CZ's and Customer satisfaction

  Try  "gold  buyers":  often these  store operators  take  out the  stones and have   jars full  laying  around ( although  not  in a 6.5mm size as that  will run - even  from a "store" that  knows  zero  about  jewelry  but has the capitol to begin buying and  selling  metals ( which  pretty much  sums  up 90% of the  proliferation of  "gold  buyers" out there) in the  thousands- for  a 6.5mm stone.To buy from a wholesaler to the trade you will probably need to  have  a budget  of  7-8 thousand for a  fair stone..not good, not great just big..  even  if they  offer you  what's  called ' rose  cut ' ,included  and  a take  out! Even these resellers that  have no real  experience  and  less knowledge  in  most cases realize the  size you  are  looking for is not  usual from the  hundreds  of  "bridal sets" that  have potentially crossed  their store's threshold and the "take outs' came from .
   In  your  situation I  would  try and explain to  your  client that  a white  sapphire ,topaz or  zircon,  if a natural  stone  is preferred or insisted  upon, would be  available  in  that budget  range...some stones have higher  refractive indices  than  others  so  you would  have to  see the actual stone you are  buying  rather than  trying to  find it  online without the  possibility of  inspection before  payment...a tricky proposition..best to have a dealer  you know or have  had  prior relationship with in  business or  engage a jeweler  you know  with a reliable supply chain to  help..                                          
   Otherwise top of the line  cubic zirconia ( stones that  are optically flawless and will give  plenty of  sparkle to  a ring)   are quite  a bit under the $500 budget .Really  high quality  CZ's don't  look  as cheap  as  lower quality stones.A lower  quality  CZ has  a visible to the naked  eye  spectrum at every angle, while  "diamond simulants" other than  Moissanites are stones  of the  same chemical composition  but  produced by a different  method than the fast growing CZ's sold in quantity  or Moissanites- a risky simulated  diamond as they are very  very brittle, and in  my  opinion  nowhere near worth the price for the end  product that varies  batch to  batch, with many recent  recalled lots due to  imperfections and  breakage, even though they are " guaranteed"). These are  called CVD 's  or  CVD process(ed) - carbon vapour deposition processed cubic zirconia.    
  This type  has fairly recently ( 1990's or  thereabout) become available in  white or colourless stones,and  until recently  were  available  only  up  to  about 1.5 carats- far  from the 6.5mm you seek ! ( the density of natural diamond material is  less than that of cz by any  process so  estimating isn't equal to  estimating the weight of a diamond of that size into carat weight).An example is one of the largest recently sold on a popular jewelry  e-commerce site: a 1.24-carat princess-cut diamond, J color, VS1 with very good cut graded by the International Gemological Institute (IGI) was priced at $3,494.82 as a loose stone! A Moisannite is  yet higher, with natural  diamond still higher for  the same grade, etc. certification.
  ..While  cheap  CZ's  are available  in any size and a range of  colours ( except the white and colourless varieties of the simulants not possible in  "regular" mass produced cz's) for  next to  nothing to the trade. For  instance  one of  my favourite Jeweler's tool,supplies  and equipment vendors   has 7 mm x 7 mm square cz's  on  sale  at the  moment for $1.56 USD each, compared to the regular  wholesale price of $2.60 each! )  large CVD cubic zirconia is about 20% less than natural  diamond.Also cz's produced just  after the  dawn of the science was  being explored ( around the 1930's- when crystals of cz large enough to be cut and  faceted were first produced at the turn of the 20th century) can also  run about half the price of natural diamond  material- provided the sellers of  such vintage "costume" jewelry  know  what they have- these stones are generally  found in high end antique dealer's shoppes or those  jewelers  that  actually know estate  jewelry and  have  extensive testing equipment to  back up their claims ( and  usually some GIA  or equivalent  certification displayed in the  store) !
 So why you  undertook making a mounting without the stone seems a bit  backwards, to me anyway, the reality of finding  what you may have "promised" your client is an entirely different task!  First I'm betting you are  a novice to jewelry making and  as such  what you do want to try and  find is a machine  cut stone- no matter  what it is made of, provided  your  calculations  were correct in  making the mounting  for a 6.5mm anything.hand  cut stones  vary  in girdle, and pavilion.So provided you have been  exacting  in  your model, or setting making until now, at this point  you are either locked into  that size, or can remove the setting from shank and melt it down , roll it out and rework it to a more suitable stone for the  budget or  buy another white stone altogether ( the sapphire, topaz, spinel, or even a silver tourmaline are some possibilities) with the  client's knowledge..If you signed  any contract- now is the time to admit  your knowledge of " the current  diamond market  is lacking " and refund their deposit(s) or otherwise make  alternative arrangements to accommodate  the completion of the job to their  satisfaction ..I wish  i could  say differently but what is done  is done and  now you  have to repair the situation.

cuttlefishKing Expands

Our Business Partner Site - www.CuttlefishKing.com - is now offering direct casting workshops for groups at a fall discount..If you or your group is interested , or for account holders, mention that you saw this post and receive a 10% discount on the first workshop no matter how many particiapnts you have amassed for the class!

Ganoksin - BenchTube - Making a RIng- Jewelry Making Videos

Ganoksin - BenchTube - Making a RIng- Jewelry Making Videos

Metalsmiths Resources Worldwide DATABASE

This is  by  no means a complete listing  of  all the metal arts  societies  guilds, etc. in the  world. It  just  a list of more  active,  open to  new membership, or organisations that sent a response to a call for  listings for informational purposes.If you would  like to  be added to this  listing  please send an email or  otherwise use the comments section and  your  information as  you supply it will be added to the  list .Our  mission is to  create one of the  best  and  most far reaching listings  of  metalsmithing, goldsmithing, or related arts,crafts and sciences organizations in the world.

Arizona Designer Craftsmen 23645 N. 83rd ,Phoenix AZ
Place Associan Mexicana de Esmaltistas A.C. Plateros #37 Col. San Jos Lane DF 03900 MEXICO Baulines Craft Guild PO Box 150158 San Rafael CA 94915 www.baulinescraftguild.org
 California Blacksmith Association P.O. Box 997 San Jacinto CA 92581 president@calsmith.org www.calsmith.org
 Camden Goldsmiths Association 20 Main Street Camden ME 04843
 Canadian Enamellists‘ s Association 229 Younge Street Suite #404 Toronto ON M5B 1N9 CANADA Centre de L’Art de L‘Esmalt Ciutat de Balaguer, 17 Llotja Barcelona 08022 SPAIN
 Chicago Metal Arts Guild info@chicagometalartsguild.org www.chicagometalartsguild.org
 Colorado Metalsmithing Association P.O. Box 261898 Littleton CO 80163 www.coloradometalsmiths.org Craft Iowa 2501 33rd Street Des Moines IA 50310
 Craft League of Urbana-Champaign 512 West Nevada Urbana IL 61801
 Creative Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 8946 Portland OR 97207 guild@actonjewelry.com www.cmaguild.org
 Deutches Goldschmiedehaus Alstadter Markt 6 Hanau D-63450 GERMANY
 Enamel Guild East 383 Littleworth Lane Sea Cliff NY 11757
 Enamel Guild South 19601 N.E 24th Avenue Miami Beach FL 33180 Enamel Guild West 6461 Dwane Avenue San Diego CA 92120
 Enamelist Society 6105 Bay Hill Circle Jamesville NY 13078 info@EnamelistSociety.org www.enamelistsociety.org 
Florida Society of Goldsmiths 719 Central Ave St. Petersburg FL 33701 fsgjm@earthlink.net fsg4u.com Form-I-DABLE Frazosische Allee 16 Hanau D-6450 GERMANY
 Georgia Goldsmiths' Group PO Box 52125 Atlanta GA 30306 gggemail@bellsouth.net www.gagoldsmiths.org
 Guild of Eugene Metalsmiths 20 West 31st Street Eugene OR 97405
 Houston Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 270452 Houston TX 77277 info@hmag.org www.hmag.org
 Japan Enamel Art Association 6F-A Asakawa Building 1-19-13 Hyakunin-Cho 169 JAPAN
 Jewellers & Metalsmith Group of Australia - New South Wales (JMGA-NSW) PO Box 340 Pyrmont NSW 2009 AUSTRALIA info@jmgansw.org.au www.jmgansw.org.au
 Kansas Artist Craftsmen Association 8201 E. Harry #2102 Wichita KS 67207 www.kacaonline.com KUNSTERVEREIN Hans-Holbein-Weg 10 Coburg 96450 GERMANY
 Long Island Craft Guild 56 William Street Copiague NY 11726
 Louisville Artisans Guild www.louisvilleartisans.org
 Maine Crafts Association PO Box 228 Deer Isle ME 04627
 Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild 1815 Metropolitan Street Pittsburgh PA 15233
 Massachusetts Metals Guild 15 Cogswell Avenue Cambridge MA 02140
 Metal Arts Association of Silicon Valley P.O. Box 2924 Cupertino CA 95015 membership@maasv.org www.maasv.org
 Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 590785 San Francisco CA 94159 alison@antelman.com www.metalartsguildsf.org
 Metal Arts Society of Southern California 1644 So. Clementine St. Anaheim CA 92802 info@massconline.com www.massconline.com
 Metal Link North 2753 East Broadway Suite 101, 156 Mesa AZ 85204
 Metal Link North 1902 S. Main Street Seattle WA 98144
 Metal Link South 218 West Knox Drive Tuscon AZ 85705
 Metalmorphosis 2704 Alan Street Ft Collins CO 80524
 Metalsmiths Association PO Box 527 Clyde NC 28721
 Metalsmiths of Door County 1848 Highway ZZ Sister Bay WI 54234
 Metalwork Guild of S. Maine and New Hampshire 16 Vaughn‘s Lane So. Berwick ME 03908
 Michigan Silversmiths Guild 4081 Clark Road Ann Arbor MI 48105 www.misilversmith.org
 Minnesota Metalsmiths Guild 1980 Quasar Avenue St. Croix Beach MN 55001
 Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 51511 Pacific Grove CA 93950 www.mbmag.org
 National Enamellist Guild 9024 Beatty Drive Alexandria VA 22308
 North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths P.O. Box 196 Pittsboro NC 27312 www.ncsg.net
 North Texas Enamel Guild 1311 West Abram Arlington TX 76013
 Northern California Enamel Guild P.O Box 254 El Cerrito CA 94530
 Northern California Enamel Guild P.O. Box 254 Emeryville CA 94530 ncegguild@sbcglobal.net www.enamelguild.org
 Northwest Enamellists Guild PO Box 230-416 Tigard OR 97281
 Ohio Designer Craftsmen 1665 W. 5th Avenue Columbus OH 43212
 Oklahoma Guild of Metalsmiths 2124 Belleview Dr. Oklahoma City OK 73112
 Out of Hand 411 Twelfth Street Eureka CA 95501
 Palm Beach Enamel Guild 867 Lakeside Drive North Palm Beach FL 33408
 Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths info@pagoldsmiths.org www.pagoldsmiths.org
 Philadelphia Alternative Metals Society 10173 Bridle Road #1 Philadelphia PA 19116
 Pittsburgh Metals Society PO Box 42381 Pittsburgh PA 15203
 Precious Metal Clay Guild 1921 Cliffview Lane Florence KY 41042 Director@PMCguild.com www.pmcguild.com Note: May be Defunct at this  time ( as of the year 2013)
 Richmond Art Center 25th and Barrett Avenue CA 94804
 Seattle Metals Guild 1425 Broadway #154 WA 98122 president@seattlemetalsguild.org www.seattlemetalsguild.org 
Society for Midwest Metalsmiths PO Box 31314 St Louis MO 63131 midwest.metalsmiths@gmail.com www.midwest-metalsmiths.org 
Society of American Silversmiths PO Box 72839 Providence RI 02907 www.silversmithing.com
 Society of Dutch Enamellers De Galop 15 Dronten 8252 NETHERLANDS voorzitter@enamellers.nl www.enamellers.nl/english 
Society of Louisiana Artists in Metal PO Box 850694 New Orleans LA 70175
 South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild info@sfjag.org www.sfjag.org
 Southern Highlands Craft Guild PO Box 9545 Asheville NC 28815
 Southwestern Virginia Metal Arts Guild 617 6th Street, SW Roanoke VA 24016 LewisReserve@yahoo.com svmagmetalartsguild.com
 Spokane Jewellers Guild 6312 S. Nola Ct. Spokane WA 99223
 The British Society of Enamellers 30 Kensington Square London W8 5SD ENGLAND
 The Guild of Metalsmiths P.O. Box 11423 Saint Paul MN 55111 www.metalsmith.org
 The International Guild of Wire Jewelry Artists, Inc. info@WireJewelryArtists.org www.WireJewelryArtists.org
 The Metal Arts Guild of Canada P.O. Box 241, Station C Toronto ON M6J 3P4 CANADA www.metalarts.on.ca
 Washington Guild of Goldsmiths Washington DC WashDCGldsmths@aol.com www.washingtonguildofgoldsmiths.com
 Western Canadian Blacksmiths Guild 14707-115th St Edmonton AB T5X 1H7 CANADA fwreyno@telusplanet.net www.wcbg.org

Vieux Carre Jewelers Receives 2009 Best Independent Jeweler Award

The National Jeweler Association has selected R.E.Rourke , goldsmith, metalsmithing educator and studio jeweler as the 2009 Best Independent Jeweler from a field of over 1500 independents from across the USA and protectorates.R.E. has been making and teaching jewellery fabrication and related arts and crafts for over 20 years and producing custom and comissioned jewellery ,metal objects and mixed media pieces for more than 35. " this designation was wholly unexpected and quite a surprise", said Rourke in a recent interview for a trade publication article, " Artists In The Background" -about talented individuals that have been involved in their particular medium for many years who remain out of the spotlight by choice. Rourke began as a cultural anthropologist, ethnobotanist and folklorist travelling the world and the southeastern USA collecting information about Creole peoples in Louisiana and the Caribbean, plants and their by-products used for medicine, folk remedies, and magico-religious purposes. As a teacher Rourke began with traditional and Montessori certification and has taught students from primary age grades to university and graduate levels.Rourke's degrees are too numerous and diversified to list ranging from PhD in anthropology/ethnobotany ,B.S. in cultural geography to an MS combining cultural history,cultural geography and applied anthropology ,as Rourke says "from the first time around when I thought I wanted to be an academic for the rest of my life".Also holding specialised business degrees and MFA's in both Metal and Sculpture, to Masters degrees in art education and documentary film making and a JD in International Trade. Rourke has also entertained a career as a consultant assisting entrepreneurs considering organising small businesses to international corporations seeking solutions to jewelry and metals manufacturing problems to selecting locations and assessing human resources in a given locale or the impact a new business would have on communities around the proposed sites.Regarding the business of business as R.E. terms it " I have a wide range of skills and experiences that began with PEACE CORPS and VISTA volunteerism that affords clients an broad objective perspective in analysis and subsequent proposals that serve the cleints goals and the needs of the communities and people that those businesses and industries impact".Currently Rourke is organizing a micro-loan fund ( Great Divide Americas)that will provide small start-up and capital or expansion loans primarily to widows,single women and small collectives or cottage industries in fourth world countries living in rural areas to allow them to get the education they need in business management or skills that support whatever they are already involved in to further an individual or group's ability to market and deliver their products or services to distant buyers or taking their micro-enterprise to the world of e-commerce." this could mean money to put a roof over a structure where women meet , often miles from their homes, to produce crafts, or other salable items small scale agricultural and aquacultural products to enough money to make a one time trip to a large market area that will produce enough revenue in that one day to reinvest the profit to either expand or improve the venture towards a sustainable and self-supproting enterprise that has the capacity to grow with the group or individual's commitment.In my past experience on the boards of other micro-loan or micro-enterprise educational organizations these seemingly nominal amounts are perhaps a lower investment risk than any other form of financial investment as the people that apply for or are offered the assistance are self-governing and appreciate that repayment will only serve them further in supporting themselves and their households and in turn their larger communities. Rourke added," But what I really Love and am passionalte about is making and teaching jewelry making and metal arts, crafts and science!".All this from someone that remains "in the background". "R.E.[Rourke] is an individual capable of doing just aboout anything, anywhere", said Professor M.C.Ward about R.E. recently in an interview for an alumni publication after the NJA prize was announced on the heels of a substantial prize Rourke had just received from a philanthropic foundation recognizing the contribution of individual artisans to peace,philosophy or religiousity and their place in humankind."R.E. was nominated for a major (T.F.) prize in 1997, and I fully expect one day to hear from Geneva!" said Ward about Rourke's contributions to the betterment of humankind- through jewerly making! -originally published in 2010 by New Orleans Artists and Writers Guild, with excerpts fro the Lousiana Folklore Society's quarterly ( LSU Press )entitled:

About the New Orleans School of Art & Craft

BEGINNING METALSMITHING I - Afternoon Class back by popular demand! BEGINNING METALSMITHING I - Evening Class back by popular demand! INTERMEDIATE METALS III: OPEN STUDIO NEW CLASS! FLAME, FLAME, FLAME SOLDERING WORKSHOP ADDED by popular demand! COLD CONNECTIONS INTENSIVE (3-day) back by popular demand! UNSCHEDULED CLASSES BEGINNING METALSMITHING II - PLAYING WITH FIRE DISCOVER ENAMELING EXPLORING STONE SETTING SURFACE DESIGN TECHNIQUES COLD CONNECTIONS (4 week class)

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MAKING ONES OWN TOOLING FOR THE STUDIO

Jewellers Tools - Goldsmith Tools - Silversmithing Tools: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Ganoksin - BenchTube - Wire Handled Ingot Pouring- Jewelry Making Videos

Ganoksin - BenchTube - Wire Handled Ingot Pouring- Jewelry Making Videos: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Ganoksin - BenchTube - Homemade Vice Engraving- Jewelry Making Videos

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A Bit About Jewelers Studio in the Woods Business and Services

Primarily a blog for novice and professional goldsmiths and art jewelry makers with content applied to be helpful and informative. Workshops, studio events and other practicum are noted and in some cases may be fee based.
Jewelers Studio in the Woods is a consultancy in addition to a working goldsmith's shop and as such we are available by appointment.
We specialise in the jewelry trade: From business start-up consulting and marketing - including packaging design and global sourcing and supply chain management to all IT operations of use in creating or expanding any firm.
We can expand your brand.
We can increase your sales.
We create solid course of studies
for metalworking schools and educators.
In addition we offer business analysis services, employee relations management and ,promotions & incentives programs for corporate and individual clients. We also engage in estate jewelry acquisitions & planning, gemstone and precious metals consulting, mine direct investment relationships introductions, analysis and criticism.
In 2009 we were awarded the distinction of America's Best Independent Jewelers .Through the National Jewelers Association's Prize, our expertise is recognized for not only fabrication and commissioned works but effective,multi-faceted visionary capabilities. Our skills are are vast : Niche business is our area of specialisation and one of our goals is to illuminate the trade for those wishing to participate in it as a craftsman, business owner or as an investment opportunity.
We guarantee professionalism and the finest products and services available from a firm with extraordinary resourcefulness ,attention to detail and simply, experiences that serve our clients and students most fully.

Bypass the idiots- Tracfone Resolutions in a Hurry!s

If you have an issue with TracFone that you cannot get resolved quickly and efficiently, call the Corporate Headquarters, Executive Resolutions Dept at 1-800-876-5753 and these specially trained agents will gladly assist you until your matter is resolved.

Ganoksin Bench Tube -All Metalsmithing All The Time

Earwires- Forge your own earwires video lesson

Interesting web sites

http://www.myhomefoundry.com/


http://www.sandcastingmix.com/


http://www.science-is.com/chemicals.htm


http://www.sardaimports.com


http://www.jewelrytoolsbymiland.com/


http://www.gyrostools.com/


http://www.wintools.ch/


http://www.net32.com/ec/dental-supplies"

YouTube - hintjewelry's Channel

YouTube - hintjewelry's Channel

Leonard Surpin On Ancient Goldsmiths :

Leonid Surpin On

Ancient Goldsmiths : 

edited  by  Ari Roark

The metal of a goldsmith is gold.  It is not to say that other metals are not used from time to time, but gold plays the dominant role in the goldsmithing.  The earliest known gold artifacts are from a burial site known as Varna Necropolis, Bulgaria.  They were dated to 5-th millennium B.C.
I was able to locate photo of the artifacts on the Internet. *
The technical sophistication, displayed by these artifacts, is absolutely amazing.  Take a look at hollow bangle.  What a magnificent example of anticlastic raising.  Even in modern shop, it is not a trivial task to create bangle like it.  One cannot help but wonder how could ancient goldsmiths know so much about working with gold.
Let’s look at the task of creating such bangle in 5-th millennium B.C.  It is not likely that Hoover and Strong were around at that time, so a goldsmith had to procure his own gold.  Since hammering gold into shape requires metal uniformity, the gold found in natural state had to be smelted.  The gold ingot so obtained, was converted into sheet by hammering it.  Pure gold does not require annealing, but gold alloy does.  It is doubtful that ancient goldsmiths could refine gold to the degree of purity where annealing would be unnecessary, so they had to know how to anneal the gold to remove the work hardening.
After gold sheet was hammered out, it was cut to required length and width, and soldered to create a hoop.  While act of cutting is a simple process in the modern shop, it was far from simple in those times.  Soldering was probably done on bed of coals, which was quite a feat in itself.  Use of solder implied knowledge of alloys and varying melting points depending on alloy composition.  This is almost too much to believe that such knowledge could exist 7000 years ago.  But the shape of the bangle is the most remarkable feature of all.  To get to the required shape it is necessary to compress metal at the edges to compensate for the difference in length along the bangle profile.  Mathematically speaking, the surface of the bangle mimics the surface of a toroid.  If we measure the circumference of the bangle in the highest point of it’s convex, and compare to the circumference at the edges, there would be a significant difference in length.  A goldsmith must be keenly aware of that difference and compensate for it by well planned and well placed strikes of a hammer.
Could the ancient goldsmiths understood toroid shape to such a degree that they could manipulate an annulus constructed of flat metal strip to assume toroidal shape.  As improbable as it is, it is hard not to come to that conclusion.
Let’s forward the tape 7000 years and look at modern jeweler's shop.  It is highly unlikely to find a modern goldsmith swinging a hammer at a gold ingot.  Casting replaced hand fabrication. Wax carving made the skill of shaping gold obsolete.  Goldsmith is no longer required to come up with ingenuous solutions to difficult soldering problems, since lasers can produce tiny welds with impunity.
We have discarded the knowledge bequeathed to us by the Ancient Goldsmiths for the sake of convenience.  Except for the very few, the term goldsmith has lost it’s meaning and gold worker is far more appropriate.  Some call it a progress, but there are others who disagree.
Out of reservoir of knowledge, accumulated by Ancient Goldsmiths, disciplines like Metallurgy, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics, and many others were born.  An ancient goldsmith, toiling over his forge, was the principal seed out of which our civilization has grown.
The role of modern goldsmith if far more humble, and the golden age of goldsmithing has past.  Going forward, I wonder.  What is the function of a goldsmith in the 21- st century?  Are we ever going to assume the role of pioneers of Science and Technology like the Ancient Goldsmiths did, instead of been just users of inventions by others?  What is the function of Jewelry in modern society?  I would love to know your thoughts on the subject.

Leonid Surpin

*  NOTE : " I wish I could give proper credit to whomever took the photo, but it was put on the Internet without any identification.  If someone knows the name of the photographer, I would gladly update this text with the proper attribution."

COMMENT:

Calvin Smith 10.08.08 at 4:53 pm

With all due respect Leonid, unless you see some evidence of soldering that I don’t, I wouldn’t assume that the ancient goldsmith knew how to solder. The bangle could have been joined by hammer welding. It also could have been formed by forging with no joint at all. Lets also consider that smelting would not be necessary. Natural gold nuggets are pure enough to use with no refining and they could be joined together into larger pieces by hammer welding. Making an ingot would not be necessary. We have tools that were not available to this ancient goldsmith. Perhaps this encourages us to think of complex answers when the ancients used to do it in a simpler way.

Jewelry Design Software vieuxcarrejewelers@gmail.com

Here are 10 simple things to make you smile. 1. When the hammer hits exactly where you intended it to, with exactly the right amount of force. And it’s a brand new hammer, too. 2. The bezel really fits and you aren’t in denial. 3. You find a 2” x 6” sheet of 18-gauge silver you forgot you bought. 4. No firescale. 5. The ring fits the finger you made it for. 6. No scratches. 7. You put exactly the perfect size solder chip right where it needed to be. 8. The eagle eyed cat looks right at the 3mm faceted stone you just dropped on the floor until you pick it up. 9. The sawblade doesn’t break when you know it really should have. 10. The phone call that results when your best friend e-mails you a photo of the piece she just finished at exactly the same time you were e-mailing her a piece you just finished."

How Much Loss Can One Expect from Evaporation of Metal in a Pour?

Actually Michael, There is no loss from evaporation in the melting and pouring of gold ( or any precious metal for that matter) - what may happen , if using an old crucible that is gunked up with visible oxide containing borax glaze is that a few grains or spheres may stick to the borax from the glazing cooling before the metal is completely poured. The internal crucible area may appear reddish brown or green-blue depending on the Oxy/Fuel torch you use and the metal you are melting.Silver, .925 containing a high copper content relative to the sterling alloy will be more blue-green from cupric oxide(s), whereas high karat yellow golds will appear reddish brown or brown due to the fine silver content reacting with acetylene or propane due to the absence of copper or lower Cu content until you get to high copper containing alloys such as 9-14 karat golds. Whilst pouring keep the reducing flame ( a bushy blue flame as opposed to a hissing sharply pointed blue in deep blue flame) concentrated on the metal in the crucible. Gold is not a gas and neither a liquid so there is no evaporation from the metal to worry about. You can visually inspect the crucible for the small spheres of gold after a melt and remove them by breaking the pieces out of the glaze the glaze or warming it and removing them with tweezers.Spilled metal is easy to spot in the vessel you use for holding the mold.Generally a little will collect around the base of two part clamped type molds since there is usually a thousandth of an inch or so gap that is normal for molds that are hand assembled: even though the metal parts may seem truly square after use and repeated lubrication there is some seepage to be expected from a build-up of wax, oil or synthetic lubricants at which area the the plates join.I would not advise removing that "seasoning" as it helps the pour relaaese a brighter tougher ingot or rod from repeated healting and cooling of the steel used in its construction: much like a treasured cast iron kitchen skillet- that seasoning helps metals relaese easier just like foods release in a skillet that is well seasoned r and cleans up with only scalding water . If you do at some point remove any excess "pooled" lubricant material toss it into the scarp refining bin as it will contain some micro-particles of gold, or whichever precious metal you dedicate the mould to.Remember to pickle those bits as they are quite oily from whatever lubricant you choose to use in pre-heating your mould instead of just tossing it into the scrap container for the next pour, or for a small piece to use as an accent in a design because the oils will prevent the solder from flowing properly regardless of the flux that is chosen, or the metals to be joined. The best practise though is to use a new fused silica crucible.( a "burn-o" type with a high back wall and a pour spout works well for hand pouring).Be sure and use sturdy tongs intended for the purpose that cross-lock for holding a crucible securely. Avoid bar-b-que type or kitchen tongs.The best tongs are about $4.00 from most vendors. Warm it. Then put about two tablespoons of pure borax in the crucible and with a hot torch melt and swirl the borax to completely cover all surfaces of the inside of the crucible and if a pouring hole exists, try to get a small amount to glaze that too ( that is where most will become trapped in subsequent uses as the hole is often too small and the metal cools in the thick borax glaze). It will appear glass coated and is ready to take your scrap or casting grain at that point. Be sure all solder is removed from scrap before melting - it will contaminate your ingot or bar and cause many problems that are easily avoidable by running a magnet over your metal first, and insuring to inspect jewelry scrap you did not make for hidden solder joins around bezels, at clasps, and in settings. If there is any loss it can usually be reclaimed if you put your mold in an iron skillet filled with powdered charcoal, crushed lava or other refractory rock, sand or other grain that will both stabilize the mould and make it easy to spot drips or other escaped particles. Always grease or wax your mould before pouring and insure that it is at least warmed.I use a crucible for 22 and 24 karat pour that has a hole in the back and whilst heating the crucible and melting the metal flames automatically shoot out the hole and I position it so it heats the mould at the same time.Never get water in the crucible and store it when cooled as dry and humidity proofed as is possible. I use a different crucible for golds and silvers, and never mix .999 silver with .925, likewise do not mix 14 karat ( which i use only for parts that take stress such as clasps etc.) or other copper containing gold alloy combinations with high karat golds.Platinum and white gold get their own crucibles and since white gold in all karats contains nickel, it doesn't need different crucibles for different karats. I do hope this answers your question and accept my apologies for the length of time it took to find your email as there has been some illness in my family that required my attention away from the computer. Best Regards, Ari

Gmail - How much loss can you expect from a melting and pour process? - vieuxcarrejewelers@gmail.com

Gmail - How much loss can you expect from a melting and pour process? - vieuxcarrejewelers@gmail.com: "c: Bcc:"

Make: Online : Drilling square holes with a Watts drill

Make: Online : Drilling square holes with a Watts drill Shared via AddThis

Artisan Economics : A Frank Discussion On Credit Card Processing, Data Systems Security and The PCI Mandate of 2010

The Impending PAYMENT COMPLIANCE MANDATE of 2010 for ARTISANS , CRAFTS PEOPLE and Small Businesses: A REALITY CHECK Payment Compliance Mandates that by 2010 all artisans and small businesses on the WorldWideWeb accepting credit cards ensure that not only are they protecting the security of their customers and clients but that they are meeting Federal and in some cases State mandates in the USA for payment processing through a third party source or agency, or directly through a bank card processing center. The following article edited by myself gives a brief summation of the terms of the mandate and what artisans should receive in return for their payment processing budget. Though very brief, it is a start and for more information I recommend you check out the Federal Trade Commission's Web site as well as your states trade center's sites too. Then read white pages from reputable publications like Internet Retailer for some options as to who's who among the companies offering these services. I have personally used Mal's E-Commerce for years and then PayPal, for international sales as the buyers are verified before you stamp the parcels and post them so everyone is protected.I also make certain that I have a clearly written Privacy Policy statement on every site I own and on all corporate paper systems, documentation, in every blog, etc. in which people use my sites, services, etc, so that they are assured that any data I collect is first : Secured and second: remains in the possession of my corporation or any partner corporate structures I may be engaged in unless otherwise specified, and then, how it will be used is spelled out so that a first grade student could clearly understand the ramifications of submitting data of a personal nature on any form I create or that I use in a business context.. Some budgets and sales however demand more from a shopping cart Scalability and conversion rates alone dictate that your best ROI may be by dealing directly with a bankcard center for the most services and protection in return for for the fees you have paid out. It is up to each individual to assure their business is working for them, and again, I always advise good consumerism- that is why I bring up Internet Retailer as a condensed source of models for payment processing: their "2009 Buying Guide" is a good place to start if you are just beginning to examine your options as a viable business and investigating your The artisan community is facing a changing landscape - with government regulation, varying price points, higher costs for traveling for self-promotion and other economically impacting factors that ultimately decrease one's bottom line if they do not realistically value their work. Lowering price points is not the answer. In fact as the costs rise , and one gains more experience and transitions from novice to jeweler and from hobbyist to a business organization of some sort, one's art or craft must reflect that acquired skill level and materials choices. Artists must then evaluate whether or not they can stay in business at their current level or invest in a bona fide Marketing Consultant ( like myself) to help them make reasonable transitions from unknown to branded and to stand out in the crowd of faddist jewelry makers, specific to this site, or get lost in the pack without real planning and a realistic assessment of their talents, production capacity and the amount of work the individual artisan or craftsman is willing to do to make the level they wish to operate at a reality, or rather realized, or simply existing in a dream state somewhere in almost- making- ends-meet relative to making art jewelry for a living..Deciding whether to operate a brick and mortar store or representation by galleries is one example of the decisions that you are faced with with pending regulation: all of this is due to the PCI Mandate and government forcing one's hand in facing profitability or losses and ultimately having to close shop or relegate oneself to traveling to shows for months out of the year to make it as an artist in the current and impending markets. For any artist that accepts credit cards, PCI (Payment Card Industry) and DSS (Data Security Standards) Compliance that MasterCard and Visa are mandating all merchants must comply with in 2010 should be assessed now and a viable plan to meet those standards and ensure a return on your investment in kind and that is in your favour is in place , by the time that the major credit granting agencies implement the mandate to anyone who participates in credit acceptance. MasterCard and Visa established the compliance standards to improve credit card holder information security.Legislation is following this movement to insure personal information remains secure. The most important thing to know about the compliance program your processor offers is: are you receiving a valuable service for the increased cost - if you are now paying for it how does it benefit you? Unfortunately for far too many credit card processors the business, has become nothing more than a cash cow: another way to make money offering little or no services in return to the artisan trying to make a living by diversifying payment options for their customers. What Does Viable PCI Compliance Mean? It will vary depending on what your credit card processor chooses to do – without question you should receive highly clarified literature from your credit card processor ,or a third party vendor contracted to administer the PCI Compliance program to small scale businesses. You should not have to request it if the company you are dealing with is in compliance. It should be yet more envelopes you receive in the ocean of privacy statements and other paper you receive weekly as a business person offering slight but perhaps worthwhile service differences for a relatively equal and reasonable amount of money from various service organizations involved in credit card processing and you should receive verification of your businesses compliance in a legalese document or certificate that is issued at least quarterly if not monthly, as the laws of your location dictate that you must be scanned for compliance on the instrument on which you process credit card payments, or through a third party blanket certification issued to paying and in good standing customers, for the service of keeping you in compliance with the mandate by 2010, if not currently.. The basics in any decent programme are: 1.Your participation by Submission of a Form that states your willingness to disclose your payment acceptance methods and have them monitored by the service you hire for processing your credit payments- that is by each one of them if more than one: Any Form you fill out regarding the way you process (store, transmit, take orders, etc.) credit cards THEN your answers to determine if you require a monthly scan on your computer or other processing instrument.The bottom line is that All businesses that have an outbound IP address will be required to have a monthly scan by the processing agency of your choice. 2. Upon completion of any scans, monthly or quarterly, you should receive a Compliance Certificate in some form They are obligated to supply you or your organization with such proof as is legally binding and in order with whatever federal and state legislation may be implemented by 2010 that related specifically to this mandate and credit card processing and Data Securities Systems. .If you have not already procured one and are in compliance, your service should upon your sending or faxing them valid proof positive that you are indeed a business entity and need to deal at all with the PCI Mandate, based on your credit card acceptance policy and options you offer customers, as well as the volume of sales that you receive in a given quarter, (unless you report monthly). 3. Your compliance will need to be submitted to MasterCard/Visa if received from a third party vendor or service. It should be abundantly clear whether you are required to follow up or if your processor is doing it for you. 4. Your business will be required to maintain compliance through the duration of your status as a business .Non-compliance means fines for both you and your credit card processor. It is advisable to be informed of the ramifications of non-compliance as incentive to keep your bookkeepers and C.P.A's on the same proverbial page as you and your organization are relative to processing sensitive data from the public in any capacit Questions to ask your credit card processor about PCI: 1. Is my current service/terminal PCI compliant? 2. How much will it cost me? What are the fees monthly , annually or bi-annually, and what do I receive in return? 3. Am I already being charged for compliance ? 4. Who is responsible for assessing Non-Compliance fees? How much are they? and Do they vary from state to state if I am doing traveling shows, trade events, etc. or just accepting interstate credit cards? Does this mean I will also have to start charging State sales tax to cover my ass or the ass of my business organization so-to-speak? 5. If I have questions about the PCI mandate who can I call at the company that handles my credit card processing ? As you answer these questions you will have to decide if you want to continue accepting credit cards as payment from your customers at all.Ultimately, you must answer for your business whether or not PCI compliance is a feasible cost for the ROI you get back, or from it. When weighing the options, keep in mind the ultimate goal of PCI is to reduce the risk of threat to your customers, and your business via credit card and identity theft.. If your customer knows their credit card information is safe with your company, they will show loyalty to your brand or business and continue the trust relationship with repeat business. Accomplishing this goal may mean you as the artist and a good consumer will hold your credit card processor accountable for providing you a viable compliance program. Additional Resources: The PCI Security Standards Council : https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org

Jewelers Studio In the Woods a div. of Red Tent Design Group, and Global Resources Internationale,Ltd. Serving Artisan Jewelers and Metalsmiths with Resources for Business, Tools, Supplies, Equipment, Education and Start-Up Business Consulting Custom Raw Materials , Specialised Custom and Creative Services and International Business Counsel Presents: "Artisan Economics : A Frank Discussion On Credit Card Processing, Data Systems Security and The PCI Mandate of 2010", by Dr.Ari Roark ,Goldsmith,Consultant- Vieux Carre Jewelers- New Orleans VOTED NATIONAL JEWELER 'S BEST INDEPENDENT -2009

METALSMITHS RESOURCES DATABASE

Arizona Designer Craftsmen 23645 N. 83rd Place Associan Mexicana de Esmaltistas A.C. Plateros #37 Col. San Jos Lane DF 03900 MEXICO Baulines Craft Guild PO Box 150158 San Rafael CA 94915 www.baulinescraftguild.org California Blacksmith Association P.O. Box 997 San Jacinto CA 92581 president@calsmith.org www.calsmith.org Camden Goldsmiths Association 20 Main Street Camden ME 04843 Canadian Enamellists‘ s Association 229 Younge Street Suite #404 Toronto ON M5B 1N9 CANADA Centre de L’Art de L‘Esmalt Ciutat de Balaguer, 17 Llotja Barcelona 08022 SPAIN Chicago Metal Arts Guild info@chicagometalartsguild.org www.chicagometalartsguild.org Colorado Metalsmithing Association P.O. Box 261898 Littleton CO 80163 www.coloradometalsmiths.org Craft Iowa 2501 33rd Street Des Moines IA 50310 Craft League of Urbana-Champaign 512 West Nevada Urbana IL 61801 Creative Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 8946 Portland OR 97207 guild@actonjewelry.com www.cmaguild.org Deutches Goldschmiedehaus Alstadter Markt 6 Hanau D-63450 GERMANY Enamel Guild East 383 Littleworth Lane Sea Cliff NY 11757 Enamel Guild South 19601 N.E 24th Avenue Miami Beach FL 33180 Enamel Guild West 6461 Dwane Avenue San Diego CA 92120 Enamelist Society 6105 Bay Hill Circle Jamesville NY 13078 info@EnamelistSociety.org www.enamelistsociety.org Florida Society of Goldsmiths 719 Central Ave St. Petersburg FL 33701 fsgjm@earthlink.net fsg4u.com Form-I-DABLE Frazosische Allee 16 Hanau D-6450 GERMANY Georgia Goldsmiths' Group PO Box 52125 Atlanta GA 30306 gggemail@bellsouth.net www.gagoldsmiths.org Guild of Eugene Metalsmiths 20 West 31st Street Eugene OR 97405 Houston Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 270452 Houston TX 77277 info@hmag.org www.hmag.org Japan Enamel Art Association 6F-A Asakawa Building 1-19-13 Hyakunin-Cho 169 JAPAN Jewellers & Metalsmith Group of Australia - New South Wales (JMGA-NSW) PO Box 340 Pyrmont NSW 2009 AUSTRALIA info@jmgansw.org.au www.jmgansw.org.au Kansas Artist Craftsmen Association 8201 E. Harry #2102 Wichita KS 67207 www.kacaonline.com KUNSTERVEREIN Hans-Holbein-Weg 10 Coburg 96450 GERMANY Long Island Craft Guild 56 William Street Copiague NY 11726 Louisville Artisans Guild www.louisvilleartisans.org Maine Crafts Association PO Box 228 Deer Isle ME 04627 Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild 1815 Metropolitan Street Pittsburgh PA 15233 Massachusetts Metals Guild 15 Cogswell Avenue Cambridge MA 02140 Metal Arts Association of Silicon Valley P.O. Box 2924 Cupertino CA 95015 membership@maasv.org www.maasv.org Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 590785 San Francisco CA 94159 alison@antelman.com www.metalartsguildsf.org Metal Arts Society of Southern California 1644 So. Clementine St. Anaheim CA 92802 info@massconline.com www.massconline.com Metal Link North 2753 East Broadway Suite 101, 156 Mesa AZ 85204 Metal Link North 1902 S. Main Street Seattle WA 98144 Metal Link South 218 West Knox Drive Tuscon AZ 85705 Metalmorphosis 2704 Alan Street Ft Collins CO 80524 Metalsmiths Association PO Box 527 Clyde NC 28721 Metalsmiths of Door County 1848 Highway ZZ Sister Bay WI 54234 Metalwork Guild of S. Maine and New Hampshire 16 Vaughn‘s Lane So. Berwick ME 03908 Michigan Silversmiths Guild 4081 Clark Road Ann Arbor MI 48105 www.misilversmith.org Minnesota Metalsmiths Guild 1980 Quasar Avenue St. Croix Beach MN 55001 Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild P.O. Box 51511 Pacific Grove CA 93950 www.mbmag.org Timestamp NAME Address Alternate or Shipping Address State Postal or Zip Code Country Email Website To be Added Comments,Instructions Etc.: Name Address City State Zip Country Email Website National Enamellist Guild 9024 Beatty Drive Alexandria VA 22308 North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths P.O. Box 196 Pittsboro NC 27312 www.ncsg.net North Texas Enamel Guild 1311 West Abram Arlington TX 76013 Northern California Enamel Guild P.O Box 254 El Cerrito CA 94530 Northern California Enamel Guild P.O. Box 254 Emeryville CA 94530 ncegguild@sbcglobal.net www.enamelguild.org Northwest Enamellists Guild PO Box 230-416 Tigard OR 97281 Ohio Designer Craftsmen 1665 W. 5th Avenue Columbus OH 43212 Oklahoma Guild of Metalsmiths 2124 Belleview Dr. Oklahoma City OK 73112 Out of Hand 411 Twelfth Street Eureka CA 95501 Palm Beach Enamel Guild 867 Lakeside Drive North Palm Beach FL 33408 Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths info@pagoldsmiths.org www.pagoldsmiths.org Philadelphia Alternative Metals Society 10173 Bridle Road #1 Philadelphia PA 19116 Pittsburgh Metals Society PO Box 42381 Pittsburgh PA 15203 Precious Metal Clay Guild 1921 Cliffview Lane Florence KY 41042 Director@PMCguild.com www.pmcguild.com Richmond Art Center 25th and Barrett Avenue CA 94804 Seattle Metals Guild 1425 Broadway #154 WA 98122 president@seattlemetalsguild.org www.seattlemetalsguild.org Society for Midwest Metalsmiths PO Box 31314 St Louis MO 63131 midwest.metalsmiths@gmail.com www.midwest-metalsmiths.org Society of American Silversmiths PO Box 72839 Providence RI 02907 www.silversmithing.com Society of Dutch Enamellers De Galop 15 Dronten 8252 NETHERLANDS voorzitter@enamellers.nl www.enamellers.nl/english Society of Louisiana Artists in Metal PO Box 850694 New Orleans LA 70175 South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild info@sfjag.org www.sfjag.org Southern Highlands Craft Guild PO Box 9545 Asheville NC 28815 Southwestern Virginia Metal Arts Guild 617 6th Street, SW Roanoke VA 24016 LewisReserve@yahoo.com svmagmetalartsguild.com Spokane Jewellers Guild 6312 S. Nola Ct. Spokane WA 99223 The British Society of Enamellers 30 Kensington Square London W8 5SD ENGLAND The Guild of Metalsmiths P.O. Box 11423 Saint Paul MN 55111 www.metalsmith.org The International Guild of Wire Jewelry Artists, Inc. info@WireJewelryArtists.org www.WireJewelryArtists.org The Metal Arts Guild of Canada P.O. Box 241, Station C Toronto ON M6J 3P4 CANADA www.metalarts.on.ca Washington Guild of Goldsmiths Washington DC WashDCGldsmths@aol.com www.washingtonguildofgoldsmiths.com Western Canadian Blacksmiths Guild 14707-115th St Edmonton AB T5X 1H7 CANADA fwreyno@telusplanet.net www.wcbg.org