Here is a tip to prevent your paste flux from drying out from @ezukowskie - “I’m a sporadic solderer, and use mostly paste flux. Approaching the torch after a few months I discovered the usefulness of this idea. I keep a bit of paste flux in a small... 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 tip for tumbling chain from @showellstudios - “When tumbling chain in a rotary tumbler, thread wire through the links every inch or so to prevent it from tangling. Works beautifully! The entire chain is exposed and tumbles evenly and there... more
I’ve been meaning to share this for awhile, the price of silver was actually over $27 at one point recently and could have possibly been higher. It is time to re-evaluate your costs and pricing! Make sure that you are still making a profit with the... more
Here is a bench tip for when you break a sawblade from @corina_lunita - “Broken saw blades are such a common thing for us jewelers! Don’t leave them scattered amongst your precious metal scraps to pick them out later. I keep all the blade scraps... more
#affiliate For this #tooltalktuesday I want to talk about my beloved @durstontools padded stool (I actually have two of them because they are 🔥) These stools were a game changer because I used to have a chair that wasn’t the ideal height for my bench... more
Here is a tip to hold your work together while soldering from @tracey_michelle129 - “I’m using these Stainless steel cotter pins purchased from my local hardware store to keep the tension on these two pieces to solder together. Also great for securing... more
Here is an inexpensive sawblade holder from @ric_cerebo - “I have unused plastic test tubes (I used them for fountain pen inks for calligraphy). The tubes sell for like less than $2 for a pack of 10 and the length is perfect for saw blades. I bought a... more
Combo sticker packs are back! More than enough to share with a friend 😏 these ship for free (as a letter) within the US and Internationally! Also I’m proud to support @onetreeplanted with every purchase from my Society Shop I plant a tree and to date... more
Here is a stonesetting tip from @bluelotusjewelry - “When working with non calibrated stones.. sometimes the seats of the stones are a bit bigger than the stones, or the stones have huge girdles and don't want to stay in their seats.. taking a jolly... more
Here is a tip for laying out a design from @lacebonejewelry - “When designing something that has a lot of small pieces around a stone, to make sure they all fit I put them on a piece of tape (sticky side up) to arrange them. This helps with making... more
Here is a tip to store your solder from @ceramicshenanigans - “As I was learning goldsmithing, I found when soldering that sometimes I would mix up my solders and couldn't tell the easy or hard gold solder from each other. 🧰 To solve this, I bought a... more
Here is a tip for storing hammers from @magpiperjewelry - “I screwed 1" and 1.5" two hole metal straps from the hardware store into a block of 2"×4" wood that's also attached to my stamping station. Super inexpensive and most hammers will fit in one... 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 drilling tip from @heatherlouisejewelry - “When drilling holes in sheet metal to prep for saw piercing I use an old bench pin to help support my wrist. The tongue of the bench pin is also perfect to drill into so you don’t damage your bench!... more
Here is a tip for polishing tiny items from @allieperrydesigns - “My favorite tip for polishing itty bitty findings: if they have a hole or loop anywhere, use a paper clip! Then, as long as you have a good grip on the paper clip, you don’t have to... more
It’s jacket weather here in Rhode Island and I’m excited to rock my embroidered Panther Jacket again (hopefully I won’t need a beanie for another month 😂) this jacket is part of the 2020 collection of merch and will be discontinued in the new year.... more
Here is a tip for straightening pieces of wire from @millathegoldsmith - “A good way to straighten wires is to take a flackjärn (that’s the Swedish word for a steel block :) and roll with light pressure over the wire against a solid surface (I’m... more
Here is a tip for rusty tools from @jewelleryworkshops - “I've been de-rusting my mandrels after 6 months off from workshop fun so thought I'd share what worked. I used a rust remover (Hammerite Kurust) and painted it onto the mandrels. I left them... 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
