When you are in the workshop (ours or yours) you need to be safe and ready to work. Here's some advice on workshop appropriate attire.
CLOTHING.
While making jewellery should be a fairly clean and controlled process it makes sense not to wear your Sunday Best to the jewellery school, it is possible that you could damage your clothes with the tools or chemicals we work with.
Make sure your clothes are loose or flowy - no scarves, ruffles, loose sleeves, ribbons, tassels or anything that can get caught in the equipment. Ideally, you want to wear long, close sleeves to protect your arms and long trousers to protect your legs. The jewellery workshop can be a bit chilly , especially if you are sitting still so it's a good idea to wear layers and some warm socks.
Shoes should be flat and sturdy and should cover your whole foot. We do use heavy tools and if you drop one you need your shoes to protect your toes.
Make sure you tie back long hair so it doesn't get in your way, get caught in any of the machinery or get set alight with a blow torch (burning hair smells awful).
Properly dressed for the workshop, hair tied back, glasses on, apron and long sleeves. If you are able to, please coordinate your outfit with our workshop environment.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT - PPE
We provide all the PPE you would need whilst in the workshop but you are very welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
When you are at the workbench an apron is a great idea to cover your clothes and keep them out of the way.
When using power tools, soldering or working with chemicals wear eye protection and wear a respirator or fume mask if necessary. We recommend a full face visor.
If you are working with molten metal - casting or melting - we recommend a heat resistant leather apron and some welding glasses to protect your eyes.
If you are working with chemicals such as oxidising solutions, acids or etching fluids then plastic gloves to protect your hands a good idea.
When doing lots of noisy hammering - especially if it's a group class and we are all hammering - ear plugs or ear defenders can help muffle the noise and protect your ears.
Ear defenders are great to protect your ears from noisy work. They are most effective when worn over the ears.
VISION
Being able to see your work clearly and precisely helps you make better jewellery and it helps you make it more safely. If you need glasses to read or for close up work then you need to wear them at the work bench. Even if you don't need them to read a pair of magnifying reading glasses can be really useful to help you see the tiny details.
If you need extra help then an optivisor gives you even more magnification.
An optivisor gives you greater magnification so you can see your work clearly. And you feel super cool while wearing it