<> <> <> <> <> <> <> E-BENCH <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
A New Method of Learning in a New Millennium
October 2001
Volume 2 Issue 10
circulation over 1,400
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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.
We encourage you to forward this newsletter to anyone that
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Thanks – Bradney W. Simon CMBJ, CMP
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<> <> <> <> <> PLATINUM SPONSOR <> <> <> <> <>
GESSWEIN & Co, Inc.
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Since 1914
> > > Gesswein 2000 Jewelers' Catalog < < <
Gesswein's CD Rom full-color jewelers' catalog features
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an absolute must have for finding "The Right Tools"
Or if you prefer, browse through Gesswein's Web Site:
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<> <> <> <> <> TABLE OF CONTENTS <> <> <> <> <>
REVERE FINDING TIPS
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
and more productive from Bradney W. Simon CMBJ and
E-BENCH
Readers.
SIMON SEZ SEMINARS
See and hear Bradney W. Simon in person
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
FEATURE ARTICLE
Learn how to make you shop more profitable, a new technique,
or brush up on basic skills.
LASER LESSON
Tips and tricks to make using a Laser Welder easier from
B.
Staley, Goldsmiths/Precision Laser Welding
GERRY’S GEMZ
Stone setting tips from Gemz Diamond Setting
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<> <> <> <> <> REVERE FINDING TIPS <> <> <> <> <>
Here are some useful tips to help you find things in the
studio
from Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
FINDING THE RIGHT SANDING STICK
By Alan Revere
After wrapping abrasive paper around a paint stick or piece of
wooden molding, use a permanent marker to put dots on both
ends of the wood to indicate the grit; oo for 220 paper, ooo for
320 paper oooo for 400.
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<> <> <> <> <> <> GOLD SPONSOR <> <> <> <> <> <>
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
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
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comply with all FDA (CDRH)
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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<> <> <> <> <> TRADE SECRETS <> <> <> <> <>
After coiling wire around a mandrel, thread your saw blade
through the coil to cut the jump rings apart, and saw from the
inside out. This makes sawing the coil easier as your blade
tends to slide when starting to cut from the outside of the coil.
< < < < < <> > > > > >
Cut a line down the center of a ceramic soldering board using a
cut-off wheel in your flex-shaft. When repairing chains, place the
break in the chain over this line. It will then be easier to locate
the break when you go to solder.
< < < < < <> > > > > >
Attach a sponge lightly saturated with oil to your rolling mill.
Place one sponge above the top roller and one sponge below
the bottom roller. As you use the mill, the sponges will keep the
rollers clean and the oil will keep them from rusting. Before you
use it, turn the rollers one complete turn to clean any dust or
debris that has accumulated on the rollers. You can keep the
sponges in place with binding wire. Just make sure you keep
everything away from the gears.
< < < < < <> > > > > >
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
uneven or untrue cutting.
<
< < < < <> > > > > >
After cutting the seat, clean the burs off the prongs before
placing the stone into the crown. Use a graver to cut the burs
away, or scrape them off with your tweezers. Then, polish the
inside of the crown before continuing the setting process.
It's that kind of little "extra" that makes the ordinary into
extraordinary.
< < < < < <> > > > > >
I have never liked wearing a mask when I am using my flexible
shaft. I have always held my breath and blown out. Though I
seem to have survived, I still think I am breathing some dust from
rubber wheels, and have wanted to find a way to breathe clean
air when grinding. My solution: I wear a snorkel and breathe
through my mouth while grinding. I find it so much easier than a
mask, and the air is clean!
David Clarkson
< < < < < <> > > > > >
Talc is an inorganic substance that will collect in your lungs and
cannot be removed by natural body functions. In other
words, you could get black lung disease. I suggest using
cornstarch as a talc replacement both as a dusting agent for
settings and for molds when wax injecting. In a career of,
hopefully 25 to 50 years, even the small contaminations can add
up.
Frank Goss
< < < < < <> > > > > >
If you have a tip you would like to share with our readers send it
in an e-mail to mailto:Brad@BWSimon.com
< < < < < <> > > > > >
If you like Trade Secrets then you’ll love Trade Secret of the Day
a bench tip provided daily Monday through Friday on various
Internet web sites including:
http://www.jewelrydealersnetwork.com/
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/orchid.htm
If you know of a jewelers’ bulletin board or discussion channel
that you would like to see Trade Secret of the Day posted on,
have the administrator contact me at Brad@BWSimon.com
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<> <> <> <> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <> <> <> <>
We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things
we don't even dream we can do.
Dale Carnegie
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<> <> <> <> <> SIMON SEZ SEMINARS <> <> <> <> <>
Bradney W. Simon is an accomplished platform speaker;
providing Keynote Speeches, and Educational Seminars.
For information on having him speak
for your organization log
onto; http://www.BWSimon.com/SimonSez Seminars
< < < < < <> > > > > >
TRADE SECRETS - TUCSON
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques of a Master Jeweler
Tucson AZ
February 7, 2002
This one-day seminar coincides with the Tucson Gem Shows
and is the day before Catalog in Motion.
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<> <> <> <> <> STEWART'S BENCH TIPS <> <> <> <> <>
Bench Tips from Stewart’s International School for Jewelers
http://www.stewartsintlschool.com/
REMOVEING A DENT FROM HOLLOW JEWELRY
By Jim Stewart
There are many ways to accomplish this. One method is to pour
water into an opening, filling it to the top. Next, put tape over the
end and put in your freezer. The water will expand when frozen
pushing out on the dent. You may have to do this more than
once to completely remove the dent. This also works in
removing dents from candlestick holders.
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<> <> <> <> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <> <> <> <>
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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<> <> <> <> 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 can be filled. 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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<> <> <> <> <> <> GOLD SPONSOR <> <> <> <> <> <>
If You Like E-Bench
YOU WILL LOVE BENCH
A New Print Magazine For Bench Jewelers
BENCH Magazine, a new quarterly publication from B W Simon,
is Written BY Bench Jewelers FOR Bench Jewelers. Each issue
is filled with high-quality instructional articles by working jewelers
who are masters of their craft; enhanced by line drawings, color
renderings, or photographs.
From Basic Techniques to Advanced Applications -
From
Centuries Old Procedures to the Latest in Technological
Advancements, BENCH Magazine provides accurate informative
instruction from Professional Bench Jewelers. In addition, each
issue contains a Bench Tip section where you can learn tricks of
the trade from the magazine staff and jewelers around the world.
Subscriptions are free to jewelers in the USA and Canada,
and
only $40 per year for overseas delivery.
To subscribe go to http://www.BWSimon.com/BENCH
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<> <> <> <> <> FEATURE ARTICLE <> <> <> <> <>
TAKE-IN NOT TAKEN - Part 3
By Bradney W. Simon CMBJ
Go into your store and gather all of the job envelopes with
customer’s jewelry. All the envelopes in the shop waiting to be
worked on, and all the envelopes with the jobs finished waiting to
be picked up by the customer. Then get a large box. Place all
the jewelry from the envelopes into the box and shake it up. Not
too much, you do not want to damage any of the jewelry! Next,
take the jewelry out of the box and return it to its correct
envelope.
I really do not want you to do this, but I want you to think about
this. If you did do it, could you get the jewelry back into the right
envelope? If you can not do it from the description you wrote on
the envelope, how do you expect your jeweler to do it?
Your jeweler does this everyday. They work on the jewelry, and
place it into the cleaner. Then with the description written on the
envelope they have to place it back into the correct envelope.
Your jeweler may work on 20 to 30 pieces of jewelry a day, and it
is impossible to put the jewelry back into the correct envelope
without an accurate description on the envelope.
Your description should include:
Jewelry (Type)
In general terms describe the piece of jewelry: ladies or gents,
ring, chain, bracelet, earrings, pin, pendant, or watch.
Metal
Describe metal by referencing its color only (e.g. write yellow, not
gold), noting the presence, and wording of any quality stamps
(e.g. write stamped 14k, not 14k gold). If you identify an item as
gold-filled or plated, notify the customer, and if they want the
repair to proceed, write test as gold-filled or test as plated.
Stones
Describe a stone by Color, Size, Shape, and Condition only;
NEVER write what you think the name of the stone is on the
envelope. However, identify items on the envelope that test as
lower quality than what they represent. When, for example you
identify a cubic zirconia, write on the envelope: test as CZ not
clear stone. If your tests show the stone to be synthetic or
imitation and the customer agrees to the repair, state your
findings on the envelope. Otherwise, follow standard industry
procedures and limit the description to color, shape, and size.
Note any chips, abrasions, and/or inclusions. To further identify
large or expensive stones, stamp the back of the envelope and
the receipt with a rubber stamp of the shape of the stone. Plot
on the diagram all inclusions and chips.
Condition
Based on your inspection, note the condition of the item: wear,
damage, prior repairs, and all factors that affect the value of the
item; the potential for damage claims; and the ability to repair it
successfully.
In addition, list any unusual features or factors the bench jeweler
should know or the record should show. If, for example, you
have recommended a repair (retipping worn prongs, for
example) and the customer declines that recommendation, write
it here. If the customer then returns demanding a new stone
because the stone fell out of the mounting you repaired, you
have proof that you saw worn prongs, warned of the danger, and
repair options were declined.
Instructions
Clearly, specifically, and completely write the repair instructions
in terms the bench jeweler understands. You want to eliminate
confusing, incomplete, or inaccurate instructions and with them
the chance of unacceptable or unwanted repairs. Do not write
Please Fix or Solder. State exactly what the customer wants
repaired.
Ring Sizing
When recording sizing instructions, also measure and record the
shank’s width and thickness to the tenth of a millimeter. For
example, shank 1.6mm thick, 2.7mm wide. This protects you if
the customer says that sizing thinned the shank too much; you
can measure the shank and show it is the same size as when
taken in.
Retipping
When taking in jewelry for re-tipping, do not just write “Retip
Prongs”. Be specific, state the number of prongs to be retipped
and designate them on a simply drawn diagram. Draw a sketch
of circles for the stones and a line for the prongs that need to be
retipped. Do not draw any prongs that do not need work.
Chain Repair
When taking in a broken chain for repair, first measure and
record to the nearest eighth of an inch the total length of all
pieces of the chain. If its length is only 10 or 12 inches, you
know and should tell the customer that a piece of chain is
missing.
Next, measure (again to the nearest eighth of an inch) and
record the length from the clasp of the chain to the break. If the
customer brings the chain in again, this record shows if the chain
has broken in the repaired spot, or if it is a new break.
Estimates
Always give the customer an estimate of routine repair work
when the jewelry is left. This allows the customer to decide
whether or not to have the repair done before you begin doing it.
If the price is to high, you can work with the customer to modify
the amount of work to be done until it meets their budget.
For common repairs, all salespeople performing take-ins should
know how to use the store’s price sheet to calculate total
estimates.
On unusual repairs, make a notation for an estimate on the
envelope. All salespeople need to use the same procedure.
Then the bench jeweler will not overlook the notation. A good
practice is to use a red pen and write out the word ESTIMATE
across the top of the envelope. Prepare the estimate and notify
the customer with the estimate as soon as possible.
A story is told about a young couple who had their first baby.
Soon after the baby was born, the father stayed home with the
baby by himself. When the mother returned she was greeted at
the door of their house with a horrendous odor. “Could you not
change the baby’s diaper,” she demanded of her husband. He
assured her that he had thought he should, and even started to
do it. “But” he explained, “The box states that the diaper holds
up to 12 pounds!”
Often a bench jeweler feels the same frustration trying to
understand instructions on the job envelopes, as this new father
experienced reading the diaper box.
Do not let this happen
to you! Properly examining the
jewelry
and filling out the
envelope will make your shop more efficient.
Your Bench Jewelers
will become more productive and the
store’s liability will
be decreased. In addition, your
image as a
professional jeweler
will be enhanced.
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<> <> <> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <> <> <> <>
In order to succeed, you must know what you are doing, like
what you are doing, and believe in what you are doing.
Will Rogers
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<> <> <> <> <> LASER LESSON <> <> <> <> <>
Provided by B. Staley, Goldsmiths/Precision Laser Welding
bstaley2@bellsouth.net 1.877.535.9938
HOLDING SMALL PARTS
by Bob Staley
Use a piece of bee’s wax to hold small parts when Laser
Welding.
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<> <> <> <> QUOTE WORTH RE-QUOTING <> <> <> <>
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will
soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they
will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
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<> <> <> <> <> GERRY’S GEMZ <> <> <> <> <>
Stone setting tips from Gemz Diamond Setting
http://www.gemzdiamondsetting.com/index.html
CHANNEL SETTING
by Gerald N. Lewy
If I have to hammer secure a channel-set stone, I do not do the
hammering while holding the ring in a wooden clamp. I find that
the wooden holder absorbs the downward force. A better
approach is to place the ring on a steel mandrel. On the steel
mandrel, the hammering is total and the movement of the gold
onto the diamond/stone is more definite. You can apply more
downward force with less repetitive hammering motions.
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<> <> <> <> <> SILVER SPONSORS <> <> <> <> <>
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http://www.sefindings.com
< < < < < <> > > > > >
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<> <> <> Bench Jeweler Discussion Channel <> <> <>
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< < < < < <> > > > > >
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<> <> <> <> <> Thank You for Reading <> <> <> <> <>
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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
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assistance is required,
the services of a competent professional person
should be
sought.
< < < < < <> > > > > >
For editorial suggestions, comments, ideas or
requests,
please send an E-Mail to Bradney W. Simon
mailto:Brad@BWSimon.com
Copyrighted, 2001, B W Simon. All rights reserved.
B W Simon
1066 Hopkins St.
Spartanburg, SC
29307
864-921-0827
http://www.BWSimon.com
< < < < < <> > > > > >