What are 'Metal & Rubber' molds & which is best for you? - 16 photos.

 These two kinds of processes have one thing in common, they can duplicate all of our hand-made, or CAD creations with total ease.

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 When a wax is injected in such as this, the numbers or letter are reversed, but that is not a problem. I modified the wax original and included 16 gemstones, just to add some more flavour.

 

 This is the metal mold that I honestly prefer from a rubber mold for larger disks. But, the costs are somewhat high as compared with the 'rubber mold' technique. 

 "Stars & Stripes plus a "Peace symbol".

"CASTALDO" is the commonly used company that makes 'rubber slices' for creating molds.

 The two (very hot) jaws of the vulcanizer squeezes the rubber slices together and encapsulate the original pattern. This process of 'heating and cooling' takes about 30 minutes.

 When slices of rubber are covering the original design the heat of the rubber softens and covers the item. Then afterwards, the caster will use a steel knife blade and remove the jewellery item. This is a skill that I won't go into in this essay, the end result is what you see here.

Now many original patterns can be duplicated regardless of the difficulty of the pattern.

From one rubber mold, I can now duplicate as many 'disks' as necessary.

 

The choice of the 'duplicating medium' is up to you to decide. The 'best medium' is the rubber mold for rings, as it is less expensive.

 The choice is up to you, the jeweller, as to which is more profitable. Each technique offers the same level of accuracy. For my opinion, if the ring has a 'cluster claw' design, I'd stay with the rubber mold. For a large & wide pattern as seen here, I would 100% consider the metal mold.

How would you use "Polishing Papers"? - 12 photos

This question came to my mind a short while ago. I'd like to show and give you the many reasons why these Polishing Papers are so extremely important in Diamond Setting.

 Without these particular sheets of paper, you just couldn't achieve the bright surface needed for gemstone setting and the "Bright-Cutting" techniques.

This exercise is "Rated at 8.50 out of 10, on my Difficulty Level." So much to practice!

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What you are seeing are the prefabricated polishing sticks, but with only one layer of paper. In other words, once this paper is worn away, "good-bye" to the stick. Bad move!!

 These three sheets of paper is what my own 'polishing paper' look like before it's being wrapped around the wooden stick.

  

 I have numerous grades of "Emery and Polishing" paper. The paper grades are as follows: Emery @ #240, #600, Medium #600 & #800, Fine-Polishing #1,000 and lastly #1,200 grit.

 There are #400 grit but these are not necessary in my line of work, my emphasis is to have a higher level of Graver texture that is to be used in Bright-Cutting.

 All of my paper wrapped sticks are numbered as I don't want to waste my time looking for that correct paper. It's all written, as seen on the wooden exposed area,

 You can see the 'shiny tips' of the blades, these were made by using a "rubbing" technique on the surface of wooden sticks.

 Here is a photo of #800 'Medium'-grade polishing paper on the bottom of a Flat graver. I rubbed a soft-core pencil lead into the pores of every paper.

 This alone will made that paper change the grit from (for example) #800 to at least #1,000 grit, without any more buying those "in between grades" of papers.

 This simple task of additional 'pencil rubbing' will literally change the #1,200 paper to at least #1,600 grit. The 'rubbing technique' is a very easy method of reducing too many papers at your bench. This is from having 10 papers, you only now need 6-7 papers. Do you agree?

For example, I've prepared a new untouched surface on a paper-stick, you can see just how 'rough' it looks...but wait a minute!

 

Here is my soft-core pencil starting the transformation.

 I've rubbed the soft pencil-core on & into the paper. This Flat graver will give me now a very bright finish to the metal cutting.

 Imagine if I had a #1,600 paper originally, all it took was a few pencil rubbings.

The finished paper rating would be in excess of #2,000 grit.

 There is no other method or technique in making your gravers have that higher lustre of steel. The 'shiny area on the paper' is where the soft-core pencil-rubbing has been used, and has filled in the minute pores of this paper.

 Therefore, the graver is literally sliding on the 'modified paper surface'.

 This the Onglette graver with it's newer enhanced surface. This graver can now be used in "Bright-Cutting" with no effort from me or my steel blade.

 If you want to explore other graver cutting, you need tools that will be easily modified and totally enhanced prior to any metal cutting.

 All of my graver changes were done by me and without any further buying of elaborate and expensive machinery. Basically keeping your costs to a minimum.

How do you REMOVE MARKS from your creations? - 13 photos

  I viewed an "Orchid - Ganoksin Community" discussion group recently on the topic of "Removing marks on the surface of your creations". 

 Here are my answers to this ongoing problem, please bear with me as these techniques worked well for me and could be very useful for you. 

            What tools would you be 'needing and using' for repairing this problem?

1) Emery "Snap-On" disks @ "Medium" grit. 

2) Pumice wheels @ #240 grit. Blue colour.

3) Pumice wheels @ #1,000 grit. Pink colour.

4) Mini, needle-files.

5) Opti-Visor with a #3, or #7 lens. (This is for your ongoing inspection.)

                       The Level of Difficulty is 6 out of 10.

 These Emery disks are great in removing any deep indentations on the surface of the metal. I would use a "Medium" grade of texture, as this grit won't destroy any features on already on the surface of the object.

 

 These 'MOORES-wheels' are easy to use, all that you do is to 'snap on' a disk on to a mandrel and it stays on throughout the 'repairing' process.

 This is the 'Snap-On' mandrel, as it's commonly named. (The "E" was from a photocopy taken from an online tool supplier.

 

I  use no other brand of Emery wheels, as I'm familiar with their features.

 These are the smooth Pumice wheels, once that the Emery wheel has finished it's cleaning then these Pumice wheel should be used. They come in #240 grit (Blue colour) and #1,000 grit (Pink colour). 

 The 'bullet-shaped' dowels could be used inside the ring. These too come in two grades of grit, as discussed above.

 If you need a more aggressive cleaning, I'd suggest this type of cleaning paper spindle. Once the layer of paper is worn & finished, all you do then is to peel it off and start again.

 

Here are a series of mini-wheels for smoother rolls of paper, as seen above.

 I prefer to use my Opti-Visor at all times, I need to keep my eyes on what I'm doing. One mistake and it's back to the beginning again. OUCH!

BTW, the strengths come in #3 lens and a #7 lens. It's easier to use a #3 even in Diamond Setting situations. (I have both strengths).

 

  If by any chance that you need to use a file in the repairing, I suggest to try a series of mini-files as shown here.

 YOU SHOULD KEEP ALL YOUR OPTIONS OPEN. If you need to use a rotary mini-wheel or pumice wheels, here is a third option...these mini-files will be great for you!

 These wheels are a permanent style of abrasive cleaning wheel, but the downside is that once that it's worn down...good-bye!

 This little apparatus actually does great things 'if there is a hole in the metal'. Once that the shaft is rotating fast, the piece of Tungsten Alloy that is attached to the spindle can 'move the metal' right over the hole. 

 There is no need to plug up any hole with solder, as the solder could be another shade of colour. When the metal is filling up the repaired hole, you can smooth the metal to where it should be. The hole is then 'filled in and not to be seen again'.

 

 After the 'moving of the metal' has been completed, then comes the smoothing of the surface...again.

 Here are some Emery wheels that could be used in gentle smoothing of the 'moving of the metal'. This texture comes in "Course, Medium & Fine", but much care is needed with these wheels.

 If the need warrants a stronger hand-held file, the next option is to use a #2 (course) or a #4 grade (smooth) of file. I'm only offering you, the jeweller, different options as there are many being shown here in this essay.

"TOOLS for Diamond Setting" - 30 photos

 The following tools are our 'special friends', we care for them as we use them without question.

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 Instead of using shellac for any large sized "Pieces of Art", I use this pin-vise/clamp. It's not the cost involved, but the easy of clamping it down. I've had it so long, that I forgot how much it cost. Shellac on this item is a problem in the removal and cleaning, try and avoid using it for items on this size and shape, agree?

 This is my "Inside, ring clamp", (this is the official name). I don't need any ring-clamps that squeezes the sides of the ring. What holds a ring is the 'expansion of the plastic inserts'.

 

 These are my 8-inch length files that are used in many circumstances of getting into those little areas. They come in Flat and the regular triangular shapes, as seen on #2 grit file. Those lines are painted on each file for a purpose, as when I'm stone setting.

 I can grab the correct grit and look for the "IIII" that is on the "4-grit file. The "II" is as well as a #2 grit.

                                                             "FILES"

If spacing is a problem in the marking in numbers, I can use the 'line numbers'.

These are the large "Pillar" files, all of them have been painted with the grit marked on each file. The "OO" refers to a number 2 grit, any visual aid helps me to get my finishing done faster.

Do you know what this was intended for? It was a "Shaving Brush" as the wider & smoother swath of the bristles is more gentle in my setting tray & bench.

 In Europe, long before electricity came into our lives, The operation of using a process to drill holes was initiated by this method of a 'pump drill'.

 My teacher used this same drill back in his days of learning. There was a race who could drill a hole faster, either the 'flex-shaft' or a 'pump-drill'.

 The jury took many days to decide which was better, the whole jewellery company then changed to electrical drilling. 

 I now have the very same pump-drill that my teacher used in his learning days in Ireland & London, England. This was circa 1940's.

 This ultra course file is great in removing the 'gates' from a ring. Then afterwards an Emery disk can smooth the remaining areas.

 No, this is not a bastard file, but it is a "Bastard" file. The name "Bastard" refers to the very course & depth lines of teeth.

 These strange looking files with the many 'ridges' are great in filing waxes prior to the casting processes.

 I needed a specific range of files and I bought these three (and the wax files) in a local "Dollar-Store". Great idea for a new source of setting tools.

 Many times I didn't want to spend my time searching for the numbers of the files. Many of them were so small, I wasted my eye-sight looking for one specific blade, I then just painted them.

 I almost refuse buying tools from 'other' countries, I look for the common names as seen here.

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                                                                            "GRAVERS"

 What tools can produce these metal cuttings? One word is needed, Gravers.

 

 This ornate ring was given to me to destroy and remove the diamonds, this was literally 25 years ago.

 Since then, I have used it in many essays in my blog. Look at the hand-created graver cuttings, there are Rose-Cut stones and partially rounded shapes. Each stone had carving around the girdle.

  All of my gravers came from a long piece of steel (as shown). Each of them are shaped many times on a 'bench grinder' as I want every tool to be used for many MONTHS.

 This graver face was shaped specifically to cut on the right-side. Hence the name "Right-Sided, Onglette graver", I use it solely in "Bright-Cutting".

 My 8inch oil-stone is used continually in reshaping the front of the graver face. The holding angle is also so very important, as I want the front face to be at 45degree angle. The black residue is the metal shavings that remained in the oil, or lubricant.

 My Flat graver are mostly all Swiss made and all are HSS or High Speed Steel. I use them for their rigidity and non-bending attributes while being used.

 This little magnetic tumbler is what keeps my interest if I need to maintain and high polishing before the cloth-wheel polishing or cleaning.

 This is the thickness of my Flat graver, I've seen many gravers in other videos that are so thick, I wonder how they can be used.

 Here is the 'before & after' shaping of my graver points. The #40 is my Flat graver ready for some delicate metal cutting.

 These are the "Bead Burnishers" ready for action. I shaved off the edges on some of them as the edge of the burnisher won't be touching a soft gemstone.

 Here is the "Right-Sided" Onglette graver. Only the right side is partially kept at a semi-round appearance.

 Here is my assortment of 'setting tools' kept in my bench tray. I keep the wine-coloured wooden handle always with a Flat graver. I can find it within the tray for locating in a few seconds.

 I rub my 'right-sided' graver on the polishing paper that literally cleans and maintains a high polished surface on the # 800 or #1,200 grit paper.

 This graver was shown to me while I was learning how to Bright-Cut, as I said 65 years ago. Now my dear friends it's your turn to learn my techniques.

 

 

   Hoping that it has been useful? Please pass my techniques to your friends wherever they live...and all of this is for FREE. Regards from Gerry Lewy.