Customer Reviews

The Jeweler's Studio Handbook: Traditional and Contemporary Techniques for Working with Metal and Mixed Media Materials

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I totally fallen in love with this book and all its projects. I think I have looked thru it about 40 times already. I love this book so much that I got rid of 4 other jewelry studio books I had in my own collection. I am so in love with this book that I want turn my tiny area that is the kitchen/dining/studio I have now into a proper metalworking studio.

I think this is an exceptional metalworking book that should be in every metal work library. Artist/author Brandon Holschuh walks you through planning and setting up your studio space, selecting tools you need, working with various materials, shows you how to master fundamental metalwork techniques, and then has the reader practice their new skills with twenty jewelry projects. Also, the book is full of gorgeous and inspiring gallery quality jewelry from dozens of contributing artists. There are tons of photos as wells as lots of sidebar tips.

The book starts with planning your home studio. This is something that I haven't seen in other books, and it makes complete sense as to why it should be included. Setting up your studio properly and safely is important and something one needs to think about before hand. The pictures of his studio are so inspiring. and make me long to have the space of living in the Midwest.

Chapter 2 is tool talk, everything from bench pins to rolling mills, from soldering station to casting equipment. He shows you how to set up the different areas and talks about why you should keep separte areas for different types of jewelry work that you do.
Chapter 3 talks about the properties of various metals-silver, brass, gold, platinum, etc...then goes into work techniques. This chapter covers annealing, sawing, soldering, drilling, filing, finishing of metals. Gemstones and found object materials are also discussed.
Chapter 4 is all about Mechanics, Contraptions and Surface treatments. This chapter covers cold connections, various mechanisms such as caps, clasps, bails, and enclosures like cages, frames, boxes and hinges. It also talks a little bit about patina and texturing as well as finishing attachments for your flex shaft.

The second part of the book starts with "The Projects". There are 20 step by step project instructions for creating rings, bracelets, earrings and pendants. The first project is a plain band ring, and includes projects like a tube rivet chunky ring, bezel set pendant, cage pendant and no solder bracelet. The gallery section has even more eye candy to inspire you to keep improving your bench skills. There is an appendix with tips on how to continue your jewelry career and a resource section.

There are tons of photos throughout the book, and you never have to guess about which step of instructions you are in. I love all the modern projects in this as well, and the gallery photos are outstanding. If you are thinking about or just starting metalworking you should ahve this in front of you.

I wish this book had a spiral binding so it would lay flat as you are doing the projects, but other than that I would give this book 10 stars if I could

Even though I've been making sterling silver jewelry since 2003, I found this book had some good tips. Would be a great book for beginners.

This is a wonderful resource for those interested in fabricating their own pieces. I bought a second handbook for my sister who has developed beyond just assembling purchased clasps, bevels, etc.. She wants to learn how to create her own designs.

I'm furnishing a newly built studio and found numerous items of helpful information. The layout information was indespensible.

Mastering the techniques contained in this handbook will take me a long ways towards where I want to be as an artist.

This is a very informative book regarding working with sterling silver and mixed media. Great book for understanding the tools needed to get started with working with metal and torches. Gave great tips on how to use the tools. Also projects explained in very good detail. Looking forward to doing some of these projects. Would recommend this book for someone interested in starting to do soldering and working with metal and mixed media projects.

I knew I was in trouble when I read the forward. Sometimes folks try to be so esoteric and artsy they forget to be practical. To be fair, the author didn't write the forward, but this was just not the book I expected. This book is for the independently wealthy who can build their own studio and furnish it with every imaginable (and expensive) tool.

Many of the how-to pictures were too small. In the section on sawing, I had absolutely no idea what I was looking at.

On a completely different subject, the binding of the book was not good--the type that is too tight for the book to stay open; if you force it open, the binding 'breaks'.

Upon receiving the book I could not put it down all good information and great quality photograph. Recommend it to all

The pictures in the book are many, but not good enough to see the detail in them sometimes. i.e. camera angle or hands blocking view. Not a beginners book but a good overall general review for all types of jewelry making.

I collect a lot of jewelry books and this was a great addition to my library. Unfortunately, I don't have a large living area so my "workshop" is confined to a little corner of my living room. Although the information on organizing a studio was fantastic, it wasn't too relevant to my situation.

I did get the book because I liked a lot of the jewelry making ideas. Although they are more beginning to semi-intermediate projects, I don't look so much at the finished project, as the different ideas you can take from various parts of projects. I am an advanced jewelry maker, but often times, I need some inspiration on different takes on earrings, necklaces and bezels. This is a great book to get you going again.

Beautiful pictures with the knowledge to further your trade in the metalsmith world.
For 7 months I apprenticed with a wonderful lady, so I know a lot of the tools and machines used in the book. However, it's always good to refresh your mind and to have the knowledge at your fingertips when ordering tools.

The main reason I purchased this book was to get an idea on the studio layout. Of course it's an example of a large area for someone who has lots of money, yet it gives a basic idea and you are to imagine your own space with what you have. I have acquired many of the items listed at pawn shops, yard sales and flee markets.

I love the way it's broken down into sections of tools, bench pins, soldering, a gauge guide, little things like making your own sanding sticks/polishing sticks and simple projects. It starts out with the simplest metalsmithing project for you, a simple band ring. When I first made mine, it came out GORGEOUS!

If your NEW at metalsmithing, I would recommend this book as well as talking with your local jewelry metalsmiths about metalsmith apprenticing. Not Kay Jewelers, Jared's or other chain jewelry shops. They have their items casted and shipped to them.

Good luck to ya, and happy metalsmithing

This is a clearly written, beautifully produced, extremely helpful introduction to basic jewelry metalsmithing. It renders accessible many techniques initially intimidating to the beginner like myself, and does so better than many other books I've evaluated. The photo work is excellent, the step-by-step projects well selected and inspiring. More than adequate to give me the info and the confidence necessary to take on all sorts of new techniques and launch myself into a new hobby.

However, the book is physically assembled incorrectly -- the sheets after page 55 or so are glued out-of-sequence, creating a jumbled mess! So it is an inconvenient read at best, with all the flipping around required to track down the correct next page. And I'll be darned if I can find pages 72-73 anywhere in there.