Metal Casting Zone Info Blog

Archive for December, 2009

Yesterday I found the website from Indonesia named Balidoll.com that sells the Silver Jewelry. (Unfortunately it used Bahasa and no English option). It’s Ok for me, I just want to watch their collection.

First I read that name is Balidoll.com, I think that collection have to come from Bali. When I watch their collection, then I found that there are many collection come from Jogjakarta (Jogjakarta). Why did I say that? Silver Jewelry from Bali and Jogja is very differing at its individuality. I will mention that right here.

Bali Silver Jewelry

Silver jewelry style from Bali is tending to thicker than others from Jogja, because it’s playing in correctness compile of the motif and form of the three dimension characters. Most of the Bali Silver Jewelry also forms by the solid silver.
Let say the rings or pendants from Bali, We could see that there are made from solid frame silver which carved look like with the Bali ornaments style.

Jogjakarta Silver Jewelry

Silver Jewelry from Jogjakarta has a unique style, they playing with filigree and form of the silver yarn. It makes the Jogja silver Jewelry tend to attenuate than Bali ones. Jogja silver style made by jointing the yarn till form the framework.
As the filigree style we will find the high art which really hand made by human being. The Jogja silver jewelry style cannot make with casting machine. It has to hand made. As the other hand made, then the Jogja silver jewelry not accurately equal from one to the others, although it had the same models.

After visit and looking at the website collections, I try to call the store owner Mr. Sutrisno Lamin, to confirming what I watch at his website.
Mr. Sutrisno Lamin said that, He made the silver jewelry collections not limited to the Bali or Jogja style, but he called his collections by Indonesian style.

After all Mr. Lamin mention that he produce the silver by collecting of the traditional handicrafts worker group and outsource the production to them. He gives that group the silver to be made to the jewelry and then controlling the quality of the jewelry their made, that’s all. With that system he claims that many handicraft worker groups can get the better life by doing his working order. Sure, that was interesting to me.

One of other interesting ones is that he outsources his jewelry working order to the handicraft worker group at Kotagede town in Jogjakarta. So have I done wrong when I said that the Balidoll.com silver jewelry style is the Jogjakarta style? Let’s prove together.

American prototype Marklin model trains are often only used by a small and tight knit group of enthusiasts. This is because Marklin is a German based company and usually creates trains for the European market. In general they manufacture models on a three rail track, which is something very uncommon in North America.

They have now created some model trains for the American market. They have released American themed items in the scales of HO, Z and 1. They have also released models in the N scales under the Trix brand name. Generally, you will find most HO scaled trains in North America.

In 1972, Marklin revolutionized the model railroad world with the introduction of the Z gauge. This has the scale of 1:220. These trains are known to have incredible detail and accuracy when compared to the originals. The craftsmanship is something that Marklin takes very seriously, and this has led to their popularity.

They create strong locomotives from die-cast metal and rolling stock with incredible prototype detail. Their fans and collectors seek out these trains for the small scale trains and the detail that comes with them. Besides the trains having incredible detail, the operating systems that they create are also known for their great performance.

Their systems use nickel silver rails for optimum electrical pickup. They also use color coder plug and socket wiring, and a system of plugs and sockets built into the end of each track. This ensures that the tracks are properly aligned and very reliable. It also gives the mechanical connection reliability.

Marklin has hundreds of American and European prototype trains, accessories and track extensions. This makes the manufacturer one of the most popular in the hobby and gives them the strong fan base that they have managed to hold on to for many years.

Just recently, they have released a number of new American prototypes. One of these is the HO digital UP class 4000 “Big Boy” locomotive. This is a model of the union pacific railroad heavy freight locomotive. It comes with a digital decoder and a sound generator. It has a powerful motor with a bell shaped armature and flywheel mounted in the boiler.

The model locomotive also has an articulated frame which enables it to negotiate sharp curves on the track. There are steam lines mounted to swing out and back with the cylinders. There are also a number of other finely crafted details which make this a great model to collect and have in your collection.

Marklin also have a number of kits that you can buy. They have a 45649 HO American freight 10-car set. If you are looking to add a number of cars to your collection then this is a great set to choose. They also offer individual trucks such as the Pennsylvania railroad type N5c caboose. This is a detailed truck with special wheel sets.

As you can see there are plenty of American prototype models that you can find and buy if you want to collect a range of Marklin models.

Although image isn’t everything, it provides a first impression and from this, people will form their own opinions about your business with regards to your professionalism, attitude and quality of service. All this before they have even stepped thru the door. One of the most important image symbols used is the name sign for your business. This is why it is essential you select a name sign for your business with care, a quality sign will bring a definite and clear impact and give shoppers a positive feeling.

The aim of your company sign should be to stand out and get you noticed in a good way. Seek a professionals help if you are unsure as to which colors and design look good together. The size and color of the letters used can ensure it will be seen from a distance, but use constraint as too many colors will give a cluttered look, whilst using only one color will make it unremarkable. When combining colors the rule to [remember is, use no less than two and no more than four. Complementary colors will make a sign easier to see from afar. Choose only one simple classic font and leave the fancy fonts alone.

Once the design and layout of the sign is determined the choice is between metal or plastic letters. Plastic letters offer an attractive clean look and are in a diversity of sizes, colors and fonts. There are three kinds of plastic letter signs. Formed plastic are ideal for 3-D signs and have flat, round or sculpted faces, great for letter heights of up to 60″. Injection molded letters are shaped by tooled molds which give them their precise edges and extra dimension. Plastic letters are important for further depth and up-close applications. Flat cut acrylic letters are formed with a laser and ideal for elaborate letter styles. There are over a hundred styles of plastic letters as well as thirty standard colors, gold leaf can painted on letters produce a metal effect.

Metal sign letters are obtainable in two types. Cast metal letters are hand cast and refined by accomplished craftsmen to achieve the flawless smooth look. Flat cut metal lettering are waterjet cut and ideal for intricate signage and indoor signs. If you want brass, copper or stainless steel for your sign this is the type of lettering you should go for There are over sixty styles of metal sign letters and forty-four standard baked enamel colors.

Both plastic and metal sign letters are hard-wearing enough for outside or inside signs and visual effects are high. Customers prefer these types of letters due to their smart appearance and resilience. They are also convincingly priced and simple to install as there is no electrical wiring needed.

Make your office or house look beautiful with an exquisite collection of metal fittings. Filing cabinets are manufactured from wood or steel at times. Metal cabinet filings are considered stronger, lighter and durable out of the two forms of filing cabinets. It comes with a guarantee of 5 and 15 years, based on the quality of filing cabinet supplied. Their hinges are the key to millions of kitchen to function properly.

Users must note that the drawer bases in filing cabinets especially those in wooden filing cabinets are not used to support heavy weight, and hence such filing cabinets should not be used for any normal drawer. It also includes fitting conversions which allows for an A4 size one to be stored.

In case of a cabinet lighting, a curio cabinet wall is made up of dark wood, glass so that light passes through the floor of the cabinet without any hassle of reflexes. You can even consider traditional curio cabinet lights and spend on any linear strips phantom of low voltage. Such lighting strips provide two things, firstly a right fit to the vertical, horizontal and radio, secondly a low profile design which is hidden from normal viewing angles.

Shelving units, cupboards, cabinets are ideally suited for offices. Such fittings are offered in a wide variety such as antique fittings, brass fittings, wooden ones and metal ones. Black antique iron mongery door fittings, iron mongery accessories. Cup board knobs, drawer pulls, hooks on plate, wire knobs and chest handles are used for such fittings. One can even opt for rustic iron knobs that have a protective coating of beeswax. Minimal maintenance is required; simply polish occasionally with a brush or cloth to give that shine. Reach the experts for the right design and finish!

Large rusty cabinet pulls in different design can be found online. Avail lovely pulls made of rusted metal. Lay your hands on a range of quality Fittings – ideal for Wardrobes, metal drawer sides and a wide range of kitchen accessories and appliances. Make use of traditional wood finishing sundries and reach out to Suppliers of black metal iron castings, traditional door knockers etc.

It is said that in order to organize your large storage space, you can buy pantry fittings. These wire racks fit the entire inside space of your pantry. They have shelves and baskets to hold about anything you want to store. You can get them in a variety of sizes. Whatever your needs, you are not too far from the online stores.

Have you seen similar silver jewelry sold at price difference of two to three times from different retailers? Have you ever wondered how retailers mark up the jewelry after they get them from the venders? Here we will show you the wholesale trading secrets of sterling silver jewelry.

Price per gram

The most important piece of information for determining the price of a piece of sterling silver jewelry is the price per gram of the silver. This is the fundamental raw material cost of a piece of sterling silver jewelry due to the fact that silver is considered a precious metal. For instance, the price for silver is $9.5 per ounce, the price per gram is determined by dividing the price per ounce by 31.5, which is 30 cents. Therefore, the cost for the raw material for a 5 gram wedding band ring is roughly $1.5. Some might wonder why people would pay $30 for a silver wedding ring when the silver only cost $1.5. The followings will explain the difference.

Labor cost

To turn raw material into finished goods, it involves a great deal of processing cost. The metal itself has to be melted, molded and cast, polished and assembled. Most of the times, silver jewelry is accented with various stones, the costs for setting the stones are also a major part of the total cost for jewelry, especially for jewelry that requires high level of craftsmanship.

Other materials

Also, the costs for any additional material are added to the jewelry. For instance, a pair silver pearl dangle earrings that has two cultural fresh water pearls with rhodium finish should cost double the price of the silver to make because of the cost of the pearl and rhodium. Note that rhodium is even more expensive than silver itself and it is high tarnish resistant.

Shipping cost

Many styles of jewelry are imported from other countries because of difference in availability of raw materials such as stones and also the specialties in making some particular styles. Hence the shipping cost of transporting is also part of the cost. Usually, for imported sterling silver jewelry, the shipping cost can amount to 10% of what it costs to make the jewelry themselves.

Custom Duties

For the same reasons, imported jewelry incurs duties at the custom. This is a cost that normal consumers are not aware of but it can also increase the price of sterling silver jewelry for 5% to 10%.

Price fluctuations

Some sterling silver jewelry trader, especially wholesaler would associate the price of the jewelry with the current silver price. Therefore, the price of a piece of sterling silver jewelry might be different from month to month, and even day to day in the case of wholesale.

Business Overhead

Just like any other business, the sales have to cover also the overhead of running the business. Normal overhead costs are employees’ salaries, rent, utilities and breakage.

Profit

Of course, the price you pay includes the profit for the sellers.

By knowing the above facts, you can make much more informed decisions when buying wholesale sterling silver jewelry and most importantly, avoid scams. There are occasions when people make fake silver jewelry and sell them at a very low price. If you know how to determine the cost of a piece of silver jewelry, you won’t buy into deals where they offer you a price that is lower than the normal cost of real sterling silver jewelry.

Man’s use of fire can be traced as far back as one million years ago. The fires then were built on the ground. While the ancient people were inside their huts, smoke accidentally escaped through holes in the roof. Approximately half a million years ago, fires were already built on a solid hearth and holes were deliberately made in the roof so smoke could exit.

Fires were traditionally placed in the middle of the room to allow maximum accessibility and heat output. The advancement of the first two-storey buildings led to the fireplace being relegated to the outside wall. The only material available then for building the floor of the second storey was wood. Obviously, it was unwise to build a fire on a wooden floor, so the fireplace was moved into a cut-out in the wall. The flue was placed horizontally so extraction of smoke was poor. Smoke would frequently have blown into the room. In the end, they discovered the principle of the chimney.

The means of using wood to heat homes and offices is almost as old as dirt. It can be traced back to the 1700s when Abraham Darby used procedures of smelting, where it was found out that iron provided a cost-efficient way of producing heat.

It was during the Victorian age when fireplaces began to grow popular. During this time, people discovered that aside from producing heat, fireplaces added a hint of elegance. It somehow gave homes a comfortable and traditional environment. Through the years, housing designs evolved and so did the fireplaces, along with the technology. Fireplaces changed and became more fashionable, offering sand casting systems. This provided a chance for makers to create even more superior designs.

In spite of all the changes and the advancement, the basic fireplace is still made up of two components – the surround and the insert. The surround part of the fireplace is composed of the mantle and sides. It is typically made of wood, granite, marble, and sometimes iron. The insert is the part of the fireplace where the fire is burned. This part is constructed using cast iron and is frequently adorned with stylish tiles of different colors and designs.

Benjamin Franklin had an important part in the discovery of fireplaces. He found out that fireplaces lose a significant amount of heat through the wall. It gave him the idea to make the first freestanding firebox, which came to be recognized as the Franklin stove. He put his first stove in the middle of the room, which solved his problem on how to look for means to heat a room. The outcome of the experiment was that the whole room was heated completely and equally. His other finding was that by using heavy cast iron, the heat continued being produced even when the flames had died out.

Still, with all his excellent discoveries, Franklin’s effort had a defect. The hitch was that air cannot be drawn in. This is because the smoke was vented from the bottom. David Rittenhouse, from Philadelphia, decided to utilize Benjamin’s invention but innovated it by putting in an L-shaped stovepipe as a means of moving the air through the fire and then emitting the smoke out through a chimney. This add-on proved quite successful. It was in the late 1700s that these freestanding stoves were being used all over the country. Although David Rittenhouse made the stove a success, people still identified it by the name Franklin Stove.

Metal outdoor benches can provide visitors with a convenient location to take a rest whether it’s in a park, garden, deck, or on a sidewalk of a busy street. The strong and study materials can withstand harsh weather conditions and don’t require expensive and hour intensive maintenance. Customization options are available on certain metal benches to give you the opportunity to advertise your company in a high traffic area. Whether you’re looking for a deck bench, park bench, or garden bench you will be able to find the exact design you want to achieve the desired look.

Customized Bench Styles

Customized roll form benches allow you to advertise your company’s logos or to have words displayed in steel on the bench back. Galvanized steel with cast iron legs are coated in a durable and weather resistant finish in 16 color choices. Customized wire mesh benches can also be found that proudly display logos or text for your city, school, or business. Different varieties let you to choose three different mounting options: surface, portable, or in-ground. You can select where you want the bench to sit and feel comfortable knowing it’s doing its job by taking care of visitors.

Diamond & Ribbon Pattern Benches

Diamond metal benches use heavy duty steel with cast iron legs and come with pre-drilled mounting holes. This allows for quick installation without the hassle other benches can bring. The weather resistant Thermoplastic finish comes in 16 colors so you can choose which works best with the surrounding environment. You have the option of four, five, or six foot lengths so you can decide which fits in the amount of available space. No matter where you need to install a bench, there will be a size that fits the sport.

The Northgate Bench

The Northgate commercial outdoor park bench includes convenient arm rests and a straight back. Steel bench straps promote use for many years while the cast iron legs with pre-drilled holes give you a product with an easy installation process. You have four sizes to choose from and 16 color choices that come from a durable Thermoplastic finish. Your park will thrive by having a bench that is easily seen by pedestrians yet blends in with the environment to avoid causing an eye sore.

The Angle Iron Bench

Wire mesh player’s benches are made with heavy duty metal and a black powder coated galvanized steel understructure. You have a variety of sizes and mounting choices to customize the look of your playing field. The Thermoplastic finish comes in 16 colors, so you can easily select your team’s color to show support. U-leg wire mesh outdoor benches are also available. These are a backless structure that can be bought in various lengths and colors.

Perforated Metal Benches

Perforated roll formed metal benches are perfect for the outdoors by providing visitors with a sturdy seating area that is comfortable and resistant to the harsh weather. Choose from 16 colors, ranging from red to black to yellow. The perforated steel bench and cast iron legs with pre-drilled legs are built to be strong and long-lasting. Any garden, park, or school can easily incorporate the look of a perforated metal

Although Lionel offers several kinds of model trains and track, most of their sales come from O gauge trains. What’s an O gauge train? To better understand that, you first need to know a few things about scale and gauge.

Let’s start with scale. Model trains are scaled down trains–that is, smaller versions of real trains. A model train’s scale tells us its proportion in relation to the real train version. For example, a Lionel train is an O27 train, with a scale of 1:48 . This means that the Lionel train is 48 times smaller than its real train counterpart, with one-quarter inch equal to one scale foot. Due to their larger size, Lionel trains are easy to work with, especially for beginners–but they may not be the best choice as the available product line is smaller than that of standard gauge trains, or HO (half-zero).

Gauge–gauge is the distance between the rails of a railroad track. Standard track gauge is 4’ 8.5”. O gauge tracks are 1.25” apart. Something to be aware of, though, is that gauge and class specifications can vary internationally, so always check the exact measurements before buying internationally.

As O27 trains, Lionel trains are a bit different from standard O gauge trains. They run on O27 track, which is a bit shorter and narrower than standard O track. The difference can be seen when O27 track is laid out in a circle–an 8 piece circle of O27 track will be 27” across (an 8 piece circle of standard O track is 31” across). Love Lionel trains but have a lot of O track from other set-ups? That’s okay because you can use O track and O27 track together without any problem. Raise your track a little by using a shim, widely available at hobby shops.

Some companies, like Conrad, NZG, and Corgi manufacture die-cast, or metal, model trains that are also compatible with O scale track. This can lead to some interesting track set-ups, and die-cast trucks, cars, buses and construction equipment are popular with collectors.

Lionel trains are a good choice for many reasons. Beyond the ease of running an O27 train, they are also great for modelers looking to perfect model and replica trains. Their size is easy to work with (unlike the smaller N and Z gauge trains), and a great choice for children interested in railroading.

The process involved with purchasing jewelry can be at the same time fun and confusing. You can purchase jewelry either for someone you love or for yourself. The decision you make may turn out to be a tough one. Because gold jewelry represents something you will cherish for a very long time or maybe your whole life, you should allocate as much time as possible so the choice you make will be a wise one. There are some things you should consider in before you go for the purchase.

The first thing you should keep in mind is the source of the jewelry. Bargains are at hand. But always remember that you get what you pay for. If you are a person that shops online, the best choice for you would be a web store that specializes in fine jewelry. You should not have very high expectations if you choose to purchase from a website that offers home appliances alongside gold jewelry, even if it is a bargain. You should also look for a return policy in case the jewelry is not what you expected it to be or has a defect.

A very important aspect of purchasing gold jewelry is the quality. You can choose to purchase jewelry at low prices, but what are you really getting out of it? The quality of gold jewelry comes from karats. For instance, 24k gold is pure gold, but 18k represents 75% gold, 14k 58.3% and 10k 41.6%. All the other percentage is made of alloy or different metals that give the jewelry shape and strength.

You should not e hasty in your purchase. Try to get an idea about what you want by looking at a lot of designs. This may prove helpful and the satisfaction of the purchase will be even greater, because you know you have bought exactly what you wanted. The design and engravings, the look and feel, the ornamental detail and the finish are all things that you can use to determine whether that jewelry is suited for you or for the recipient you want to buy it for.

If you want to purchase gold jewelry for somebody else, be sure you are well-informed. You must know what your recipient’s ring size, neck size, wrist size or ankle size is, depending on the type of jewelry you want to purchase. You should do this in order to avoid any later unpleasant situations, like miss fits. You should also choose something that bears a special meaning or has some kind of special energy.

David Weitzman is a cosmic jewelry designer. He started designing this type of jewelry in 1998 and he received responses about the changes and the experiences that occurred in the lives of customers all over the world. The gold jewelry he designs represents symbols from Jewish culture –Star of David–, from Egyptian culture –Eye of Horus–, Tibetan symbols –Endless knot, Lotus– and others. You will also find representations of sacred geometry symbols found in all the cultures mentioned afore, like the Seed of Life, the Flower of Life and the Tree of life.

The jewels are hand crafted and finished. All of them are submitted to a special energizing process that involves special meditation. They are intended to cast light on the road of the truth seeker. The jewels are designed for a specific purpose and can be worn as talismans for success and good karma, others for healing and self balance purposes and some as symbols of unity. You can purchase them for yourself or as a perfect gift on a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary.

All the jewelry designed by David Weitzman can be found at ka-gold-jewelry.com. Ka represents the life force of the human spirit in ancient Egyptian culture. Gold has always been a symbol of the sun and can be used to represent life, light, love and well being.

The Miriam Webster dictionary defines an artisan as one that produces something in limited quantities often using traditional methods. We have seen artisan bread, artisan cheese and artisan beer in recent years. The term has come to connote something unusual and of high quality.

Artisan jewelry is designed and created by an artisan and either made as one-of-a-kind or limited edition presentations. It is not enough, though that it is hand crafted or one-of-a-kind. The jewelry customer should still expect a high level of creativity and craftsmanship using the best quality materials.

Creativity

A piece of artisan jewelry should stand out from the crowd. Artisan jewelry is not a stone set in a purchased casting or a collection of purchased charms on a purchased chain. It is a piece of jewelry that is designed and created by a skilled artisan.

An artisan piece may use an unusual combination of materials or interesting juxtaposition of techniques. It may be an utterly simple, fanciful, concept or extravagantly detailed piece of jewelry. Frequently we see an artisan’s jewelry evolve over a period of time as he or she pushes the techniques and materials to another level and explores the possibilities for an innovative expression of his or her vision.

Craftsmanship

The piece should be well finished with no burrs, plier marks or rough edges. Any ends of wire or stringing material should be tucked in or covered so they do not catch on anything or become damaged.

The piece should be sturdy enough to stand up to the rigors of being worn. This sturdiness has to do both with the construction of the item and the materials used. A substantial weight for the size of the piece is an indication that the designer planned for wear ability of the piece.

Any solder joints should be smooth, well fitted and secure. Solder should match the metals it is securing. Any prongs should be sturdy, well placed and in good condition to hold a stone without damaging it or catching on your clothing.

If it is wire jewelry, the wires should be parallel, not damaged and fastened securely with the ends tucked in and filed smooth.

Artisan jewelry is created one piece at a time and that gives each step a chance to be inspected and adjusted before the next step is taken. This should provide you with a quality, long-lasting piece of jewelry that is unusual and appealing.

Materials

Artisan jewelry can be fine jewelry, bridge jewelry or fashion jewelry. Any of these three classifications of jewelry can be artisan made, individually designed and created by a skilled artisan. Fine jewelry is generally made of precious metals and precious or semi-precious stones. Bridge jewelry is normally created with semiprecious metals and semi precious stones. Fashion jewelry is composed of base metals, fibers, plastic or other synthetic stones and components. Today’s artisan jeweler has access to an almost unlimited supply of unusual and interesting materials to work with in creating the jewelry. While artisan jewelry may not always hold intrinsic value just from the materials, an artisan made piece has high value due to a unique and individually created combination of the artisan’s creativity, craftsmanship and choice of materials. If the piece is signed, that is a plus. You never know what “name” may break away and become valuable as a collectible.