Here is a great tip for identifying your wire solder from @lionandlambstudios - “I learned this trick for distinguishing between easy, medium, and hard solder wire from Joe at @silverajewelryschool: 1 bend for easy, 2 bends for Medium, and 3 bends for... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday Nicole from @knotandsplice told me about her digital calipers! - “I love these digital calipers by Mitutoyo (Japanese made) and I’ve read they’re some of the best there are. They’re also used by engineers. Remember:... more
Love this filing tip from @bd_mastermind - “For fine tuning small pierced or carved areas with a file, clamp a bench pin in your gravers block and drill a tiny hole for the file to pass through. the smaller the hole, the more 'square' (perfectly... more
𝙎𝙊𝘾𝙄𝙀𝙏𝙔 𝙈𝙐𝙂𝙎 ✨made to order, currently available with four different designs ( in “Solder We Trust” will be discontinued after 12/31 ) They are made ethically in 11 oz ($21) and 15oz ($24) sizes and they are dishwasher and microwave safe 😄 they can... more
For the month of November 2019 the theme was to create a piece of UNISEX jewelry. Thank you to all of the members of the community that submitted a piece. You all did a wonderful job!
Love this tip for organizing the solder you are working with from @studiogarage44 - “I keep my solder chips organized on my vermiculite block. This way I don't have to always open the container to get them out when I'm working on a few pieces at the... more
Here is some great advice on soldering granules from @sophie.cunliffe.jeweller - "I love granulation detailing, I have used both fused and soldered techniques in my making. Fused granulation is wonderful however I find it can be restrictive for my... more
I love this soldering surface that elevates your work from @lierreworks - “This modified mesh makes a great replacement for the nest of steel wire I’ve been using to solder my bezels on. I cut it to the size I wanted with modified shears and used... more
Here is a tip to help prevent any stamping son the inside of a ring from getting solder in them from - @imakecutestuff - “Using correction fluid as an anti-solder barrier saves me from flooding the letters with solder whenever I make a promise ring... more
For this week”s #tooltalktuesday I’m super excited to show off my Foredom P-DP30 Drill Press! This drill press converts my @foredomelectric flexshaft into a drill press by securely holding my handpiece in a vertical position for drilling straight,... more
In this episode I’m talking about the beautiful lapidary work of @slabking_ and the gorgeous ethically sourced diamonds from @hi5diamonds 💎 I hope you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check about my GEM DIRECTORY on metalsmithsociety.com for a full... more
Love this tool modification from @estona_sieraden - “Alter your tools if something doesn’t feel right. I have been slipping with this bezel rocker because it was a bit too long for me. It just didn’t fit in my hand comfortably. If you have the same... more
I’ve decided to occasionally post about the beautiful merch available in my shop. For the foreseeable future I will always do the daily tip, but I will occasionally post a second time about something awesome you can purchase on my website to help... more
Here is a little #diy heat sink from @notjustredones - “I solder with a small hand held butane torch so heat control can be tricky. Discovering how to use copper heat sinks for soldering was a game changer. The photo shows the use of homemade copper... more
Here is a sawing tip from @andrewberryuk - “When piercing a straight line, tilt the piercing saw frame forward. This helps to keep you piercing straight. Then when you want to turn a curve or corner, move the blade vertical!” Thanks for letting me... more
This is a classic annealing tip that I included in my recent blog post for @stullerinc - use sharpie on your piece then heat with a large fluffy flame until the marker disappears. For those beginners out there that are concerned about overheating when... more
Here is a tip to make your own sanding sticks using a paint stirrer from @wendypatersonjewelry - “Here are the steps- 1: Gather sandpaper and paint stir sticks. I use the following grits- 220, 320, 400, 600. 2: tape 3 sides (third photo) 3: Lay down... more
For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to talk about my @moment Macro lens and how I’ve used it in my studio and to photograph my jewelry. I also own the Wide Lens which I sometimes use as well (it’s what I have in my phone in the first few photos)... more
Here is a tutorial on how to stamp the inside of a ring from @meritmade - “This is my favorite method. Tools: Bent shank marking stamp ( @riogrande #11213001) Brass mallet ( @riogrande #112137) Brass stamping anvil ( @riogrande #1120852) Tips: •Make... more
Here is an easy way to collect the dust and scraps created when sawing from @anamericanmetalsmith - “I notice some people don't keep the dust or extra pieces to their silver. It can add up quickly when you collect it. I have taken a piece of paper... more
