hi,
would anyone like to comment on gemvision’s digital goldsmith v5?
thanks,
bill
Hi Bill, it is absolutely amazing, so many additional things you can
do with it over the last version. I have been using this program for
ever, 1997, sold alot of jewelry with it, if you want to make it your
point of sale with all of your stones, you could do it so well. I
know many who use it just for that and now, you can couple with
Matrix and get your wax milled and cast and finished. Amazing. Just
need alot of practice.
Get to me off line and can tell you more. You are due for another
class down our way, anyway. all the best Dee
California Institute of Jewelry Training,
If you are experienced at designing on axis’ then its amazingly
simplified over other versions-particularly their other versions- If
you are leaning towards high tech an a small scale combined with a
small Nexus Laser (1600 bucks) or even a 3d printer like the cube -
which is all a jeweler really needs for one off pieces!)- or
printrobot (699 USD retail), the Ultimaker (900 bucks and best in
class for desktop manufacturing) any of the myriad of DIY 3d
printers and/or milling machines if you are going to cast in house -
or just to use at your shop counter with all of the client’s options
loaded in (so you aren’t schlepping trays of gems from vault to shop)
you can increase sales and save a bit of time).Even if you send your
casting out you can still increase sales or if you just do it all
hand fabricated by adding Foredom’s All Set master kit into your
hand tool arsenal will definitely save setting and milling time,
hence money in labour hours, once you add DigitalGoldsmith V5 (well
any version will work its just that some conflicts and blind spots
are worked out in V5) that came up - at least for me when using older
releases with 3 or 4 axis machines. On the other hand I was given
the software as a trial and can’t say I had to pay for it so there’s
that consideration- as well as the amount of "retail like"
applications any software programme serves for me in terms of sales
as I don’t like doing bridal stuff that looks like someone went to a
’Galleria of Jewellery’ retail store and saw an item they then want
me to re-create when I could simply order some of the components in
and be half-way there already. So if it fits your clients and target
market well and you are leaning towards a complete in house
manufacturing set up using some sort of CAM or 3D Printing then it’s
a worthy investment- that can pay for itself in two wedding sets if
you price the design and fabrication work as well as marking up the
materials right down to the right spool of plastic for the job. On
the other hand, there is open source design software that is
available too- but not purely intended for metalsmithing (as in
jewelry) though does sort out metals as a substrate for the final
product- so if you retail then Digital Goldsmith V5 is probably
better than any other software out there (Rhino’s being a close
second) but if you lean more towards one-off pieces, open source
software whilst putting your money into a really good 3D printer may
be adequate. and if you stone set most of your work then designing in
open source is fine making it cleaner with Foredom’s all set system-
and saving a bundle as a 3D printer can make tools, stock, parts,
etc. as well as jewellery- with any jewellery specific software you
are locked into just that one application. I like the open source
design ware, the nexus laser or a 3D printer and the Foredom All set
as the optimal investment, as I can’t make enough tools ever ! As
well as things I need around the house, auto, etc. the lower cost 3D
printer is ideal for my purposes and the frequency I will sell
anything using it as my studio is more school style than retail
location- though I do entertain clients and there is an area devoted
for those sales (the atelier is its own room off the studio) - I do
keep a video of stone options on a PC to avoid having to pull out
trays though until they have narrowed it down and committed in terms
of a deposit!!! then they can touch the stones!..rer