Make-do Sawing Solutions

by Judy Larson

I do not have a jeweler's workbench or the room for one. I would love to leave a bench pin set up at the proper height all the time, but because of my space limitations, I have a few "make-do" solutions for sawing that seem to work well for me.

Instructions

I try to save all my sawing for a full day, if possible. I attach a wood box to the top of my desk with a C-clamp and then attach the bench pin to it. Then it is just a matter of lowering my desk chair a little bit to have the correct height to lessen back, neck, and shoulder strain when sawing. If only a few pieces need to be cut, I don't bother with the box set up and just attach the bench pin to my desktop.

Judy Larson's Make-do Sawing Solutions - , General Education, Sawing, Saw, Wire Saw, make do sawing solutions

Since I am not using a jeweler's bench, I have no sweeps or catch tray for metal dust and small metal bits. A plastic shoebox may seem an odd sweeps tray but held between my knees (you can barely see it in the photo) it catches all the metal bits and all but a VERY small amount of dust. It is labeled and stored on a shelf in the closet. Every once in a while, I empty it into the pile of silver scrap until I am ready to melt it all down.

Materials

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Tools

Basic Sawing Kit

G15-7

G15-7
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $34.95
Gold Club Price: $26.21

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Category: General Education
Technique(s): Sawing

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!

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