Skip to content

014 Younger Next Year, Soldering, Prongs, Ventilation

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Workout Episode 14

Good To Be Back

It has been a couple of months since I sat down behind the microphone for an episode of the JewelryMonk Podcast, and you know what? It feels really good to be back. I apologize for rambling on in the first part of the show, but I just wanted to let y’all know what has been up with me. In this episode, I touch on some health benefits of exercise, answer a couple of questions about soldering and flux, describe prong layout for stone setting, talk about ventilation, and last but not least, Boaty McBoatface…..ya.

Health

In the health segment, I highlighted a book that has had an impact on my outlook on life lately called “Younger Next Year” by Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge. It is a book about learning how to live longer and live well. It addresses the issues of living a healthy lifestyle, and I touch on how “life as a jeweler” can be a pretty sedentary life, but there are actions we can take to reverse this.

Listener Question

Soldering Pick Header

I also answered a question from Tamara about soldering and flux. She had some problems with flux bubbling and splattering when soldering and losing her solder. She also asked about how to solder a wide shank and had some problems with solder flow. I gave her some tips and suggested some tools I use in soldering:

Handy Flux

 Titanium Solder Pick

Sheet Silver Solder

Smith Little Torch

Stone Setting Layout for Prongs 

I attempted to do something that “might” be the last time I try this….. I gave a semi-quick lesson involving a lot of numbers. I understand this is an audio format (podcasting) and I probably lost a number of you with measurements, percentages, and circles. Please give me feedback if you followed along, or got lost. Here are a number of pictures that go a long with the lesson which I promised in the podcast. Hope this helps:
Layout 02  Layout 03 Layout 04 Layout 06 Layout 08 Layout 09 Layout 010

Shared Prong Illustration

Prongs01 Prongs02 Prongs03

Inline Ventilation for Bench Fumes

In my Cool Tool “Pick of the Week”, I highlighted the need for good ventilation at the bench that I was reminded from a fellow jeweler Shoshana Kaliski from Shoshanakaliski.com

I chose to suggest the: Apollo Horticulture 4″ Inch 190 CFM Inline Duct Fan with Built In Variable Speed Controller

Inline Fan

This little fan is quiet, powerful, and can be a healthy way to vent fumes away from your bench……

Just add adjustable flexible venting.

There you have it, the 14th episode of The JewelryMonk Podcast. 

If you would like to come along side me and help out in my vision, I have created a way to do that. I have a Patreon site www.Patreon.com/jewelrymonk You can go there and help me finance this goal of helping as many jewelers as I can. If you would give a few dollars per month, per podcast episode, whatever, I would be so grateful.

AND

If you would commit to pitching in $10 per month towards this effort, I will give you a huge shout-out one of my upcoming episode of The JewelryMonk Podcast. Mentioning you, your business, your website, your Facebook page…… whatever you desire, Just like Rob from Bovar Jewelry does. Rob is a great up and coming jeweler that I have come to know well, and you are sure to hear great things from him in the future. Check out his awesome collection at BojarJewelry.com  Stop by and say hi to Rob for me. (BTW, his hair is amazing) 🙂

AND….. don’t forget to subscribe to this JewelryMonk.com website (upper right section) so you don’t miss a thing.

Until next time…… Go make something GREAT!

Doug

Tags:

6 thoughts on “014 Younger Next Year, Soldering, Prongs, Ventilation”

  1. Stephanie

    Thanks for the positivity, Doug, that book sounds like it’s really inspiring. I have so many excuses why I can’t/don’t/etc but in the end it’s my life and I have to stop making excuses and start making a choice and commitment to being healthier.

    1. Doug Napier

      Sounds like me…. I have to have a change in mindset before I have a change in lifestyle. I told myself I needed to get back to exercising for about a year before I finally made a change, but once my mind is changed, there is usually no turning back.
      Doug

  3. Magda

    another great podcast.
    you’re not oversharing at all! i think many of us past 40 are thinking about our health and life style and how to stay feeling good, despite jobs that have us in a sitting position for hours on end. be it at the computer or jewellery bench.
    the prong setting tutorial wasn’t too hard to follow at all. the photos on the site do help make it clear.
    thank you, and keep doing what you’re doing.

Comments are closed.