Adding a handcrafted touch to a casting
By Charlie Herner and Jason Marchiafava
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part series on melding old world techniques and new technology to efficiently create an engraved man’s band with a handcrafted feel. For beginner and intermediate engravers, layout work for engraving can be a tedious task. By using CAD for the preliminary layout and milling the general engraving pattern into the model, jewelers can save a significant amount of time at the front end of the process. After casting the ring, the jeweler can perfect and adjust the engraved pattern to his liking, adding the handcrafted feel desired but in much less time than it would take to carve the piece from scratch.
In the following article, master craftsman Jason Marchiafava of Kentucky takes the cast ring to the bench for hand work and finishing. Click here to view the first part of the series.