Post by 1dave on Jan 30, 2014 13:20:32 GMT -5
BUT if you are determined, it is amazing how much you can do with almost nothing.
I mentioned Don Black in Fabrication. He only used about ten counting the torch and solder block etc.
forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/62878/fabrication
Many years ago I watched Don Black make jewelry for the tourists and rockhounds as they watched at the Spencer Precious Opal Mine shop in Spencer Idaho.
I was amazed at how few (and large) tools he used to make masterpieces.
About all he ever used was scrap sterling silver, a big pair of tin snips, a huge file, a hammer, chisel, a few punches, a ring mandrel, a chunk of wood, a torch, a burnisher, and a quick mind!
He would take their stones, fit a bezel to it, place it on some sheet silver, hammer a few patterns into scrap silver he had just snipped from a previous project and place it around the bezel, remove the stone, solder everything together, perhaps solder a ring shank or whatever on the back, quench it in "pickle," polish it up, set the stone with the burnisher, and make the sale in about 5 minutes! Then on to the next customer. He was amazing!
I was amazed at how few (and large) tools he used to make masterpieces.
About all he ever used was scrap sterling silver, a big pair of tin snips, a huge file, a hammer, chisel, a few punches, a ring mandrel, a chunk of wood, a torch, a burnisher, and a quick mind!
He would take their stones, fit a bezel to it, place it on some sheet silver, hammer a few patterns into scrap silver he had just snipped from a previous project and place it around the bezel, remove the stone, solder everything together, perhaps solder a ring shank or whatever on the back, quench it in "pickle," polish it up, set the stone with the burnisher, and make the sale in about 5 minutes! Then on to the next customer. He was amazing!
Jan 24, 2014 12:49:53 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:
It is amazing the enterprise of some folks. I once watched a dude in Tijuana, Baja Del Norte, Mexico take stainless rings and with a jewelers saw cut out the letters of your name. In about two minutes. $5 each, $4 profit (gotta buy the ring and the saw blades) He had a line of 20 people deep each buying 2-5 rings as travel gifts for the people back home. I counted 15 in 30 minutes. 30 an hour $120 hour. When he did ours I asked him will he be bizzy all day and he said 10am-10pm for the entire holiday weekend. I did some quick math cut out weekdays and half for non holiday weekends.He admitted to living in San Diego, walked to work in TJ cut names into rings for american cash and walked home. We gave him $25 and I asked him if he was making $100,000 a year he smiled and gave one quick affirmative nod. This was 1992.
His tools? A small chair, a wooden box with a jeweler's pin, the saw and blades and in the box was trays with his selection of ring sizes.
Many years ago when I was in college in Albuquerque N.M. I waited tables for a nice Mexican restaurant in Old Town Plaza. On weekends a young Navajo silversmith set up a small table near the entrance, making turquoise-set jewelry for tourists. He worked quickly and confidently, producing beautiful finished pieces with amazing speed. His tools were pretty basic: tin snips, hardware store hammers, stamp designs he'd filed himself from nail punches, etc. But the thing that sticks in my memory most after my own work with silver was his torch. He used nothing but a bulky old-fashioned gasoline blowtorch for even the most delicate soldering. He was amazing and truly talented. I'd often arrive a half hour before my work shift began just to watch him. I think of him whenever I get frustrated when soldering and have a little laugh at myself.
Here is a list of what I have or will have. Not all is absolutely necessary, some I know from experience are wants. I also have a short list of odds and ends to still get.
I'm posting this for others to see who may be starting or thinking of starting this and to get some input as to what I might have missed.
Torch - Smith's Handi Heet acetylene with 0 and 00 tips seperately
tank wrench and key
foredom with accesories and an inverted cone bur and a round edge wheel bur for cleaning inside bezel cups
a tube cutter for cutting bezel wire at 90 degrees
jeweler's saw
bur life
saw blades
#2 flat file, #4 flat file
needle files
2 small Fretz presicion hammers for detail work
muslin wheels
felt wheels- round and knife edge for foredom
white diamong rouge
bobbing compound
burnisher set
bezel roller, prong pusher set
solder cutting pliers- not neccasary but I got tired of snipping sheet solder
a set of solder with stacked cups
assorted finishing papers
400 grit wet dry paper
sanding sponges
ring mandrel holder- because I have always wanted one
tweezer assortment for soldering
dividers
radial bristle brushes
charcoal block
bench pin and holder
revolving pumice pan
solder picks
handy flux
metal shears
nylon hammer
rawhide mallet
ball pien hammer
planishing hammer
small raising hammer- not sure of hammer names, yet
steel block with wood base
rubber block base for steel block
2 small anvils- one I bought, one a gift- each a little different
shot plate for fancy beading
vise
ring mandrel - 2 sizes
made a large sanding stick with 400 grit
made a soldering donut/bun with 16g copper
made small sanding sticks with micromesh
all various handtools for wire wrapping
tumbler Lortone 3a
pickle pot
pickle
assorted books and videos
This is all I can think of. I probably forgot stuff.
Here is my list of stuff to get.
2 inch engineer's square
torch holder for bench
t pins
parallel pliers
file card and brush
Prip's flux
automatic center punch- cause they're cool
brass mallet
twist bit set
PH down - for pickle after I use what I have
center finder
That is a heck of a list and covers just about all the start-up stuff you should need. Below is just a few items I find that I use a lot. I know you listed radial bristle brushes but I use these a lot as you can use them around most stones to do touch up once they are set without scratching them
Pumice Wheels
And these little guys come in handy for hard to reach areas.
Polishing Pins
I see you have a tumbler on the list also. I would suggest a lb. or two of this mixed Stainless Steel shot
S/S Shot
and some of this
Burnishing Compound
After my pieces are all done and ready to have the stones set they all get a 6-8 hour run in the tumbler with the above shot and solution prior to setting the stones. It helps clean, burnish, and work harden the pieces.
Other than that Pliers, Pliers, Pliers.
You are well on your way. Congrats
Aye, aye , aye! What a list! I like your style.
Re tube cutter: I just bought a small heavy aluminum? mitre box that will cut tubes at 45 and at 90 degree angles.
Re bur life: I use candles
I don't know what a "set of solder with stacked cups" is. What's the cup thing?
Bracelet mandrels and holders are also handy --- round and ovalish. I've used a metal baseball bat, but I think the oval mandrels are better.
I'd add a wood block with inner tube rubber glued on one side. Good for using when applying hammer to make texture
For pickle pots, we use the mini pots from Bed Bath and Beyond
You can make solder picks from bicycle spokes and a wooden dowel
Re center finder: I could use one of those! Do you recommend yours? I've been drawing the biggest square I could on the piece, then penciling in a line on the diagonals. I need one.
I use the half-round file quite a bit.
I recommend a long apron for protection and to catch the runaways, and a covered glass for water for you to drink. Good lighting.
you can make your own pickle really easy. Put some vinigar in your pickle pot or a tuperware bowl. Add the course pickling salt until it won't desolve any more. Done! If you don't have a pickle pot you can heat up your solution in the microwave because its NON toxic and use it that way.
I made these solder cutters some years ago and still use them today,,,,
Cheap pair of cutting pliers
A little copper
Stay-Brite solder/flux,,,
connrock