Jewelry Making with Brad Simon

Recycle Hard Wax Scraps

You can use your rubber mold vulcanizer to recycle hard wax scraps.  Place a mold frame on a mold frame plate and fill the mold with clean scraps of wax.  Make certain all the scraps are the same type of wax.  Then place the frame with the wax scraps in your vulcanizer and set the temperature to the melting temperature of the wax.  When melted carefully remove the frame and allow it to cool.  Once cooled pop the wax from the frame, and you have a new sheet of carving wax.  The wax sheet will be thicker on the edges, but that can be easily trimmed if you want an even sheet.  Be certain to remove all traces of wax from the frame before making a rubber mold.

Brad

wax carving,jewelry making,jewelers tools,jewelry casting

Jewelry Making: Custom Manufacturing Discussion Group

Custom Manufacturing

an Un-Moderated Discussion Group

Thursday April 24th

Do you have questions about CAD-CAM, Fabrication, Casting or have tips you’re willing to share?  This round table discussion is all about Custom Jewelry Manufacturing.  Find solutions to your jewelry manufacturing problems and learn new tips.  Discuss with your pears how you have made Custom Jewelry Manufacturing easier and more profitable.

In this un-moderated discussion attendees will have the opportunity to speak their minds in an energetic discussion of pressing topics affecting bench jewelers today.  Bring your opinions, your notepads, and your throat lozenges!

This seminar is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Jewelry Making: Casting for the Small Shop

Casting for the Small Shop

with Tom Weishaar CMBJ

Saturday April 26th & Sunday April 27th

With the dramatic increase in demand for custom design work, bench jewelers need to develop new and affordable techniques to enhance their casting skills.  With casting at the foundation of custom design, learning to increase the quality of your cast pieces while reducing the time required to complete a casting job offers tremendous benefits and savings.  This seminar is a guide to solving the most common casting problems. 

This seminar sponsored by Jewelers of America, is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Jewelry Making: Platinum Casting

Platinum Casting

with Jurgen Maerz CMBJ

Thursday April 24th & Sunday April 27th

Today, platinum casting for the small shop is easier than ever - as long as you are sufficiently prepared.  Platinum casting is different from gold or silver casting, and insufficient preparation and understanding of the process can still lead to many hours of frustration.  Success depends on having good, functional equipment and learning all you can about the process.  This seminar will emphasize ways to improve your casting process by discussing how to recognize and eliminate common mistakes and improve efficiency in time and materials.

This seminar sponsored by Platinum Guild International, is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Jewelry Making: Rubber Mold Making

Rubber Mold Making- Clear silicone RTV

with Vic Joyner

Friday April 25th & Saturday April 26th

This seminar will demonstrate the construction of clear silicone rubber molds from a variety of pattern materials, including metal models, hand carved waxes, RP patterns and CNC milled patterns.  And then use those molds to create new duplicate models with the new HD material – a technological breakthrough that replaces injection wax.  You’ll learn tips and tricks to making and cutting rubber molds, as well as solving the problems of incomplete injections, breakage, shrinkage, and irregular surfaces in your patterns.

This seminar is part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad

Jewelry Making: Hand Carving Waxes

Hand Wax Carving

with Mark Grosser CMBJ

Session 1

Thursday April 24th & Friday April 25th

With all the emphasis on CAD-CAM is it still practical to carve waxes by hand?  In this demonstration you will learn all about Hand Carving Waxes.  From wax selection to proper tools and more will be discussed and demonstrated.  You’ll learn the fundamentals of layout and how to apply different finishes.  Plus, you’ll learn tips and tricks to making wax carving fast, efficient, and accurate.

Session 2

Saturday April 26th & Sunday April 27th

With all the emphasis on CAD-CAM is it still practical to carve waxes by hand?  In this demonstration you will learn all about hand carving waxes with particular emphasis on stone setting.  You will see demonstrated both channel and half bezel mountings carved and learn proper proportions to make your wax to ensure the stones will fit the mounting after the jewelry is cast. You’ll see first-hand wax carving techniques and tools that can save time and improve product quality.

These seminar are part of the program at the Bench Jewelers Conference & Expo, April 24 – 27, 2008 in Los Angeles.  For details on all the seminars offered, more conference & expo information, and to register go to: www.BenchConference.com.

Brad