West Dean College - stone setting and mounts making

[ps_bond]

There are times when I use both at the same time.

[ShinyLauren]

We do value the traditional skills and eschew this new-fangled nonsense like electricity



In the case of West Dean: Let's say the studio was set up 25 years ago. By someone who had retired from jewellery/silversmithing/goldsmithing fulltime. Based around how they were taught...
James would be a good one to chip in on this; there does seem a fair amount of resistance to adopting modern methods in a lot of the traditional skill areas.



So, min 3 full sets of scope/benchmate (or Jura's setup)/GRS or Airgraver/reliable micromotor...? Actually, while it sounds quite an outlay, I guess the breakeven point wouldn't be all that bad if you can get the students in. Probably need an extra set on hand to swap out in the event of faults (the kit, not the students).

The guy I did the setting tuition with had the GRS benchmate on each of his benches - I'd never seen it before and now I REALLY want to get the setters package - it made everything so much easier.

He taught me to use a spitstick to bright cut the inside after pushing down the metal - is that an old fashioned thing to do then Chris?

[Gemsetterchris]

Benchmates are superb except a microblock is better for microscope work.
You can use whatever you like to brighten up the inside edge, if it works it works.
If doing a rubover collet, you could get that inside edge (the top surface) nicely cleaned up first..then when pushed over you only need to clean up the outside edge.
Hope that makes sense.

[Tabby66]

There are times when I use both at the same time.

.........me too, regularly!!

[Gemsetterchris]

You can get half spitsticks (flat one side), both left & right sided for bright cutting..not sure I'd bother with those but I guess they could be useful.
It's just a case of finding or making a tool that gets the result you want.

[Patstone]

Which book is it then Peter, cos I have just ordered the Jewelery Repair one. I wanted a book that showed how to set stones, diagrams etc. and based on what you said about it, I ordered it.

Too true. First course I did there I drove back & forth - that's a *long* day, especially as we weren't getting out of the workshop until 10pm.



I was teasing about the location of the New Forest



Professional Jewelry (sic) Making? Not the one I meant, but it is very good - more focussed on proper goldsmithing techniques than mount making (although yes, there is some - particularly the last project in the book).

[ps_bond]

Alan Revere's Professional Jewelry Making - I bought mine from Otto Frei. I don't think any of the UK stockists carry it?
It's a progression of projects, starting from pretty much nothing on skills through to finishing with making a wire cluster ring (lots of solder joints). Each project brings in a new skill, it uses traditional tools and I don't think I've seen anything used that isn't available from the usual UK suppliers.
It's expensive ($80), it's heavy and shipping is a pig, but it's very, very good.

[Wallace]

I got mine from Amazon.com. Beauty of books is they do not incur VAT or import taxes (at the moment) so they do tend to arrive quickly too. My latest one, on the repairs, took less than ten days.

Edit

Just checked amazon out for prices, currently under $50 plus postage (which is subject to the seller, but mine was no more than $15 on top).

[ps_bond]

Thank you for that reminder - as it was part of a larger order, I did get billed VAT & duty; I need to claim that back.

[Patstone]

I just checked Amazon and it is £60 from UK source. Is the one you have called Professional Jewelry Making: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Jewelry Techniques by Alan Revere but the one I bought was called Traditional jewelry Repair by Alan Revere which is out of the Ark I think, and is of no use to me.