Here is a tool modification to help you hold work while you solder from @fairbankandperry - “Grinding the tip of this old pair of cross locking tweezers to a fine point worked great for holding and soldering individual links of this 2.5 mm curb... more
Here is a tip for prepping your ring shank to be soldered to a baseplate from @mothersonthemountainjewelry - “I use sandpaper and a tile board. Getting rink shanks nice and flat ensures a no fail solder!” This is super simple but such a great... more
Here is a little #diy heat sink from @notjustredones - “I solder with a small hand held butane torch so heat control can be tricky. Discovering how to use copper heat sinks for soldering was a game changer. The photo shows the use of homemade copper... more
I love this soldering surface that elevates your work from @lierreworks - “This modified mesh makes a great replacement for the nest of steel wire I’ve been using to solder my bezels on. I cut it to the size I wanted with modified shears and used... more
Here is a great tip for identifying your wire solder from @lionandlambstudios - “I learned this trick for distinguishing between easy, medium, and hard solder wire from Joe at @silverajewelryschool: 1 bend for easy, 2 bends for Medium, and 3 bends for... more
#sponsored For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m excited to share my @pepetools_usa 4” guillotine shear! If you are unfamiliar with shears they slice through sheet metal in seconds, giving you a nice straight edge and saving you the time it would take... more
Here is a tip on proper hammer form to help prevent pain and discomfort from @captainmeegleton - “To prevent pain and be able to hammer for extended periods, remember that your elbow should be close to your torso. The more space there is, the greater... more
Here is a great soldering tip from @objectif.bijoux - “Create a nest with binding wire! So that the flame can pass below, I place the jewelry on an 22 gauge iron wire rolled into ball, which I crush slightly afterwards. Thus, the heat spreads better,... more
LOVE this soldering tip from @mandanastudios - “⭐️ I draw the lines on with a sharpie marker so I can make sure everything lines up. The marker burns off when I solder everything together.” This is such a great way to make sure you don’t solder... more
I’m so stoked about this I can’t stop talking about it 😆 in case you haven’t seen this yet: I now have a TIP SEARCH PAGE ! You can type in words like: stone setting, photography, filing, soldering, chain, safety equipment and ANY post from the... more
#sponsored For this #tooltalktuesday I am showing off my John Frei Custom Workbench which was created for me, by @ottofrei1930 😭It is so amazing I’ve actually been worrying this post would not fully do it justice but here it goes. This bench started... more
Here is a tip for when you are soldering bezels to your baseplates from @sweetbellajewelry - “If you’ve ever soldered a bezel upside on your backplate you know the frustration (not that I ever have 😬). To avoid this simple mishap I mark the tops of my... more
Here is a tip for refreshing your hard charcoal block from @sophie.cunliffe.jeweller - “Refreshing an old charcoal block that has worn and pitted over time. Rub on a cement block and you'll get a nice clean, flat soldering suface again. Oh and filthy... more
Here is a tip for those using smaller torches from @silvermaplestudiome - “Since I use a small butane torch, I don’t have a lot of fire power. My son @northcountryblacksmith suggested I use copper sheet to reflect the heat back on my project. It... more
Here is a tip for cleaning your brass pieces after soldering from @dcadefdesigns - “Working with brass? My lovely friend @silverbythebaystudio gave me this tip to make Super Pickle: Mix 1 part HOT🔥 pickle with 1 part hydrogen peroxide. OR use hydrogen... more
#sponsored Sometimes ordering chain, jump rings and clasps can be confusing when you can’t see them in person. I think many of us have ordered something and it ends up being the wrong size sometimes even comically so 😂 For today’s post brought to you... more
This is a review of what was inside the May 2020 #benchtooljunkies box! It had some gorgeous rose cut labradorites from Silver Fantasy Inc. It also included a beautiful Rounded Narrow Hammer from @fretzdesign this hammer is absolutely gorgeous, and... more
Here is a tip for soldering a bezel onto a curved surface from @theloveleighlocket - “If you want to incorporate a bezel into a wide band ring and use the band as the backplate...you will have to file the bottom of the bezel into a curved shape to... more
Here is a tip for getting a nice white look to your silver from @susanmcginnessjewellery - “The uneven coloring called firescale caused by metal alloys separating are always disappointing to see in the final stages of jewellery making. Here is the... more
Here is a great ball making technique from @allieperrydesigns - “When I need multiple balls that are all the same size, this is my favorite way to make them. Start with evenly-sized jump rings. Line them up on a smooth soldering surface; I use a... more
