An Observation

As I read through the posting of questions and advice given. I
am constantly reminded of my comments to high school students. I
genuinely believed that if someone had a problem, at least
three more out of a group of twenty would have that same
difficulty. In my fumbling efforts at jewelry crafts, I find I
am continually dropping stones, settings and findings. I spend
hours searching under and around the bench for them. Some I have
yet to find! It defies the laws of physics the distance some
objects can bounce away. Now on the forum I see many have this
problem and are trying to ease it with floor covering choices and
so forth. I no longer feel so uniquely stupid! There have been
numerous other similar commonalities to my problems. If no one
ever answered a question of mine, it would still be so worthwhile
to read through the postings each day. I feel I know so many of
you that respond so eloquently and with such empathy.

Thanks for sharing
Bob B

The other day, my wife came up with a household hint that she
read or saw on tv that suggested a better way to find dropped
contact lenses. I think it might work for stones, etc., as well.

Take a nylon stocking, and stretch it over the intake of a
vacuum hose or a hand-held vac. Vacuum to find the lens (or
stone) the power of the vacuum will pick up the small object,
and the stocking will keep it from being sucked up. Retrieve
the object from the front of the stocking.

Hey, it might work!

<> Marrin T. Fleet <>
<> MFleet@cc.memphis.edu <>
<> SCT Corp. in adminstration of: <>
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Bob

We still learn new stuff i have 25years of full time jewlry work
and i still Do not know it all the way to learn is to ask ask and
ask till you find out And you will can pass it on to help a
fellow jeweler out sometime good luck

Ps i was lucky i had old jeweler that took time to show me and
work with me Most of us learn from books but on the job is the
best. Try to find a jeweler A pro that well give you some tips

                           jack

Wonderful idea–can’t wait to try it ElegantBee

I have the same problem. I think the little people who steal
pencils must also have a wonderful collection of tiny bezels and
They probably graduated from making socks disappear
from washing machines. Even some of my small tools like
tweezers disappear after they are dropped. I’ve gotten all kinds
of useful informaton from AM and look forward to it!
Sandra/ElegantBee

I keep a flashlight handy. If something’s fallen, I put the
flashlight on the floor and shine the beam across the surfaces.
Even specks of dust stand out in high relief - Dana Carlson

I think the little people who steal pencils must also have a wonderful
collection of tiny bezels and They probably graduated from making
socks disappear from washing machines. Even some of my small tools like
tweezers disappear after they are dropped.

Hi Sandra,

Here in Europe, we have got two more possible explanations for
this phenomenon: 1) Murphy’s Law 2) little moving black holes
(wonder who sits on the other side)

regards, Markus

// – E-N-D O-F P-O-S-T-I-N-G --//

Hi Sandra,

I have sacrificed many things to the melee god on his alter (the
bench) the low alter (the floor) and even the high alter
(florescent light fixtures). I’ve even had experience with one
of Markus black holes (open window on the seventh floor). By the
time we figured out what happened rushed down the elevator to
Woodward Ave. (main drag in downtown Detroit). I sure the guy
who found it was quite astonished to our chagrin. Luckily it
was only a half finished casting. Oh well.

One thing that may help you sort out large area normally covered
when looking for stones, etc. Is to sweep the floor, bench pan,
bench top, or what ever and then take this and put it though a
sieve over a sheet of white paper. I make my sieves out of small
metal medicine box by drilling holes slightly smaller than the
smallest diamond we use. This gets rid of the dust, metal
shavings, or grit. Spread out the dust over the whole sheet of
paper by the way you sive so as to make the thinnest layer of
dust. Even if a diamond manages to get though it will be a
round object in field of things that are not. After going through
the dust set it aside by slightly folding the paper in half and
pouring off the dust in to a pile. Take the larger objects and
again spread then out over the hole sheet of paper. Again anthing
round, strait, or simply manufactured will stand out. I’m sure
all the old hands know this but it should make things a lot
better for the new jewellers. Jim alpine@hay.net

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Hi Markus–I love the little black holes explanation. Anyone
got any others for why all the little things we drop disappear
almost immediately? Sandra

Jim-Thanks for the helpful suggestions. Sometimes I take a
large flashlight and stand it on the floor so the beam can sweep
the floor and turn it slowly. It will light up small objects and
differentiate them from dust etc. I’ve also noticed that small
objects seem to be able to jump great distances, and when I’m
really lucky will find them in some other part of the room.
Mostly though. they just disappear. Sandra

Hi Markus–I love the little black holes explanation. Anyone
got any others for why all the little things we drop disappear
almost immediately? Sandra

I always thought there is a direct connection to the Bermuda
Triangle under my bench.

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

Sometimes it’s strange where the little devil leaves the stuff
when it’s done with it.I once found a bracelet on the hook for a
flex-shaft,across the room.I also found a ring in a vase in a
cabnet that was closed.Both had been tossed by the pollishing
motor.

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With regard to the big black holes.

I was working for a retail jeweller 11 years ago, when someone
came in to purchase a ring. They handed me a ring of theirs to
take the size from. I accidentally dropped it. I listened out to
hear it hit the floor, but it did not. I spent the next 5 minutes
searching the floor. It was really embarrassing. Eventually I
found it in my turn ups in my trousers.

Now whenever I drop something and it doesn’t land in my apron, I
immediately look in the turn ups.

Its amazing what gets caught there.

Andrew

Andrew Berry Jewellery
St Dunstan House
Ystrad Mynach
Caerphilly
South Wales
United Kingdom
CF82 7AD

Fax (01443) 815555


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You know I think its more like when you’re concentrating on
doing jewelery work you create this electromagnetic field around
your body that reduces gravity near your feet. You don’t notice
it, but if anything falls and hits the floor it bounces 12 times
higher,farther, because of the lowered gravity field. If there’s
any crystals in the room (amethyst, quartz, table salt) this
field is amplified another 12 times and the bounce gains added
energy resulting in near warp speed. Of course if you happen to
curse at the same time, the vocal vibrations WILL induce warp
speed in the flying objects and then they vanish into the next
dimension. Psychics have told me that people in the next
dimension are frequently killed by speeding jump rings, small
stones and various chunks of precious metals. You can’t win. If
you do find the fallen object it means you weren’t really
concentrating on your work…Dave
http://www.opendoor.com/stephensdesign/crystalguy.html Crystalguy
Art Jewelry, Magical Art Jewelry for the Enlightened Mind

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since you asked… I believe it’s the little people; the old
Gods; arvacious elementals; and I concur with Markus - there are
moving black holes.

Next time you lose something and can’t find it, before you look
in the last place left it could possibly be, ask for it’s return
and state what you’ll give to get it back. Money doesn’t work.
It could be your donating something you made (does not need to be
a diamond set in platnum, 2mm white topaz in silver is fine) to a
charity auction or the like, an hour or afternoon of your time
planting trees for arbor day or such, or maybe calling a local
school and volunteering for an appearance on career day - it
depends on you and where you live. Then you must leave the area

  • this is important - ‘they’ won’t do anything if you are
    watching, so go get coffee or an ice cream, and maybe put a wee
    saucer of milk outside (a bit of cookie wouldn’t hurt either)
    then when you return to look again you most likely will find it.
    Really. But you must keep your deal! If you don’t have time to
    spare, offer a couple of bucks to a charity. Oh, and if you’re
    losing a lot of pretties, make something bright and flashy and
    cheap that can be left out in sight for the wee ones.

Try it - ya never know…
Kat
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With regard to these black holes, I wish finding those flying
findings was as simple as finding those misplaced glasses (always
on top of one’s head) :wink:

<-- end of posting -->

Love it, love it! Y’know Dave, that’s probably why I never
find anything. I do my best cussin’ in Greek and that probably
locates a previously undiscovered dimension which should be under
the Swiss flag.

Nina

Nina - Silver Design, 9122 S. Federal Hwy, Suite 249,
Pt. St. Lucie, FL. 34952 : Toll Free:1-888-460-1800
URL: http://www.nina-sd.com : Email: @Nina

The only other reasoning for the dissapperance of small items is
the oldest one there is, namely “Gremlins”. I run both a jewlery
and a wood working shop and the bowls and other projects seem to
loose parts and/or vanish. If you bribe them with something
flashier or stranger they usually return the item in question.
In the most obviuse and overlooked spot of course.

Donald McFarlane
Delta Creations (@delta)

I propose that when every jeweler’s bench is manufactured, a
parallel universe is created to accompany it. They are designed
to fit neatly under the bench and chair for approximantly five
feet. There is also an unwritten rule that is firmly adhered to
that says these universes must vary so that no jeweler will
discover a means of access and tell other jewelers. Warning,
this is dangerous knowledge. If “they” find that you know this,
you may be sucked in also.

Marilyn Smith

I have discovered it’s actually gypsies who come in and steal
from you at the darnest times. And they can sneak up even when
you’re there! You turn your back for one moment, and Whoosh!
there goes the tool you just put down. They have even been known
to steal the threads out of hex nuts and off machine screws.
Small findings seem to be a speciality of these dread creatures.
I’ve set traps for them, but keep comming up empty. Oh well!
Penny