For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m showing off my @grstools MicroBlock XL (Part # 103.773 @ottofrei1930) I have had experience on all of the vises from GRS and I can confirm this is the perfect size between the GRS MicroBlock and the GRS Standard... more
Watch in IGTV for closed captions! For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I shot a quick demo video using an Artifex Wheel from @ottofrei1930 while they come in both 4” and 6” I use a FOREDOM Benchtop Lathe and the 4” is the appropriate size for my machine.... more
Here is a soldering tip from @helen_aliye_derici - “I LOVE CROSS LOCK TWEEZERS 💙 Just found a new way to use them 🙃 They’re some of my all the time go-to tools. Brilliant for soldering, for holding ear posts upright with weight for a strong solder... more
Here are several tips from @tkiplinger - “I use museum putty to help visualize dimension in my work. I flesh out a concept using a hybrid sketch with elements of sheet metal or enamels stuck right to the sketch with putty. I also use museum putty in... more
Here is a #diy tool from @jessjewelry - “I saw you story the other day about favorite handmade tools. This is mine. I used an old file tang and sawed it out to make a bezel pusher. The old file is now used to dress my rubber wheels and such.” This is... more
Here is a tip for if you get a stone stuck in a bezel and need to get it out from @exilejewelry - "I use poster tack on my bench top and really sink the stone in, try to rip the setting off like a bandaid. Some people use dop (dop is what lapidary... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to talk about Bezel Setting Punches. I bought this economy set for myself years ago after having worked for a jeweler that used them in their studio. The idea is you use this tool to set tube settings with a... more
Here is a tip for making bezels for uneven cabochons: take a fine marker and trace a line around the inside. It will give you a visual on where you need to file and sand! *be CAREFUL with porous stones and sharpie. With this stone the marker wiped off... more
#sponsored For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I am showing off the Foredom® Hammer Handpiece #15 (item 850-1270) from our friends at @gesswein.jewelry If you are new to the idea of a hammer handpiece let me break it down for you, this is an attachment... more
Here is a tip for sizing a ring with a stone set in it from @marquisjewelryacademy - "If I need to size a ring after I've already set the stone I use this method for most silver and gold rings. I learned this paper towel technique while working at the... more
Here is a bezel setting tip from @susanfauman - “I love using my graver’s ball from GRS to hold a piece when I’m setting stones. When I need to set a stone in a ring with a simple, symmetrical shank, I basically use the graver’s ball like a vice. To... more
Here is a setting tip from @shira_hanna_designs - “When I don’t want to chance distorting the shape of a more delicate piece while setting a stone, I sometimes choose to set the stone right on the mandrel I used for forming rather than using a vice.... more
#affiliate For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show of ZAM® ⚡️ (it just sounds cool, doesn’t it?) I got curious about ZAM® after taking an online class with @lucywalkerjewellery and she showed it off to polish a bezel. This compound is an... more
Here is a tip for soldering a bezel to a baseplate from @refraction_manufacturing - “I use binding wire to hold the setting to the plate and then I can scribe a line around where it needs to sit.” I love this extra step because it’s worth it when you... more
Here is a stamping tip from @southboundsmith - “Here’s a tip for making sure your stamps are ending up where you want them. If you’re using a piece of silver sheet, I like to find the center point of each side, and draw two lines for reference. If... more
For the last #tooltalktuesday of the year I wanted to give a huge thank you to the companies that have continued to support the page through sponsorship ❤️Here is a recap of the #topnine2020 for Tool Talks: 1️⃣ John Frei Custom Workbench which was... more
#affiliate This week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m showing off how I make super teeny, tiny round bezels with the amazing Fretz Micro Stake available as a kit (Part # 112.635) or in separate pieces available from our friends at @ottofrei1930 (also stay tuned... more
Here is a wax carving tip from @unmarkedindustries - “The dental floss tip I saw you guys share also works really well in wax! I tend to work in soft wax like wire wax and green sheet when I am building my bezels walls for a piece. I like to build... more
Here is a tip to keep multiple projects organized at once from @carryatorchltd - “I try to work on many projects at a time to be the most efficient I can be while I am in my studio. To help keep my workspace manageable, my pieces organized and my... more
Here is a tweezer modification from @simplee_silver - “I have a pair of tweezers that I have modified to hold a band in place on the back of a bezel cup to make soldering so much easier. Bending them into position is just a matter of using a pair of... more
