Week 4- Part 1



Apparently it is required of me.  This isn't a situation of whether or not to leave 15% or 20% after your delicious dinner.  It's a save your ring or lose the stone kinda situation.  I know re-tipping ring settings is pretty standard basic bench repair knowledge but I never really was interested.  Seemed tedious and fiddly.  With a clean, simple approach (ha! The New Approach!) it really was easy and actually a good exercise in evaluating and problem solving.  I know a worn tip or prong when I see one.  Figuring out the best way to repair it was new for me.  I actually ended up enjoying the process and it will not bore me in the future when I help rescue rings.

Part two of week four coming tomorrow!  Stay tuned for the adventures of graduate bench jeweler's school!

Beginning of Week Three

We started off the week with bead setting and channel setting round stones into bands.  Bead setting was quite the challenge but actually came together pretty well.  It's so much simpler to learn with huge screens showing you a step by step process broken down into parts.  It takes away the fear of too much information all at once and then trying to repeat it at your bench.  Blaine's approach to channel setting was a simple and clean technique that I have done a little before the program but not with the control he teaches.  The little things make all the difference.  It's in the details.  It really is.

Mid Week Three- Bead Setting Style 2

Here is where it started to get real for me.  This is the beast that kicked my ass this week.  I understood and felt good about bead setting the traditional method. (Style 1)  I understood bead setting Style 2 (Style 2 = Fancy Pants Style.)  Putting into practice was the difficult part.  Graver control is key.  I was swerving all over the road.  I could have easily gotten a DUI the way I was driving that graver.  Sigh.  I went home that day all frustrated, exhausted and a little bit pissed that I couldn't get it right away. 

End of Week Three

The next day, I came in determined to get it right.  Before I could even get in another practice stone, we jumped right into milgraining the edges after some minor shaping and clean up.  Milgraining is a beautiful thing.  It adds a little beaded rim to frame your bead set stone.  (It also is a wonderful concealer to hide blemishes that never seem to go away.)  It is done with a tiny little wheel that reminds me of a ravioli or pastry wheel just on a micro level.  It makes your stones pop, stand out and elegance to the piece.  I've used it before but not with bead setting.  I will be using it more often in my work as the look appeals to me.

Woo Hoo!  Stone setting!  Something about setting stones is always exciting!  It's like you are putting the heart into the piece.  The part that makes it alive.  The spark that lights up the jewelry.  Needless to say, I was glad to jump right into this section.  I know that I have been approaching my setting with only partial knowledge, as most all of my stone setting knowledge has been self taught through books. Or by me pestering my generous goldsmith/metalsmith friends to no end.

We started with gypsy setting and flush setting.  Both I use regularly in my work.  While I struggled through the first few, I realized that I need to dial it back a step to really listen to what was being taught.  After a few more, making adjustments in how I had been tackling it, the new found approach became second nature.  Something I thought would be a no-brainer, took me a few tries to realize I needed to refine my current process to make for a better set stone.  Correct my depth, watch my burnisher angle and make a tight bearing. 

As week one closes of the Graduate Bench Jewelers Program at New Approach School for Jewelers, I am amazed at how much I have actually learned.  These are all skills I had coming into the program: sawing, filing, piercing.  However, I now do them much more efficiently and logically while viewing the techniques with a new appreciation of the process. 

With a new approach (ha! pun intended) to holding my saw frame, my files and flex shaft, I gained a new control over techniques that I have never experienced before this program. 

Death grip on the saw frame no more.  Three gentle fingers give me better control over the frame and blade action.  Files can actually be used in the backwards motion. Who knew?  I was previously taught it would clog my files and ruin the "teeth" if I ran a file back and forth over a surface.  I am not really finding that "rule" to be true.  The flex shaft actually seemed to be the biggest eye opener.  I held the flex shaft in a "potato peeler" grip for most operations.  I have now learned that a pencil grip will give me better control and smaller fine motor control.  I certainly did not think that putting my finger on the shaft of a bur (while running!) was a good idea before this week.   Now, I can't imagine having the control I need without using it that way.

I really thought I would sail through this week and maybe even be bored. So, so, so not the case.  I gained a whole new level of control and finesse.  Now to break those bad habits...they are already starting to fade. :)