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r/Benchjewelers

▲ 62 r/Benchjewelers

I just caught myself (for the twentieth time this morning) about to press down on my foot pedal…

While I was BURNISHING a stone. Like with a hand burnisher….not connected at all to my pendant motor.

Anybody else do this lmao? It’s so ingrained my foot just presses it when I bring my hand to my work haha.

Edit: I just put my phone down after posting, grabbed the burnisher and did it AGAIN🤦‍♂️

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u/NiceCommunication742 — 13 days ago
▲ 14 r/Benchjewelers

So, I make these loop in loop chains out of Argentium 940 on a fairly regular basis and I’m confident in my ability to make them solidly. The links are fused which Argentium lends itself to well.

I’d like to make one in 14k yellow gold, but I really can only see how I’d pull it off if I can fuse the gold jump rings in a similar manner. I’d give myself very low odds of success with soldered jump rings as these chains require frequent annealing during production, and have tightly placed links; I’d bet good money that I’d end up reflowing solder somewhere very inconvenient.

I use Legor premium working yellow master alloy (from Rio) to make 14k gold wire (if that matters), I could use a different master alloy if that was critical here and I could source it. I’m an amateur, so no wholesale accounts anywhere.

Open to other process suggestions as well!

u/D50 — 10 days ago
▲ 20 r/Benchjewelers

The first two photos are the look I’m going for. The other photos are of my casting and the stone I’m setting.

I have an 18k ring I cast from a wax carving I made and now I’m ready to set the 5 ct tourmaline. It’s a heavy walled bezel (approx 2mm) that I want to eventually be flat around the stone and look castellated without actually putting vertical cuts in the bezel. Like the first two images above.

Typically with thick walled bezels one would thin the inner edge of the bezel so you have less metal to move over the stone. Then you’d gently hammer set the stone and burnish out the edge of the bezel. In this case I want the top of the bezel to be flat and not angled. I definitely don’t want to crack the stone.

Does anyone have suggestions as to how to proceed? Do I thin the inside wall anyway to make it fold over the stone and then may be bright cut with a graver to level it out so it’s not angled?

Thanks in advance!

u/Constant_Memory — 11 days ago
▲ 19 r/Benchjewelers

What I'm I looking at here guys? Are those side diamonds channel set? Or how are they hanging off the sides like that 🤔 or am I overtaking the whole thing?

u/Amoonlol — 8 days ago
▲ 15 r/Benchjewelers

I am an apprentice goldsmith, with almost a year of experience. I am so close to having perfect resizings, but one tiny issue that continues to allude me is having porosity in my solder. I ultrasonic the rings, steam them off, and the sides are flush after they are sanded flat. I tried finding information specifically about porosity occurring in solder, but it was overwhelmingly about porosity in casting. What causes porosity, and how can I avoid it?

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u/Puzzled-Marzipan-218 — 9 days ago
▲ 8 r/Benchjewelers

I'm currently brainstorming a yellow gold engagement ring for a client with a 1.8ct marquise diamond. Active lifestyle, hands on healthcare job, but not a fan of bezel or v-prongs. I want to do a six prong setting with a gallery rail and was thinking of doing a double-prong look. Are double prongs like the ones below a good alternative to v-prongs or are they just an aesthetic choice?

https://imgur.com/a/HJhUC51

image context: one style is a fused double prong look and the other has them separated with the point sandwiched.

u/marveloussnebula — 14 days ago
▲ 6 r/Benchjewelers

Where to buy silver sheet

And side question does anyone trust Amazon for basic stuff like tweezers, flux, ect..
Trying to start a home bench and side hustle. Any advice appreciated.
Will mostly be making pendants, bolos and rings with cabs for now.

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u/TinyHatsSuck — 6 days ago
▲ 5 r/Benchjewelers

My shop only does rhodium plating so I was wondering if there was anywhere that does vermeil? I’m in Virginia if that helps. I have a small side business where a client is insisting on vermeil but googling isn’t really helping here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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u/RainAhh — 13 days ago
▲ 3 r/Benchjewelers

I am mostly making wood and stone designs by hand currently.

I was interested in picking up a rotary tool but am not sure what would best suit me. I was thinking of going with a dremel 4300 + flex shaft attachment and speed control pedal.

While looking around i came across this sub and noticed a lot of people talking about micromotors and flex shafts. Im not really doing jewelry work..while some of my work is small (about the size of a nickel at the smallest) it isnt as small as jewelry.

Would the set up I described above suit me just fine? Or should i look into foredom micromotors? It seems the biggest concern or downside of the dremel + flex shaft attachment is the higher torque as opposed to the low torque the micromotors offer which i assume is just more ideal for fine jewelry making.

Thanks for any input.

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u/AbleKaleidoscope877 — 11 days ago
▲ 7 r/Benchjewelers

New Approach School Questions (June, Stone setting)

Hello all! I'm signed up for New Approach's Stone Setting course June (15th - 19th). Is anyone else taking classes at this time? I'm figuring out the logistics, I'll be flying in from Taiwan. Would be nice to collaborate and share ideas or split transportation. If any of you have any suggestions as far as hotels that would be great! Thanks!

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u/VedderPlet — 7 days ago
▲ 6 r/Benchjewelers

Torch for casting

I am looking into getting a torch or maybe electronic melting kiln for casting. The head goldsmith at my work showed me a head for a little smith torch that is for casting. I am comfortable and familiar with the little smith, as it’s what I use at work. How viable is that option? I currently have an acetylene torch, and I’m scared to use as I am unfamiliar and don’t want to blow myself up. Are there any limits on quantity for little smith torch melts for casting? Specific aspects that a full size propane oxygen torch would be better for? My use will be one offs and will not be making large quantities of items with it

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u/Puzzled-Marzipan-218 — 5 days ago
▲ 26 r/Benchjewelers

The rose engine with a geometric chuck from the 19th century. a rare machine

Jarex using the rose engine on a cameo agate in the studio of Jx & Co

u/Parking-Connection73 — 2 days ago