Unknown Jeweler

Screw It

Installing a simple wood screw on the side of your bench will make it possible to open and close jump rings with ease.

-The Unknown Jeweler

Lap Wheel

CD’s make great sanding surfaces.  Glue the CD to the back of sand paper and cut it out around the CD.  When placed on a polishing spindle, it makes a perfectly flat sanding or polishing surface.

-The Unkown Jeweler

Kinky Chains

To repair a kinked herringbone chain, start by using pliers to gently push the bent links down.  Then use a regular wallpaper roller to flatten the links.  Be sure to roll on a sturdy surface.  Once the chain is flat again, polish it at the bench with a small, rotating brush.  Do not use a large polishing machine, as chains can get caught in the buffs.

-The Unknown Jeweler

Cleaning Stones

When remounting diamonds from an old ring, it is usually somewhat difficult to clean them.  For a quick and easy solution, place a small amount of table salt into your hand and add the diamonds.

Rub the salt and diamonds together.  The abrasiveness of the salt will clean the stones without scratching them.  Once they are clean, just rinse the salt away using warm water.

-The Unknown Jeweler

MJSA Expo New York

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

Clean-Up

When polishing a ring with diamonds, it can be difficult to remove the rouge after polishing. Try dipping the ring in water and then in baking soda before you polish. The rouge dust will stick to the baking soda rather than the metal.  Since baking soda is water soluble, the rouge will wash away easily when the ring is rinsed.

-The Unknown Jeweler

Texture Finishes

It is difficult to explain surface textures to a customer who is not familiar with the terminology of the trade.  Prepare a texture strip by taking a strip of metal and apply different textures in 10mm sections along the strip.  You'll be able to show the surfaces to clients, preventing misunderstandings.

-The Unknown Jeweler

Drill Bits

Don't discard your broken twist drills; it's quite simple to re-sharpen them.  Just place a separating disc at the proper angle to grind a new tip.  Take care not to overheat the tip of the drill.

-The Unknown Jeweler

Separating Disk

Take a separating disc that is in a mandrel and insert it into a flex-shaft.  Using a fairly high speed score a second separating disc in four places.  Mount the modified disk on a mandrel and use it as you would use a lapping wheel.  The advantage of this modification is that you can see right through the rotating disc, which makes it much easier to work.

-The Unknown Jeweler

Sizing Platinum Rings

Some platinum rings are lightly rhodium plated and when you weld, the rhodium is absorbed into the joint and causes discoloration.  I recommend you emery off the rhodium plating on the shank before you weld.  Also, when sizing down, cut a small piece from the ring sizing stock because it will be the same metal as the ring.  Hammer thin and make sure the face of your hammer is clean.  Use this thin piece as filler material when welding your platinum ring.

-The Unknown Jeweler