G’day; As there has been some ‘talk’ about jewellery benches, I
thought I’d let you have a quick look at the mess I perpetrate. See
the Ganoksin ftp site:-
Cheers,
John Burgess
Hey John! That’s neat. I like seeing people’s bench spaces.
Pictures, wall fetishes, the little bits of inspiration that
hang from the walls. You know, somebody ought to do a book on
artists spaces.
Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
10 Walnut St.
Woburn, MA 01801
781/937-3532
http://www.metalwerx.com/
@metalart
Current Artwork:
John Burgess-Thank you for the picture! It is very helpful to
see other people’s benches. (And to see pictures in
general–the written info in orchid is often difficult for me
to “see” in my mind and execute.) I encourage anyone with the
technological know how to submit pictures of benches and
modified tools, processes, etc. Thank you again John.
Jessica
Ah John, lovely to see your bench at http://ganoksin.com/ftp/JewlBnch.JPG
Very organized, a nice glimpse across the world into your space. And that open
cupboard door at the top left? All those bottles of what appear to be many
different kinds of pharmacuticals? Something you have not told us about your
creative sources?
Charles
Charles Lewton-Brain
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
The flexishaft thingy is a Dremel. Oh, I know; ‘El Cheepo’. But it does
everything I want it to do and has lasted quite a while. There are three speed
settings on it and I use the slowest. You’ll notice there are three sets of strips
on the back wall; these are magnetic, obtained from my local DIY shop. The top set
is for diamond files for lapidary work (from the same place, and Chinese made - El
Cheepo - $NZ$40 the lot) Below that are riffler files (also used in wood carvings)
There’s two saw frames to the left of that; one is bought and modified with tubes
to blow away sawdust, and the other is home made from aluminium strip for cutting
longer pieces from sheet. Left of those is a pair of accurate callipers. Look
carefully and you’ll see a bench light in the middle of that lot. This is home
made using aluminium tube, containing a 25 watt low voltage quartz halogen
projector bulb and has strip so it can be adjusted to give a pool of light where I
want it. I simply move it aside when soldering on the rotatable pumice hearth on
the right of the bench. All the pliers, hammers, etc are held on nails simply
driven into the upright sides - which help to stop gems and bits going sproinngg all
over the place. The right hand upright (not visible) holds more pliers, cutters,
‘artery clamps’ titanium pick, etc. The silvery coloured burr stand on the left
has independent rotation for each level. (Home made). Another careful look, this
time on the left of the bench and you will just make out 6 little cube shaped
wooden boxes. These have the interior turned in a negative egg shape, and hold all
the bits and pieces when chain making. The transparent boxes at the left back, hold
various solders. The little drawer unit holds all sorts of things from saw blades
to a micrometer, ring sizers, spare gold (not much of that!) various findings, draw
plates (some home made) more diamond and other burrs, miniature sanding discs,
etc. The two little cigar shaped thingies with wires on the left are El Cheepo
low voltage “engravers” which normally hold coarse and fine mini sanding discs -
pick 'em up and use 'em! (held from rolling about with velcro) The drawer holds
large files, ring mandrel, crucibles and holders, ring clamp (home made) miniature
bench & hand vices, and a whole lot of other stuff. Oh, the torch is held on the
right hand upright, and nozzles for it are by the wall switches. The books above
the bench are mostly computer oriented, the bookcase at upper left contains books
on chemistry, physics, microbiology, dictionaries, some catalogues. etc. My
collection of jewellery oriented books in in another room. At the very front of
the bench below the cut out is a thin flexible leather skin. Sawdust, filings, &
scrap falls into this. A few taps in the centre with a pencil makes everything
clump in the centre, whence it can easily be tipped into a little scrap box. Well,
that’s a quick tour of my jewellery bench. But if you get the idea that it all
cost heaps, please don’t forget that it has taken me nearly 30 years to accumulate
that lot, and to learn what I needed for what I want to do. Cheers for now,
John Burgess