Here is a soldering tip from @analeewolfjewelry - "For small workshops, with a small table it is important to be able to solder and continue working quickly. Putting the soldering stone and all the small material inside an oven pan makes it possible... more
Here is a storage tip for your wire solder from @cirkel.joyas & @arcano.noveno - “Organizing my solder wire has always been a problem for me because I use Soft, Medium and Hard solder, so I don’t want them to be mixed and all around my bench. I used... more
For today’s tip I wanted to share some techniques for working with patterned bezels! This post is sponsored by @jeffkleinjewelry who makes 38 varieties of sterling, copper and brass bezels. For my little demo I worked with his Castellated Silver Bezel... more
Shoutouts to these members of our community, your monthly/annual donations have played a huge role in me being able to continue the page, and post content regularly. Thank you for your... more
Here is solder tip, periodically make sure your solder is clean! Oxidation, grease from your hands and dirt can prevent you from having the perfect solder joint so make sure you are working with clean solder (and clean metal!) There are multiple ways... more
Here is a sanding tip from @10gables - “My husband is an architect, so I love to raid his toolbox. I found a vintage sanding block for graphite pencils so I decided to give it a try in the metal shop. It is FANTASTIC for sanding tiny things like the... more
Here is a tip if your bezel is too tight from - @jen_Surine - “When I am making a thick walled bezel that ends up being a pinch too small, I use my flat and round nose pliers to stretch the bezel out to fit the stone. The flat plier on the outer edge... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to talk about my Durston Bench Vise ( Part # 158.072) from our friends at @ottofrei1940 I need to add a bench vise to my list of *essential* tools because they are so incredibly useful. Before I got my hands... more
#societychat Today is Episode 8 of SOCIETY CHAT. This biweekly video series features my 15 minute (or in this case 40 minute :) interviews with inspiring jewelers and teachers. Really excited to share my conversation with Lorraine West of... more
Due to the length of this FABULOUS chat with Lorraine, the captions have been automated so please excuse any typos. This is Episode 8 of #societychat and Lorraine West is truly awesome. Her jewelry was featured in Vogue recently!! A true inspiration,... more
Here is a tip for applying a matte finish from @flourishandcharm - “This tip is for easily making pieces satin/ matte quickly. included attached are videos :) The only tools you need is pumice powder, a container, soft toothbrush (or fingers!!)and a... more
Here is a rolling mill tip from @kkmetalwerk4640 - “Experiement with rolling two different textures to get some unique finishes! I have been experimenting with new techniques with the rolling mill: under and over rolling, double rolling, consecutive... more
I’ve had stone envelopes (which are all a mystery because I have no idea what is inside them 😂)all over my studio for longer than I want to admit. Last night I took the time to write down the stone, size, cost, and dealer on 3.3” x 2” index cards and... more
Here is a tip for #diy sanding sticks from @littleoscilla - “A helpful tip to any newbie metalsmith/jeweler: save money by making your own emery sanding sticks. Use your old ones (or a wooden paint stir stick) and some sandpaper.😊 I figure most... more
Here is a tip for when you are creating multiple pieces from @smithandstoneco - “When I create multiple pieces that are the same style I like to scribe the inside of the bezel with a letter/or number (in this case first letter of the stone, A for... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I am showing off the Fretz® HMR-22 "Sandstone Texture" Hammer sent to me, by our friends at @pepetools_usa the single purpose of this beautiful hammer is to apply a rich texture meant to look like sandstone, when you... more
Here is a tip for sawing tubing from @llmexclusive - “I use my Miter jig to hold tubing while I saw. To prevent the tubing from flying out, I used a piece of masking tape, no more searching for little tubing on my hands and knees. P/S - I put the... more
If you are newer to our community, WELCOME 👋 you may not know that every year I have a new designer create a design for us! This year’s design was created by the super talented @anjaslibar ❤️ if you missed out on last year’s amazing Panther design by... more
Here is a tumbling tip from @sarabjewelry - “Like many of my fellow metalsmiths, I try my best to reuse packaging from silver and stone suppliers as much as possible. It is easy to reuse a bag, a box, or some bubble wrap, but what about the little... more
