(Part 2) Top products from r/jewelry

Hi, I've just recently been teaching myself how to carve wax for an engagement ring for my girlfriend as well. This book was a good starting point for me.

If you're thinking about actually making it yourself still, I recommend you purchase these tools and a jeweler's saw. You'll also need some sort of scribe (I have a good pair of calipers that I use as a scribe) and a ring gauge. Having some good files around will help as well. All in all, you can get setup for carving wax for $100 or less. It's difficult, but with practice you absolutely improve. I've made about 5 or 6 practice rings and I learn something new each time I make one. It's really all about the "order of operations" when carving.

Casting isn't super difficult, there are plenty of good tutorials on YouTube for that. Dental wax and equipment is a bit different, but I'm sure your friend can help. Look on craigslist for a centrifugal casting machine and a small kiln. Everything else you can get on riogrande (things like investment, casting grain metals, etc.).

After casting, you'll probably want to get a flex shaft. You can use it to clean up and polish the ring. And then if you get a hammer attachment, you can use that to set the stones. Here's a good tutorial on pave setting.

It sounds like you're set on going the CAD route, but if you decide to carve and cast yourself, let me know!

I'm surprised they took you to straight to repair and surpassed fabrication work. But congrats nonetheless!

First, know what type of torch you're using. Propane, Acetylene or natural gas. Each of them behave differently, get to different temperatures, and have different safety regulations. Check your regulators before touching the torch and always have a fire extinguisher handy.

Second, you have to notice the difference between reducing, oxidizing and neutral flames You want to try to use a neutral flame most of the time.

Third, remember that size of flame is important. Most of the time, you can get an area just as hot with a smaller flame, it will just be more concentrated in a certain area. Thinner, more intricate pieces need smaller flames.

Fourth, remember to use a heat shield on anything you heat and flux on anything you solder. Unless you want the pink of firescale on purpose, don't forget them. Practice applying your flux and heating it so that it doesn't burn off.

Fifth, remember that solder travels in the direction of heat, and likes to travel on cleaner surfaces. If one part of your piece is colder than the other, the solder is going to want to travel away from that, with some effect of gravity, and closer to the flame of your torch. Try to heat your piece evenly unless there's an area that heat can't be applied.

Sixth, never EVER get heat near stones other than diamond.

Seventh, make sure your solder joints are as flush as you can make them and your pieces don't move. Use a clean sawblade, a file, or 220 sandpaper to make sure everything lines up as best as possible. A cleaner, perfectly made joint will be easier and have nicer result. Line up everything with locking tweezers or a third hand so that they don't move around.

Eighth, remember your hardnesses of solder. Hard is hot, easy is cooler. Use the hardest solder you're comfortable with so the joint is as strong as possible, while still trying to be repairable in the future.

Last, but most importantly, invest in a guide. The Complete Metalsmith is a great resource for any jeweler-in-training.

MAPP would be a bit unwieldy, imo.

I use this guy: http://www.amazon.com/ALL-PURPOSE-LARGE-BUTANE-TORCH-SOL-310-00/dp/B0058EDUYG

It works great. Gets plenty hot, nothing on it has melted even though I'm right up in the action with it, easy to refill but doesn't go through the butane too quickly, and has an adjustable flame (which is really key for a lot of things). Eventually I'll upgrade to acetylene, but for now it works great.

If you want a step up from that the Blazer gets consistently good reviews - http://www.amazon.com/Blazer-GB2001-Self-Igniting-Butane-Micro-Torch/dp/B000VML7KO/

If you're curious and think they could be bands, I recommend getting an inexpensive metals testing kit from some place like amazon If you want to search for yourself: Precious Metals Testing Kit Silver, Platinum, 10k 14k 18k 22k Gold Tests Plus Stone

> oppi untracht

You mean this one? Sounds great, thanks!

Although, it would seem to be targeted to jewel makers. I'm more looking for a "wearer-awereness" resource (I bought a few antique rings, for instance). Do you think that book is too specialized for a crafting noob?

I'm not sure about that book, but I'm willing to bet the original commentor meant this one instead: https://www.amazon.com/Jewelry-Concepts-Technology-Oppi-Untracht/dp/0385041853

Absolutely fantastic and massive book covering a very vast array of concepts, history, etc.

My favorite magnifiers as someone who does bench work, beading, wire wrap, stonework:

http://www.amazon.com/SE-1013FL-Helping-Magnifier-Light/dp/B000Z7GGJC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1405451223&sr=8-6&keywords=helping+hands

http://www.amazon.com/Microscope-Jeweler-Currency-Magnifier-Adjustable/dp/B00AQAANDS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1405451254&sr=8-9&keywords=jewelers+loupe
(this thing is so much fun, and I keep one on me when running around goodwills)

http://www.amazon.com/Housweety-Professional-Jewelers-Lighted-Magnifier/dp/B005VIG6TA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405451281&sr=8-1&keywords=jewelers+magnifier

None of these are expensive and all are very useful.

Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains is the best (if not only) book for loop-in-loop chains. You might find a tutorial online, but this book provides many variations and charts of ring diameter-to-wire gauge ratios so you don't have to experiment much to get nice tight weaves.

Nitrocellulose varnish like this. Casts made from properly-mixed dental plaster are very durable but chances are these casts are made of a garden-variety Plaster of Paris which doesn't have a great deal of structural strength though the surface may be hard. The idea is to coat the cast with something that will seal the pores and prevent moisture from entering and degrading the plaster. Renaissance Wax or even a clear paste wax like Briwax will seal plaster surfaces and keep the plaster from getting grubby from handling but the cast as a whole won't be durable if it was poured without having some sort of fibrous matter mixed into the plaster (horse hair was common) to strengthen it.

You can remove most of the solder by heating the solder and using a solder sucker. I feel like the clasp would probably go between the two pieces and not on top but am really not sure by looking at it.

I'd probably take it a jeweler and just ask them. If it can't be repaired and it doesn't have too much sentimental value then you could purchase her one.

This is pretty much exactly what you’re looking for:

https://www.amazon.com/Stoned-Jewelry-Obsession-Desire-Shapes/dp/0062334700

You have choices. You can either buy nylon tip pliers made specifically for working with wire you don't want to mark up, wrap the tips of pliers with duct tape to protect the wire, or they sell a coating you can dip your pliers into that will coat the tips. Everything but the acrylic pliers will have to be reapplied occasionally as it wears off with use.

Rubber coating:

http://www.amazon.com/Tool-Magic-Rubber-Coating-Jewelry/dp/B007AMUJCA

Nylon jaw pliers:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GBT8TM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1425405665&sr=8-1&keywords=Nylon+pliers&dpPl=1&dpID=3177P5AHJOL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

You should invest in a roll up jewelry case (like this: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Velvet-Chain-Travel-Display/dp/B000OVJYU2) for your pendants, and just keep a normal jewelry box for earrings and rings.

Scrub with bar keeper’s friend, mild dish soap, and a toothbrush.

are you using any kind of release? for air bubbles that is. we use a mix of mop n glo and water. something to make the wax "slippery" to the air. hmmm.... check out a copy of any of Tim McCreight's books but especially http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Casting-Reference-Revised-Edition/dp/096159845X.

Good to know. To clarify, she currently uses these two products - should we stop using them? What if there's no solder joints, would your opinion change? Magnasonic Cleaner & Jewelry Concentrate cleaner

Maybe some jewelry cleaning wipes?

It says they'll work for costume jewelry! I've only used it on a tarnished silver chain, I was shocked by the difference. I found these at Target.

I'm in the same boat. Congrats on the weight loss, btw!

1. Here's some inexpensive plastic versions. I've used variations of these in the past. Cheap and no tools required, but looks a little tackier than the metal ones (but who's looking at the ventral side of your ring?)
   
   Coil style
   
   Clippy style
   
   Tube style
   
   
2. Since it's a band and doesn't have a top side, stacking rings are an "in" look right now. You usually size up 1/2 to 1 size for stacking rings anyway, so you can stack some inexpensive rings in the same size or slightly smaller to keep your band from falling off.
   
   Warning: stacking rings will wear against each other. So this is a short term solution not a permanent one.

I think a cheaper polarizing dichroscope should work, tourmaline is one of the only things that is strong enough to see the dichroism with the naked eye. (iolite is the other).

But maybe I'm wrong about that being a reliable distinguishing characteristic. I just pulled my reference book off the shelf, it says that tourmaline usually has a "strong" dichroism, but sometimes it is only "distinct". Synthetic sapphire can also be "distinct", although the naked eye can't see it at all. That is the most common imitation you would run into.

I would pick up a copy of Gem Identification Made Easy. An old edition would work, tourmaline hasn't changed. Many libraries have it too.

I would want to have some way of identifying gems, or at least spotting the most common fakes, before buying them in a place that sells to travellers