I’m so grateful for comments like this because they help make these tips more useful for everyone. A community member correctly pointed out that this jig is not exactly left-handed friendly, and as a lefty mom, my daughter immediately came to mind.... more
Two charcoal blocks = a simple way to get heat underneath your work. 🔥 I’m soldering a thin bezel onto a large back plate with castings — and propping the piece between two charcoal blocks lets me direct heat from below so I’m not risking melting... more
Love this twisted wire tip from @Beadstoflame 🔥 If you want to make twisted wire to use as a decorative rim around a bezel, start by twisting the end of your wire just enough so your drill chuck has something to grip. Secure the other end, either... more
Sponsored educational post with @halsteadjewelrysupplies ✨ Today I’m showing a tube bezel setting tool, which is one of those super specific bench tools that can be really helpful in the right situation. You can absolutely set a tube setting with a... more
Mail Time Monday recap 💌 this week I covered: The limited edition Metalsmith Society Panther Retro Ringer shirts are only available through Thursday, April 30th. I also talked about @liz_kantner Stay Gold Collective, a great community for... more
Tube settings + curved bands = tiny gaps when soldering. Here’s what’s actually working for me: When you place a tube setting on a rounded band, it rarely sits flush, especially a decorative band like this. That gap makes getting a clean solder... more
STOP SCROLLING for a sec 👀 I brought this design back… but this time it’s on a ringer tee. Same panther you loved from 2020 (thank you Buttery Studio), but finally on a quality ringer shirt. I’ve been wearing mine for months, washing it constantly... more
Today’s tube setting tip: the miter cutting vise jig. This tool holds wire, small pieces of sheet up to 11mm wide, and tubing at both 45° and 90° angles so you can file edges flat and flush. Some people use it to cut too. My tube setting tip is... more
Yesterday I shared a tube cutting jig for metal tubing and @hooleydooleyjools asked if there was a similar@tool for cutting wax ring tubes and there totally is! This is the Matt™️ Matter Miter Box, I got mine awhile ago from @gesswein.jewelry and it... more
Hey friends! 👋 As I mentioned in my newsletter this month, I’m diving into tube setting tips — and I’m kicking things off by talking about one of my favorite bench tools: the tube cutting jig. I’ve had mine since college and it has seen A LOT of use.... more
Mail Time Monday- a custom pillow I made of my dog Winnie. 🤣 Yes I’m ridiculous! My solution to removing broken drill bits. NEW half round pliers from @lindstromtools Amber with a bug 🐜 in it from @newcabochons Tube setting tool from... more
Oldie but goodie from @maxwellharrisonjewellery: use a wooden clothespin as a gentle clamp to hold a pearl earring in place while the epoxy cures. A hole was drilled to insert the earring post into one side of the clothes pin, it's soft wood and light... more
Monday mail time ✨ I’m chatting about physical jewelry inventory, how I currently store bins in my safe, and showing some new ones I just picked up. I would genuinely love to hear and see how you all handle inventory too, so leave a comment and share... more
I wrote this blog article because I know a lot of jewelers are not making a ton of sales yet, but still want packaging that feels thoughtful and on brand. I can definitely relate because my business, @corkieboltonjewelry, only makes a handful of sales... more
How and why to attach a wooden handle to a jeweler’s file 👀 shared by @theforgespace “Ever wondered why jewellers heat the tang before fitting a file handle? 🤔👇 In the jewellery workshop, fitting a handle to a file is a small but essential job. The... more
Prevent solder from flowing into areas you don’t want it to — with this studio tip from @kaypeajewelry. “If you use yellow ochre to control solder flow on tricky joins, this is a clever way to make it a lot easier to work with. Kristin had a large... more
Just shared a new blog article all about custom jewelry packaging and display ideas I’ve come across over the years on Etsy. If packaging is something you’ve been thinking more about lately, whether for branding, shipping, or making your orders feel a... more
One of the things I found really tricky when I was first starting out in jewelry making was understanding how high my bezel should sit above the stone. I’ve made every mistake: too short, too tall, uneven, all of it. Following these simple guidelines... more
I wanted to revisit this tip and break it down a little more because it was such a popular one when I shared it years ago. If you’re trying to solder a jump ring on straight and centered, creating a small indentation in a hard solderite board can... more
Quick polishing trick from @jennistuartjewelry that uses something you already have in your desk drawer... "Need to hold a small charm for polishing? Use your office supplies! In this video I am using a binder clip. Depending on the size of your... more
