At The Bench Live

At the Bench Live seminars feature interactive bench demonstrations by the industry’s most renowned jewelers — many of whom are also MJSA Journal contributors. Seminars take place every year at Expo New York, and select locations
nationwide.

Based on the monthly At the Bench pictorial column in MJSA Journal, the demonstrations present a range of bench skills. Recent topics and their presenters include:

Setting Princess Cuts, Blaine Lewis, New Approach School for Jewelers
Wax Carving Layout Techniques, Kate Wolf, Kate Wolf Design Studio
Channel Setting, Gregg Todd, Stuller Inc.
Weaving Gold, Barbara Berk, Barbara Berk Designs
Pave Setting, Arthur Skuratowicz, Anton Nash
Fold Forming, Charles Lewton-Brain, Author/Goldsmith/Educator
Japanese Metal Working Techniques, Chie Teratani, FIT
White Metal and Brass Soldering, Nicholas Regine, Swarovski North America

Manufacturing Jewelers & Supplies of America Presents

At the Bench Live Seminar Schedule 2008

MJSA Expo New York

April 13-15, 2008
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Sponsored by:

Sunday, April 13

Loop-in-Loop Chain Production and Repair
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Speaker: Ann B. Cahoon of Flying Marquis Studio
Sponsor: FedEx
Loop-in-loop chains are among the truly classical expressions of the goldsmith’s art. This presentation will offer a comprehensive look at all aspects of constructing and finishing these beautiful structures, with a discussion of the custom and commercial tools that simplify the process, along with specific guidance for the repair person.

Monday, April 14

The Jeweler’s Bench: Smart Set-ups
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Speaker: Charles Lewton-Brain of Brain Press
Sponsor: FedEx
The bench is where the goldsmith lives—it's the most important spot in our shops, the place where speed, accuracy, easy access to tools, and ergonomic thinking are all imperative. Lewton-Brain will examine different bench styles and set-ups for maximum comfort and efficiency, and offer ingenious ideas for tool storage and arrangement. Based on his book from MJSA Press (The Jeweler's Bench Book), this seminar is sure to be the most in-depth analysis of the jeweler’s bench ever presented.

JCK Las Vegas

May 30 – June 2, 2008
Sands Expo & Convention Center, ET&S Pavilion

Sponsored by:

Friday, May 30

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
The Latest on Palladium: Working with the Newest White Metal
Panel: Daniel Ballard, PM West; Teresa Fryé, TechForm Advanced Casting Technology; Linus Drogs, Au Enterprises; and Stewart Grice, Hoover & Strong. Moderator: Dawn McCurtain, Palladium Alliance International There’s no doubt that palladium has created a new market niche among precious white metals. Hear what industry experts have to say about how to best work with this newly popular white metal, how to market it and sell it, and what to expect in the future. Also, learn about the latest industry research and findings on how to easily cast palladium.

2–3:30 p.m.
Hardness in Precious Metals
Panel: Teresa Fryé, TechForm Advanced Casting; Stewart Grice, Hoover & Strong; Jurgen J. Maerz, Platinum Guild International; and Linus Drogs, Au Enterprises Hardness is one of several parameters used to indicate the mechanical properties of jewelry alloys. This presentation will discuss hardness issues in precious metals, how hardness is measured, and the minimum required value for all jewelry metals to meet basic customer requirements.

Saturday, May 31

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
The Jeweler’s Bench: Smart Set-ups
Charles Lewton-Brain, Brain Press The bench is where the goldsmith lives—it's the most important spot in a shop, the place where speed, accuracy, easy access to tools, and ergonomic thinking are all imperative. Lewton-Brain will examine different bench styles and set-ups for maximum comfort and efficiency, and offer ingenious ideas for tool storage and arrangement. Based on his book from MJSA Press (The Jeweler's Bench Book), this seminar is sure to be the most in-depth analysis of the jeweler’s bench ever presented. Lewton-Brain will sign copies of his book following this seminar.

2–3:30 p.m.
CAD Versus Manufacturing Realities
Arthur Anton Skuratowicz, The Jewelry Training Center Can simply assembling a piece of jewelry on a computer take into account structural issues dealing with stone security and item durability? This session will focus on how best to accomplish this, ensuring CAD (computer-aided design) files accommodate jewelry manufacturing realities. Several scenarios will be explored, with suggested solutions ranging from creating a preliminary sketch to establishing efficient communication between the jeweler and the designer.

Sunday, June 1

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
The Hazards of Glass-filled Rubies
Arthur Anton Skuratowicz, The Jewelry Training Center More and more rubies have their fractures and cavities treated with glass filler, and that significantly affects how the jeweler needs to handle them. Learn the identifying characteristics of this fragile filler, as well as best practices for handling the stones and avoiding damage. "Before" and "after" samples will be shown, and an inspection checklist reviewed.

2 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Integrating Technology into the Small Shop
Chris Ploof, Chris Ploof Designs Join Ploof in a discussion about the integration of advanced technology into the small shop. Ploof will discuss various tools and equipment options, how to prepare the shop for these tools, and how to ensure you can justify their often high costs by reducing downtime through diversification.
This seminar is sponsored by G-TEC Natural Gas Systems.

Monday, June 2

11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Making Mokumé-gane at the Bench
Chris Ploof, Chris Ploof Designs Mokumé-gane is the art of laminating multiple sheets of precious metals into a single billet, then manipulating the metal to create beautiful patterns reminiscent of wood grain. Learn how to make small billets right at your bench with a minimum amount of equipment, as well as which metals are most appropriate to use and how to treat mokumé when using it to fabricate jewelry.

2–3:30 p.m.
CAD Rendering for Advertising and Promotion
Steve Adler, Automated 3D Modeling Inc. How do you sell more jewelry without actually investing in more finished pieces? In this presentation, Adler will reveal how jewelers use CAD/CAM to increase product offerings with virtual inventory. The session will explore leading-edge technologies that create images so realistic, even the most discerning customer will have a hard time distinguishing between rendered drawings and photos of actual jewelry.

For more information about future seminars, call 1-800-444-6572, ext. 3025, or e-mail info@mjsa.org.