Economics of casting

Jewelry Discussion
21

Hi Bob,

WHOOOOOOAAAAAA THERE! Casting is JUST a “mechanical part of
making jewelry”! If that statement is true than that also applies
to channel setting, pave’, bead setting, soldering, et al! “This
ain’t brain surgery!” In fact, the old adage, attributed to
Thomas Edison, was never more applicable : “Genius is 1%
inspiration and 99% perspiration”. I happen to agree with your
statement but I also figure if this is so easy, then why aren’t
every Tom, Dick and Mary making their own wedding rings,
engagement rings, and upper right 1st pre-molars(#5)? Casting,
just as any other skill takes time to learn, and is part of a
repertoire of skills mastered and melded by an artisan(a totally
sex neutral description of a profession :slight_smile: Actually this is done
by a craftsmann ( the ’ mann’, double n used on the second word of
the compound word is of German origin and means person but than
again so is the single n version but that hasn’t stopped the
politically correct in the past), the artisan is the one who has
mastered the skills, puts in the 99% perspiration and has the
talent to add that 1% inspiration. Two hundred % perspiration
cannot replace that 1% of inspiration. I am an artisan in dental
restorations and a craftsmann in jewelry.

Regards,

Skip

                                  Skip Meister
                                NRA Endowment and
                                   Instructor
                                @Skip_Meister
                                04/19/9812:41:30
22

Brett- How can you be reached to do casting? Where are you located?

Janet B.

23

Aloha, Casting is an art,not a trade.Everyone thinks it is,just a
service,but if the person has no concept,or doesn’t have a clue.The
wax will resemble their inabilities.We have done casting and design
work for over 25 years,(artists)some don’t know about,what will
work,center of gravity,spruing,or other things that will make
them(or the caster)look bad(to clean my limited vocabulary_).People
can not work wonders with bad designs(casting) or bad art(for
CAD/CAM).Learn the basics or leave the people that can,Alone(tired
of cleaning other peoples bad work).If you want to any way(pay for
your mistakes,don’t assume we will do it for you).Just my humble
opinion(with cause).

Aloha, Christian Grunewald Hawaii

P.S. Buy a NeyCraft spin caster and oven,and go for it.If you
get big, buy a bigger oven(gas)and a Yasui induction unit,and a
finishing system(magnetic tumbler or Centifrugal Disk).Enjoy,Life
is short!!!

24

Hi Eddie Colbeth, I agree with you and those others who have
posted about casting vs handmaking.

There is a clear difference between the individually hand-crafted
article and the mass-produced casting. However, if I individually
hand-carve a wax piece so that I can achieve a shape or thickness
that would be difficult to hand-craft in metal then have it cast
directly into the final piece, I believe that what I’m doing is
simply using another valuable technique in the jeweller’s
tradition. Likewise, if I use a hand-carved wax, have it cast in
metal then embellish it with hand-crafted design elements.

Of course there is a place for both hand-crafted, individually
designed jewellery and mass-production casting - but it seems
simply unethical to pass off totally mass-produced items as
hand-crafted, no matter how the original model was made.

I quickly add that I do not do my own casting. A brief foray into
that area of expertise 25 years ago quickly convinced me that
lost-wax casting was something best done by experts. I have been
happy to let my experts do my casting which leaves me free to do
what I love best - designing and hand-crafting.

Regards, Rex from Oz

25

As I understood this question it was about art/craft shows as a
venue to sell, not the benefits, acceptability or creativity of the
art/design produced by casting. That said, all my responses are
based on that perspective alone.

As long as you create the wax and do the finishing I think you
are safe to call your work handmade.  What I have a problem with
is when jewelry artists make a mold and cast hundreds of the same
thing and call it art. 

So what would a quantity limitation for "art" be?  10?  25? 50?
100? Rembrandts are still considered art, even though any home in
America could have a copy.  Seriously, I'd like to hear what you
think.

Its not that it isn’t art, its that a fine art/craft show is a
specific outlet for handmade original work by artists. Many of the
top shows only allow two dimensional artists to sell their original
work – no prints allowed. When people come to the shows with
hundreds of the same thing, they are production jewelers and there
are better venues other than art/craft shows for marketing this
type work.

Again, it has nothing to do with the quality, craftsmanship, or
originality of the work. It has to do with the intent of the show.
(And of course, no matter where its sold if the quality and
craftsmanship isn’t good the jeweler won’t be in business for
long).

   Everyone to their own opinion....... mine being that casting
and fabricating   complement each other.  I can't see how
any of us can say that fabricating is  the only way or
that casting is the only way.

Don’t think anyone did say that, certainly not me. They do
compliment each other!

As to the specific number that makes it a production run, I’m not
sure what that is, but what my mind pictures are booths full of
trays with the same bracelet, earring, etc. These booths are
usually also jammed with buyers who want “a deal” and sometimes
offer less than 50% of what is already a fair price. To my mind
these a flea market buyers and they are an insult to the artist who
created the work, but for some reason they think that since there
are lots of duplicates they should get it for less. Another reason
for production jewelers to market through galleries, shops and
stores rather than art/craft shows.

BTW, one of my summer projects is to start learning the casting
process so I can add this to my skill base. I have a friend who
recently joined Orchid that does fantastic cast work along with
his fabrication. So just in case anyone misunderstood my intent on
this topic – I think cast work is great, but 200 dolphin, starfish
or palm tree charms soldered to earrings, bracelets, etc is not art
jewelry and is better marketed elsewhere than art/craft shows.

Nancy
Bacliff, Texas Gulf Coast USA

26 
  I would think that 25 or 50 would be a gracious plenty for any
one casting.  They could be numbered and signed, just like
paintings.

Anne,

Ok, I’ll buy that. When I do limited editions, I print up and
sign these little certificates showing their date and number.

Tammi

27 
  As long as you create the wax and do the finishing I think you
are safe to call your work handmade.  What I have a problem with
is when jewelry artists make a mold and cast hundreds of the
same thing and call it art.

My point here was not to say that mass production is bad. My
point is that it then becomes manufactured jewelry and should be
marketed in the appropriate venue, rather than at an art fair.
Those artists doing one of a kind work can’t compete with mass
production. Without art fairs and galleries that show only one of
a kind pieces there would soon be none of this kind of work
available. We would all be in the business of designing for the
industry. We all use some manufactured components such as sheet
metal or stones that are cut by someone else. We transform these
things into the final work of art. Casting is a perfectly good
means of creating art. When you cast multiples it becomes
manufactured jewelry, no matter how fabulous the original design
is. - Deb

28 
 I have been happy to let my experts do my casting which leaves
me free to do what I love best - designing and hand-crafting.

So, Rex from Oz, what’s your idea of “mass produced” as opposed to
“handcrafted” castings from your designs?

29

Tammi,

I don’t really have the perfect answer for you. I would say
that the original is the art and anything else is a copy. Some
shows allow limited editions of up to 500 to be sold as art.
Most jewelers don’t number their copies so the editions are not
limited. In my mind this just becomes manufactured jewelry, with
little difference from department store jewelry. Someone, at
some point has designed everything we use or see that is made by
humans. I don’t believe that all of these things are art.
Defining what is art is a very personal thing. For me, art has
to have content to be meaningful. I don’t see all jewelry as
art, not even all of my own. I am quite sure that there are
those whose definitions of art are broader than mine and those
whose definitions are narrower than mine. It is certainly a
topic that can ignite some fiery discussion…

Artfully,
Deb

30

Deb, the same is true of a hand fabricated piece that is made over
and over again. It’s not the medium, it’s the multiple.

Eddie

31

Deb, I spent a whole semester in a class called Philosophy of Art,
trying to define “What is Art,” it just couldn’t be done, in broad
terms. If somebody thinks it’s art it is. I’m sure if we had a
couple of years to kill we could come up with something that almost
worked!

Contemplatively,
Eddie

32 
  When people come to the shows with hundreds of the same thing,
they are production jewelers and  there are better venues other
than art/craft shows for marketing this type work.

I agree . . . and often wonder why these are allowed in the
ART/Craft shows - IN MY OPINION, they would do much better at the
wholesale shows where there are many retailers who would be more
than willing to buy the beautiful items in large amounts.

33 
 Of course there is a place for both hand-crafted, individually
designed jewellery and mass-production casting

Many of the silversmiths I know what to mass produce their hand
crafted ( hand made, self designed) items . . . because they are
trying to make a living rather than just having a hobby. Silver
doesn’t bring much in our area . . . so pieces are usually under
$100 - most are between $20 and $30. Gee, I think we all wish we
could afford to do the same in GOLD.

34 
    Deb, the same is true of a hand fabricated piece that is
made over and over again.  It's not the medium, it's the
multiple.

Yes, yes, yes! Except I can’t imagine anyone who would make the
same thing over and over again by fabricating it. What a bore it
would be.

Nancy
ICQ # 9472643
Bacliff, Texas Gulf Coast USA

35

Dear Elaine,

I too am fascinated about the philosophical underpinnings to this
series of posts. It is making me very aware of the cultural
differences and thinking about jewellery making. There is some
equally fascinating enculturation about training, learning,and
education. The common denominator - on Orchid - seems to be
generosity. Regards, Rex from Oz

36

Dear Tamrabint, I’m not quite sure what you want to know. I hope
the following helps.

As far as my practice is concerned, there is no "opposition"
between what I send out to be cast by my good friend the expert
caster, and what I handcraft because they are two entirely
different processes.

As far as the economics of Rex Steele Merten Pty Ltd are
concerned, it makes good sense to carve, say, a solid, very heavy
signet ring into a one piece wax model and have that cast in 18ct
yellow gold rather than to fabricate it out of 18ct stock plate
and heavy gauge wire with all the resultant loss in lemel and
scrap.

I only make individual pieces for individual clients these days.
When I carve that wax signet ring it is a “one off” and of course
my lovingly and carefully carved wax vanishes in the burn-out to
be replaced by 18ct yellow gold. There won’t be another one just
like it.

As for my idea of mass produced, the other Orchidists have
pretty well covered that territory and I agree generally with
what’s been posted. If really pressed, I’d suggest that a cast
run of twenty or more of exactly the same design would be mass
production for a jewellery item. I agree with Deb of DK Jewelery,
although I liked Tammi and Anne’s notion of signed and/or
numbered pieces with an accompanying certificate. Does that help?
Regards, Rex from Oz.

37

Hi Eddie; Art to me is what lifts the spirit ,nourishes the heart
and is not necessary for a minimal,animal like existance… If you
like it then carve it into stone… haha… Take care and may the
source of your art , never run dry… Robert L Powell at
@rlpowell

38

I met a woman from Maine who, with the exception of some
prestamped sheets(her design), did the whole thing by hand in her
garage with some part time help. All hand fabricated in a
production line sort of way.

Eddie

39

Ruth: We don’t have a line of our own, all of our work is for
others. This is the first thing that you should look for in a
contractor. What kinds of problems are you having with your
castings?

Brett
Freedom Design and Contracting