I created a website for my class. It is not finished yet but it has been really nice. I am putting a lot of demo videos on it. I have had students who missed or added class late and I just have them watch the demo to get caught up. I like it. The students can use there personal devices to access it during class and that also helps me a lot. I put all of my assignments on it and they go back to it regularly to find out the standards for the assignment they are working on.

I would really like to know if any of you have made websites that I could access for my classes. I know I am not Hollywood but if you want to use any videos you are welcome to do so. I would also be happy to get input on the vids, like if you have a better way of doing things.

The site is www.bruinjewelry.com

How My Wedding Ring Improved Student Work

I have never worn any jewelry, my wedding ring included. Jewelry is just dangerous and uncomfortable. However, I decided to start wearing my wedding ring recently (since then I got my finger pinched between it and a door handle and got a blood blister). I was very surprised that just wearing my ring would help my students produce much more professional cast rings. This is how it helped.
Usually beginning students make huge, thick wax models. I have told students over and over again, year after year to thin out the bands, but they would not do it. This semester I would say the same thing then show them my wedding ring band as an example. Then they would go and do it. I am very pleased that so simple a thing could make such a difference.

The graphite project finished

This was a pretty good one.

This is an example of a daring student's work.

Add caption

Unfortunately some of the projects looked like this at the end.

So, I did the assignment, and it went fairly well. Here are a couple of things I learned.
1. cover the tables with butcher paper or something, the graphite makes a huge mess.
2. Cut the carpenter pencils in thirds. That gives enough to hold and for one or two mess-ups.

I only gave the class about 2 days for carving. There were some good carvings but when I instructed them to turn them in, I thought it was expedient to have them label what the sculpture was of.

Pencil Lead Carving

Graphite Carving by Dalton Ghetti

I am planning on doing pencil lead carving as my first assignment. I think might get them ready for wax carving. I have a box of straight pins and I bought 15 lbs of electrodes, and 50 carpenter pencils.

I plan on having the students flatten, grind, shape and sharpen the electrodes into tools. This will teach them how to make custom tools, and it is cheap. You can make them into great modeling tools. The 2D teacher sharpens them and uses them for carving Plexi-glass for print making, and for ceramic work.

I bought 50 of the large carpenter pencils for $0.28 each at Lowes. I probably could have gotten them for less, but I did not shop around, and I plan on cutting them into four pieces. Then the students will carve the leads.

I am hoping that this will help them develop a little finesse before they start carving their waxes, so they can do greater detail with fewer broken waxes. I also hope it helps them see that breaking their work is not the end.

Here is the link to the examples. Ghetti's work

vacuum casting pewter

Here is a video I made to show my students. I hope you can view it. It is about vacuum casting pewter.  I have tried all kinds of casting methods to get pewter to work for me but none of them worked that well. When I used centrifugal casting the pewter would run back out of the mold about half the time. Then I finally bought a new vacuum with a casting side, and I love it. The flasks are 100˚ Fahrenheit.
If you have any specific questions let me know.

This is an assignment that Kristine sent to me, I think there are some good ideas here.

I couldn't figure out how to attach it as documents, so I pasted it here.

 

Jewelry 1

Project 1: Research Project and Presentation

Guidelines for written report:

! Paper needs to be three (3) pages long, plus and title page and a bibliography page (total 5 pages)

$           If pictures or illustrations are included, they do not count as part of the three pages. It would be better to include them in the oral report visuals.

                       

! Paper must be typed in the following format: 

$           12 pt. font, Times New Roman

$           .75 margins

$           double-spaced

                       

! There must be a minimum of three (3) references, properly annotated on your bibliography page

$           One reference must be from an actual book

$           One reference may be from an online source, but not Wikipedia

$           The third reference may come from a book, a periodical, or an online reference other than Wiki.

                       

! Oral Report will be 2 minutes long.  Oral Report will be taken from the written report.  

                        Half (½) of the research grade will come from the oral presentation. 

! A power-point presentation or other visual aides should be used as part of the Oral Report.

! We will spend two days in the writing lab and library gathering information and working on the reports.  Any additional time needed to complete the assignment beyond that will be up to you.

           

Research Project Ideas: 

Turquoise, origins and mining

Diamond history

Diamond Cutting

Diamond mining

Amber

Rubies

Properties of gold

Gold mining

Fabrication of jewelry

Lost wax casting of jewelry

Lapidary work

Native American jewelry

            –Navajo

            –Zuni

Star Sapphires and rubies

Laboratory grown sapphires, rubies, and diamonds

Opals

History of Silversmithing

Silver mining in Utah

Crown jewels of ( a European country you choose)

Egyptian jewelry

Celtic jewelry

Sumerian jewelry

Hellenistic Jewelry

Etruscan jewelry

Cubic zirconia

Topaz

Garnet

Amethyst

Pearls

History of cultured pearls

Agate

Fresh water pearl farms

History of Birthstones

Chinese Jewelry

Jewelry of Central and South America

Mexican Silver

Victorian Jewelry

Art Deco Jewelry

Gemstone shapes and cutting

Cloisonne`

Moku Gane

Repousse`

Millefiori Beads

Lampwork beads

           

            Project Due: ______________________

 I thought I would talk a little about engraving. I have a fair selection of gravers, round, flat, knife, and they are some of the best wax carving tools I have for my classes. I went to the wood shop teacher and he had some of his students turn handles out of hard wood scraps for them, so they are pretty nice for about $6 each. But, they are really quite difficult to use on metal. I have a fair amount of students slip and stab themselves, so for most metal engraving I have found a better way.

This is a Fordom hammer hand piece, and the tips are interchangable.

These some of the anvil tips that I have. From the left to right, they are as follows:

1. round graver tip (I had to alter this one. I also made a finer tip graver, but it was on the tool when I took the picture of these heads. I used a sander to grind the tips)
2. a great rounded bezel setting tip
3. flat graver tip (also adapted) 
4. a flat anvil head(I don't really use this that often, but it came in the kit. If anyone thinks of a use for it, let me know)
5. a high speed carbide bur (it just happened to be in there when I took the picture)
6.  a flat round anvil tip (very nice for setting smaller stones, in bead, box bezel, gypsy bezel, or prong sets. I also use it to mushroom rivet heads over in hard to get to places) 
7. a domed and polished round anvil head (great for texturing) 
8. a barrel anvil (I don't use this very often either)

I use these tips to engrave with. I also have a graver's vise which is really nice, but it was here when I got hired 12 years ago, I don't know if I would buy one now, because they are upwards of $450.
If your guys have input, ideas or questions I would love to here them.