Here is a tip to keep your bezel settings and stones organized from @indigenousjewels - “This week I made a bunch of settings for stones I'm planning to use soon, but to keep them all safe and organized I just took a piece of cardboard, added some... more
Here is a technique for when you want to solder near fragile item like shells from @sassylemonade - “I’ve been asked a few times about how do I save the shell from getting burnt? I use Vigor Heat Shield, you form it all around the shell. It does get... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show off a tool that has helped me tremendously in my smaller work space - my Vertical Bench Vise from @ottofrei1930 This heavy duty vise holds my ring mandrels, dapping tools, and other stakes securely... more
In the month of June the theme of the challenge was Cold Connections! Thank you to everyone who submitted a piece!
This month our community grew to 85K followers! 🥳❤️ The support and love that I get from this group everyday AMAZES me. I know I say this all the time, but this page would be nothing if you all didn’t show up everyday to exchange ideas, ask questions... more
Here is an awesome technique for keeping your stone in place when starting to hammer set from @buffalocraftco - “Using bee’s wax to hold your stone in place while setting is great when there are prongs everywhere and tape just won’t work. My wax is... more
Here is a tip for those of us who forget to turn off the pickle pot 🙋♀️🤦♀️ from @wiredlotus - “I have this tip for a reminder to turn off the pickle pot. I use a power surge protector cord with a switch. I plug in the pickle pot and the light into... more
For this week’s #metalsmithsocietyminiseries post I wanted to talk about setting up and maintaining your Foredom SR. Here is the good news: when you purchase a new one all you need to do is take it out of the box! Simply hang your motor, plug in the... more
Here is a sanding tip from @lucywalkerjewellery - “One of my favourite tips for cleaning up the inside of piercing work. Mount a thin strip of 3M micro-finishing film from @riogrande (item number 337315) in your saw frame and get to work taking your... more
Love this little polisher created by @night_shine_candy_jewelry - “I don't usually post bench tips but today I discovered something that changed my jeweler life! Modifying white rubber wheels into hand held ‘files’.....The brooch I am working on is... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to talk FILES, we all use em, we all need em, we all love em! Files come in various cuts depending on their “teeth” (the series of sharp, parallel ridges) In this image I’m showing off cut #s: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, &... more
Here is a great sawing tip from @andrewberryuk - “ When piercing metal, rub some #BurrLife or #CutLube onto your metal either on top or underneath. This helps lubricate the blade as you cut. By adding lubrication directly to your blade is wasteful and... more
Here is a pickle pot option for folks on a budget from @drybranchdesigns - “Small tip for #beginnersilversmith folks: When I first started out, I definitely looked for ways to cut costs in my initial investment of equipment. Enter my pickle pot, a... more
Here is a tip for protecting your work while polishing from @mcmillanmetals - He covers his bench pin with leather (scrap from a local leather worker) and secures it with push tacks! This ensures he doesn’t get any unwanted scratches onto a mirror... more
For the first post of this mini series I wanted to discuss the differences between the various flex shaft motors from @foredomelectric. Before I get into that I want to explain why I chose to showcase Foredom, they are the only brand of flex shaft I... more
Here is a tip for polishing some of those hard to reach spots: Dedeco Midgets! I received a few of these in last month’s @benchtooljunkies box and liked them so much I went ahead and bought enough to make a set! These polishing bits come in a wide... more
Here is a little tip for when you are using a split mandrel from @inkedupandreckless - “For my slit shank mandrel I cut a notch to use up the whole shank! It also helps secure the sandpaper!” Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I also had... more
The @benchguru system is designed to collect metal dust and other harmful particles while you grind, sand and polish with your flexshaft. Be sure to check out my #tooltalktuesday post for more info!
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m showing off a dust collecting system that has made my work environment MUCH safer and saves me money: the Bench Guru! As jewelers we NEED to protect ourselves from inhaling metal dust, polishing compounds and other... more
