Wax repairing => 7 photos

 Here is a wax-injected pattern, but here are a few problems that MUST BE ADDRESSED immediately.

 It is much easier to repair these problems now as the labour is fast and precise. There is no soldering at this stage of production.

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In this photo, we can see that the main sprue, where the metal will eventually flow. It isn't thick enough to support continuous metal flow I purposely made this sprue 'extra wide and thick'.

  Only in wax can such a repair be done successfully.

  Upon closer inspection, I found a break in the wax. I decided not to leave this until the metal casting to have it repaired.

 This 'break' was located directly at the injection site in the main area where the metal was to be cast.

 I inverted this wax and discovered that this 'break' was all around the underneath of the bezel.

 I cleaned out the 'break' with my '3-tooth' wax cleaning bur. These wax-cleaning burs can be purchased at any tool supplier online or in person. Any break must be absolutely free of any residue.

 Examine and explore this 'break' thoroughly, as there could be additional 'breaks' not easily seen to you.

  The wax heating pen should not be HOT, but only WARM. If the 'pen' is hot, it could easily melt your delicate wax, rendering it useless.

 This is my wax pen, along with the desired temperatures inked on the dial.

 After any filing of the wax form, there could be a build-up of wax in this coarse file. Get rid of the remnants with this wire brush.

 

"Computer Aided Designs" => 22 photos

 Computer designing comes in many forms, and I'm displaying many of them in this essay. Just sit back and enjoy them, above all, learn.

 There is no opportunity for any jeweller to create these bracelet links by hand. This is where 'CAD' has made the most difficult project look easy.

 

                                                         

 There are 90 available spots for gemstones to be inserted. Pay attention to the uniformity of the claws. There isn't one claw out of alignment from the other 180 mini-claws.

 

 There are 22 spaces for stones to be set in EACH LINK. Every link has only 2 claws for each STONE.

   The diameter of these claws is sufficient to hold any stone securely.

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                 This is my "GUINNESS WORLD RECORD"

  

 Although the date on this certificate is from 13 years ago, it shows the creativity that made it through all of these years.

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  Every item in this photographic display essay was achieved by using C.A.D. (Computer-Aided Design).

   Everyone needs a keychain, but to have one created like this is a 'real gem', (pardon the pun)!

   I'm using my hand as a reference for the diameter of this disk.

  This is the reverse side of the disk. The numbers #8 & #7 were set as individual units and then soldered together afterwards.

  The equivalent diameter of these larger gemstones had the size of a 1.25-carat gemstone, and there were 17 of them on the edge.

 This is the epitome of mini-claw setting; there is no jeweller who can make these claws uniform in size and width. "CAD" creation was the only solution.

 One of the many features of Computer Designing is that you won't need to cast anything.

 You can create any design on paper, then show it to your client for their approval. 

 For American clients, I had my off-site computer designer make a pattern using the American flag.

The metal weight was 137.45 grams; it wasn't a lightweight disk.

 This necklace was originally created with the great assistance of CAD, and it was crafted in multiple sections. This Emerald had a gem weight of 5.13 Carats.

   I designed this gentleman's ring by using only a CAD program.

 With this pattern, I used white stones to demonstrate diamonds using the same CAD program.

 Why buy multiple gemstones of uniform colour and stone size when you can do all of the selecting via CAD and get uniform stones?

  For this storefront pattern, the owner used a CAD program to create all of the intricate wood carvings. I saw this storefront again and was still in awe at the intricate carving.

  As you can now see, CAD has entered the many realms of metal and now carvings in wood. 

  I'm hoping that this tutorial essay explored the many opportunities for you to entertain using CAD in the future.

Beads! Just 4 YOU => 32 photos

 Although this topic's name is briefly mentioned. The information is vast and very detailed. This started out as blank sides on a gent's ring. All the beads were created using different techniques.

 For this exercise, I prefer to use only two Onglet gravers: #1 and #0. The #0 is the narrowest blade in my inventory.

 This particular blade will cut a line between one piece of metal, thus making 'TWO BEADS'.

 

  This IS THE PIECE OF 'BLANK METAL' that I'm writing about. Don't destroy or ruin it. 

 How does it look now after the amazing transformation has taken place?

  

 With the (somewhat) wide Onglet graver #I will cut a line, making this 'space' into 4 pieces of metal. You can now see the beginnings of something interesting. Agree?

 This is where the ultra-thin Onglet graver #1 comes into use. This graver cuts DEEP, but it doesn't cut a wide (metal-removing) swath.

  From a 'blank piece of metal', BEADS are now starting to evolve.

 

  With your bead-burnisher, you can 'round off' the tips of the beads. 

NEW BEADS ON BLANK METAL

Decide where your beads will be located; avoid guessing. 

  This spacing is not guesswork, but 'marked with planning'.

 If there is 'extra' space, I use more beads as a decorative measure. These, too, will be burnished and made round on the tip.

 That long piece of silver is where the casting-sprue came from. This will be removed when all of my metal carving has been completed. I keep it for my shellac stick holding.

 The metal in between the two holes can be engraved with a little 'square' pattern. This pattern, when it is 'Bright Cut', will shine just like another gemstone.

 Those little triangles will be another version of 'beads'. I use a 'Flat' shaped graver #40 to cut the 4-sided metal pattern.

 No matter what blade I'm using, I prefer the number #800 grit polishing paper for giving the blade additional shine.

 I usually draw a rough pattern on the metal; this is my plan for metal cutting.

 I use a '156C' bur to under-cut these little beads. If I used a round bur for setting, much of the metal could be removed by accident.

 This is the official name for these "Bead Burnishers".

All beads must be burnished before or after stone setting.

This is a photo that is being prepared for gemstone setting.

 It is much better to burnish the beads before setting. Why is this? There could be an opportunity that you need to 'Bead-Set Genuine Emeralds'. This is your answer to this question.

 What size of  Bead Burnisher would you use? Another simple question? The size of the burnisher must be 30-50% larger than the bead itself.

 Supposing that the soft stone is in the metal, and you have to burnish the delicate bead tip. You just might fracture the stone, 'Goodbye stone'. It's easier to do the rounding NOW!

 This has one of the most decorative metal-cutting designs in it. The beadwork is a skill to be learned and practised often.

 All of the creative metal carving was done long before the stones were set. The burnishing is the very last step in this long process.

 On these small Emeralds, there is a definite risk of damaging the soft stone. The sound of 'crunch' is a sound we don't want to hear.

  Every new & decorating bead was burnished. I never leave the 'finishing' to the 'cloth wheel' polishing.

 I want to enhance the metal, not to ruin the new delicate beads.

  This is a 'before & after' stone setting photo, and this was a 2-hour-long project.

 

 I'm now using a small HSS bur to create seats against the new beads. These beads are now acting as claws. Amazing opportunity!