Here are some tips for purchasing silver SHEET METAL from @riogrande. All the choices can be overwhelming, so I thought I’d break down what some of the options are and how they differ. The most common is sterling silver (.925) It is stronger than fine... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday we are going to build off of last week and discuss the @grstools pin vise attachment for the Benchmate, thank you @nurdleintherough for sharing your videos and thoughts! 🙌 - “ The GRS pin vise attachment for the bench... more
Yesterday we discussed removal of tarnish from silver pieces and today we are focusing on prevention + a GIVEAWAY (CLOSED WINNER TBA) from @kernowcraft the best way to handle tarnish is to try to prevent it in the first place. Over time sterling... more
Here are some products to help remove tarnish from our friends at @kernowcraft and a little GIVEAWAY (CLOSED WINNER TBA). For an opportunity to win a £30 email gift voucher (open to everyone worldwide) 1️⃣ Follow @kernowcraft 2️⃣ Please tag a friend +... more
The theme for February’s #metalsmithchallenge was HAIR PINS and you all blew me away. I didn’t get a final count on how many submission there were but I know I spent several hours looking at everyone’s posts! Many of the hair pins in this post, were... more
THIS COMMUNITY IS EPIC! Every 1st day of the month I share members of the community ❤️ I am so grateful for everyone’s support and feel honored whenever I see someone representing in a shirt (or other gear). It’s also my chance to thank you all for... more
Here is another method for preventing chains from getting knotted in the tumbler (which is the WORST) from @helen_feliz_kiwi - “I used a safety pin that came with a sweater I recently purchased. (These similar pins have also been included when I have... more
Here is a fabulous step by step of getting your bezel wire seam PERFECT 🥰 from @kaypeajewelry - “To get a perfect fit when making a bezel I start out by squaring one end of the bezel wire off by filing it down in my miter jig. Then I tightly form it... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I want to talk about the @grstools Benchmate System (I have the Encore QCX) I often get asked about mine and I wanted to give those interested an opportunity to ask questions! I invested in mine years ago and have... more
Here is an organization method from @lyndehowesilverworks - “Nearly everything in my studio is on wheels so I can focus on different projects at a whim. Figuring out I could afix wheels to this plastic crate was game changing. I’ve included a photo... more
Here are some packaging tips from @beadandbones -“Packaging, it’s how people see you. With stellar packaging, you’ll have less breakages, more repeat customers, and you’ll even feel more professional. People will remember you more, get excited to... more
Here is a technique for polishing your chain (safely) from @thenumberthirteenjewellery - “To sand or polish my chains (whether its by hand or with my flexshaft) I use my benchpin screw! It's easy to keep the chain in place and turn around whilst... more
Here is a technique for using your sawblade as a file from @rametalsnyc - “Use the teeth of your sawblade to file hard to reach places such as this hand casting to clean up in between the fingers. Use the upstroke to file small bits at a time. In... more
Here is a technique for marking the center line prior to soldering @fernueve50 - “I use this circle template to measure and mark the center pivot before soldering a design element to a ring!” I love this and just used this tip yesterday 😉 thank you... more
If you need a tool to open a set bezel, here is a step by step guide to make your own from @williamcobbjewelry - “Start with a pair of hemostats (an inexpensive surgical tool) I first had to flatten the jaws by removing the teeth. Then blunted the... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m sharing a tool that I went without for a really long time. I decided to finally treat myself last year 💃🏼and I don’t know why I waited so long! This is an automatic torch lighter. It saves me SO much time, I used... more
Here is an awesome tip for planning out a design from @eri_artistically_foolish -“I make paper models when planning a design! I started with sketches inspired by architecture, picked the one that looked the best and cut it out in paper. Glued all the... more
I’m in love with this storage solution from @karilynnjewelry - “I picked up these inexpensive bamboo plate racks at T.J.Maxx and mounted them horizontally on the wall beside my bench. For under $10, I have storage for all my hammers and pliers within... more
Here is another step by step method for making a split-shank from @smith.and.stone “I measure each one to the middle and then kinda decide how much I want soldered and measure that out and just bend the wire out just a tad, and boom! I can use three... more
