Rapid prototyping jewelry

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi all,

I receive frequent requests for on CNC/rapid
prototyping which I am not properly equipped to
give. What I would like to do is to compile a list of sources and
resources that I can send to folks who ask about it. Perhaps our
Orchid list could help me out with this?

All replies welcome. Below is an example of the kind of request
I get, anyone who wants to mail him off list is welcome, just
share it with us too.

Thanks:)
Charles

I am currently looking at software and 4-axis milling
machines to do exactly what you were taking about in your
career options article.Do you have any recomendations on
this subject.I was a benchjeweler and manufacturer for 25
years.I am trying to do some nich marketing so,I can
develop a line of art jewelry and still eat.I’ve been
talking to salesmen but they all have the best machine and
the best price(of course!).Most of them(if not all)haven’t
even sat at a bench or ran a G-code program on a CNC
milling machine,let alone written a program.Seven years
ago I went to school for CNC for just this application(the
premise of the class was actually for plastic injection
molding). I saw it’s future in jewelry manufacture.Now the
machinery is a little cheaper as is the software.Could you
refer me to someone in the industry that is using these
technologies,so I can make the right move.Any help in this
area(book referrals,too) would be very welcome.In advance
thank you for your help

Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain

Metals info download web site: Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community
Product descriptions: http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Links list hosted at the Metal Web News:
http://www.mindspring.com/~wgray1/jewelry/

2

here’s the man’s email address for those emailing him off list:

Christian Grunewald

Jewelry By Design Hawaii
email: CGrunewald@aol.com

  I am currently looking at software and 4-axis milling
  machines to do exactly what you were taking about in your
  career options article.Do you have any recomendations on
  this subject.I was a benchjeweler and manufacturer for 25
  years.I am trying to do some nich marketing so,I can
  develop a line of art jewelry and still eat.I've been
  talking to salesmen but they all have the best machine and
  the best price(of course!).Most of them(if not all)haven't
  even sat at a bench or ran a G-code program on a CNC
  milling machine,let alone written a program.Seven years ago
  I went to school for CNC for just this application(the
  premise of the class was actually for plastic injection
  molding). I saw it's future in jewelry manufacture.Now the
  machinery is a little cheaper as is the software.Could you
  refer me to someone in the industry that is using these
  technologies,so I can make the right move.Any help in this
  area(book referrals,too) would be very welcome.In advance
  thank you for your help             Aloha, >              
  Christian Grunewald >   Jewelry By Design     Hawaii      
  email: CGrunewald@aol.com

Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain

Metals info download web site: Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community
Product descriptions: http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Links list hosted at the Metal Web News:
http://www.mindspring.com/~wgray1/jewelry/

3

Hi Gang,

The guys that hangout on cserve’s Handcrafts Forum, Metalshop
have expertise in the CNC, large & small machines & various
brands of software. Many of them run or are employed in profit
making machine shops that do everything from medical equipment
development to heavy industrial mfgr.

Dave

4

You could try mastercam… easy software to run, it won’t happen
overnight but once you get the hang of it… the sky’s the
limit… As far as machines, kytnamura mycenter is the best out
there in verticle machining centers… Jap but most of the good
machines aren’t made in the US anymore… If anything else comes
to mind let me know… Bob

5

Seems to me to me that I saw a thread on the
rec.crafts.metalworking about a small CNC machine with software
that ran for under $12000 with a minimal set of
accessories.(vises, tools) it used a rs232 connection to a pc.
Check there also. If you turn up anything let the rest of us
know also.

Ed Ward
Ward’s Stone Creations

6

Has anyone asked them there at Tyler? I’d’ve thought they’d be a
wealth of about RP/CAD.

I’m at the moment taking a hammering on their Mailing List
ACMET-L (Academic Metal Crafts discussion)
listserv@vm.temple.edu. Am I naiive or something? I like a lively
discussion, but some of these fellows are quick on the draw.

Brian
B r i a n �� A d a m ph/fx +64 9 817 6816
j e w e l l e r http://www.adam.co.nz
a n d �� e y e w e a r �� m a k e r http://www.adam.co.nz/jewel.htm

7 
  I'm at the moment taking a hammering on their Mailing List
ACMET-L (Academic Metal Crafts discussion)
listserv@vm.temple.edu.

Brian, could you please explain this “list” and how and if it
would be appropriate to someone who works with silver? Many
thanks, Terri D.

8 
Brian, could you please explain this "list" and how and if it
would be appropriate to someone who works with silver?  Many
thanks, Terri D.

It’s run from Tyler Metals Department, and the kids are doing
RP/CAD work there, and the List is part of their course, (I
gather they are evaluated for their contributions ito it). Is
silver appropriate? well sure - I’ve seen images of virtual
jewellery on their site http://blue.temple.edu:80/~crafts/ that
state gold among the list of proposed ingredients.

Have a look-see and watch for a bit. Then state your interest
and ask them some questions. Just don’t criticise them, they’re
not ready for that (grin). Nah, I jest.

write to:
LISTSERV@VM.TEMPLE.EDU
body:
SUBSCRIBE ACMET-L yourname

Brian
B r i a n �� A d a m ph/fx +64 9 817 6816
j e w e l l e r http://www.adam.co.nz
a n d �� e y e w e a r �� m a k e r http://www.adam.co.nz/jewel.htm

9

Hey Brian, thought you were remarkably polite and restrained
with their rather defensive and definitley insulting comments to
you. I tend to lurk on that list because the attitude level can
be a little elitist, small minded, biased and almost
unquestioningly religious in nature when it comes to CAD. I don’t
need to fight unecessary battles and am just interested in what
they say since some of them will indeed have influence in the
coming years as educators and active people in the field. No I
havn’t asked them yet because I think some of their approaches
are not real world enough, though I certainly will ask them for
input at some point. Last year in a discussion someone on their
list admitted that the software path they had chosen could not in
fact be used ro make rapid prototypes with which seemed to me to
somewhat invalidate some of what they espouse. Charles

Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain

Metals info download web site: Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community
Product descriptions: http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Links list hosted at the Metal Web News:
http://www.mindspring.com/~wgray1/jewelry/

10 
Hey Brian, thought you were remarkably polite and restrained
with their rather defensive and definitley insulting comments to
you.

Wasn’t I just! Quite the cucumber. Inside I was hurt, and
thought they know not what… etc, and now that they’ve simmered
down I’m reposting my initial inquiry.

from the acmet-l list

FINAL PRODUCT! what a great idea...who cares how or who
makes the   object, or how much you pay someone to make it for
you...if the end   result is a beautiful object that is all
that matters. Right? 

 I think it doesn't matter how it was made but what the end
result is.

What would make that piece so unique? Are we just creating
fashonable and well designed jewelry?

I’m new to this list, have been lurking for a week. I’m
interested in this debate and have a point I’d like to make.
Apologies if it’s already been said.

What would make a piece so unique? That it can be seen to have
been made by a thinking feeling artist. We buy mass-produced cars
and we don’t really mind if we can’t see evidenceof its creation.
That’s not why we (in general) buy cars. But jewellery? I think
many customers want to see that it’s been made by a human maker.
I don’t know what you mean by RP, how many effectively and easily
you can make workpieces this way, but if the CAD method allows
you to step back from the making processes so much that you’re
no longer in evidence in the look of the piece, you are missing a
big point about jewellery artworks. I’m remimded of the squeaks
that a guitarist makes as the fingers release and stop the
strings while playing. Take them away and what do you have?

Again. I’m sorry if this has been dealt with, that your CAD
jewellery can and does retain the squeaks. If so please where do
I see this work? Can I have an URL? Or will you send me a (less
than 50k) jpeg?

Last year in a discussion someone on their
list admitted that the software path they had chosen could not in
fact be used ro make rapid prototypes with which seemed to me to
somewhat invalidate some of what they espouse. Charles

Right. It would.

Well I’ve had a few private emails of support from lurkers who
are tired of them, and Peter Rowe is great with his comments.
Also I have a friend here in nZ putting them through some
aethetic paces. He’s a designer and Stan’s gang is new to him.
It’s interesting what’s going down at the moment.

I certainly won’t last too much longer if their level of debate
remains at home base. (Is that a baseball metaphor? And I made
it?! Well I never.)

Regards
Brian

B r i a n �� A d a m ph/fx +64 9 817 6816
j e w e l l e r http://www.adam.co.nz
a n d �� e y e w e a r �� m a k …