Our first #metalsmithchallenge was a raging success! Thank you so much to everyone who created a โ CHAIN โ (which was our theme in March if you are just tuning in!) it was so inspiring for me to see what everyone created! Please take a moment and give... more
Thank you @arreisdesigns- for this genius tip on laying out stamping patterns with aluminum tape! ๐คฏ โYou can find the stuff at any hardware store, and I just cut a piece off with scissors and draw a general shape on when I'm really beginning to... more
Last week I received a subscription box of tools from @benchtooljunkies (๐๐๐ป๐๐ผ) and it included a sheet of Tuff Break Film (urethane) which Iโd never heard of. You can cut it to any size you need to cushion and protect your work from scratching and... more
Loved this divider comparison from @jonmryan - โAlex Tools dividers vs Starrett vs Euro Tool German made dividers. As soon as I had them (Alex Tools) in my hands and compared them to my old dividers I forgot all about the price. The joint at the top... more
I have a thing for handmade tools. Thanks for sharing this @moraghickman - โNew work holding tool! As I do more production, I put more thought into saving my hands from cramping and fatigue. In this case, a customized clothespeg holds short rods for... more
Here is another way to hold a chain while polishing, wrap it around a wooden mandrel! Thank you so much for sharing @vancraftedstudio (she originally shared this in her stories, we have such a generous community! ๐๐ป๐๐๐ป) #metalsmithsociety... more
I wanted to share another brilliant chain making tip since there is still a week to join the March #metalsmithchallenge (check my story highlights for info) Thank you so much @goldandjayejewelry - โI was talking to a friend about getting nice ovals... more
If you need to get a ring flat - place it between two steel blocks and give it a nice whack with your raw hide hammer. This works great if the ring is a simple band that you have not added settings or decorative work to (yet) and also works on little... more
If you ever have a ball fall off a piece after you set your stone (๐คฌ๐คท๐ผโโ๏ธ๐ญ) @meritmade showed us a way to fix that! She soldered a ball onto a wire, drilled a hole where the ball needed to go (the drilled hole matched the gauge of the wire) then... more
Iโd never seen alligator tape used this way! Thank you so much for sharing this genius idea @hannah.lynn.jewelry - โSome jewelers use alligator tape to protect their fingers... fingers heal, I'd rather protect my detailed metal work while setting ๐๐จโ... more
Here is another jump ring making hack, a huge thanks to @alastaircallumjewellery for these great pictures that show the process. Take a power drill and insert a drill bit backwards, create a bend in your wire and slip the bent bit between the jaws -... more
If you need to make jump rings (for the #metalsmithchallenge ๐) you can create your own tool by soldering a washer to a rod. The washer will make the rod easier to secure in a vise. From there you can wrap your wire. Also featured in this image are... more
Love this post from jeweler @ksjewellerydesigns which has some great stone setting tips - โI have started to set the labradorite cabochon in my latest Sea Life Pendant and thought I would share some of my 'trusty' bezel setting tools! Firstly, I... more
If you like getting a matte or scratched finish on your work I created this photo tutorial on how to create your own @scotchbrite_3m mandrel for your flexshaft. The supplies you need are one Scotch-Brite general purpose scouring pad, one screw... more
This is brilliant @tte.designs - โYou may be looking at this & think โwhat the heck?โ Found this rolling IV pole at my #thriftshop #volunteer gig and thought it would be perfect in the studio for my new #flexshaft !โ ๐๐ป If you are repurposing... more
Love this adaptation for a ring clamp to hold a ring while polishing the inside @fibre.and.flame - โI cut some grooves in my ring clamp to make it easier to file and polish the inside. Those buggers get hot when you take the polishing bit to them with... more
Here is a two part tip if you use #handyflux - found in an article on the @riogrande blog where jeweler @marknelson5121 shared some wisdom - โ The stuff (Handy Flux) comes thick as paste that can be hard to use, so I mix it in a separate container... more
Thank you so much for sending me this unique technique @sophiabrand -โMy tip is glass beads when you solder a moving mechanism (hinge). It's easy to loosen them and they prevent small parts from soldering together!โ ๐๐ป anyone else ever try this? Or... more
Keeping stones from getting misplaced or mixed up while in the process of setting multiple pieces truly is an art, thanks for sharing your method @michelecdodge โI use sticky wax to organize stones when I'm setting.โ If you have another way send me a... more
This tip for carving wax bezels is genius! Thanks for sharing @kastjewelryco โFinally getting the hang of a technique I learned at Kate Wolfโs wax carving course - using my flexshaft drill press to open up wax bezels. Itโs so much faster than carving... more
