White spirit A flammable liquid used as a thinner for stop out varnish and cleaning off pitch. Work hardening Work hardening is the strength...
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Glossary of Terms - U
Ultrasonic cleaning This is a cleaning device that uses ultrasound, together with a solution of cleaning solvent to clean jewellery componen...
Friday, 28 September 2012
Glossary of Terms - T
Table The largest facet on the top of a cut gemstone. Tang The slender prong at the back end of a file, intended as a means of attaching a h...
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Making sanding sticks
Although commercially produced sanding sticks are readily available, it is both cheaper and more flexible to make them at home. Any fine-gra...
Polishing metal with a buffing wheel
Polishing, buffing and finishing are all terms for the same process, namely the removal of scratches from a surface to create the desired le...
Polishing metal with a buffing stick
Chamois leather and felt covered buff sticks are traditional hand tools for polishing an item to a professional standard. Leather buff stick...
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Mohs scale of hardness
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness was created in 1812 by the German geologist and mineralogist Friedrich Mohs. The Mohs scale rates the scr...
Glossary of Terms - S
Sandbag A leather bag filled with sand used to support work during sinking or raising. Scorper A kind of fine chisel used in engraving. Scri...
Glossary of Terms- R
Repoussé A cold working process where punches and hammers are used to work on the reverse of the metal to form a raised design on the front....
Glossary of Terms - P
Paillons Small chips of solder Patina A tarnish that forms on the surface of copper, bronze, sterling silver and similar metals. This can be...
Glossary of Terms - N
Needle files Small, fine files; useful where preserving the surface quality is of a greater importance than rapidly removing material. Nicke...
Glossary of Terms - M
Malleability A material's ability to deform under compression, such as forming a thin sheet by using a rolling mill. Mallet A hammer wit...
Monday, 24 September 2012
Glossary of Terms - L
Lathe A machine that rotates a piece of work rapdidly around 1 axis. Cutting or deforming tools are applied to the object as it spins, produ...
Glossary of Terms - K
Kerf The width of material removed vy a saw cut. Kiln An enclosed furnace, commonly used to fire enamels or Precious Metal Clay (PMC).
Glossary of Terms - I
Imperial A popular British system of units first defined in the Weights and Measures Act of 1824. For weights, troy ounces are used for pre...
Glossary of Terms - H
Hallmark A hallmark is a series of marks struck by an Assay office onto precious metal items to indicate origin and purity. Hyfin A brand na...
Glossary of Terms - G
Gauge A system to measure the thickness of metal wire or sheet. Many different gauges are in use, so care must be taken to understand which ...
Glossary of Terms - F
Facet A flat surface on a cut gemstone, these are cut in order to increase the reflected light. Ferrous A term used to indicate the presence...
Sunday, 23 September 2012
Glossary of Terms - E
Electroplating A plating process in which metal in a solution is moved by an electric current to cover a piece of metal acting as an electro...
Glossary of Terms - D
Dapping block See Doming block Die A tool used to shape or cut metal using a press. Dividers A pair of callipers with sharpened points that ...
Glossary of Terms - C
Cabochon A stone with a convex top and flat bottom. Cabochon shapes are usually used for opaque stones, or softer stones that would easily s...
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