A dirty shop affects profits, because of the high value of the metal that is lost. Small pieces of gold on the floor from filing, buffing, and other operations in the shop, cling to the bottom of shoes. If the floor is not swept regularly, the gold literally walks out the door of the shop. If not collected at the source, gold dust is spread around the shop. It is then carried out of the shop on workers hands, clothes, and shoes.
Brad
Be careful when placing jewelry in envelopes. Often jewelry is damaged further while stored in the envelopes. Do not force envelopes into a box for storage. This may bend or dent the jewelry.
Brad
Always use your lap tray to collect metal filings and save these filings in a container to send to a refiner. Some refiners will supply you with a plastic jar with a screw top lid for these sweeps. Any type of container with a wide mouth top may be used; an old coffee can with a plastic lid works well.
BradThese are well-worn phrases about planning your work to accomplish more. They have been widely used, because they are true. One minute spent in planning saves several minutes in execution.
Brad
Group similar jobs together. Any jeweler can work two to three times faster, if they work on similar work together, i.e. all sizings together, all chains together, all re-tipping together etc
An organized bench WILL NOT LET YOU DO BETTER WORK!
It will however let you do work more efficiently. Every minute looking for a tool to use is 60 seconds not working.
To maximize productivity it is important to have an organized bench. A cluttered, disorganized bench is an unproductive bench. The time you spend looking for a tool or piece of jewelry to work on, is time spent not working.
An organized bench may very well be a bench full of tools and jobs. However, those tools are organized in a manner that when you need a tool you can reach for it without stopping your work.
Your bench is not properly organized, if you can not reach without looking and pick up a tool that you use everyday, or find a tool that you use less often in the first place you look. To say your bench is messy because you are busy or creative, are just excuses for not putting the tool away when you are finished with it, or not taking the time to organize your jobs and tools. Every minute you spend organizing your jobs and keeping your bench straight is multiplied in time saved doing the work.
BradBe careful of customers’ jewelry while in your possession. Always place it in the best safe you have. If robbed it is harder to replace customer’s jewelry, than your own inventory. Even if the value is lower, the difficulty in finding suitable replacements adds to the importance of caring for the jewelry.
Never place more than one piece of jewelry in an envelope. If the customer brings in multiple items for repair, use a separate envelope for each article. Then complete descriptions and instructions of each piece can be recorded. Later, there will be no confusion in the shop as to what is to be done and to which piece of jewelry. Make a notation on the envelope that this is job 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc. Then you can verify that all work is finished before notifying the customer.
MJSA’s annual Expo will be held in New York April 10-15, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
MJSA Expo New York is the largest and oldest trade show in the United States dedicated to the design and manufacturing of jewelry. The show features nearly 400 exhibits of some of the latest and most innovative tools, supplies, machinery, components, services, and finished products all under one roof.
MJSA Expo New York also features a full roster of educational seminars by some of the industry’s most renowned experts, and a cocktail party where our exhibitors and attendees can network with colleagues from all around the world.
For more information and to register log onto: http://www.mjsatradeshows.org/expoNY.php
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Job listings are only $50 for a 30 day listing. To post a job click on the link in the side bar, or log onto www.BenchJobsOnline.com
To me this quote shares the key to productivity. Productivity is NOT working faster, but working more efficiently.
To increase productivity, find areas of wasted time and work to minimize or eliminate them.
Avoid any attempts to increase productivity that results in a lower quality finished product. Trying to hurry through jobs usually has a reverse affect on productivity and profits. Hurrying through jobs results in more mistakes, causing re-work or damaged stones. When items have to be replaced, it cuts into the profits of the shop. When work has to be redone, it slows productivity. If you do not have time to do it right, When will you have time to do it over?
Brad
Place a Doormat in the doorway of the shop. Employees can wipe their feet on it as they leave the shop. This will help in removing particles of precious metal off the soles of their shoes. Replace the mat annually and send the old mat to the refiner with the polishing waste.
Remember: When it comes to recovering precious metal, nothing is WORTHLESS.
Brad
