Newsletter August 12, 2009

The Jewelry Crafter

A newsletter for the home jeweler

This newsletter will be published every 2 weeks, and will include hints and tips for your jewelry business. Any feedback or comments about the topics presented here are always appreciated. Click here to e-mail us.

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Your Jewelers Bench

by

Mary Harvey

Where do you create your jewelry? The kitchen table, in front of the TV, at a desk? Not everyone has one of those expensive jewelry benches (even though most of us would love to have one). Wherever you decide to create, there are a few tips that will help make the process more comfortable.

1. Lighting - this is the most important aspect of your work area. Proper lighting is a must for eliminating eye strain. An Ott-type light is the best, or a light with a daylight bulb in it. Generic Ott-type lights are available online for about $25. These types of full spectrum bulbs will give you the truest colors from your gemstones or beads.

2. Magnification - If you’re like me and have a little less than 20-20 vision, some type of magnification is important to help eliminate eye strain. At my age (a little over 40), I’ve noticed that my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be, so I use an Optivisor. It really helps me to see what I’m doing, and I can make a lot more jewelry without getting headaches. Again, these are available all over the internet. A great add-on for the Optivisor is the Quasar LED light. This bright led lighting system is battery operated and attached right to the lens of your magnifier, giving you nice, bright light for whatever you are looking at.

3. A good chair - A comfortable chair is a must. Weather it’s an office-type adjustable chair, your favorite recliner, or a kitchen chair with a pad, you can get a lot more work done if you’re comfortable. 

4. Something to catch your scraps - I usually make my jewelry in the recliner in front of the tv. Sometimes those little scrap ends like to go flying, and my family hates getting one stuck in their bare feet. So it’s important to have a place to put your scraps - whether it be a baggie, Tupperware container or whatever. And don’t forget - those scraps can be turned in for credit when you get enough of them.

5. A tool organizer - If you have a permanent bench where you can have your tools out all the time, great! Otherwise, it’s nice to have a way to organize your tools. Whether it’s a purchased tool case, a zippered tool bag, or a Rubbermaid tote from Wal-Mart, having a way to gather up your tools and move them easily from one place to another is very convenient. I found one of those locking aluminum tool cases at the local closeout store - great for taking all your tools to a show. If you have a workshop and a LOT of tools, a machinists’ toolbox is really handy. It’s a large wooden toolbox with lots of drawers, a top that opens, a fold-down work surface, and it locks. 

Having a comfortable work space is very important. When you are comfortable, you can work longer and create more. Good light, good tools and good organization are key to successful jewelry-making.

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