Jewelry orientation

In this orientation, you will learn each tool's role in the jewelry-making process, from cutting and forming to soldering and polishing. The Jewelry department is distinct from the Lapidary department so if you're looking for stone polishing, this department does not have that. But the skills go hand-in-hand, and I encourage you to check out that space as well!

General Know-How

• Safety guidance, risks and risk mitigation
• Shop rules and expectations
• The mounted tools (bench pin, flex shaft, drill press, bench buffer, scroll saw)
• The furnaces & kilns

Fabrication

Measuring and Marking

• Calipers, rulers, dividers, scribe, center punch, stencils

Forming

• Rolling mill, steel/rubber blocks, hammers & mallets, mandrels, swage blocks, wire wrapping

Cutting and Reducing

• Files, sandpaper, jeweler's saw (and how to replace its blades), shears, hand cutters, rotary tool bits

Joining

• Solder and when to use each type, solder picks, torch, flux, fume extraction, pickle

Polishing

• Rotary tool options for detail polishing
• Bench buffer for mass polishing

Various Jigs and Miscellaneous

• Miter jig, wax ring blank cutting
• Scrap metal rules

Casting

• Wax carving and mold creation
• Red sand / delft clay casting
• Investment casting — This will be a general overview of the tools. The process is VERY involved; keep an eye on WA for a full class in the future!

Conclusion

We will end by discussing what's next for the jewelry department, how to get involved, and where to find resources for learning more.

Happy making!
~Abby