Love this tip from @laurelandlime to keep your wire and solder stock organized and identifiable! - “I have very limited space and admittedly produce a lot of “creative chaos” while I’m working. I always flag all of my wires right out of the box with... more
Here is a tip for soldering gold bezels to silver from @susanfauman - “Soldering a gold bezel to silver: Start by closing the bezel with medium or hard gold solder. Check to see the bezel fits the stone well. Sand the bottom edge to ensure good... more
Here is a clever technique for referencing your stamp collection from @ghosttownmetalworks -“"A tip for organizing all those metal stamps? An index card catalog- and all you need are your stamps, a pad of ink (I use black archival ink by Color Box-... more
Here’s a tool for when you are sanding small, flat areas or around bezels and curves–Sanding Boards from @riogrande (Item #: 337458)! I know what some of you must be thinking: “that looks like a nail file”, and you are absolutely right. You can... more
Here is another storage solution from @strongmedicinestudio - “I found an old belt at a thrift store to be turned into something artsy, and it sat and sat. I rearranged my studio, bringing in a new bench and wanted a place to put my large tools.... more
Here is a #diy jig for cutting wires of the same length (and with them you can make balls the exact same size or other elements) from @riosagradojoyas - “Make different size holes with a drill bit on a piece of wood. If you want to make same size... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’m happy to finally discuss a topic I’ve been asked about frequently - LIGHTING - I recently upgraded to the Arbe LED Task Lamp with USB Port, and for those in need of lighting or perhaps looking to improve their... more
Here is another method for creating an earring wire jig from @thistlehandmadejewellery - “It’s super easy to throw together, and I’m kicking myself for not having made it ages ago given the crazy number of ear wires that I’ve made both in my shop and... more
The theme for the August 2019 #metalsmithchallenge was Hidden Detail. Thank you to everyone who participated!
KINDNESS ❤️ COMMUNITY ❤️ EDUCATION ❤️ Would love to hear your stories of connecting with other jewelers through this community. That is truly what it’s all about so tag that Insta jeweler friend of yours that always has your back! I’m a few weeks away... more
Here is a #diy torch holder from @voidtoform - “Super simple and they work well, I learned how to make one my first day at a new bench in a trade shop I once worked at, start with 5/8” copper pipe and cut a piece off to work with. Near the middleish... more
Here is a great way to turn a wire hanger into storage for your pliers and tweezers from @refraction_manufacturing - “Using a wire coat hanger you can maximize space on your work bench. Bending a small circle to start gives you an anchor point to... more
Here is a storage solution for your needle files from @wishfishjewellery - “Here is my solution for separating files and preventing them from scratching each other - simple USED (because we reuse 😊) plastic straws cut into three parts are long enough... more
Here’s a simple guide to understanding SAW BLADES from @riogrande! I think something any experienced jeweler can agree on is investing in quality saw blades is worth it. So when I was presented with an opportunity to show off Laser Gold Saw Blades, I... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show the extremely versatile Bench Anvil Ultimate Kit from @seattlefindings. This kit gives you two bench pins, a small flat anvil area for stamping, two bracelet mandrels (oval + circle), a standard ring... more
In this episode we have a variety of stones including some jade and boulder opal from lapidary artist @jadecoastjewelry and some beautiful ethically sourced rose cuts from @hausofstones - the purpose of Gem Talk is to connect members of our community... more
Here is a fantastic hinge tip from @fsgmetal - “Cut your tubing away in the middle of the two outside hinges only half way, leaving a bridge. When soldering put the bridge part up to make it easy to cut away, while keeping the hinges perfectly... more
Here is a tip for when you end up with an accidental mark, solder recession or other imperfection on a piece from @rsalley - He simply adds texture or a pattern! I think this is so helpful, especially for all our beginners out there! If you can... more
*Please read the comments on this one- Here is a tip for applying tension while soldering from @oneanachronism - “Instead of binding wire here’s an easier way and far less damaging. You can close the gap as tight as possible without the risk of it... more
Here is a little bench pin modification for sawing jumprings from @youmnaelsabry - “I hate sawing jump rings, and I usually use 4mm wide jump rings, so I cut a 4mm wide dent in my bench pin, I made it as deep as I want the jump ring to sit comfortably... more
