April Showers bring….. less snow and more chance for you to expand your jewelry making skills! oh, and May flowers too. I am so excited to have winter finally over and spring in the air. I have some great things planned for the new season with some great classes scheduled and a new line of jewelry in the works. Have been working with some great students and am starting to get closer to choosing an APPRENTICE to come along side to train and guide.
Here is a link to a preview of just 1 of the classes, a Sawing Project, teaching how to work with a Jeweler’s Saw. CLICK HERE
A while back I posted a tip on the JewelryMonk Facebook page about how I recycle old Syringes and repurpose them in my jewelry work. I have a bunch of these around, so I will show one way I use them. I grind off the sharp point from the tip of the needle for safety and so I can control the flow better. I use a Separating Disc to do this.
What I do next is to take a small amount of Natural Cotton Balls and wrap it around a small Cylinder Bur. I wrap it into a pointed bullet shape. This helps it get into small areas and corners. I add a couple of drops of Mineral Oil onto the cotton and spin the cotton onto some Red Rouge to load the cotton. The oil creates a “slurry” to help in polishing. This method will work without the mineral oil as well. I also use the oil loaded on an End Brush and with Grey Star Polishing Compound for deeper scratches and rougher areas.
Give these tips a try and see how you like them, They work great for me.
Remember to wear your safety glasses!
There are many classes available, but if you don’t see exactly what you are looking for, I do keep my mornings open to work One-on-One with anyone who wants to learn specific skills, just contact me. (605) 718-5070
NEW Polishing Video Series JUST RELEASED
ALSO, I am very excited to finally release a NEW Polishing Video Series, that just went live! It covers just about everything about Polishing Jewelry, from Defect Identification and Repair, Sanding, Rubber Wheels, Brushes, and different Wheels and Compounds, etc. In this course, I hope to get you to think of polishing differently, instead of just making your jewelry shiny, it is a process of identifying defects, fixing them, but also realizing where they come from, and avoiding them in the future if possible. Over 40 videos so far, and still adding content.
Class Descriptions
Bezel Creation:(4 Hours) $125 Course
We start with a stone of your choice, or I have some pre-selected stones. Learn to create a Bezel for the stone, soldering it together, and set the stone in the bezel. This class covers Layout, Cutting, Measuring, Soldering, Cleaning up scratches and file marks, and Stone Setting.
Earring Making Workshop: (3 Hours) $100 Course
Start with sterling silver sheet, wire, and earring posts. Learn Texturing, Filing, Forming, Soldering, and Polishing to create your own custom made dangle earrings that you can wear home.
Copper Pendant Creation Course: (3 Hours) $100 Course
This workshop starts with a sheet of copper and we will texture, saw, and form the metal into a large medallion pendant that will hold either a stone of yours, or I will provide a stone for the project. In a few short hours you will create a finished piece of one of a kind, wearable jewelry.
Ring Band Making: (2 Hours) $75 Course
Start with a piece of rectangle shank material and Learn Metal Forming, Sizing, Texturing, Soldering, Filing, Sanding, and Polishing. When we are done, you will have a Sterling Silver Band that you created, that you can wear home.
Sawing and Layout Techniques: (2 Hours) $75 Course
Many people have their favorite shapes, animals, designs, etc. Together we will learn to Transfer Design to Metal, Texture, Pierce, Saw, File, Sand, and Polish copper, silver, and/or brass. When you are finished, you will have a pendant or pin you can wear home.
Ring Sizing Techniques (Up and Down): (2 Hours) $75 Course
The thing with peoples ring jewelry, is they either hand them to others, decide to wear them on other fingers, or their fingers change size over time, so they sit it their jewelry box. We will Learn how to measure your finger, then Size a Ring Up and Down, then File, Sand, and Polish. I will teach you the skills needed to accomplish these tasks, Then, bring as many rings as you wish, and we will work on as many as we can in a 2 hour period.
Spinner Ring Project: (2 Hours) $75 Course
Spinner Rings are the original Fidget Spinners, for your fingers. I will show you the skills you need to create your own Spinner Ring, In this class, we will Learn Sawing, Soldering, Sanding, Metal Forming, and texturing, to create a “Spinner Ring”
Open Class: (Daily 9am – 12pm) $45/Hr. Course (Discounts available)
Specific One on One Class Time, working on projects the student wants to learn.
Bench Rental Time: (contact Doug for available times) $30/Hr. Course
JewelryMonk Studio and Training Center
717 Main St. RC,SD
We offer a variety of classes:
- 2 and 3 Hour Specific Group Skill Classes
- 4-Day Group Skill Courses
- Half and Full Day, Drop-in Specialty Workshops (By Appointment)
- Open Training, One-on-One Specialized Coaching/Training ($45 per hour)
- Bench Space for rent by the hour. ($30 per hour)
Each class is specifically designed to focus on a certain technique or discipline within jewelry making.
2 and 3 Hour Specific Group Skill Classes: are stand-alone, project-oriented classes designed to introduce metalsmithing and other jewelry making processes to the students.
Multiple Day Group Skill Courses: focus on mastering the fundamentals of metalsmithing, and other jewelry making processes, and are designed to continually build on skills learned in previous courses.
Half and Full Day Workshops: vary by theme and/or skill and may take an entire day, or only a few hours, to complete. These Classes are designed around the Students preferences and are by appointment only.
Open Training Classes: vary by skill level and tasks wanting to learn. These courses are by daily (10am-12pm) or by appointment and are based on a $45 hourly rate.
Bench Space for rent by the hour: ($30 per hour) when space is available.
Guest Training Classes: will be coming soon and will vary, so be sure to check our calendar for details and pricing.
Detailed information for each class can be found by clicking on the Course Description. Classes include all materials and the use of studio tools and equipment. Prerequisites for some classes and for the use of some equipment may apply.
Register by phone, or in person, for one of our scheduled classes and/or workshops, or schedule a customized or private class for you and/or a group.
Contact us to plan a fun and educational day!
For questions about which classes might be most useful, or confused about a certain technique? Feel free to call us – we’re happy to assist.
JewelryMonk Studio – 605 718-5070
717 Main St.
Rapid City, SD 57701
Hours: M-F 9am-5pm (and Saturdays and some evenings)
**Need a place to get creative? Check out our Open Studio option. Use our Studio space, including tools and equipment, to practice skills or to work on your own jewelry/metal projects.
Open Studio Days
JewelryMonk’s Open Studio is an alternative to having to personally invest in expensive tools and equipment in order to pursue your artistic endeavors. During designated Open Studio hours, all participants will have access to the JewelryMonk’s full jewelry and metalsmithing studio, including all tools, equipment, machinery, torches, and library. Open Studio is designed for ultimate flexibility: students may work independently to complete class projects and/or work on self-designed creations; or, for an additional fee, those needing assistance with skill mastery can request guidance from an instructor as they need it.
Please be aware that Open Studio Days do not include instruction time (see below). For targeted and/or advanced instruction, or to acquire new skills, JewelryMonk Studio offers one-on-one time with an instructor. Individual Instruction is $45 per hour and must be scheduled in advance.
Open Studio Days do not include any project materials. Participants will need to supply their own metal, solder, wire, findings, enamel, etc. Some of these items may also be purchased from the JewelryMonk Studio during open studio hours.
OPEN STUDIO DAYS (Bench Rental)
- Held on weekdays from 10am-12:00pm. (other times available according to appointment)
- Available to proficient participants working independently
- Priced at $30 per hour. No minimum.
- Are discounted to $100 per day for 5+ days; must be purchased together on a single receipt.
- One Regular Open Studio Day is equal to one calendar day. JewelryMonk does not prorate Open Studio Days.
- Do include use of all tools, equipment and machinery (demonstration of proficiency may be required)
- Do not include any materials.
- Do not expire.
Please Note:
- Participants may receive periodic instructor assistance for an additional $75 per Open Studio day. (Dedicated one-on-one instruction time may be scheduled at $45 per hour. Please call for details: 605.718.5070.)
- Participants are responsible for damage due to misuse of tools, equipment, machinery, chemicals, and related materials.
- Participants must sign in and sign a waiver upon arriving; after signing in, participants may come and go throughout the day.
For additional information, please call 605.718.5070
Individual tool kit which includes:
Bench pin, Assorted Burs, Flush cutters, Parallel Pliers, Half-round hand file (#2 and #4), Flat hand file (#2 and #4), Needle files, Hammers and Mallets, Ring mandrel, Pliers (flat nose, round nose, chain nose), Ring clamp, Safety glasses, Micrometer and gauges, Flex Shaft, LED Bench lamp, Steel block, Saw blades, Saw frame, Soldering pad, Soldering pick, Soldering tweezers, Spring tweezers, 3rd hand, and More.
Equipment and machinery which includes but is not limited to:
(Demonstration of proficiency will be required for certain tools.)
- Punches
- Casting kiln *
- Cutters (discs)
- Dapping blocks
- *Open Studio casting requires instructor supervision and incurs a $50 fee, plus $25 per flask
- Mandrels
- Metal shears
- Rolling mill
- Stamps (letter, number, misc. designs)
- Texture plates
- Torches (acetylene, butane, propane-oxygen)
- Vacuum caster
- Vibratory tumblers
OPEN STUDIO SCHEDULE:
MONDAY – FRIDAY
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (other times available by appointment)
As Always, if you find value in this content, or if you like to keep up to date on the goings-on here, make sure to Subscribe to the JewelryMonk Blog Via Email (link in the upper right corner of www.JewelryMonk.com) also if you know someone who makes jewelry, tell them about this site.
You can also follow on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Periscope…. we are all over the place.
Now go make something Shiny!
Doug