Working with Casters
How to ensure your castings meet expectations when working with a subcontractor
There are many questions to answer before you get involved in contract casting. Do you want raw castings or do you want them finished? Are you going to have the caster set your stones or will you do it yourself? Are you better off investing in the equipment? (Some casters believe that if you’re casting less than $20,000 worth of goods annually, that answer is a resounding no.) But if you’ve looked at your options and you find that it’s time to hand your work over, start by sitting down and talking to your caster. Success is in the details.
The More Information You Provide, the More Accurate the Price Quote
When it comes to working with contract casters, one of the most vital aspects of the relationship is making sure they’ve got enough information. A good starting point is to talk about why you’re considering a subcontractor in the first place. Are you new to casting? Have you tried it on your own without good results? If so, you’ll need to sit down with the caster to discuss your work and your particular needs. The caster can also review your design and, if necessary, suggest modifications that will help to avoid incomplete fills and other flaws. Even if you’ve previously hand fabricated your piece and now want to produce it in volume, don’t expect it will automatically be ready for casting: It still may need some tweaks to avoid potential programs.
Perhaps you’ve been working with another caster and are either dissatisfied with their results or don’t feel their system works for you. If that’s the case, discuss with your new caster the problems you’ve been having. Knowing a customer’s concerns can help the caster determine new directions that will help to ensure good results.
If you provide as much upfront information as possible, your caster will not only be better able to meet your needs, but be able to provide you with a more accurate price quote. With enough information provided, the quote should accurately estimate the cost of the job. Make sure its fees include mold making (as well as model making, if you need that capability), any model adjustments if the caster sees problem areas, and an estimate of the final cost in the metals and finish of your choice. Also ask if any discounts are offered based on volume.
If You’re Providing a Model, Make Sure It Will Work
If you’ve already moved beyond the drawing stage and want to supply a model, the same principles apply. Have your caster review your model just as if it were a rendering. Are the walls too thin? Does it have thick areas that contract to very slim sections? These are the types of things that can impede metal flow and fill; your caster can point them out and, more important, correct them.
As necessary as it is to provide a suitable model, it’s also just as crucial to ship them securely. Label each model with a number for easy identification, and also take a scan or picture of it. Make one copy of the image for your files and one for your caster, so that when you both need to discuss the model, you’ll have identical references.
Discuss the Metal That Will Be Used
The use of good metal helps to make a piece castable. However, often you’ll find that “good metal” means “not your metal.” While some casters are willing to use metal supplied by a customer, others won’t touch the stuff. When a caster is that familiar with the alloy they’re using, a certain degree of predictability comes with it. They know how the metal acts, how it melts, what temperature it requires, and how to get it to perform at its best.
The downside is that you will pay more for this metal. The caster has to charge higher than the spot price to make a profit. (The charge should be based on the weight of the finished piece, and not include associated waste.) However, if you add in the savings for not having to re-cast rejects or to expend additional labor for cleanup, the extra charge is negligible.
If you work with a caster that agrees to use your metal, it will be a matter of negotiation whether the waste is returned to you or deducted from the production charges. For large orders especially, it’s probably more feasible to deduct the amount of the waste from the production charges. (Although there is no industry “standard,” casters estimate that the gold waste during casting, grinding, and polishing can run from 6 percent to 15 percent.)
Get It in Writing
Once you’re ready to send a job to your caster, get all the details of your arrangement in writing. Whether it’s through a formal letter or an e-mail, make sure the details of a casting job are completely spelled out. It should state exactly what models you’re sending, what you want done, the metal to be used, any finishes that will be applied, and the date the finished models are due. In addition, your agreement should also spell out what happens if deadlines are missed or the work isn’t done to your satisfaction. In return, the caster should provide to you in writing a quote based on the size of the job and your requirements.
Non-Disclosure Agreements
If you have proprietary designs that you’re worried about protecting, you may want to consider asking your caster to sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, before you enter into any agreement, consider whether what you’re tying to protect is uniquely original and worthy of protection. Consult with industry experts, such as jewelry design consultants, and industry journalists, and study trade and consumer media. A few other things to note:
- Many experts note that generic NDAs do not really protect anyone. If you have an original design or have a unique, proprietary manufacturing process to protect, name it in the agreement.
- Generic NDAs assume that all design intelligence and intellectual property is derived from the designer, but the subcontractor may add details or apply proprietary techniques that improve the design. A subcontractor’s changes and suggestions are not protected by an NDA.
- If you’re working with overseas contractors, NDAs become more complicated. Andrea Hansen, founder and president of the design consultancy LuxeIntelligence in New York City, advises that in such a case you (1) appoint a neutral territory in case of arbitration, (2) predetermine a separation process if the relationship ends (e.g., “In case of dispute, parties agree to a prearranged separation agreement as follows…”), and (3) preselect a law firm, operating in both territories but that does not work for either party, to arbitrate disputes.
Ship Smart
Also pay attention to how you ship your models: After all the work you’ve put into them, you don’t want them lost in the mail. No matter what carrier you use, make sure that you insure your models for the full replacement value. This value includes all the time you spent designing and making the item as well as your overhead and materials.
In addition, make sure your package has a tracking number, in case it’s delivered to the wrong address. FedEx and UPS automatically give you tracking numbers and insurance is available for any amount. The U.S. Postal Service also has all these features, but you have to fill out forms for each service you require, and high value insurance may be a problem.
Obviously, you’ll want to protect your models to avoid damage during transit, but don’t overdo it and cover your waxes with so much tissue paper and tape that only a safecracker could get through. This could actually do more harm than good, since the subcontractor might have to apply so much force into opening the packages that the models are damaged. Caster Dan Grandi suggests that if you want extra protection, trying shipping your carved wax models in pill bottles and film canisters. Just make sure the models can’t move around too much.
Finally, remember the basics, and put your contact information and address inside the package. (Such simple details are all too easy to overlook.) If you’ve asked for a rush status or requested specific date by which you need the casting, include that as well.
It’s all in the details.