Yes, it’s that time of year again, when a lot of us are gearing up for our annual trip to Tucson, Arizona. As I sit at my desk in southeast Tennessee and add to my ‘Tucson Lists’ (where it is currently 21º at 1:30 in the afternoon) it is very easy to think about packing bathing suits and tee shirts!
The February gemshows in Tucson are still ‘the place to be’! For two weeks +, vendors and shoppers come from all over the world to sell, swap and shop for everything and anything that one might possibly need in both the jewelry making and lapidary industry. There are about 40 different gem shows during this time (not counting all of the street and tailgate opportunities). For those of you who think you cannot attend because you are not yet a business, I believe that only 9 of these shows are ‘wholesale only’. That leaves more than 30 shows you can visit!

There are a lot of reasons to attend, even if just for a few days:

• Escape from the cold weather where you live. (Obviously a plus for some of us.)
• Find new supply sources and meet vendors personally. Don’t you just love being able to touch, feel and see the real colors of a product before you buy it? Here also, is an opportunity to purchase directly from a company with no middleman!

• Collect new product catalogues and coupons. While there, you can pick-up a variety of free magazines and catalogues from various sources, scattered throughout the shows. (I know I use my Tucson show Guide as a resource for years after!)

Network with others in your particular medium and meet professionals in all fields of jewelry making and lapidary arts.You never know with whom you might be sharing a lunch table, in a crowded courtyard. (I usually come home with a minimum of 50, new contact business cards.)

• Checkout brand new products and equipment; investigate a variety of jewelry and lapidary procedures and watch live demonstrations. The latest in gizmos and gadgets for the industry are always in Tucson in February. Watch as the inventors themselves demonstrate, and get a good deal if you decide you need whatever it is.

Take a class. Tired of shopping and walking? Take a break and take a class! The top in their field of various jewelry making procedures will be demonstrating and teaching in Tucson. Although most classes are ‘scheduled’, at the Jogs show, we teach ‘on demand’. To find out more about our International Teaching Team and the classes we are offering this year: http://www.jogsshow.com/beading_classes.htm or just stop by and say Hello!

• Shop, shop, shop!! Oh my goodness! The variety of items for sale is way too many to list – just imagine anything and everything you have ever seen in a jewelry-making catalog and more, like awesome tie dye and eclectic gift items. (How about an 8-inch tall, unicorn’s horn carved from selenite?)

• Visit Wire-Sculpture! Members of Wire-Sculpture.com will be manning a booth at the Jogs Show this year, talking with YOU, taking orders, and offering wire, tools, DVDs and more. They are also proud sponsors of the 2010 Jogs Jewelry-Making Classes. http://www.jogsshow.com/index.html

>There are a lot of great articles on-line, with ideas about what to and not to do, to get ready for your Tucson experience. Here are my personal suggestions, that may help to make your first Tucson experience a bit easier and more fun.
If you are a home jewelry business:

Pre-register for shows http://www.jewelryshowguide.com/event/results.php
• Make and carry small copies of your resale document and/or business license (vendors appreciate being able to keep a copy for their records and it makes purchase paperwork quicker)

Everyone:

• Make a list of the supplies you need to find

Make a list of the things you would like to haveCarry at least 100 business cards

• Use the Shuttles! From the airport to every show venue, hotels and back again, there are several shuttles that run constantly throughout the shows. Save having to find and pay for parking, traffic and dealing with the fact that I-10 is still closed from one end of the city to the other.
• Bring a badge lanyard (if you have one). Personally, I just find it easier to have one lanyard to which I attach all of my badges so I don’t have to worry about having the right one on for the right show.

Leave pets and small children at home. You will be doing a lot of walking, chairs are limited, it can get really hot, and a real concern: port-a-johns.

• Bring a backpack (rocks get heavy!)
• Bring a box of zipper style sandwich bags. I don’t know about you, but if I don’t take a few minutes to record my purchases as soon as I can, I’ll never do it! Therefore I individually bag each item along with its’ receipt, every night.

• Bring a maker, pen and a small notebook. To help me stay as close to my budget as possible, while shopping for things I need I often see things I want; so I carry a small notebook and pen with me to be able to write down what I saw and where. Also, sometimes great deals are made with cash and do not have receipts, so I make a note for my records
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing (maybe bring a hat). Oh yes, like any type of event, you will see many ‘fashion statements’. They are fun to watch, but I prefer not to be one. I am more comfortable in my jeans, boots and t-shirt, and I always have a straw hat, because walking around in the Arizona sun will burn this winter-white skin! Remember that you will be on your feet for hours! Unless attending a special event, I also advise against wearing lots of expensive jewelry, as unscrupulous individuals are always looking for opportunities.
• Carry gum, mints and a granola (or similar) bar, and Band-Aids

• Do bring one dressy-casual outfit. You never know when you’ll be invited of one of the many, special parties and events being held all over town!

• A light jacket is a must as it does get rather chilly in the evening.
• And of course your camera, but be sure to ask permission before taking a picture of a display!

With all of the shopping, dealing, walking, rich foods, etc, I think it’s important to take a few hours for rest and relaxation. A nice drive into the desert is always re-energizing for me (and stopping to look for agates is about a must!)

See you in Tucson ~ stay ‘twisted’!!

Dale/Cougar

Ever a crafter, Donna has always had her hands into something creative, especially crochet, baking and cooking. Originally from Pennsylvania, Donna and her husband’s employment transferred them to Tennessee where she met Dale ‘Cougar’ Armstrong and was introduced to the fine art of wire jewelry creation.

Since learning wire jewelry techniques, Donna has become a mixed-media jewelry maker; experimenting with PMC, silver smithing and lapidary work. She teaches at local bead shops, has been published in Step-by-Step Wire magazine and participates in many craft shows.

Donna and her husband reside in south-central Tennessee with their Sheltie, Ellie-Mae.

Mary W. Bailey

You are excited and ready to get serious with your jewelry-making hobby. But where are you going to work? And just what will you need to get started?

Thinking about these things first, can save a lot of time and aggravation, as well as help you develop good habits; organizing both yourself and your materials and hopefully being able to remain organized as your talents grow. Plus, by pre-thinking your options you can also get an idea of whether or not you have something on hand you can utilize, or if you may have to purchase an item.

Sit down with a pen and tablet and list just what you are going to need, as well as the things you need to plan for, including both what can be helpful as well as distracting to you while you create.

Q. What area can be designated as a workspace? Probably the most important thing you need is a space where you can work and store your materials. An extra room in the house would be ideal, but you may not have that option.

Answer:

When I first started out, I made use of the dining room table. Really not the best place, but since there are just two of us it worked well, until I outgrew the space and has to rethink the entire idea.

Where can you leave everything without worrying about it? And just how much room will you need? And once it is assigned, can you leave everything in plain sight or will you have to lock it away? These are serious questions to consider and you have to decide what your personal options are.

Did you know that even an extra closet can be utilized and turned into a work area? A friend of mine took an extra closet, lined it with shelving and added a drop down table with fold out legs on the end. It not only looks great but also serves her purpose very well. Everything is within reach and by following her own set of organization rules, she produces some great jewelry using this idea. Plus, it can all be closed back up and even locked if need be. (Since she has small children, and locking it keeps little hands out of mom’s stuff.)

Believe it or not, by pre-thinking your basic needs you can be creative in a small amount of space if done correctly. You know that you need a flat work surface to start with and maybe some type of storage container (s).  Also electricity is a must, so having a handy outlet nearby is important too. Okay, so what do you have that you can utilize for this purpose?

One of Dale’s students keeps her supplies in a hutch located in her dining room and uses a fold-up TV tray to work on, so she can move it wherever she wants to. This allows her to ‘work’ while watching television with her family, or moving to her porch on a pretty day.

Still another uses a large, antique desk located in her bedroom. All of her supplies are kept in the drawers, nooks and crannies and she can easily close her workspace whenever she wished. This not only keeps everything organized, but clean and ‘out-of-the-way’. (Her business has now grown to the point of asking her husband to build her a studio!)

Dale actually began in her back kitchen by using a warped, fiberglass table (rescued after hurricane Hugo). Her storage system consisted of just a few plastic potato salad containers, prescription bottles and hardware organizers. (Yes, her faceting machine also resided on this same table.) This is also where she began her, then unplanned, teaching career.

Q. What are the basics I am going to need?

Answer:

1. Space & Work Surface: An area that gives you at least 6 to 8 feet will do for starters. Having a space that includes a blank area of wall would be great. Maybe you have an old, unused desk that you could relocate to this area. No desk? How about what I used for a good, long time; an old wooden door (hardware removed) and two half-size file cabinets. The door my husband had, and I picked up the 2 file cabinets from a Goodwill store for next to nothing. Now I had a work surface with storage space on each side underneath, plus the space along the back when the door was pushed up against the wall. These days 6 or 8 foot, fold out tables can be purchased rather inexpensively at an office supply or department store, as well as from a wholesale club. And remember; don’t hesitate to ask family and friends if they have anything they’d be willing to give you to get started.
2. Chair: A good, comfortable chair is a definite must! One with rollers is a plus, and it has to be comfortable because you are going to spend a lot of time sitting in it while working. Used office furniture stores, flea markets and once again Goodwill, even Craigslist can be a great source for finding a good chair. Take your time and sit in each before making the decision on which is the most comfortable for you.
3. Flooring: Now if you have carpet on your floor, give some serious thought about obtaining some type of rubber mat to go under your work area. Why? Mainly for protection against loose pieces of wire that somehow always manage to find their way to the floor. (If you are like me, the first thing I do when getting home is to kick off my shoes and I know Dale does too.) A lot of us live barefooted when home, plus I have a dog who keeps me company when I am working and carpeting catches wires which can end up getting stuck in either your foot or the paw of your fur baby. Also, you are working with gemstones or cameos and having a mat gives a cushion against damage if you accidentally drop anything.
4. Lighting: Yes, good lighting is a definite must! Of course natural light is wonderful, but the sun doesn’t always cooperate or remain in the same position (and some of us get ‘creative storms’ late at night). Overhead fluorescent lighting is fine, if it doesn’t put you in your own shadow. Two of those arm-type lamps, one clamped on each side of your table, will give you plenty of illumination. (I prefer halogen lighting because the lamps don’t heat up to where you can accidently burn yourself by brushing up against the bulb shield, plus halogen reproduces daylight.) You may prefer a halogen that includes a magnifier. Remembering that ‘hobby’ stores often have higher prices, so check out office supply or department stores to see what your options are.  
5. Optional, work surface on your work surface: A protective mat on your working surface can be invaluable. Now this can be whatever you like; some folks use a folded hand towel, others purchase a ‘beaders mat’ and Dale prefers a cushion style mouse pad. Personally I bought a roll of woven rubber, shelf liner so I could cut a piece the whole width of my working area. I love this stuff because beads and stones don’t bounce around on it, wires don’t fly off to the floor and everything stays put. Plus, as it can be cut it to any size desired, I even cut a few squares to take with me when I travel to shows and ‘play dates’.
6. Storage: You will need some type of storage system to organize and keep all of your supplies. One of my chain maille friends uses a plastic, rollaway unit that was originally designed and sold to store Christmas ornaments. All of her jump rings and findings are kept in plastic organizers within the units’ drawers, as well as her directions and tools. This type of storage unit is great when you are starting out and only need a few supplies, and it can easily be moved anywhere. As mentioned above, other people have found storage opportunities by utilizing previously unused furniture like a desk or hutch already in their home. A beader friend uses lots of empty prescription bottles that she has all of us save for her. As for me, those filing cabinets came in handy! My wire is sorted out in hanging file folders that are labeled by size and gauge in one cabinet and plastic storage cases full of beads and findings are on the other side, in the second cabinet. I still use them but I also use a selection of hardware storage cabinets, with pull out drawers that I have labeled as to what is inside them, like cabochons, beads and findings. These cabinets sit against the wall at the back of my working area, within easy reach.
7. Music and/or television: Of course we all have our own different types of ‘music to work by’. Whether you have a small, portable CD player/radio combination or an MP3 player, you will probably enjoy being able to go into your own creative zone by listening to your favorite music while you work. Some people like having a small television too, as they watch instructional DVDs while working on projects that are new to them.

These basic ideas will help you begin planning and then setting up your own personal workspace. Items can be added as you need them, such as a vise that can be mounted on one side of your work surface for working with long strands of wire, or holding your ring mandrel, etc. The battery charger for your drill will need a place and later you will probably find a spot for your tools and the rack you keep them on, not to mention a plastic container or two for your wire scraps (1 for each metal please). Everything has its own spot, and as you work you will establish what works best for you, to really personalize ‘your’ jewelry-making space.

Tumbling Your Jewelry

Mary W. Bailey

When asked to write this article, I had to stop and really think on it.  First off, because I don’t use a tumbler to clean my jewelry nor as a method for hardening the wire.  Why would I?  After all, I am working with half-hard wire to start with so it is hardening as I work it and the other idea, well, the thought of putting finished settings into a tumbler gives me the shivers.  And, most importantly, in all the years I have taken classes and worked with Dale, she has never suggested using a tumbler of any kind to clean jewelry items.  Notice please, I said a tumbler as opposed to using a Speed Brite ionic cleaner

With this in mind I began doing some research on the subject, reading what others had posted, and talking with several jewelry artists I know who do use a tumbler regarding their reasons why and the methods they use to achieve success with a tumbler.  It seems that some people believe that this is the proper way to complete their jewelry items, while others do so for the benefits the tumbler offers them.  It is a case of polishing the finished piece as well as work hardening the wire and removing any nicks or burrs that may be present.

So, with that said, let’s get down to the basics:

There are two types of tumblers available:  a rotating tumbler and a vibratory tumbler.  They each serve a basic need for anyone working with rough stones that want to achieve a more finished product for use in their jewelry creations.

In a rotating tumbler, you have a rubber drum or barrel that is filled with different levels of polishing medium, water and the stones that you want to “tumble”.  In this case, the rocks continuously fall over each other, polishing slowly, much in the same way tumbling waves from the ocean polish sea glass and stones.  And, like the action of the waves, it takes a lot of time to polish stones from the rough to a highly polished stage.  It is not unusual to take two weeks to a month or more to tumble a batch of stones to the desired finish.

The advantage of using a rotating tumbler is the fact that it will reshape natural rough material, reducing and rounding any angular points on the material.

The vibrating tumblers don’t actually “tumble” but rather they agitate side to side at a high rate, creating a moving action that carries the polish over and between the stones in it.  Mostly used ‘dry’, the bowl or hopper vibrates rapidly and this action produces a lot of friction between the vibrating rock particles – this is why a vibrating tumbler works quickly.

The rocks do not “tumble” in the hopper, but a circulating action develops that continuously moves the rocks from the bottom of the bowl up to the surface, along the outside edges of the bowl and then back down to the bottom. The tumbling action of a rotary tumbler that rounds and reshapes the rocks is not produced.  Therefore, in the lapidary world, a vibratory tumbler is best used to polish slabs.

The main advantage of a vibratory tumbler is that it has the ability to polish rocks and other objects very quickly. A rotary tumbler will require several days or weeks (depending on the hardness of the stone) to do the pre-polish and polishing steps for a batch of rocks but a vibratory tumbler can do each of these steps in just one or two days. This speeds production. A final advantage is that the vibratory tumbler subjects the rocks to less impact than a rotary tumbler. This gentle action is important when you are tumbling stones that break or bruise easily such as rocks with self-healed fractures and softer materials like turquoise and malachite.

Please also note that these types of tumblers are lapidary tumblers, meaning they are made to contain and hold water in them.  If you shop an alternative source, be sure what you are buying is designed to do the job you want.  Case in point, vibratory tumblers, the type that come from gun shops, are used to polish shells for reloading and so are available at a better price because of this.  Stainless steel shot is heavy and requires a tumbler designed to handle the weight as well as the liquid it is using.  Vibratory tumblers from gun shops are designed to use a dry medium, such as ground walnut shells, and are not waterproofed.  If you do shop at a gun shop, be sure to ask about whether or not the tumbler is designed for what you want to use it for.

So how does this work for your jewelry?  And what do you have to use to achieve the results you want?  Please read on as I explain the steps necessary to utilize a tumbler for polishing finished jewelry pieces.

I will be explaining the steps for using a rotary tumbler, as this is what everyone I talked with uses for their jewelry.

Getting Started…

As I stated earlier, I visited and talked with several friends regarding their tumblers and what they use them for.  It was a variety of different mediums, such as chain mail, Viking knit, wirework and component-assembly work, that all fell under the same final stage of needing a good cleaning and/or hardening.

And in just about every case, the materials used were the same for each individual:  a rotary tumbler, mixed stainless steel shot, Dawn dishwashing liquid and water.

There are a lot rotary tumblers out there. Here at Wire-Sculpture.com we offer a good selection of brands and accessories for you to purchase whether you desire to tumble polish stones or your finished jewelry pieces.

By tumbling your jewelry, three things are accomplished.  First, it cleans your work, removing dirt and any oils that have accumulated on your stones and/or wire.  Second, it is lightly polishing the metal in your pieces by using stainless steel shot that will burnish, or polish the metal.  And third, by leaving the piece in the tumbler long enough, the metal or wire becomes what is referred to as “work-hardened”.  (I believe this last step applies mostly to those of you who work in dead soft wire and need this added step to harden the wire.)

Procedure:

The first thing to do with your tumbler is to remove the barrel from its stand and open it up.  A thorough cleaning of the inside of the drum needs to be done, using a baking soda paste and a toothbrush.  Why?  The rubber usually has a coating on it, which will cause the first tumbling to turn the water black and your jewelry pieces a gray color.  So scrub the drum out thoroughly and rinse it out with clean water a couple of times.

The size of the tumbler you are using will determine the amount of stainless steel shot you will need.  The stainless steel shot, that all I spoke with used, is what is referred to as a “jewelers mix” consisting of pin, oval, and elliptical shapes, which in turn ensure that all the little nooks and crannies of your work will receive a good polish.

For a small tumbler, usually you will fill about a 1/3 of the tumbler barrel with shot. You need to be absolutely sure that it is stainless steel shot and not the less expensive carbon steel shot.  I made this mistake by purchasing a bag from a gun shop and my first (and last) tumbling experiment ended up with rusted and blackened items that I ended up throwing away completely.  (Thank goodness they were copper items and not sterling silver!)  Even the “stainless shot” was a rusted pile of pellets and went into the trash as well.  Oh, and let me add, the tumbler was also not water tight, so I ended up with a large wet spot on my work bench.  (Sigh, live and learn, as they say.)

Once the shot is loaded into the barrel of the tumbler, you will need to add a “burnishing compound” to it.  The simplest and least expensive is Dawn dishwashing liquid. Add a couple of good drops of the detergent to the shot. This detergent works great at removing oil and grim from the surfaces of your jewelry.

Next, put in the jewelry pieces you want to clean and then add just enough water to cover the shot and jewelry.  (Avoid adding too much water, as it will dilute the detergent too much.)  You don’t want too much water.  The whole tub should not be over halfway full, as there needs to be room for the shot and the jewelry to move around freely while tumbling.  Just make sure a thin layer of water covers everything inside.  Check the edges of the drum and if water is beading around the opening, wipe it dry before inserting the drum lid.  Depending on the model you are using, attach and tighten down any additional outer lid and slip the drum into its mounting place.

The amount of time you allow the tumbler to run can vary depending on how many pieces you have loaded and what type of stones, etc. you have wrapped.  If there are no sensitive stones in you work, you could safely allow it to run for a couple of hours.  From the questions I asked, most folks recommend just one hour of tumbling time.  However all of them did state that if you are unsure of the hardness of any jewelry item, check it after 20-30 minutes to see how it looks.   (To avoid possible disaster, I would suggest that before putting any finished piece with a questionable material into a tumbler that you take the time to experiment with an individual stone or gemstone bead to see how it looks after tumbling.)

Retrieving your items can be done several ways.  If they are large enough, simply reach into the drum and remove them.  If you have tumbled a variety of items, then using a small holed, plastic colander works great.   To dump the drum out, take some preventive steps first.  Put the sink plug in and as added protection use one of those flat, plastic drain seals over the plug. Even using a small wire strainer (found at a hardware store) over the sink opening to catch anything small, as well as any shot that gets away from you, is a good idea instead of the plastic stopper.

Now, gently pour the contents of the drum into the colander, draining out all of the water.  From there, it is easy enough to set the colander on a folded towel on the countertop and begin sorting thru the shot for your jewelry.  Be sure to take the time to dry off your shot too, either by rolling it up in a towel and removing the moisture or by laying it out on the towel and letting it air dry, before using it again.

I hope this does explain to you, the use of a rotary tumbler to polish jewelry.

From what I have collected in opinions, the lapidary vibratory tumbler does work as well, using basically the same steps.  Some people prefer using the vibratory tumbler purchased from a gun shop, and choose to use a dry medium of crushed walnut shells that have been “charged” with a red jeweler’s rouge, or a finer polish made of medium corncobs ground up with green polishing compound added.

Jewelry designer and instructor Albina Manning was born in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia, a small town not far from Volga River. Ever since she was a child, Albina has loved doing anything by hand, especially knitting and sewing. She graduated from Mari State Pedagogical Institute and then worked for 9 years as a certificated elementary and physical education teacher in her hometown.

“Although I really loved my work as a teacher of young children, in 2003 my life changed a lot! I met my soul mate Peter and moved to Arizona where we were married, and a year later our beautiful daughter Anya was born. Then a Russian friend living in Japan sent me a beautiful, red beaded rose as a Christmas gift. I thought, ‘is it possible to make something as lovely as Mother Nature creates? Probably not, but sometimes copies can be worth that of the original.’ That is when I fell in love with beads and wire. My first experience was to make a beaded Money Tree. In spite of the fact that it looks like an old untrimmed tree and has a lot of ‘technical’ mistakes, I still love it.”

Albina then discovered The Bead Museum in Glendale, AZ where displays include the incredible beadwork of Lana May from Phoenix. Just ‘down-the-road’, Albina contacted Lana who inspired Albina’s jewelry making hobby (which was a perfect fit for the stay-home-mom). The two are now close friends.

Albina now enjoys teaching at The Bead Museum, The Beaderie, and at the J.O.G.S Gem & Jewelry Show, (where she and Dale ‘Cougar’ Armstrong became friends). Her work Bonsai Shakkan has been used by Fire Mountain Gems both as a back cover advertisement and inside their catalog. In 2009 Albina won the 1st Place Gold Medal award with her piece titled ‘Inca’s Gold Necklace’ in FMG’s wirework category. She has been published in ‘Art Bead Circle Magazine’ as well as in an upcoming book ‘Mixed Media Jewelry Techniques’, (available at the JOGS show February 2010). Learn more about Albina on her website: http://www.around-beads.info