Itโs easy to forget that earring posts need work hardening tooโbut donโt skip it or you risk a wobbly post that bends way too easily ๐ซโฃ โฃ Here are two ways to work harden them:โฃ 1๏ธโฃ Use flat pliers to gently twist the postโfirst one way, then the... more
๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ช๐ โ๐๐ผ โฃ Friends!! You NEED to know โ my girl Lucy Walker just relaunched her Metalsmith Academy and itโs absolutely insane (in the best way). ๐๐ผโฃ โฃ ๐๐ก๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ $๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ โ yup, two bucks โ and throwing a massive launch party... more
Want all of my top safety tips for jewelers? ๐งค ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ โ๐๐๐ ๐โ ๐๐ง๐ ๐โ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ! This post is sponsored by @gesswein.jewelry โ weโve teamed up to create a curated collection of every single tool Iโve recommended over the... more
Here is a hinge tip from @endeisjewelry for a video she created for @riogrande โฃโฃ โฃโฃ โThereโs something so satisfying about creating hingesโadding both function and an edgy touch to these solitaire pendants. โฃโฃ โฃ Once I ball one end of my sterling... more
Hey friends, I love this community so much. Many of you have been with me from the start when my youngest was only 7 months old (he is turning 8 this summer!) I want to introduce you to Winnie! This is my first dog EVER. I know a lot of us smiths have... more
Great tip for wax work from @metalbonesjewellery โฃ โฃ โI wrap masking tape around the mandrel because wax sticks to it well. It also lets me mark out the ring size and design before sculpting. Once the wax is ready, I use a craft knife to carefully... more
3 AMAZING TIPS IN ONE POST from @theschoolofjewellery.ie โฃ โฃ โStruggling to solder a cabochon setting onto a D-shape ring shank? โฃ โฃ Try these tips: โฃ โฃ Mitre Block Magic โ Get a perfectly flat surface for a seamless fit. โฃ โฃ Tweezers Trick โ Secure... more
Cool sand casting video from @roadkillgems โฃthat shows an awesome technique and tool! โฃ โHere is a quick tutorial on Craig Dablerโs core casting system. This technique is a little different from a traditional sand casting kit because you can cast... more
Here is a tip for anyone that struggles with balls ๐ซข from @shayne.suttie.jewelleryโฃโฃ โฃโฃ โI am using a steel trivet for enamel work as a heat sink to ball the ends of multiple wires.โโฃโฃ โฃโฃ I love this because you get the exact same size ball, great for... more
Here is a tip for straightening and work hardening wires from @mijouxjewellery โฃ โฃ โItโs amazing how easily wire can get kinked or bent so this is a really useful way of straightening it out again.โฃ โฃ Iโm using a planishing hammer here which has a... more
Tip for holding rings in a vise for engraving or stone setting from @master.engraver ๐กโจ During the @stullerbenchjeweler Bench Jeweler event, I was reunited with my first engraving teacher, Sam! I needed to hold rings for my stone setting demo, and he... more
Just got back from my first ever @stullerbenchjeweler Bench Jeweler Workshop, and WOWโwhat an experience! ๐คฏ I canโt believe this was the 21st year of this eventโhow have I never gone before?! I must be living under a rock! ๐ From demo-ing stone... more
Tip for setting bezel corners on triangles, heart points, squares, rectanges... from @sarahweberpurves โฃ โฃ โA lot of smiths are intimidated by sharp corners. The key is to have a properly shaped bezel, making sure to trim the bezel down the top of... more
Create your own tool for opening a bezel with this tip from @areteadorned โฃ โฃ โฃ โAnytime Iโve found in the final stages of setting a stone that I needed to remove the stone for a repair, Iโve struggled with removing the stone without damaging the... more
I really love this 10mm sheet ingot mold โฃ if you want to check it out ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ โ๐ณ๐๐โ๐ ๐น๐๐๐โโฃ โฃ It is always more economical to take your clean gold scraps and dust and melt them down if you have the tools in your studio! ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ... more
I donโt think I have ever seen this tip from @theschoolofjewellery.ie ๐ using two sanding discs as a sandwich! โฃ โฃ โWhen making brooch pins, lapel pins or generally any round taper I place two medium grit emery discs together and screw together on a... more
Love this rolling mill, texture tip from @fronterajewelry โฃ โฃ โUsing the rolling mill to add texture is so fun and simple. You can texture the metal using tissue paper like shown here. You can also press coarse sand paper, petals, leaves and rolling... more
โค๏ธ this post if you care about your posture!!โฃ โฃ Last year, my world was changed, because I got my @craftoptics Not being dramatic but I am someone who NEEDS magnification. โฃ โฃ I wanted to show from my perspective what it looks like to have your work... more
This is such a helpful tip from @theresaapplegatejewelryโฃ โฃ โฃ โI like to purchase chain by the foot and finish it to length but I do not like to solder end caps with the clasp. Purchasing chain in bulk saves me money and allows for full control over... more
An amazing process video from @aureafinejewellery creating a double bezel, full eternity diamond band!โฃโฃ โฃโฃ โโจThe tool I used to flatten the rings is called a valve stem and itโs actually from a car engine! โจDrilling on the wood mandrel helps to... more
