As I have not done any jewellery making before, are your courses suitable for someone like me?
Yes, I cater for beginners and also experienced people. The gold & silversmithing techniques taught are the same as used by professional goldsmiths / jewellers. Generally I divide the class into 2 or 3 groups of people with similar interests and similar experience. This mix makes it very interesting for beginners to see what they can achieve, simply by having a look at the work of the more experienced people... We work in a creative, inspirational environment and encourage everyone to explore their potential. I also cater for individual projects as much as possible!
Does the tuition fee include precious metals?
No, metals and things like sawblades, emery-paper are not included. You will need to purchase those as you go during the course, or simply bring your own!
I am a beginner! What will I learn during the 5 week course?
You will learn the basic jewellery making techniques like cutting of precious metals, soldering, polishing etc Usually students will complete about 3 or 4 items of jewellery during the course.
What tools do I need to bring?
We provide the important tools and machinery , like rolling mill, soldering equipment. polishing machine, flexible shaft drill machine, anvils etc Of course we also need some handtools, like files, pliers, sawframes, calipers, dividers, various hammers etc. I provide a good selection of those, however once you have decided that gold & silversmithing is something you really want to pursue, I recommend youl start to purchase your own set of tools. I have some great contacts to overseas tool factories and we can put larger orders together to benefit from bulk buying and direct importing tools at prices much lower than the usual jewellery tool suppliers here in Australia. Talk to me about your tool requirements, I can also advice you on what is needed and what does work better than other tools...
I have done jewellery courses before and want to improve in specific areas, would your course cater for people like me?
Yes, I can attend to your individual needs! For example, you have mastered the main gold & silversmithing techniques, but you are not really good at for example: setting Gemstones. I will develop a special stone setting program for you, depending on which techniques you are most interested in
I am interesed in becoming a professional jeweller and start an apprenticeship with a jeweller in the future. Would your course give me some basic understanding of the actual practical work environment of a professional manufacturing jeweller?
Yes , it does. Although the workshop is not doing commercial jewellery manufacture, I teach the exact same techniques as used by manufacturing jewellers. As a matter of fact I have been a professional jeweller for many years and still work 3 days a week doing jewellery manufacture for retail shops in brisbane and other locations. If you consider becoming a full time jeweller and start an apprenticeship, my course will give you a very good understanding of how it all works and what is involved. You will be able to determine at the end of the course, if this type of professional career is the right one right for you! It will also improve your chances of getting a apprenticeship as any prospective employer will look favourable at someone like you who has showed initiative and completed a gold & silversmithing course in their own time.
What exactly will you teach me?
A wide spectrum of the major jewellery manufacturing techniques as used by goldsmiths and jewellers in many countries. I offer a variety of projects, so you can choose techniques that interest you and suit your experience level. For beginners I start with the most important basic techniques and we move on to more demanding projects as you are getting more experienced. Jewellery involves many different specialised areas to explore, for example enamelling or forging, lost wax casting, cuttlefish casting, or etching which is completely underrated and there is much more... In terms of what items of jewellery you could be making, there are a lot of different jewellery items to make besides rings, bracelets, brooches, chains etc there are also keyrings, letter openers, silver boxes with or without stones, belt buckles, tableware, picture frames ...knifes...the list goes on once you start this fascinating craft! To best answer this question I basically discuss with every student individually what is possible in general and we then decide how best to accommodate your particular needs.
Where exactly is the Studio located?
The actual workshop / studio is at the premises of the Suncoast Gem & Fossicking Club in Buderim, Qld.
To see a location map and for full details click here
What do I need to bring to the classes?
If you are a beginner, bring the following: Paper, pens, dividers, ruler so you can draw up and plan your work. Also if you have any jewellery working tools such as calipers, pliers, hammers, files, emery paper that would be useful. If you are a experienced jewellery-maker you will know what to bring along...any tools you own, you won't need to share with others...
Important : For your own safety and for insurance reasons, you need to wear fully enclosed shoes in the workroom!
If you have long hair, you need to tie it behind, to prevent hair getting caught in the polishing maschine.
If you need glasses to see finer details, don't forget to bring them as well....
Apart from that............. bring good humor and enjoy learning new skills in a group of like minded people!
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