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What Gloria Wants to Know

November 1, 2007

I had call this week from a jeweler looking at CAD/CAM for her store. Gloria already has the CAD software and has been thinking about buying a CNC Wax Mill to make some of her designs in house. Gloria is a long time customer so I was happy to help

 

Over the past few years CNC Wax Milling has become very affordable and tailored specifically for the jewelry industry. I have tested many of these machines and most of them are appropriate and very affordable now. There are some companies who focus their efforts in the jewelry industry like.
.

Gemvision     
 
Modelmaster 

These firms market complete systems with jewelry design software along with all the training she would need to get started. These companies also have web forums for jewelers to share ideas and expand their abilities. ( I like this approach when someone creates a community )

 

My friend Gloria is the kind of independent woman who likes to change her own oil and rides motorcross.
There might be some other options for her to consider. There are several mainstream companies that
manufacture CNC Wax Mills like. 
 Rolandroland jwx 10 Mill, Minitech, and MaxNC.

These firms, along with many others, market the CNC Mill hardware  With this option, Gloria would then have to buy jewelry specific software to run the machine from Proto-Wizard and pretty much go at it alone for her training. I recently spoke with a young jeweler in Michigan, Matthew Gross who took this choice several years ago. He struggled and in the process found a niche for training other jewelers about CNC. Matthew created a DVD with all the bells and whistles on his website for training.

 

For Gloria, and for most jewelers I think, the technology choice is about how much value to place on a user community. After all it is not just buying a CNC Wax Mill, it’s how you learn the art of milling. If anyone has some advice for Gloria....send me your comments...I am always looking for a good technology tip to pass along

 

 


Posted by Steven Adler on November 1, 2007 | Comments (4)


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November 1, 2007
In response to: What Gloria Wants to Know
Umesh.G.Chavan commented:

I am from India. I use J-CAD, RHino, Ideas software for making designs & carry out rapid prototyping using Viper or Envisiontec.I have an accuracy level to 25 microns. I am presently working on the micro pave with 0.4 mm prong size in the cad files can this be done in CNC? THe machines We have in India donot have the capability.
Resin out puts are good.
Have any suggestions?
Umesh.G.Chavan
Phd, F.G.A(London), M.B.A




November 2, 2007
In response to: What Gloria Wants to Know
harryman commented:

Not trying to steal your thunder Steve, but I would suggest Gloria check out 3dcadjewelry.com, it's a free forum where jewelers using a variety of CAD/CAM software, milling and RP machines share info, tips and problems. She could find out the strengths and weaknesses of the milling machines jewelers use, from the users themselves and not just from their salesmen.

I don't know if your a member, but I hope to see you there. A disclaimer, I have no finiancial interest in the site, only wanted to spread the word.

Umesh, you can mill prongs that small, you need an accurate machine and most importantly, it has to be perfectly aligned.




February 20, 2008
In response to: What Gloria Wants to Know
Jeff Dunnington commented:

Steven

For a very affordabble solution (under $4500) with training and a members forum of over 4 years. Gloria and others might want to look at the 3D Wax Mill Desktop Jewelers Solution at 3dwaxmill.com. Based on the Roland MDX-15 mill and software with the 3dwaxmill Rotary, it is hard to beat this solution for twice to 3 times the money. Take a look at over 400 pieces of jewelry created by jewelers using this system at www.3dwaxmill.com/gallery . I am a jeweler with 35 years of design and bench experience. I have passionately developed this solution for the past 5 years to give jewelers who want to get into CAD/CAM with out breaking the bank. This also gives them the ability increase produtivity and produce high quality, precision waxes not possible to do by hand.




May 8, 2008
In response to: What Gloria Wants to Know
David Olson commented:

Any jeweler that complains about the price of CAD/CAM and beleives in the value of an online community should go directly to www.3dwaxmill.com check out the gallery and international jewelry community and join the revolution!





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