Here is a soldering tip from @hattie.eshleman - “I would love that! Here is a caption- “Use binding wire (or any steel wire) to make a nest and elevate your piece so that you can get heat underneath. Great alternative to having to buy a tripod rig!” 🙌... more
Here is a tip to get a beautiful balled end on your wire from @fifthelementjewelry - “Such a simple trick to ball up wire smoothly: heat the wire a couple of inches away from the torch (where the flame is hottest) until the wire starts to ball up.... more
#sponsored This mini tutorial on making tiny oval cabochon settings is sponsored by @turquoise_moose and you can purchase these gorgeous, calibrated cabochons from them. You can buy one get one 50% off with code MSS (visit turquoisemoose.com) through... more
Here is a bezel wire storage tip from @blueskyblackbird - “A creative hack to keep your bezel wire in place and untangled while you are using it to wrap stones. Take your used floss container, pop out or cut the metal tab, remove the flip lid and now... more
Love this wax tip from @waxcarvers - “You can use texture rollers for polymer clay on wax wire! The wire is so soft and malleable, I put tape over it to make sure it doesn’t get stuck in the roller (it’s nearly impossible to remove wax from the roller... more
@pepetools_usa now has the binding wire you need to create a soldering nest like this one! This one is made from 22g (.64mm) and works perfectly to elevate this backplate and bezel enough so that heat can get underneath for a smooth flow. I like to... more
Here is a square wire twisting technique from @lbouton018 - “My students always enjoy twisting wire in class. If you want to twist square wire in one spot you need a vise and a vise grip. Aim the flame at the spot you want twisted and slowly rotate... more
For those that requested some help with creating earrings here is my #diy hoop earring! 1️⃣ Anneal your wire (.8-1mm depending on your preference, I used .8mm because I like a smaller ear wire but it is tougher to form because it’s delicate! 2️⃣ Coil... more
If your tools have rust on them use this method from @dangbravegirl - she cleans rust off with a steel wire wheel and then maintains them with Froglube (we shared this in the past but it’s so good we had to mention again) “My steel wire wheel is just... more
Here is a step by step on how to create a basket setting from @sinead_cleary_jewelry - “Start by forming two circles out of wire. I prefer 18g. Argentium, sterling or fine silver all work. One circle should be smaller than the other, the larger circle... more
Here is awesome technique for creating rivets from @indigenized775 -"You can make a lot of rivets fast with a hand vise. I like using 18 gauge wire for this. First I take roughly 3/4 inch of straight wire and place it in the hand vise with about an... more
In this week’s Rolling Mill Mini Series post I wanted to show off how to use your mill to create your own sheet and wire from your scraps. Can I just mention, I am completely new to this process and am not an expert. This was my first ever attempt at... more
Here is a tip for securing your work while drilling from @timberlinemetalworks - “Here’s another use for a miter jig. Use the jig as a ‘vise’ to hold small pieces of wire while drilling. It’s an easy way to get accurate and repeatable results. Use a... more
Here is a great way to turn a wire hanger into storage for your pliers and tweezers from @refraction_manufacturing - “Using a wire coat hanger you can maximize space on your work bench. Bending a small circle to start gives you an anchor point to... more
Here is another method for creating an earring wire jig from @thistlehandmadejewellery - “It’s super easy to throw together, and I’m kicking myself for not having made it ages ago given the crazy number of ear wires that I’ve made both in my shop and... more
Here is a #diy jig for cutting wires of the same length (and with them you can make balls the exact same size or other elements) from @riosagradojoyas - “Make different size holes with a drill bit on a piece of wood. If you want to make same size... more
Love this tip from @laurelandlime to keep your wire and solder stock organized and identifiable! - “I have very limited space and admittedly produce a lot of “creative chaos” while I’m working. I always flag all of my wires right out of the box with... 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
Here are some awesome #diy wire jigs created by students of @jayneredman during a workshop @creativesidejewelry in Austin, Texas! - “Increase your productivity by making custom jigs for shapes in wire! Students used wooden dowels, 1/16” steel welding... more
