Bench Tips from Alan Revere
Green Jewelry Tips
Bench Tips from Alan Revere
Finding Lost Items in the Ultrasonic
Sometimes things get lost in the ultrasonic; a small item drops out of the basket or a stone falls out of its setting, etc. It is difficult to fish it out because it the piece is too small to grab with tweezers and the solution is too hot to put your hand into. Try using a paint brush to sweep along the floor until you feel it and then sweep it up the sides until you can grab it. By the way, NEVER put your hand into an ultrasonic that is vibrating. It damages your nerves!!!
Finding the Right File
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.
Finding pieces of solder
When you first get a new piece of sheet solder, color code it. Use Sharpie® permanent marking pens to completely cover both sides: red for hard, black for medium and blue for easy. Then when you cut snippets you can easily locate them if they drop into your tray as well as identify their melting temperature. The ink disappears without a trace when heated during soldering. Do this on all your solders; color coding wire solder and even tubes of paste solder.
Finding a Lost Diamond
Ocassionaly a diamond falls on the floor and you cannot find it. In that case, turn off the lights and use a flashlight to spot it.
Binding Wire
- Always double it over and twist it for added strength and elasticity.
- Make a nest of it to raise work off of the solder pad for more uniform heating.
- Make a tripod of binding wire with three legs, to allow torch access from below.
- Tighten binding wire with a two step process to avoid breaking it: After grabbing a few millimeters away from the work, pull the wire gently out, then as you relax the pressure, twist to tighten. Repeat as needed.
Finding the Right Size Tool
The general rule is to use the largest tool possible for:
- Files
- Burs
- Sanding Sticks
- Mandrels
Prevent Looking for a Stone in the Ultrasonic
If you have a piece with loose stones, put the piece in a ziplock bag before you put it in the ultrasonic. The vibration may shake the stone loose, but it will be easy to find in the ziplock bag.
Green Jewelry Tips
Call Your Suppliers
Part of the impact your jewelry making has on the planet is daily operations in your studio. However, an even larger impact starts with the daily operations of your suppliers. Do you know where the metal you use in your studio comes from? Do you purchase recycled metal? How can you find out?
The best way to find out where the metal you are purchasing comes from is to call your suppliers and ask. Tell them that you want to purchase 100% recycled or sustainably/responsibly sourced metal and gemstones. While you are at it, tell them you want them to reduce their packaging and switch to recycled or returnable packing materials.
More and more suppliers are making the shift to recycled metals because their customers demand it. All metal purchased from Hoover & Strong is 100% recycled. All sterling casting grain and sterling jewelry products cast in house at Rio Grande are 100% recycled. However, not all Rio Grande mill products are made from recycled metal.
The next time you call your suppliers to place an order, ask about the products before you purchase. Where do they come from? Is the metal recycled? Are the gemstones responsibly sourced and processed without using child labor or under sweatshop conditions? What have they done to lessen the environmental impact of their packing materials? Ask them to see copies of their fair-trade, social and environmental policies. Then ask them which products are made in a manner that supports these policies. If no such policies exist, encourage them to develop responsible practices and follow them in all their sourcing. If a supplier can’t back up its practices, consider switching to one that can.
In order to make jewelry in a responsible way, each of us must take extra care to be sure the materials we purchase reflect ethical values.
Recycle Your Lubricant
Many jewelers use Bur Life® or Stay Sharp®, a non-toxic, odorless lubricant for burs and saw blades, available from Otto Frei. These push-up style cakes of lubricant become difficult to handle when the lubricant is almost gone, which might cause some jewelers to toss them before they have made full use of the package contents. Instead of throwing out the unused portions, save them! When you have several, microwave one container for just a few seconds, until the lubricant becomes clear and liquid. Be careful not to touch the hot liquid as you pour it into another container that you have saved. Continue to do this with all of your “almost empties” and let the full container cool. Voila! You have a container of recycled lubricant that is just as good as new!