I am writing as a response to a person asking about a school or
class in their area, as well as to address some other questions. A
short time ago someone inquired about some rings that were marred
(safest way to re-polish) after someone had set them. A reply was;
why didn’t he set them himself, as this is something they need to
learn. The answer, no one ever showed him how. Then there is the
reoccurring question, “how do I get started.” Here is a list of
resources where you can get some answers. These range from getting
instructions, formally and otherwise, to stuff for the do it
yourselfer, and a few others.
Precious metal clay: PMC Guild http://www.pmcguild.com
Society of American Silversmiths: this site has a wealth of
see also, classes both for degrees and certificates,
they have a list, and those to improve skills, workshop, and shoptalk
etc. http://www.silversmithing.com
Society of North American Goldsmiths http://www.snagmetalsmith.org
Jewelry Trade Schools - U.S
http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/links3.cfm
Correspondence study: Ashworth University (accredited)
http://www.pcdi.com/courses/jw
The art of diamond cutting http://jewelry.balances.com
American Institute of Diamond Cutting
REFERENCE
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/diamonds/sorting.html
http://www.birdamlasu.com/gemology.htm
FIRE AGATE, STUNNING
See why Don Clark, president of IGS, likes this stone so much.
http://fireagate.com
http://www.bovagems.com/eclectic/HTML/19980901_9809FIREAG.html
BASIC SIVERSMITHING
You may be surprised at how little with careful shopping and some
imagination you can get by with. The second link is a list of the
minimal amount of tools needed. The purpose of this is of course to
buy his CD course, some have sworn by it, and have even thought of
getting one myself, although I have been at it for some time.
http://www.silverspiderforge.com/silversmithing.html
READING
Great articles, http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/home.htm Brief History
of Heat: Heat treatment of ruby & sapphire
http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/brief-history-heat.htm Bench Magazine
http://www.ganoksin.com
http://www.bwsimon.com/bench
FOR THE DO IT YOURSELFERS
This fist one is a very interesting site. If nothing else see what’s
in the “business case” (non-lapidary) some of which is quite
interesting. Dr. Wykoff is a world respected authority, those, if you
make one will work as advertised, may not be an equivalent for a
Genie, or John Rolf’s latest. However Rolf on building the J2,
discussed later. “The Base is straightforward, and will be built
first. If you decide to stop when you are finished with the base, you
can always build the faceting head and mast assembly later on if you
want, and buy Wykoff’s “Calibrated Jam Peg”, and with skill and
practice, probably turn out better stones than I do, and still be far
ahead in cost.” Instructions on the Calibrated Jam Peg include where
to get a power base. Or building your own, using parts you can get
from Harbor Freight etc., that do not require as much skill as the
Rolf model. (As well, in another CD, plans for making a four-station
cabbing unit.)
http://www.thegemconnection.com
Need a tumbler?
http://www.acc.umu.se/~widmark/lwtrumla.html
Vibratory tumbler plans (in addition to all kinds of other things).
See homemade brass tumbler http://www.buildgear.cjb.net/ Flat lap
grinder plans, cost $ 0.00
http://www.hisglassworks.com/cart/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=125
Homemade lapidary equipment http://www.agatehouse.co.uk/lapid1.htm
How To Build Lapidary Equipment, plans
http://www.autodidactics.com/therock.htm
Plans to make lapidary equipment, tells you the magazine and date
etc. of where to find them (in back issues, many can be ordered from
said magazine, or write, see next PM below.)
Popular Mechanics, “Make Your Own Gemstone Faceting Machine,”
(hobbies) February 1971. The link for downloading this is no longer
available. However, I wrote to Popular Mechanics, "Yes, they can
email this address for old articles. However they must identify the
exact month and date of the issue in which the article appeared. From
the editor, “I’m sorry, but we no longer keep the separate plans from
old issues; the only thing we can provide is a copy of the article as
it appeared in the print magazine.” All critical dimensions are
included (blue print specs.), a parts list etc. are not. (Go to the
next, gerarloose, building the J2, it will tell you where to get
those kinds of parts, bearings and gears etc. the bore for where a
bearing fits etc may have to be slightly changed, anyway as I don’t
think “Boston,” the source still exists other parts have to be
substituted anyway.) The beauty of this is that, it was designed, to
be built by the “average Joe.” Some high schools have classes that
adults can take, woodworking etc., if one dose and has a metal shop
anyone with the intelligence shown by people towards getting involved
in this, jewelry making, can easily build one.
PopularMechanics@hearst.com
Last but not least are plans to build a Cadillac class faceting
machine, the J2. http://www.gearloose.com/newgem.html
FACETING TIPS
http://www.theimage.com/faceting
http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/gem_designs/article_index.html
http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/gem_designs/laplap.html
Here is a lap that on the US faceting guild list is being raved
about. http://www.lightninglap.com
ONE OTHER
This is a super site, if you can’t find it here or a link (and do
visit the links of all) or what is mentioned above, the chance are
it may not exist. (Great source through the links to materials, i.e.
dealers.) This person is not selling anything, therefor links to
books, videos, gems and rough will open to another’s site.