Here is a recipe to keep your tumbler clean and happy: run your tumbler with a 50/50 mix of distilled vinegar and water for 20 minutes. Rinse, then follow up with 1 tbsp baking soda and enough water to cover the shots for another twenty minutes. A... more
If you work with tube wax regularly to create rings this Matt Miter Box & Saw saves so much time. I have mine held in a vise and then within seconds I can saw out multiple rings in whatever width I set. I used to saw pieces off of the tube and would... more
Today I rounded up all the amazing tumbler tips from the community. One thing we discussed since my other post about using copper wire to keep pieces together is that by using other materials: a silicon loop @genne_laakso , a tea holder... more
This is brilliant @tte.designs - “You may be looking at this & think ‘what the heck?’ Found this rolling IV pole at my #thriftshop #volunteer gig and thought it would be perfect in the studio for my new #flexshaft !” 🙌🏻 If you are repurposing... 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
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
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! 🙌🏻💕🙏🏻) #metalsmithsociety... more
Loved this divider comparison from @jonmryan - “Alex 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
Thank you @arreisdesigns- for this genius tip on laying out stamping patterns with aluminum tape! 🤯 “You 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
I’ve used whiteout for years to prevent solder flow on hinge projects but I never thought to use it this way. Thank you for sharing @hjjewellerydesign - “My favourite tip is to use Tippex (whiteout) as an anti flux while soldering stamped details onto... more
Love this solution for polishing the inside of small spaces from @alastaircallumjewellery - “I braided some very thin string (the string is 3 ply cotton, 0.04in or 1mm thick) and superglued about 1cm of it where the near end would be before I cut it,... more
Here’s another way to clean your steel tumbler shots - take flat @cocacola and tumble for a few hours, then rinse! Thanks for that @vancraftedstudio 🙌 🥤anyone else getting into spring cleaning in their studio? If you are tell us what your rituals... more
