Metalsmith Society Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tips

Jeweler @mothersonthemountainjewelry brought this #solderingnest idea from @ganoksin_project to life with 22g steel binding wire! Never seen this before and will have to try! πŸ™πŸ» - β€œI love it for heating underneath!! I use it all the time and bring it... more

Important safety tip from @yearlycompany who keeps this mini extinguisher in her studio just in case something catches fire. It’s happened to all of us #amirite ?!? πŸ™‹πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ I don’t have one and am going to go buy one! Thanks for sharing and go check her... more

What custom tools have you made? I absolutely love this mini split mandrel made by @emilythatcherjeweller - ”I often make my own tools for different jobs, one of the simplest is a skinnny split pin for papering tight corners. As my original one, which... more

You can use a nylon brush like the one @birdsmithjewellery uses in her studio to clean your wax files! She bought hers at a hardware store! 😏 thanks so much for sharing this with our group! πŸ‘ŠπŸ» #metalsmithsociety #metalsmithsocietyshare #benchjeweler... more

Clogged files got you down? @andrewberryuk has your solution- β€œPush the straight edge of a piece of copper parallel across the teeth. This will easily remove the clogged up material and prolong the life of your file.” #metalsmithsociety... more

I had the opportunity to ask expert stone-setter @chrisbolanddesigns whether there was a single tool or technique he’d picked up in the past few years that significantly elevated his skills (I loved seeing his current work and then swipe to see his... more

Not sure what size bangle your customer will need? @wyckoffsmith showed us a great way to measure! - β€œUse a tape measure to determine the circumference of the widest part of your hand with your thumb tucked in. This mimics the motion of putting on a... more

Talented jeweler @nadinekieftjewelry shared her favorite attachment for her flexshaft. It’s a diamond drill bill that she uses to carve metal! Her gorgeous earrings (in the last pic) were carved not in wax but in metal. 😍 Thanks so much for sharing... more

@seekerjewellery not only makes incredible jewelry but she also chops up rubber kitchen gloves to save her nails when polishing πŸ’…πŸ» RIP all the manicures I ruined, I’ll use this trick next time πŸ™πŸ» #metalsmithsociety #metalsmithy #polishing... more

Thanks for sharing this helpful tip for soldering earring posts @seattlefindings - β€œWhen soldering an ear post, make sure to make a notch where your post will sit. It makes a stronger and straighter joint. We like doing this by hand, with a drill bit... more

Love how @imperfect_jewelry has been experimenting with casting leaves. I once folded a paper crane and casted it. What have been your favorite non-wax casting projects?!? #metalsmithsociety #lostwax #lostwaxmethod #lostwaxcasting... more

@sunlightsilver post got me thinking about my @foredomelectric flexshaft and curious what everyone else’s favorite mandrels are? I’ve been using the @3m radial polishing discs since I was in college ten years ago! Next time you’re at your bench take... more

If anyone was considering ordering hot foil boxes or other packaging from @riogrande they are running a promotion that they are waiving the plate fee ($65 through 2/9) sadly I missed out on this deal with my recent purchase but I’m so in love with my... more

Just discovered the incredible work of @williamwhitejewelry go follow him! He shares his unique techniques including this: he has soldered two identical ovals to the ring, then cut them open to create the prongs. Swipe to see the end result. Simply... more

Never did I think to screw a piece of wax onto a mandrel and insert it into my flexshaft. If you don’t want to invest in a lathe @marymaryhandmade figured out a way to do it without one!! Genius Mary! πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ» #metalsmithsociety #flexshaft... more

How do you sign your work? I have been searching for some different options for a custom stamp to mark my jewelry and was super excited when jeweler @mollyavellarjewelry told me all about hers from @infinitystampsinc (this sounds like an ad πŸ˜‚ but I... more

Jeweler (and former co-worker of mine πŸ’•) @hnossdesign dropping knowledge about her unique setting which is 18k gold on top and silver on the bottom, I had zero clue how she achieved this so she explained her process in great detail. - β€œA laminate is... more

That white stuff? BABY POWDER! Never heard this @n0place and I think it’s a genius way to get an idea of what your carving looks like as you are working on it! Thank you for sharing this gem and everyone checkout her incredible work!... more

I loved seeing the way @calabasasjewelry holds their ring in place for setting the stone, looks like a table vise from @grstools with wood pieces to protect the metal from scratching. I recently invested in a @grstools bench mate which has a piece for... more

This is a shot from jeweler @thistlesilverdesigns bench and she posed the question β€œhow do you organize your solder?” which I thought was a fantastic topic! I store mine in little plastic organizers I found online @riogrande and I use a marker or... more