Jewelry Making with Brad Simon

Bench Jewelers Saw Frames

2009-11-16T11:02:00-05:00

Keep two or three saw frames at your bench with different size sawblades in each one. Color-code the handle with spray paint so that you can easily keep them separate. Then. regardless of the work, you will always have a...

Polishing Jewelry

2009-11-09T09:39:00-05:00

Always work just below the center of the buff wheel while polishing. Never raise the jewelry above a horizontal line even with the motor spindle, or lower it too far below. Both of these situations will cause the wheel to...

Firecoat - Soldering Jewelry

2009-11-02T11:16:00-05:00

Always coat the jewelry with boric acid by dipping it in a solution of boric acid and alcohol. Then, burn off the alcohol leaving an even coating of powered boric acid over the jewelry. When heated the boric acid will...

Using a Jewelers Saw

2009-10-26T14:33:00-04:00

Saw with a slow steady up and down rhythm using the entire length of the blade. This will allow you to saw faster and more accurately. Short choppy strokes result in uneven sawing and will prematurely wear out that section...

Bench Jewelers Buffing Machine

2009-10-19T08:12:00-04:00

When using a buffing machine always hold the jewelry in a breakaway grip. Never interlock your fingers into the piece. NEVER PUT A RING ON YOUR FINGER TO POLISH. Always roll up or button your sleeves, and wear an apron...

Jewelers Sawblades

2009-10-12T10:31:00-04:00

To store sawblades unwrap the wire binding and place in the tube they were supplied in. Holders can be made by cutting the tube 4 ½ inches long (blades are 5 ¼). Attach the tubes to the inside of your...

Soldering Jewelry

2009-10-05T23:26:44-04:00

Soldering is one of the most basic operations preformed by a bench jeweler. Developing other skills is of little value without the ability to solder with confidence. The only way to attain a level of proficiency is by gaining correct...

Bench Jewelers Newsletter Special Offer

2009-09-07T21:00:19-04:00

In 1999 Bench Media published ‘Run Your Shop Without It Running You’. For the past 10 years it has been the Best Selling book on Jewelry Shop Management. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the book you can now...

Sawing

2009-09-01T08:13:00-04:00

When sawing, release the forward pressure on the upward return stroke. It only repositions the blade for the next downward cutting stroke. Dragging the teeth on the up stroke can cause the blade to misshape, and the teeth to wear...

Dust Collectors

2009-08-25T09:45:00-04:00

Always use a dust collector on your polishing motor to keep the dust from blowing around the shop. The money received from the refiner will pay for it in a short time. ~Brad Put your jewelry business on auto pilot...