✨ Comment “send me info” and I’ll DM you a link to Sunstone—plus you’ll save 3% off your order! (That adds up big time on high-ticket tools 💸) “Huge time saver for jewelers” isn’t an exaggeration. In this video I’m using my Sunstone pulse arc welder... more
Ever struggle to solder a backplate to a ring in the exact spot you want?!? Try this tip from @silentgoddess “@katewolftools Sticky Wax is perfect for positioning and marking ring shank locations for the perfect soldering placement. Smear a bit of... more
Struggling with soldering? 👀 If you can’t see your seams, you can’t fix your seams. Gaps prevent solder from flowing and can lead to overheating (aka ✨melty chaos✨). Magnification is a GAME CHANGER. With my @craftoptics I can dial in on every tiny... more
Soldering a chain end cap onto a delicate gold ball chain can feel a little nerve-wracking — you definitely don’t want to fuse those links and lose the movement! ✨ One quick trick I’ve been loving is packing the chain into a bit of reusable soldering... more
Love this frustration free set up for soldering a split ring shank from @jen_surine “I’ve been loving @reneefordmetals Hold-it. It’s a clay that can be used to hold and position a piece for soldering. After using it, I get it a little wet, knead it,... more
Two charcoal blocks = a simple way to get heat underneath your work. 🔥 I’m soldering a thin bezel onto a large back plate with castings — and propping the piece between two charcoal blocks lets me direct heat from below so I’m not risking melting... more
Here’s a soldering tip from @alexmalexdesigns for heating a piece from below: Cut a small piece of steel mesh and place it on the end of your charcoal block. She uses a heavy coin to weigh down the mesh — this is key, as the last thing you want is... more
🔊 Sound on for this one because this hinge tip from @cognac_jewellery_school is SO good. “This is my favourite low-tech soldering hack for tiny hinges: Prevent accidentally soldering them closed with a soft graphite pencil & rod (pencil refills... more
Last time I had to solder a piece with a gemstone that needed protecting I used ‘heat shield’ that I purchased @riogrande, before that I cut off a small piece of potato to cover the stone while soldering, a trick I picked up from @hnossdesign ANOTHER... more
Thank you so much for sending me this unique technique @sophiabrand -“My tip is glass beads when you solder a moving mechanism (hinge). It's easy to loosen them and they prevent small parts from soldering together!” 🙏🏻 anyone else ever try this? Or... more
If you need to make jump rings (for the #metalsmithchallenge 😉) you can create your own tool by soldering a washer to a rod. The washer will make the rod easier to secure in a vise. From there you can wrap your wire. Also featured in this image are... more
Here is a soldering tip for those that use wire solder - insert your solder into a piece of copper tubing (a snug fit is ideal) for better precision and ease of holding. Thank you so much for sending this @ajoiadoleo definitely trying this.... more
When you want to create super smooth, silver balls (for decorative elements), fine silver is the obvious choice! Amazing tip @jessicajo_designs -“I always have 20g fine silver wire on hand... then I can just measure and cut so I can create evenly... more
In response to my recent story requesting prong tips for a member of the community, I received this awesome technique from @beachyandcreepy - she creates two arches out of wire (these will become the claw prongs) and then files little indentations... more
Amazing hinge tip from @elmharris - “I use graphite pencil leads to keep the hinge knuckles in place and to keep the inside of the knuckles “dirty” so solder doesn’t flow inside. I also paint a little rouge or white out (the green label, water based... more
Here’s a way to get your prongs to stay in position while soldering from @sweetbellajewelry - “For prongs I use a soft solderite tile. It’s soft enough to push the wire prongs right into it.” 🤯 You know, the Metalsmith Challenge this month just so... more
Here is another prong hack from @shop_kajsjewelry she solders an X with two wires, then she forms the arches around her piece. - “I find that that way I can adjust the prongs to the exact spot that I want them to “land” on the piece. Having a central... more
When you want to go the extra mile to protect a stone during a soldering repair, use this method from @andreabjewelry -“I used a crucible to not get the paste all over my work surface. The crucible helped with the large stone being cradled. Then I... more
