Graduate, Alberta College of Art & Design, 1979
Many adventures in the non-profit sector - arts administration, museum
work, policy analysis. Currently assembling home studio for silver/gold
work - have torch, will build! Studying gemmology as well.
Graduate, Alberta College of Art & Design, 1979
Many adventures in the non-profit sector - arts administration, museum
work, policy analysis. Currently assembling home studio for silver/gold
work - have torch, will build! Studying gemmology as well.
Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.0; Windows 95) berea24.mis.net
Name: Kenneth Gastineau
Email: gastin@mis.net
Address: 135 North Broadway
Berea, Kentucky 40403
Hello, my wife and I run a small production
jewelry studio and work primarily in sterling and brass/bronze. Our
processes are both fabrication and casting (vacuum) and we set mostly
cabachon stones. I have worked with jewelry for over 20 years. I am
primarily self taught (no choice) and am amazed at how much there is
to learn in the jewelry industry.
At this time I am quite interested in learning about die making
(blanking and imprinting) and also mold making with an old industrial
pantograph engraving machine we have recently acquired.
Kenneth: welcome to the group! I had asked a question about porosity in
silver casting and wondered what your experience and solutions are since
you seem to have alot of background in that. Also, why do you prefer vacuum
casting over centrifugal? Dave
I would also like hear of your reasons for vacuum over Centrifugal… A 3
year beginner, never have used centrifugal, relizing that my techniques may
not be the best, having tried lots of methods, having been told that
centrifugal is easier and provides more detail, AM CONSIDERING MOVING TO
CENTRIFUGAL AN AM CURRENTLY LOOKIN FOR A USED MACHINE… PLEASE TALK ME OUT
OF IT BY YOUR KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND HINTS WITH TECHNIQUES!
I am the casting supervisor at a large manufacturing
company in NYC and would like to talk to people in the same field about
gold and platinum casting. any thing from dia. in wax too silver casting
I have an interest in both collecting gems and making jewelry.
In a previous life I was a dental technician through which I
aquired a back- groung in waxing, lost wax casting and soldering.
I have not produced jewelry for about 7 years but I an the
process of setting up my bench and hope to get back in the swing
of things in time for Christmas.
My wife shares my love and fascination of interesting gems with
bi-colored anything being our weakness.
As I start spending time at t he bench, I might have some
challanging questions for some of you experts. I will truely
appreciate any help you can give me!
Dorthe,
Hello: You caught my attention when you mentioned working with wood.I
have a home here
in Texas and there is a tree Mesquite which has terrible thorns and is
native to dry areas.You have probably heard of it.It has a beautiful
dark wood when cut and polished that has a look different than any
others.Lighter than walnut and a curved grain with some subtle swirls.I
have some smaller pieces cut and I would send to you if you say it is
alright and I will send some free of charge as a welcome gift to you…
Gavin Chando Gilmore …
Hello. I am looking for advice. I have been taking various
metalsmithing classes for almost two years and am in love with
jewelry-making. My quandry: I have a steady job in a completely
unrelated field and would like to make the switch into jewelry. HELP!
I have no idea where to start or what skills I need. Any advice
would be helpful. I am located in Hoboken and commute into NYC.
Thanks!
Stephanie,
Use to live in 'Up State" NY… and ‘shopped’ for jewelry in NYC. In
particular, the ‘Diamond Center’ area as well as a second area around
Spanish Harlem(can’t remember the street addr) . . . . ‘Tuff
neighborhood!!!’ . . ., I mean competition wise!!! Not trying to through
rocks at other locations around the US but - Per Square foot you have some
great artisans and craftsmen . . MUST be some great schools (expensive I’m
sure) but wonderful instructor know how!..
Saw my first invisible diamond setting in the city about 15 years ago…
still don’t know how that’s done… in detail…
Hello. I am looking for advice. I have been taking various
metalsmithing classes for almost two years and am in love with
jewelry-making. My quandry: I have a steady job in a completely
unrelated field and would like to make the switch into jewelry. HELP!
I have no idea where to start or what skills I need. Any advice
would be helpful. I am located in Hoboken and commute into NYC.
Thanks!
Stephanie:
YOU AND ME TOO! I am a graphic designer which is somewhat related and helps
in my design. I’ve been doing graphic design for 25 years and computers
have made it so that now anyone can turn out crap art. My work is going to
be in Lapidary Journal early next year and am somewhat dreading the fact
that I can’t produce enough pieces as I’m slow and have little spare time.
When the article hits I may not have much to sell in theres many inquiries.
I have done a little research on switching careers and have learned that
jewelry artists usually contract out their designs and employ shops in
Mexico or Thailand to do 100’s of dumb easy little pieces that constitute
your catalog. This is supposedly where you make your money. Then you do
your one of a kind pieces for more money. I’m in a total quandry about how
to make the switch and not near ready to do that yet. Any advice from the
others would sure be welcome. I’m not one who’d enjoy doing shows either as
I’m a nite owl and getting up at 6 am to do a show would kill me…Dave
Name: Tammy Capo
Email: racapo@wow.com
Address: 368 tupelo lane
lake charles la. 70611
I’m interested in learning jewelry making. I started bead work 3
weeks ago , and am now doing y necklaces. I love creating
beautiful things and I love jewelry.
This is my first time here. I have a small jewelry industry and
I’d like to change technical experience with everyone with the
same interests. I’d like to take good conversation about every
jewelry technologies, about problems and solutions, and make
friends. I have 15 years of bench experience and for the last 4
years I’ve been working with microfusion. My industry has an good
microfusion labotatory with induction centrifugal casting machine
and other modern equipments.
My special interests are: - Microfusion technology
- Gold and silver alloys
- Design
And I hope that someone contacts me soon.
Name: Steven c. Wehling
Email: al78412@caller.infi.net
Address: 4902 S Alameda Corpus Christi TX 78412
Hi what a good Idea for Gold smiths and Diamond Setters, we are
never to old to learn, and we don`t mind sharing a few tricks
that help all of us .I have been on the bench for 28 years so I
have picked up a few Ideas. Steve Wehling
Forwarded Message FollowsDate: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 23:32:36 -0500
To: service@ganoksin.com
From: johnsonmar@uwstout.edu
Subject: Orchid - member’s introduction
Name: Mark W. Johnson
Email: johnsonmar@uwstout.edu
Address: 1315 15th Ave E. Apt 5
Menomonie, WI 54751
I am a 25 year old married student studying jewelry design at
the University of Wisconsin STOUT. I love creating pieces for my
portfolio as well as my slowly increasing customer base. I am
passionate about my work and it usually consumes much of my free
time. I would love to learn more about stone setting and
advanced wax carving. I am excited to join the group!
Name: Mark Webb
Email: Mark@bprint.com.au
Address: PO Box 285 Blaxland NSW 2774 AUSTRALIA
Greeting …
I’m just starting out in jewelry work, been cabing stones for
about 6 months and am about to start silver fabrication and lost
wax casting. Dave of StephensDesign@opendoor.com suggested I join
this interesting discussion group.
What do I like to work, lets see… Amazonite, Lapis, Sodalite,
Labadorite, Malacite, Amethyst, Chrysocolla, Jade, Tiger Iron…&
Pet. Wood etc…I’ve been mainly cutting standard cabs but also
some freeform shapes.
I run my own businesses in Graphics & Web design (see: http://www.bprint.com.au/) and am a commercial photographer
also… Strangely enough one of my main photographic topics has
been Orchids…
Why have I joined this group… To listen to tips & learn as much
as I can from likeminded people. I’ve run into some very arrogant
and rude people in the trade in Sydney and hope there are still
people around who remember what its like when they were just
starting out in a new area.
Anyway enough from me, I’ll sit back and listen for awhile…
Last week we ‘hammered’ the topic, 'why are so many jewelers so rude,
sensitive, etc… pretty good! You should have been here…
I have found the same situation a few years ago when I gave it a try…
truth is that was the reason I started… Ticked me off that people would
be so positive realtive to their business… Mine was/is very much the
opposite…
However, I am very pleased to say that the jewlers participating in this
forum are every thing but that … It seems to me that No question is to
dumb or stupid to consider…
You should learn much and enjoy… as I continue to do/have.
Jim
I am an apprenitce Jeweller in Australia. I have a friend who
receives email from this forum and some of the topics that have
been referred to have been very interesting and have been thing
that I would probably never have learned here.
If anyone would like to know anything about the Jewellery Trade
in Australia just email me at raylees@worldgrp.fastlink.com.au.
Dr. E. Aspler
Managing Director
Ganoksin Jewelry Co.,Ltd. aspler@ganoksin.com