NOTICE: MicroWeld22 has been postponed due to Hurricane Ian. New dates coming soon!

Learn to Weld

Like a Pro

September 29-October 1, 2022 • Orlando, Florida

NEW! Permanent Jewelry Track: The only conference of its kind where you can learn all you need to start a successful permanent jewelry business!

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Improve efficiencies and boost profits with advanced welding skills 

for bench jewelers and permanent jewelry artists!

Sunstone's MicroWeld 2022 is the premier welding conference for bench jewelers and permanent jewelry artists. Divided into three distinct tracks, laser welding for bench jewelers, pulse arc welding for jewelers, and permanent jewelry boutiques and start-up's, you’ll get hands-on instruction from industry leaders with decades of welding experience.  

What You’ll Learn   

For Jewelers:

• How to increase profits with any welder 
• How to restore prongs, shape, polish, retip, tack, learn the secrets of laserwire—what it is, when to use it, and how to get it.  
• Observe on-site case studies, like clasp repair or ring setting 
• Gain invaluable insight from classroom and hands-on instruction 
• Get private time for practice 
• Listen to an open panel discussion with other experienced professionals 

For Permanent Jewelry Artists:

• Master the science behind the permanent jewelry welder
• Learn how to close a chain (silver, gold, gold-filled, and more)
• Get private time for practice
• Learn how to setup the boutique, where to position equipment, how to create processes, tips and tricks for applying bracelets, necklaces, anklets, best practices, advertising, and more 

Dynamic, Energetic Instructors  

For those in the jewelry business, you’ll be instructed by master bench jeweler, Scott Isaacs on the laser welder, and master metalsmith Patrick McMillan on the pulse arc welder. You can choose the educational track that best fits your needs, laser or pulse arc—or feel free to mix the two. 

For permanent jewelry boutiques and artists, you'll spend one full day with Patrick McMillan to understand the science behind the permanent jewelry welder and how to close any chain with confidence and quality. Then you'll spend the next day learning the operations behind a permanent jewelry business.

Learn more about your instructors by clicking on the "Instructor Bio's" tab on the left.

All-Inclusive Tuition  

Your tuition is all-inclusive: Instruction, hands-on practice, two nights stay in a deluxe 2-room suite, all meals, cocktail reception, and official Weld Tech apparel are included!  

Fabulous Resort Location  

Located in sunny Orlando, close to Disney World and Universal Studios, you’ll unwind and relax in an all-suites resort hotel with pool, complimentary shuttle to major parks, pool-side bar, and dedicated conference cabana with refreshments and snacks, all the while networking with and learning from other extraordinary people.

Rub Shoulders with the Best in the Industry  

You’ll have plenty of opportunity to meet with others in your industry and learn from the best. Some say you learn as much from the people you meet at conferences as you do from the conference itself. 

Plus, you’ll meet key Sunstone people, like the CEO, the product manager, perhaps a welding engineer, and others. We’re excited to meet you and learn how we can improve our products and services. 

Register Today—Seating is Limited!  

Join us September 29th through October 1st for the only immersive welding conference of its kind. There’s not another conference like it, specifically focused on micro welding. Seating and deluxe suites are limited, available only on a first-come, first-served basis! 

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About Your Hotel Reservation  

Your tuition includes two nights lodging at the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort, Thursday, September 29th and Friday September 30th. After you register you will receive a hotel confirmation number a week or two prior to the start of the conference. If you wish to spend a few more days at the resort, contact your conference host, Andy Jensen, at ajensen@sunstonewelders.com.

Instructor BIOs  

Scott Isaacs

Scott Isaacs is an authority with laser welding and bench jewelry. As owner of Belle Meade Jewelry Repair in Nashville, Scott has made laser welding the foundation of his business model. Scott has played a pivotal role in the development of the modern, benchtop laser welder, urging manufacturers to incorporate cameras in the work chamber, add observations windows so customers can observe the repair process, and more. "Before-and-after pictures are the best thing a jeweler can do," Scott says. "We are in an Instagram economy. Visual footprints are the name of the current game and it's only going to grow. This is how Millennials process." Scott has extensive experience demonstrating and teaching at tradeshows and workshops across the country. At MicroWeld 2022, Scott is set to share his knowledge of laser welding with like-minded bench jewelers. You can learn more about Scott's studio and watch him work with a laser welder at www.bellemeadejewelry.com. 

Patrick McMillan

With more than 20 years of designing and producing jewelry, Patrick is ready to share welding secrets only an experienced bench jeweler will ever know. Patrick is owner of McMIllan Metals, a studio and retail shop in Rhode Island where he creates jewelry in the day and teaches his craft at night. Patrick has a masters in metalsmithing from the Birmingham School of Jewellery in London after earning an undergraduate degree from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Patrick’s work has been featured in Micro Welding Today magazine. “Technology allows any person the ability to create a ring, pendant, or whatever,” he says. “Technology... has expanded the boundaries of creativity. And that’s truly exciting.” 

Faith White

From policies, procedures, setup, and displays to minor details such as where to place tools for most efficiency, Faith White will outline the crucial details of how she runs her very own boutique, Sweet Pea Permanent Jewelry. From a family of entrepreneurs and a third-generation business owner herself, Faith is excited to share the helpful tips and tricks she has learned from trial and error. “Permanent Jewelry is a rapidly growing industry, and I truly believe, if done right, anyone can lead a wildly successful career in this field,” says Faith.

Arturo Cato

Arturo Coto leads Sales and Marketing at Permanent Jewelry Solutions at Love Weld. (www.permanenetjewelrysolutions.com). In this role he works closely with entrepreneurs and business owners in helping them plan, start and run a permanent jewelry business. Prior to joining the PJS team Arturo led Sales and Marketing at Noonday Collection, a fair-trade jewelry company. Arturo has started and managed several companies during his career, gaining a wealth of experience along the way, which he now shares as a mentor and advisor to a number of companies in the Austin, Texas area where he resides.

Lauren Robbins

Lauren has spent most of her career as the regional operations lead for an international non-profit where she planned and executed six-figure fundraising events. She currently works with Love Weld, a fast growing 14k gold permanent jewelry company founded in 2020. Her extensive experience has contributed to Love Weld's quick and organic growth through her networking and understanding of the power of connection.  She manages the flagship Love Weld Studio in Austin, TX and focuses much of her time on strategic events and partnerships. Her event planning experience is key in understanding the logistics & experience that Love Weld offers in all the venues and spaces where they operate.  

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Agenda  

While the agenda may change slightly, you can plan on a start time of 7:00 pm on Thursday and an end time of 2:00 pm on Saturday.

Thursday, September 29th

7:00 pm  Opening Reception

Friday, September 30th

8:00 am  Classes Begin

Noon  Lunch

1:30 pm  Classes Resume

6:00 pm  Dinner

Saturday, October 1st

8:00 am  Classes Begin

Noon  Lunch

1:00 pm  Classes Resume

2:00 pm Conference Ends

Questions?  

See FAQs below. Feel free to call or text 801-658-0015.

Conference Sponsors  

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FAQs  

Q: When is the conference? 

A: Sunstone's MicroWeld2022 begins Thursday, September 29th at 7:00 pm with an evening reception featuring snacks and drinks. Instruction begins Friday, September 30th and Saturday October 1st at 8:00 am. The conference ends at 2:00 pm on Saturday. 

Q: How much does the conference cost? 

A: Tuition is $1,995 per person and all inclusive. Instruction, hands-on practice, lodging, meals, and official apparel are all included. 

Q: What will I learn at the conference? 

A: MicroWeld 2022 offers three different educational tracks, one for permanent jewelry (pulse arc) and two for Jewelry (pulse arc welding and laser welding. Scott Isaacs, will cover laser welding and master metalsmith Patrick McMillan will instruct the pulse arc welding track.

Permanent jewelry folks will learn the following:

• Master the science behind the permanent jewelry welder
• Learn how to close a chain (silver, gold, gold-filled, and more)
• Get private time for practice
• Learn how to setup the boutique, where to position equipment, how to create processes, tips and tricks for applying bracelets, necklaces, anklets, best practices, advertising, and more 

Jewelers will learn the following:

• How to increase profits with any welder
• How to restore prongs, shape, polish, retip, tack, learn the secrets of laserwire—what it is, when to use it, and how to get it.
• Observe on-site case studies, like clasp repair or ring setting
• Gain invaluable insight from classroom and hands-on instruction 
• Listen to an open panel discussion with other experienced professionals

Q: What’s included with the tuition? 

A: The tuition includes the following: All instruction (approximately 12 hours), 2 nights lodging in a two-room deluxe suite, opening reception with snacks and two free drinks, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 1 grand dinner. You’ll also receive official WeldTech apparel and have access to a conference cabana with free refreshments and snacks. 

Q: Who are the instructors? 

A: Sunstone's MicroWeld2022 features three different educational tracks: Laser welding for jewelers, pulse arc welding for jewelrs, and permanent jewelry. Scott Issacs, a master bench jeweler and experienced instructor will teach laser welding for jewelers. Patrick McMillan, a master metalsmith, will teach pulse arc welding for jewelers.  

Q: Is there an early bird registration discount? 

A: The all-inclusive tuition is terrific value and will not be discounted any further. 

Q: Is there a discount for groups? 

A: If your group includes 10 or more people, please call us at 8081-658-0015. 

Q: What if I need to cancel my registration? 

A: If you cancel your registration on or before May 31, 2022 you’ll receive a full refund. If you cancel your registration on or before July 31, 2022 you’ll receive a 50% refund. Sunstone will not be able to make any refunds on or after August 1, 2022. 

Q: What flight schedule will work best? 

A: Find a flight that gets you into Orlando around 5:00 pm or earlier on Thursday, September 29th. Find a flight that departs Orlando around 5:00 pm or later on Saturday, October 1st.

Q: Do I need to call the hotel and reserve a room directly? 

A: No. When you register Sunstone will request a reservation from the resort and then provide you with a confirmation number. The resort requires a major credit card to cover all incidental charges upon check in. Your tuition only covers lodging and applicable taxes for two nights. Room service and digital entertainment are not covered by your tuition. Check in starts at 11:00 am. The check-out time is 4:00 pm. If you wish to check in a day or two earlier or check out a day or two later, please contact Andy Jensen, your conference host, at ajensen@sunstonewelders.com. MicroWeld 2022 attendees will enjoy discounted rates.

Q: How much hands-on time will I have with the welder? 

A: The ratio between classroom and hands-on instruction is about 70-30; however, higher attendee numbers will reduce the amount of hands-on time in the classroom. Outside classroom time, such as early mornings and evenings, Sunstone may make the welders available for personal practice time upon request. Again, the amount of time available for hands-on time will be affected by the total number of attendees.

Q: What if I’m a local jeweler and don’t need to stay at the resort? 

A: A reduced tuition rate is available for local jewelers. When registering be sure to select the tuition-only option. 

Q: What airport do I fly into? How do I get from the Airport to the resort? 

A: Fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO). The resort is approximately 25 minutes away from the airport by car. At the airport you can rent a car, take a taxi or door-to-door shuttle, or use any one of the ride-share apps.  

Q: I want to bring a significant other, who will not attend the conference for instruction, but will join me for meals. Is there a “Plus One” fee? 

A: Yes! Your ‘plus one” can join all conference meals and other fun activities for $600. Register your “plus one” independently of your own registration; choose the “Plus One-Meals Only” option. 

Q: Should I bring my family? 

A: Absolutely! Sunstone's MicroWeld2022 is a family friendly event. The all-suite resort includes an adult pool, a large splash pad and pool for the kids, hot tub, cabanas, ample pool umbrellas, free breakfast for the family, complimentary shuttle to all major parks, and evening movie by the pool every night. While you’re learning how to energize your business with a welder, the family can enjoy time at the resort or at any of the nearby parks. What’s more, every suit includes a sofa that pulls out to become a double bed! There’s plenty of room for you and the family! 

Do you have a question not listed here? Send your question to the conference host, Andy Jensen, at ajensen@sunstonewelders.com.

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