​By Andy Jensen

Perhaps the Patrick McMillan story is better told by telling another story, the one that began on an autumn day in 1890 amid the industrial neighborhoods of Birmingham, England. With horse-drawn carriages clacking down the cobble stone street and the air carrying a hint of burning coal and soot, the president of the Birmingham Jewellery and Silversmiths Association cut a ribbon to open a new school at 84 Vittoria Street: The Birmingham City Institute of Jewellery. 

Through 130 years of continuous operation, the Institute has amassed a trophy wall that rivals the most decorated Olympian. The Institute nabbed 16 prizes and the College Cup at the 2017 Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards, just to cite one example. A steady stream of British royalty calls on the Institute for official state visits regularly. And the Institute’s graduates are part of the backbone at prestigious jewelry names: Tiffany’s, Tag Heuer, Cartier, De Beers, and others. 

To study at the Institute, one does not simply register online or walk through the doors and start classes. Today, the Institute is part of the Birmingham City University umbrella and, like other higher institutes of education, one must apply for admission. Though the Institute accepts nearly 300 new students every year, the number applying is much higher. 

Understanding the Institute—the royal visits and 130-year-old Oxford-style architecture—sets a scene of grand contrasts. Meet Patrick McMillan: American boy raised in the mid-south, where British royalty may never have cause to visit and the oldest building in town may be encroaching on 100 years. 

Raised by parents who shared a passion for creativity (his father was an  editorial cartoonist and his mother a  travel agent with a love for arts and culture), Patrick was enrolled in a high school focused on the fine arts where he was introduced to sculpture. After high school, he studied at the Memphis College of Art and interned as a blacksmith. “My mother loved to travel, and she was very supportive of the idea to travel and study. Her high school years were spent in Belgium. She took me on a trip to Nova Scotia in the summer of 2000 where I discovered the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and later found out it was a part of MCA’s exchange program,” he recalls.

After enrolling, Patrick was introduced to jewelry by a friend. “I was sharing my frustrations with my friend, about not feeling quite satisfied with sculpture. And he said, ‘you should try jewelry and metalsmithing; it joins your interests in metal with your more creative side.’ I haven’t looked back since.” 

After completing his undergraduate studies in Nova Scotia, Patrick’s talents were put to use by a startup jewelry company based in Memphis. He also freelanced, which allowed him to expand his skill set and explore. Now armed with the beginnings of an expanded portfolio, Patrick applied for admission to the Birmingham School of Jewellery in 2006 and was accepted into the Institute’s master’s program in Jewellery, Silversmithing and Related Products. 

The Foundry of McMillan Metals 
“London was a great experience,” Patrick reminisced. “After graduating I worked with a startup blacksmith while working the exhibition scene. It’s during that time that I really came to understand that I wasn’t one who is content to color inside the lines. I am more experimental. I have a rebellious style and I like to push the envelope, which keeps jewelry fresh.” 

Seeing that his time in London was coming to an end, Patrick moved to Rhode Island to join friends. And in 2011 he started his own business, McMillan Metals, setting up shop in a home studio.

“Initially, my focus was on my craft, and creating my own line of production work to sell online and in local shops. Later, I started providing more custom work, including engagement and wedding bands, rings, bracelets—creating pieces that the customer could envision but could never find,” says Patrick. “I wanted to create art that spoke to the customer.” 

Patrick’s focus on personalization is best illustrated in a wedding band he created for an architect. “He wanted certain symbols designed into the ring. For him the band needed to be very symbolic, and he’d never find what he was looking for in a retail shop. My customers also enjoy the experience of working with me to create exactly what they envision. The adage, ‘it’s not the destination but the journey,’ is very fitting.” 

As all businesses do, the McMillan Metals’ business plan has changed over the years. He took on production work from other jewelers and was able to move and expand the studio to 1,250 square feet. He also started renting space to other independent jewelers and teaching different workshops through the Rhode Island education system.  

How Technology Has Shaped His Craft 
Along the way to growing his studio, Patrick discovered the Orion pulse arc micro welder from Sunstone. “A colleague had a competing brand in his studio that he demonstrated to show how he used it in his studio,” says Patrick. “I thought I understood the value, but as I was just starting my business, I was not prepared to invest in a welder.

“A few years later, at the annual Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) event, I walked past the Sunstone booth and the Orion welder caught my eye, because I kind of knew what it was. I spent a fair amount of time speaking to the folks at the booth to get a greater understanding of the possibilities of what their welder could do and saw how it would be beneficial in my studio practice. I was impressed.” 

The Orion micro welder delivers a small weld in a precise location. How small? With an Orion micro welder, the weld spot can be as small as 0.2mm. And how precise? Microscopic optics are used to position the welder’s needle-like electrode in the right spot. Heat is not a worry. The weld is completed in milliseconds, which reduces the amount of energy transferred to surrounding materials. Unlike solder, micro welding poses significantly less risk to precious stones. 

“Honestly, I mastered and understood the full capability of the micro welder in less than six months,” Patrick says. “I’ve not soldered a jump ring in five years and probably never will solder a jump ring ever again. With the micro welder, I can accomplish the job in a fraction of the time it would take me to do it with solder. Patrick uses his Orion micro welder to tack the different parts of a piece together first. “After I tack things together, I may go back and solder,” he says. “For assembly and production work, the Orion is invaluable. My students get really excited when they understand what the welder can do for their craft, for production pieces, or for tasks they may do over and over again—they’ll love the welder for repetitive jobs.” 

Giving Back to the Craft 
In 2017 Patrick moved his business to a larger studio space where he launched his new business, The Bench Jewelry and Metalsmithing Studio. The studio layout is simple: One large worktable in the middle surrounded by various tools. Students surround the table and as a small group they learn the jewelry craft from Patrick and other local jewelers and metalsmiths. Jewelers also can rent out private benches to build up their new business and portfolio, have access to all the shared machines and tools, and have a professional area to meet clients. 

“Prior to the pandemic the studio was seeing about 30-50 students every year,” Patrick explains. “Each class lasts about four to eight weeks and students can choose a daytime or evening class period.  Lately, I’ve been working to develop virtual workshops and have launched a few over the past few months.” 

When the pandemic ends, Patrick plans to expand his studio to accommodate more students and more subjects. “The space next to me just opened up and I’ve already inquired about it” he says. “Interest in the jewelry craft has grown significantly, stoked by 3D design technology and printing. It’s never been easier for an artist to design a ring and then, with one click of the mouse, print its various components.” 

On this note, Patrick hesitates, contemplating the future of metalsmithing, perhaps. “Technology allows any person the ability to create a ring, pendant, or whatever. But I feel the craft is preserved in the artistry that goes into the design. Technology has not reduced the amount of time required to envision a truly stunning piece, though it has expanded the boundaries of creativity. And that’s truly exciting.” 

The blunt contrast between the hi-tech digital interface and the fundamental pulse arc stylus is not lost on anyone who first bumps into the Orion 200i micro welder from Sunstone. The contrast is stark, but the relationship between the tech and the arc runs deep.

How so?

Let’s start first with the digital interface, because what happens at the end of the electrode begins with the touchscreen. The technology is what differentiates the Orion 200i from any other pulse arc welder on the market—that and the available power (up to 200 Joules!).

The purpose of the digital interface is to provide the operator (that’s you) absolute control over the weld. As an artist working with all types of metals, being able to adjust power and how the power is delivered allows you to work with any medium.

For operators who are new to micro welding, the touchscreen interface can be set to display the ‘basic’ control tab, a screen that lets operators configure their weld parameters in three easy steps:

1. Choose the metal type;
2. Choose 1 of 5 applications;
3. Confirm the recommended weld energy.  

The display will update after each selection to illustrate how the selections affect the weld. The Orion 200i has been programmed with different presets based on 12 different metal types and five different applications, meaning there are more than 60 different combinations available to help anyone find appropriate settings and make successful welds.

For operators who prefer to go a little deeper into the weld settings, the interface can be set to display the Arc control tab. In the Arc screen, operators have one-touch access to complete weld customization. With every project you can quickly adjust the waveform, weld energy, pulse time, agitation settings, ignition options, and more. 

So what does “going deeper” into the weld settings mean? The Orion 200i is unlike any other micro pulse arc welder in the amount of control and adjustments it offers the operator. For starters, the Orion 200i has a power range from 0.15 to 200 Joules, and the energy can be adjusted by as little as 0.05 Joule increments. Jewelers and artists who find themselves needing to weld 34 AWG (0.16mm) wires together on one day, and then needing to weld 1/8” (3mm) thick armature and sculpture wire the next day, can do so with the Orion 200i.

What is also helpful, when making adjustments to the energy, is that the user interface will display an approximate spot size (or weld size). The estimated spot size takes some of the guess work out of determining how much energy to use for a particular job.

The Orion 200i is capable of welding many different types of metals and can be used for a large variety of jewelry production and repair applications. The Orion 200i comes with presets for the following metals, but rest assured that this list is not all inclusive of what the Orion can weld: yellow gold, white gold, titanium, silver, palladium, tungsten, aluminum, brass, and many others.

Operators can become proficient welding the following applications: prong re-tipping, ring resizing, closing jumprings, adding wires, filling porosity, eyeglass frame repair, chain repair, hollowear, springs and clasps, and temporary tacking prior to soldering.

The Orion 200i can be used for a wide breadth of different applications. So much so that Sunstone’s YouTube channel contains a long playlist featuring application shots using only the 200i.

In addition to the weld parameter controls, the Orion 200i has many other menus and tabs that empower the operator. The welder’s operation manual and how-to videos can be quickly accessed on screen. All the material is indexed and includes a search option for faster searching.

The Orion 200i also includes dozens of application videos. When you select an application video suitable to your current needs, you have the option to load the weld settings used in the video. That one-click feature will save lots of setup time.

How has the Orion200i been accepted by bench jewelers? “I use my pulse arc welder every day,” says Jeff Bramblet, owner of Ross’s Fine Jewelers. “The ability to weld small or large items is fantastic. Between my Orion pulse arc welder and laser welder there is nothing I can not handle at my bench.”

The Orion 200i has a MSRP of USD $8,000 and can be shipped to nearly any location. Contact Sunstone Engineering at +1 801-658-0015 for more information (you can call or text to that number) or visit www.sunstonewelders.com.

One of the most profitable uses for micro welding in jewelry is rebuilding or re-tipping a prong. Re-tipping saves a tremendous amount of time and effort. The stone doesn’t need to be removed from the piece, which is where you’ll save time. As a result, with re-tipping you can complete the repair in a matter of minutes rather than hours. 

To begin, you want to ensure that you protect the stone from sparks or the small amount of heat generated during the weld. Gem Guard is a useful product that creates a barrier to the stone. 

Once the stone is protected, use a 26 to 30 AWG wire of the same material as the piece you’re repairing. Straighten the wire to about a three-inch section so that it will stay extended.  

Now, turn your attention to the welder. The weld settings should be started low and you’ll gradually add more power to get the desired melt. Where you set your power at the beginning depends on the type of material you’re working with. For gold and silver, start at 6 to 8 Ws of energy with no agitation.

Take time to clean and sharpen the electrode on the welder. A clean, sharp electrode will channel the energy more accurately and leave a better weld.

Begin by holding the ring in your non-dominate hand with the prong to be welded pointing upward. The wire should be in your dominant hand with the straightened section pointing toward the prong to be welded. The wire should point directly out of the prong, as if the prong is being extended.

With the wire touching the very end of the prong, touch the electrode to the prong, not the wire. The weld will initiate, melt the tip of the prong, and will pull the wire into the prong. A successful weld will result in the wire being melted into the tip of the prong.

The next step is to get the wire free from the prong, leaving the melted section attached. This can be accomplished by using the welder. Place a weld about an eighth of an inch away from the prong on the wire itself. This will cut the wire and shape the prong.

Further welds can be applied directly to the prong tip to give a nice rounded and shaped prong.  A file or prong shaping tool can be used to get the desired prong shape. And, of course, you’ll want to buff and polish as needed.

To learn more about how to re-tip a prong, you’ll find a number of fine tutorials on YouTube. A quick search will generate a sizable list of applicable videos. Sunstone recorded a live demonstration of re-tipping that you can watch here.

HEPA air purification systems are often misplaced in shops like yours. You, your team, and even equipment dealers are rarely educated on the nuances of where to place air filtration devices in the shop. 

Why is indoor air quality important? 
According to the World Health Organization, four million people die each year from indoor air pollution. Research published in the journal, Science of the Total Environment, has shown indoor air to be two to five times more dangerous than outdoor air. Add an additional hazard, such as smoking or soldering, and those numbers jump to over 100 times more dangerous.

Sure, no one is dropping dead or rushed to hospital after breathing bad air, but keep this in mind: related deaths and illnesses are typically from long-term exposure.

Why HEPA is So Hip
So, what’s the best and most cost effective way to improve air quality? Use HEPA air purifiers. Air quality and biological aerosol transmission are one of the biggest threats for workers in general. And, due to the recent pandemic, the CDC has weighed in on this topic. As recent as June 19th, the CDC emphasized that, “ventilation systems that provide air movement in a clean-to-less-clean flow direction reduce the distribution of contaminants and are better at protecting staff…”

The recent pandemic has highlighted the need for air purifiers; however, units can be nearly ineffective if not properly placed. According to a paper published by the Ontario Health Technology Assessment Series, “The efficiency of any in-room air cleaner is its strategic placement and set-up within a room, which should be done in consultation with ventilation engineers, infection control experts, and/or industrial hygienists.”

Where is optimal air purifier placement?
A poorly positioned air cleaner may disrupt airflow patterns in the room, which compromises air cleaning efficiency. Simply put, a properly positioned system will capture dirty air, filter it, then expel the clean air. But, there are several  key factors that affect how well this is done with any HEPA air filtration device.

To correctly place an Air Purifier in a facility or lab, use the following steps:

1. Identify which rooms require air filtration.
2. Find and note the location of HVAC return and supply vents and their direction of air flow.
3. Determine the proper ACH rate for each room. Air Changes Per Hour, or ACH, is determined by using a formula based on device CFM and the dimensions of a room
4. Calculate the total volume of air in each room.
5. Identify your HEPA air purifier device CFM rating and direction of airflow. Cubic Feet per Minute, or CFM, is how much air, in volume, a filtration device will move.
6. Place air purifier units in rooms where a proper ACH rating is achieved and clean air flow from the device does not cause turbulence with supply vents.

Identifying Rooms Needing Filtration
Ideally, each room should have proper air filtration. In cases where this is not possible, air purifiers should be prioritized in areas where aerosols and airborne transmission is highest, including break areas, lobbies,  bench stations, or anywhere people congregate. 

Next, identify HVAC supply vents and return vents. This is important because supply and return vents can affect room air flow and the capabilities of the air purifier if turbulence occurs. Supply vents push the air into a room; you will typically find one in each room. Return vents pull the building air into the HVAC system through a filter and then redistributes the air using the supply vents.

Placing an air purifier directly below a return vent will result in the filtered air going into the HVAC system. This can work well in small locations but is not ideal in larger facilities. Once you know where your return and supply vents are located, you can begin to understand the general air flow of the building. Identify air flow without turbulence, which allows for optimal filtration.

Finding the Right Equipment
Purchasing the wrong equipment without considering your air volume needs first can cause major issues. After all, the entire point of purchasing a HEPA air purifier system is to properly clean the air. You simply won’t be able to achieve this with improperly matched systems.

Select an air purifier with enough CFM to achieve your desired ACH rate for the room it’s in. You’ll find a number of online calculators to help you with the math, or visit www.vaniman.com.
After you determine what kind of device CFM is required, place the unit in a location where the direction of clean air flow isn’t affected by a supply vent. And make sure the system has plenty of access to the room air—avoid corners and tight areas if possible.
​
When all these factors are taken into consideration, your air purifier system can effectively work to capture and filter adequate amounts of air for your specific needs.