Here is a tip for those using shot plates from @billy_kyle - “I have had good success with using liquid wrench on my shot plates. Spray a small amount prior to striking your shot and it will keep them from sticking. When I don’t use the lube I have to... more
I like this system set up by @revel.designs.by.shelly to keep her sawblades lubricated while working! -“To lube your saw blade with ease as you’re working, tape a candlestick right next to your bench pin. Just give the blade a quick and easy swipe... more
Here is a finishing tip for all of you patina lovers out there from @stuffbyana -“When you patina a pair of earrings, it’s always a good idea to make sure that the posts remain silver, for customers with sensitive ears. I use the high shine knife-edge... more
For this #tooltalktuesday I wanted to talk about Kate Wolf’s Soldering Clay (shoutouts to @katemallerjewelry who recommended this game changer to me) + a tip for holding things while you solder (it also protects elements from moving and from heat) - a... more
Here is a classic tip for coding your solder from @cupidsmoonjewelry - take a sharpie and color the entire piece. That way even when you cut it into tiny pieces you will know which is which. Thank you for sending this! No joke this was probably sent... more
Here is a tip for photographing your jewelry - I use the Elviros light box and a DSLR camera on a tripod. The light box is fully encased with a Velcro flap to insert your camera, this drastically reduces weird reflections on your jewelry. It also has... more
If you are new to our community 👋 on the first of the month I post submissions for the #metalsmithchallenge! The theme for November was #flushsetting 💎 If you want to vote on December’s theme go check my stories on the first of the month and cast a... more
KINDNESS ➖ COMMUNITY➖EDUCATION. To all of you who have sent me a tip, who have so generously shared your knowledge - To those that have answered my questions and others questions without judgement and with kindness - To those that have asked wonderful... more
Here is a tip for making a split shank ring with regular wire from @ritualfemme - “Start with two rings same size, line up solder seams before binding together. Use stainless steel wire to bind the two rings together, stacked upon each other. Place in... more
Here is a tip for cleaning your space, cleaning your work while you saw, drill or cut seats - something I only started using in the last year. A bench brush! I actually posted a tip about using a paintbrush to clean your bench pin in the first month... more
Here is a great tip for when you are soldering multiple small pieces from @emilymarquisdesigns - “I use thick gauge copper wire to collect and keep together my small pieces after soldering. It's helpful when quenching or pickling to pick up a larger... more
For this #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show off Jett Basic - a fixturing compound. Many people ask what I use to secure my pieces for stonesetting and this is the stuff! As you can see in my slideshow I have a designated hot pot for heating up my Jett... more
Here is a tip for flush setting. Make sure you use a lubricant while you are drilling your seat AND on top of the the stone prior to burnishing. Lubricating helps protects the stone and helps the burnisher glide smoothly. I also keep my burnisher... more
Here is another technique to protect a gemstone during a repair or sizing from @flowmke2 - “It’s not foolproof, but a protectant like this #KoolJool can isolate gemstones from torch heat for resizing rings. This is a 20mm chalcedony. The gel is also a... more
Here is a #diy ✨Test Tube Sawblade Storage✨ tutorial from @lasa_joyas - “You need test tubes, these are 15mm x 150mm, this size works great for me and the saw blades fit perfectly. The wood piece I've used is hand cut to fit 5 test tubes, 220mm x 50mm... more
Here is a tip for all you folks with a rotary tumbler from @alwaysaleda - I have a necklace with a delicate chain that will need a bit of a polish after the chain goes on. So I put it in my small tumble with those soapy brillo pads from the grocery... more
Here is an awesome technique for accessing how a stone is sitting in its setting from @justinboehmecraftechcastings “If you raise and drop the metal in the flame, the soot deposits. Check fastidiously for the fine witness marks. You can re- deposit... more
Today I want to talk about packaging, specifically shipping supplies. I wanted to find a better company to buy my supplies from (I won’t name names 🤣) One that is environmentally friendly and had some recycled and recyclable options. Between my... more
For this #tooltalktuesday I’m so excited to talk about my new @greenlionsawframe 😍 i have had the same German saw frame since 2005 so I was very excited to try this! I’ve had the opportunity to use it over the last few weeks and here are the key... more
Here is a phenomenal breakdown of how to solder fine chain to a jump ring from @thebenchmarkcollection -“Step 1: cut jump rings with a slight gap if you can’t link it into the chain, place around chain a couple links down (this example is a 1mm box... more
