E-BENCH Volume 2 Issue 5

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> E-BENCH <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

A New Method of Learning in a New Millennium

May 2001
Volume 2 Issue 5 circulation over 1,000

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<> <> <> <> ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER <> <> <> <>

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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
and more productive

ON THE BENCH

Learn a new technique or brush up on basic skills with this
feature article.

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<> <> RUN YOUR SHOP WITHOUT IT RUNNING YOU <> <>

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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software will enable jewelers to computerize their process.

Impact Repairware features repair location tracking, parts and

inventory database, customer database, special occasion

tracking and a variety of reports. It is available in single user or

multi user and features a watch repair and jewelry repair form.

Impact Repairware can be used to provide estimates, appraisals

and receipts.

For more information or to receive a FREE trial disk, visit us at

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Impact – For All Your Jewelry Store Form Needs

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<> <> <> <> QUOTES WORTH RE-QUOTING <> <> <> <>

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;
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

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HAVE YOU INVENTED A NEW PRODUCT
OR INNOVATIVE IDEA?

Now you can have it evaluated by professional marketing

experts.

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Worldwide Gem and Jewelry Industries, is now offering its

unique NEW PRODUCT EVALUATION (NPE) directly to bench

jewelers and independent retailers.

MVI’s NPE will review your innovation in complete confidence

and provide you with a report, honestly evaluating its commercial

potential and marketing options.

MVI is the only business consulting organization working

exclusively in the worldwide gem and jewelry industries. For

more information about MVI’s New Product Evaluation visit us at

www.mvimarketing.com or email us at info@mvimarketing.com

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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

http://www.revereacademy.com/

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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<> <> <> <> <> TRADE SECRETS <> <> <> <> <>

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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Machines and Medium Frequency Induction Melters.

CEIA Ultrasonics are designed using the latest technologies.

The high efficiency of the generator and the absence of moving

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Call us for a free trial.

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CEIA USA

Tel: 609-631-8802

Email: jbruns@ceia-usa.com Web Page http://www.ceia.net

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<> <> <> <> <> ON THE BENCH <> <> <> <> <> <>

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
time between checking for tightness.

2. Careless tapping will cause the rail to collapse or break off
creating needless repairs.

3. Excessive tapping will sink the stone causing the girdle to
catch under the rail, again causing needless repairs.

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
bud bur. Do not remove anything more than the broken rail.

3. Refit the diamond and check for obstructions.

4. Create a new rail using platinum. I cut a knurl from a piece of
sizing stock using a blade of a knife or graver. Cut a piece long
enough to fit into the full length of the groove of the diamond.
You could take the easy way out and use a piece of platinum
wire approximately 30 to 36 gauge. It needs to be small enough
to fit inside the groove on the diamond.

5. Glue the platinum wire in the groove using cyanoacrylate
adhesive. When the glue has dried trim the wire for a clean fit.

6. Test fit the diamond, trim the setting if necessary for the stone
to fit level do not remove any more metal than is necessary. The
platinum wire must make contact with the setting.

7. Remove the stone and clean the piece by steaming. Inject the
area where the diamond will sit with 14k white gold paste solder.

8. Insert the diamond; excess solder will ooze out around the
diamond. I hold the diamond in place with the tweezer side of a
pair of head shank tweezers this keeps it from shifting during the
heating process. Remove all excess solder from the top of the
setting. Use a toothpick if necessary to get between all the diamonds.

9. Flip the mounting over and inject more solder into the azure.
Remove any excess from the outer edges.

10. The moment the stone becomes hot the cyanoacrylate
adhesive evaporates with no trace of oxidation

11. Apply a coating of boric acid solution and heat the area from
the top and inside of the shank until the solder flows. Do not
overheat.

12. The solder flows and makes the bond with the new platinum
rail and the mounting completing the repair

13. If done properly the diamond should look no different than
the others except from the underside, the azured area will be
slightly misshapen from the excess solder.

Sizing An Invisible Set Ring

The most important thing to keep in mind is you cannot bend the
part of the ring that holds the diamonds. If the rails are bent, the
setting is destroyed. No repairs are possible if a conventional
sizing method is used.

1. To properly size an invisible set mounting down you must prep
the shank by sawing darts into the shoulders approximately
seven eighths of the way through just below the settings.

2. Remove a piece to reduce the finger size: for example 1size =
2.45mm most ring styles can be sized down, up to 11/2 sizes
any farther will leave the shank so far out of round it will not fit
comfortably.

3. Using your fingers or a pair of ring benders close the shank
by bending at the darts.

4. Solder the joint and solder closed the darts file, sand, polish
and buff.

5. Do not pull the ring on a mandrel to round out the shank. This
will defeat the purpose of the darts. Yes, the ring will be left out
of round to some degree depending on how far down you size
the shank.

Note: make sure all employees are aware of this; especially the
people who do quality control checks if they try to round the ring
while checking the finger size, the invisible settings will be
damaged.

Sizing Rings Up

1. Follow step 1 above, by sawing darts 7/8's the way through
the shank.

2. Cut the shank at the back and bend the shank at the darts to
equally open the shank to add the sizing piece. Most styles can
be sized up as much as 11/2 sizes.

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
adding the piece the shank will only be slightly out of round.

Platinum mountings cannot be sized using this method due to
the proximity of the diamonds. The only exception to this is if
you are sizing a platinum ring that has gold applications on the
shoulders where the dart seam can be hidden.

Robert Gravley is Atlanta Shop Foreman for the Shane Co

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<> <> <> <> <> SILVER SPONSORS <> <> <> <> <>

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Jewelry Dealers World Trade Net

http://www.jdwtn.com/

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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
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sought.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For editorial suggestions, comments, ideas or requests,
please send an E-Mail to Bradney W. Simon
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B W Simon
1066 Hopkins St.
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864-921-0827
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