Alan Reveres “Professional Goldsmithing” and i think its Sylvia
Wicks “Jewellery Making Manual”. Specifics are covered in depth by
Charles Lewton-Brains books topics include, Depletion Gilding,
Hinges, Tool tips and tricks, Small Scale Photography,
Fold-forming, Gold application, Patination.
The Gemological Institue of America has correspondence courses.
They seem to be mostly in Gems, and Diamonds, but they might be
worth checking out.
Good Luck!
Nola,
there are good books such as The Complete Metalsmith as well as
good videos. Nothing replaces the practice that you can do at your
own pace. However, people learn in different ways so this may be
slow for you since you won’t be able to try alternate ways such as
workshops and classes. If you are trying this with serious
intentions from home, you will need to set up a safe work area
where you can leave tools, equipment, and supplies out so that you
don’t spend all of your time clearing off the kitchen table so
people can eat. This means that these things are safe from children
and children are safe from them! Some of our procedures and
supplies are dangerous to small children. Good tools make things
easier but it takes a while to find these things, pay for them and
develop the skills to make use of them.
Marilyn Smith
Indiana, USA, east of the Mississippi and west of the Appalachians
Hi Nola, Books in conjunction with videos might help you get
started… perhaps you could investigate things like wire wrap and
gem carving that don’t require a large investment in heavy
machines. There are articles in The Eclectic Lapidary Archives
that might give you some info and background too: Introduction to
Cabbing, by Dick Friesen, Kitchen Table Opal Triplets by Hans
Durstling. Cate Harrison has moved her Low Budget Lapidary
articles on building a tumbler and a cabbing unit to her site
http://www.aragongems.com (not for you to build them, but to learn
how these things are constructed and work); and she still has one
up about the faceting machine she built that was designed by Jon
Rolfe.
The Orchid archives are full of great on many aspects
of metalwork and design too. I found Tim McCreight’s book, The
Complete Metalsmith a very good (and not expensive) overview of the
subject. There are other books recommended by Orchid members for
more detailed info on how-to with metals.
When you have a focus, you might want to subscribe to other more
specific mailing lists or newsgroups: Faceters Digest, Lapidary
Digest, rec.crafts.jewelry, rec.crafts.metals (? have to double
check the exact phrase).
All the best,
Carol
…
| Carol J. Bova @Carol_J_Bova |
| http://www.bovagems.com/ Faceted Emeralds, |
| Tourmalines, Garnets, Aquamarines & more! |
| Home The Eclectic Lapidary e-zine |
‘’
Hi Nola I admire your courage, as a close friend of mine , also a
R.N., is also forced to find work outside of her professon. She has
a young daughter but a much smaller menager. She has been selling
items on ( eBay ) a web based auction house and been making over
50% of her income over it… I can’t offer her help as that is for
her to do , but i can offer what i can offer. As a marketing tip
however , take time and look at what is moving in the jewelery,
lapidary, beading, ethnic/collectable fields at the eBay site. I
have had to relearn how to do many things as app 9 yrs. ago I
ranover an18 wheeler.and was off work for 51 weeks due to broken
back, shattered knee, crushed pelvis, C N S damage ,
rachata,rachata, rachata I go to work daily not knowing if i will
be able to return . My intrests are lapidary and some jewelry …
Hobbist and light commerical.
Take Care Dear Lady .
Robert L. Powell
@rlpowell