Here is a fun sawing idea from @honeybeejewelryco - “This may be kinda basic but I thought it might be helpful. I wanted to practice my sawing and piercing skills but I get hung up trying to find a pattern or the right template. Then maybe I can't... more
Here is a #diy tool from @jessjewelry - “I saw you story the other day about favorite handmade tools. This is mine. I used an old file tang and sawed it out to make a bezel pusher. The old file is now used to dress my rubber wheels and such.” This is... more
Here is a plier modification from @emballistic - “In an attempt to protect some large gauge wire I’ve been working on, I cut some strips of an old sunshine cloth and wrapped them around my parallel pliers. I added some dental rubber bands (which I... more
Here is a tutorial on drilling holes in rocks from @ringgoldnicole - In this demo she takes a 3mm Diamond Core Drill Bit from @riogrande and drills underwater using a piece of cedar wood as a support. The key is to drill slowly and not try to push!... more
#affiliate For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m talking about Thermo-Loc from @grstools available from our friends @ottofrei1930 but I’m also peppering in some tips and I welcome any member of the community who also works with Thermo-Loc to share... more
Here is a tip for twisting wire from @alexboydstudio - “To achieve and even twist down the length of the rod, make sure you pull back firmly while you twist. The longer the rod the more difficult it is to evenly twist. That’s why while it’s... more
Here is a tip for cleaning your bench from @awakening.phoenix.jewelry - “I like using a soft fan painting brush so I can easily brush all the metal shavings into the collecting bag 💪 it’s gentle enough to not flick it everywhere and to be precise!”... more
Here is a tip when working with multiple bezels at once from @mineralandmine - “When working on a number of bezels or designs at once, get yourself organized to prevent mistakes! I learned this awesome planning technique from my metalsmithing classes... more
Hey friends! This is long overdue but I created a COVID-19 UPDATES page on metalsmithsociety.com there is complete transparency about some of the unprecedented order delays happening right now, broken down by product category 😭 Everyone who has... more
Here is a sanding disc tip from @ksegoldsmith - “An easy sanding disc modification I use almost daily to get more use out of worn discs: snap on disc with abrasive facing the hand piece and run at medium speed. Place a very sharp blade at the desired... more
Here is a great ball making technique from @allieperrydesigns - “When I need multiple balls that are all the same size, this is my favorite way to make them. Start with evenly-sized jump rings. Line them up on a smooth soldering surface; I use a... more
Here is a tip for getting a nice white look to your silver from @susanmcginnessjewellery - “The uneven coloring called firescale caused by metal alloys separating are always disappointing to see in the final stages of jewellery making. Here is the... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show a great, inexpensive bench option from @durstontools - their Student Jeweller’s Bench with Apron. This bench is easy to assemble, super sturdy and comes with a leatherette apron to catch filings and... more
Here are several tips from @tkiplinger - “I use museum putty to help visualize dimension in my work. I flesh out a concept using a hybrid sketch with elements of sheet metal or enamels stuck right to the sketch with putty. I also use museum putty in... more
Here is a technique for sawing two identical pieces from @jessjewelry - “Glue two sheets of metal together with 1-2 drops of superglue, cut out shape and burn off to release (ventilated please!). Now there are two perfect mates. I use Gorilla Super... more
Here is a soldering tip from @helen_aliye_derici - “I LOVE CROSS LOCK TWEEZERS 💙 Just found a new way to use them 🙃 They’re some of my all the time go-to tools. Brilliant for soldering, for holding ear posts upright with weight for a strong solder... more
A quick, early morning live to chat about Patreon. Just wanted to thank everyone for being here and being a part of the community.
Here is a photography tip from @heyitsashrose - “Sometimes I have a hard time photographing earrings. They won't lay flat, they keep tipping over, shadows galore... I don't have an earring display stand so I've had to get creative. Here's something I... more
Here is a tip for making even pieces of wire from @atelier32jewellery - “You can use masking tape to tape a few pieces of metal together for filing or sanding, they don't move about and is super useful if they all need to be shaped to the same angle.... more
For the months of May and June the theme was to make a decorative, elaborate clasp by hand. These pieces were made my members of our community and I think they did an outstanding job! For those that are interesting in participating in a challenge this... more
