In 2004 That You Don’t Want To Miss Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo presented by Bench Media publisher of E-BENCH, BENCH Magazine, and BENCH ROM
For More Information log onto: www.BWSimon.com/Conference
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<=> <=> <=> FAVORITE TIPS <=> <=> <=>
When channel setting square stones, a tapered square hole must be cut to accommodate the pavilion of the stone. One method to accomplish this is by first using a hart bur held perpendicular to the mounting to cut the four-corners. Then, use a small wheel bur to remove the metal between the corner cuts.
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Test your pumice wheels and other abrasive wheels on a piece of glass. If they do not abrade the glass, they will not scratch most faceted colored stones, and would be safe to use cleaning up the prongs. Glass is around 5 ½ on the Mohs scale, which is softer than most faceted colored stones. Although these wheels will not scratch harder gemstones, you still must use caution as the wheel may chip the facet lines of fragile stones.
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Grind a groove in the face of your prong pusher and the jaw of your pliers you use for stone setting. This will reduce your chances of slipping.
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Use a round jump ring on the end of chains instead of an oval ring. When an oval ring is used, it will always turn lengthwise when worn. This will cause all the wear on the ends of the jump ring. If a round jump ring is used and allowed to turn freely, it will rotate causing even wear around the ring and it will last longer.
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When bending metal, use your fingers as much as possible. This will avoid unnecessary nicks and marks in the metal. Wood or rawhide tools should be considered next. Steel tools such as hammers, pliers, and mandrels should be used only when necessary.
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Sizing heavy gent’s rings can be difficult because of the metal thickness in the shank. Straightening the ring on a ring mandrel can be particularly challenging. Using a lead-filled, weighted rawhide mallet or a dead-blow mallet will provide the extra force needed to make this job easier.
In addition, when opening up a shank for up sizing, one of these mallets can be used to force the ring down on a ring mandrel, after sawing through the shank.
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If you have a tip you would like to share with our readers send it in an e-mail to
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity. Choose right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity … these are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing.
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
“The Jeweler’s Tool of Choice” Jewelry LaserStar Workstations
Crafford - LaserStar Technologies designs and manufacturers a complete range of Nd: YAG pulse laser systems for retail and manufacturing jewelers. LaserStar Workstations are 50 watt/class 1 systems ranging in power from 85 – 120 joules and are ideal for a wide range of jewelry design, manufacturing, and repair applications in gold, silver, and platinum. Crafford's team of highly trained direct sales and bench jeweler applications specialists are always available to review new applications, share technical expertise, and provide service and technical support from our Providence, RI USA manufacturing facility. All LaserStar Workstations are made in the USA and comply with all FDA (CDRH), CSA, UL, and CE certification guidelines for safety. Four models of the LaserStar Workstation are available to the jewelry marketplace. For more information please reference our web site at www.laserstar.net or www.crafford.com
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<=> <=> <=> GERRY’S GEMZ <=> <=> <=>
Stone setting tips from Gemz Diamond Setting http://www.gemzdiamondsetting.com/index.html by Gerald N. Lewy
When securing stones, use a soft metal pusher. I suggest a copper or brass pusher. This will prevent making deep marks in the prongs, which can be difficult to remove later.
I use flat-edge and tapered-edge pumice wheels of #180 grit on all of my setting items. It’s not because of being rough on my work. It is because it is a mark of a “careful, high quality setter”. I remove all of the plier marks, graver slipping, and just the general rough edges left by the ‘casting house’. I do not want my polishing sub-contractor, to grind away more than he has to in finishing my setting work.
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<=> <=> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <=> <=>
A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to care for his tools. Spanish Proverb
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<=> <=> <=> E-BENCH SPONSOR <=> <=> <=>
SIMON SEZ SEMINARS
Bradney W. Simon is a JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler with over 26 years experience on the bench. He is the Editor and Publisher of E-BENCH, BENCH Magazine, and BENCH ROM, and is an accomplished platform speaker, providing Keynote Speeches, and Educational Seminars.
Topics include: Shop Management Bench Tips Jewelry Demonstrations
For information on having him speak for your organization, log onto; http://www.BWSimon.com/SimonSez Seminars
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<=> <=> WORKSHOP SAFETY FOR JEWELERS <=> <=>
Workshop Safety Tips From Charles Lewton-Brian
And Wash Those Hands We use our hands so much in a craft shop that they get exposed to all kinds of chemicals, material residues and dusts, quite apart from the physical stresses on them. It is very important to develop a hand-washing habit to reduce contamination of yourself (mouth touching, eating etc.). Washing your hands regularly during the day, and washing them thoroughly before leaving as part of your "shutting down the shop" ritual, can help reduce your overall exposure to chemicals significantly. Use a mild, pH-balanced soap to wash with. Some suggest avoiding antibacterial soaps to avoid breeding bacteria resistant to bactericides. Do not bite your nails but do wash under them with a short, stiff-bristled brush. Many people also use hand lotions of various kinds after rinsing to replace skin oils that have been removed.
For more information on Workshop safety from Charles Lewton-Brian log onto: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/safety.htm
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<=> <=> Thank You for Reading <=> <=>
We are on the World Wide Web. Visit us at http://www.BWSimon.com A complete archive of back issues of E-BENCH is located there.
Visit often, as we will be making changes to our site, adding additional useful information for bench jewelers.
<=> <=> SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION <=> <=>
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Information provided in this document is provided ‘As Is’ without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information concerning the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the author or publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
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Copyrighted, 2003, BENCH MEDIA. All rights reserved.
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