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Here are some of the most popular tips about using a flexshaft for jewelry making on the Metalsmith Society page!

USING A Q-TIP TO POLISH SMALL AREAS FROM @christynatsumi



WHEN POLISHING WITH YOUR FLEXSHAFT USE A PIECE OF LEATHER TO PROTECT YOUR PIECE FROM GETTING SCRATCHED FROM @mcmillanmetals

USING YOUR FLEXSHAFT AS A MINI POLISHING LATHE 

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For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show off my Foredom Flex Shaft Handpiece Holder 🔥 This is a tool that I’ve had for many years which I don’t use as much now that I have a polishing machine but if you are solely relying on your flexshaft for polishing it’s amazing because you can turn yours into a mini polishing machine!! You simply attach the clamp to your bench (the opening can accommodate no thicker than about 2.25” ) and slide your handpiece in ( it’s compatible with For use with Foredom H.30, H.30H, H.30SJ, H.43T, H.44A, H.44B, H.44T and H.44HT Handpieces) now you’ve got yourself a lathe! You can grind, deburr, carve, sand and polish your work but now you have the control of holding the piece with both hands. You can adjust the height to a comfortable standing position, which I love. The only downside is polishing can get a bit messy, always wear eye protection and a mask. Protect yo’ self! I love this thing. I used to use it a ton as a wax lathe. You can find them on Amazon (I will link in my TOOLS highlights) you can also find them at @ottofrei1930 (don’t forget to use code MMS719 to save 5%) #metalsmith #metalsmithsociety #jewelrytools @foredomelectric #flexshaft #flexshafthandpieceholder #communityovercompetition

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SUPER SMALL DIY POLISHER FROM @refraction_manufacturing


DIY SANDING MANDRELS FROM @byshane123


POLISHING BITS TO GET INTO HARD TO REACH SPOTS FROM 
@benchtooljunkies


PREVENTING SCREW MANDRELS FROM SCRATCHING YOUR WORK FROM @robinbaskindesigns

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Here is a solution to keep your screw mandrels from accidentally scratching your work ( while using your rotary) from @robinbaskindesigns -“Cut a small piece of moleskin and stick on the screw top, make sure it’s just big enough to cover all the metal and push it around firmly with your fingers. The moleskin also works for other things, for example I use it on glasses where the nose pieces are (and on optivisor headband) so they don’t dig in or slide down. I buy the drugstore brand, nothing fancy. It has just enough adhesive to stay put yet it’s easy to remove. It stays on a long time, just keep an eye on your mandrels and if it’s wearing thin simply pull the old one off and put on a new one (I’ve been known to stick a new piece on top😬).” YASSSS I love this because I’ve been known to scratch 🙋‍♀️😬 thank you soooo much for sharing! #metalsmithing #metalsmithsociety #benchjeweler #benchtips #jewelrymakingtipoftheday

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MOORE'S SANDING DISCS TO SAND FLAT AREAS

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For this #tooltalktuesday I wanted to more thoroughly discuss Sanding Discs. I have been using these for over a decade and they are absolutely a must have if you own a flexshaft. I use Moore’s snap on sanding discs. They come in many different grits and they snap on and off the snap mandrels for quick replacement. I love this kit from @ottofrei1930 (# 111.899) with the stand because it has three different sized discs in various grits and they are perfectly organized 😂 I know this crew likes organization! I do recommend buying extra snap mandrels because the kit only comes with two! I like to have a couple of my favorite grits mounted so I can change out even quicker. Another tip is to have a pair of pliers on hand, they are helpful for prying off the brass circle when it separates from the disc and gets stuck on the snap mandrel, and they are also helpful to pry the snap mandrel open ever so lightly when discs aren’t snapping on and staying tight anymore! You can also polish with snap on discs 🤯 with the Moore’s Magnum Polishers (# 111.995)- they are made of soft felt backed plastic and are used with polishing compounds like ordinary felt wheels. I had no idea they existed and they are amazing for getting a nice polish on a small flat area with your flexshaft. I also had the opportunity to use the 3M Micro Finish Pin Hole Disc Kit (# 111.2826) these you use with a screw mandrel. I like that I can put two on the mandrel, one facing up and one down. This allows me to work all angels! (The snap mandrels can also be quickly flipped depending on the angle you need!) I’ve found the material on these 3M discs to be a bit more long lasting than some of the paper backed sanding discs. I also bought extra screw mandrels for this kit! You can’t go wrong with any of these, I use them to remove solder, the last bit of a sprue, and for removing marks...the list goes on and on. 🙏 @ottofrei1930 is offering our community 5% off with code MMS719 if you just want to give these a whirl they sell small boxes of them for $5-$6 just be sure to also get the snap mandrels (# 110.741) let me know what you think or if you’ve ever used them! #sponsored #metalsmithsociety

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REMOVING PATINA WITH BRISTLE DISCS FROM @seaglassbylill 

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Here is a method for selectively removing patina from @seaglassbylill - “I use the 1000 grit radial bristle disc. It's amazing to get in the nooks and crannies!! They work great for other polishing applications, give a nice brushed texture. I made this wood block to easily see which one is which grit. And yes my dogs are obsessed with it. Hahaha” After you patina you can use these and a very light pressure to start revealing the areas you want to be bright. Since your piece was polished prior to applying patina you can use one of the finer discs. I use these all the time! They are featured in my TOOLS story highlights as well. Thank you for sharing!!! #metalsmithsociety #tipoftheday #jewelrytips

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FOREDOM H.15D HAMMER HANDPIECE

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For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show the Foredom® H.15D hammer handpiece. This model includes the “duplex spring” which provides extra flexibility, there is also the H.15 model but I have never used it so I can’t compare the two. I do imagine the extra length and flexibility makes it a bit easier to maneuver and is perhaps easier on my wrist but I’m speculating! The handpiece comes with an anvil point, which I polished (you can use your polishing machine or a ceragloss wheel.) This included anvil with the circular shape and flat end is the one I use the most often when setting. The handpiece works with Foredom flex shafts and attaching is simple, you want to run your flex shaft at a low speed and gently pull your regular handpiece off and then run it again to place the hammer handpiece on. You use the hammer handpiece at a low speed , somewhere between 0-5,000 rpm and you can adjust the impact force from light to heavy by rotating the silver knurled adjusting ring. To interchange the anvil points you simply screw them on and off, I also purchased the Foredom Anvil Kit (with 6 anvils). This handpiece is also compatible with Badeco tips which is something I will definitely look into! I’ve only begun to experiment with my other tips but they are great not only for stone setting but also for experimenting with texture! Back to stone setting, in my example I am setting a simple tube setting, but I’ve used this hammer handpiece on heavy prongs, super thick bezels and harder metals like 14k gold. You want to start by properly securing your work, I used my @grstools Benchmate but you could also use a vise, Jett basic or your preferred method. Begin slowly, you don’t want to go too fast in a single area as it may make your bezel wonky. Practice for sure! I find I can get a lot of control and I don’t worry much about hitting my stone accidentally however I wouldn’t use this with one of my delicate opals (that’s just my personal choice, I don’t want to risk it!) It’s a super useful tool which I use on a regular basis! They sell for $149 I will include a link in my stories! Let me know if you have any questions! #metalsmithsociety

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MAINTAINING YOUR FLEXSHAFT

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Here is a tip for maintaining your flexshaft + a  HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY (CLOSED the winner is @plus3tocharisma and their friend @soldiers.heart_2010 .heart_2010 will receive a sticker pack!)🎄😁 - I've partnered with @benchtooljunkies nchtooljunkies to give away one of their Supply Drop Boxes (this one includes Foredom Flexshaft Grease, a 3M Disc Set, custom castings from @castingdirty and a H.20 Foredom QC handpiece) + a Black Society Tote Bag, Black Enamel Pin + Society Stickers. Entering is easy, we have two steps: 1. FOLLOW @benchtooljunkies 2. Tag a friend (they will win a set of stickers as well) AND comment how long you've been making jewelry or your favorite place to take a class! I will only be counting entries that have a TAG + COMMENT :) You can get an additional entry by sharing our giveaway in your stories (please tag both @metalsmithsociety + @benchtooljunkies ) *giveaway ends 12/25 8pm EDT* Okay back to our tip - Lubricating the shaft of a Foredom flexshaft - 1️⃣ Be sure to cover your work surface 2️⃣ Unplug your unit from the speed control & remove the handpiece 3️⃣ Loosen the set screw at the top of the sheath (but do not remove it). Slide the sheath off & set aside. 4️⃣ Wipe the shaft down to remove any residue (I use a washcloth rag) 5️⃣ Apply a thin coat of grease from the top to approx. 6” from the bottom 6️⃣ Slide the sheath back up the shaft leaving ¾” of the shaft tip exposed from the grooved end (where the handpiece attaches) & tighten your set screw. 7️⃣ Plug the motor back into the speed control. Allow the sheath to hang vertically into a trash can. Run it for 15 minutes at high speed (without the handpiece attached) to evenly distribute the grease. 8️⃣ Remove any excess grease on the shaft piece and then attach your handpiece, and you’re all set. 🙋‍♀️ This was my first time ever doing this and I’ve had my flexshaft ten years, don’t be like me 😂 Thank you to @benchtooljunkies for collaborating with me, if you don’t know about them they are two hard working ladies that create awesome subscription boxes for people who create jewelry! #benchtools #jewelrytools #metalsmithsociety #ladysmith

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CUTTING TUBING FROM @andrewberryuk

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Here is a 🤯method of cutting tubing from @andrewberryuk - “Easiest way to cut tubing nice and square on the ends. Put tubing into Jacobs chuck hand piece on your flex shaft. Spin the tubing and use your piercing saw to gently saw it. To stop the piece of tubing from shooting off, put a piece of wire or an old burr into the tube. This will capture the cut off piece.” Never thought to do it this way! Love this tip! If you aren’t already following @andrewberryuk he is constantly sharing awesome tips and he has a fabulous YouTube channel as well! #metalsmithsociety #jewelerstipsandtricks #jewelerstips #instajewellery #instajewelrygroup #metalsmithsociety #atthebench#jewelersbench #benchtips

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SPLIT MANDREL TIP FROM @inkedupandreckless


IKOHE BELT SANDER FLEXSHAFT ATTACHMENT FROM 
@dogvioletjewelry

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For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I’d love to discuss sanders! Thank you @dogvioletjewelry for sharing yours 🙏🏻 “This is the Ikohe Belt Sander, found on Amazon, price $185. This sander will definitely be a game changer for me. As all of us Smiths know, sanding tiny pieces of silver is really tough on the hands and fingers. My main use of this is to clean up just sawed pieces, and to use it to sand the bottom of pieces so they are completely flat before soldering. It is seriously going to save me tons of time, because it takes so long to sand tiny little pieces by hand. This sander requires a flex shaft to run it. I have a Foredom Flex Shaft and it works beautifully with it. It also comes with 5 different sanding belts, each of a different grit, and a plastic tube attachment that a shop vac can fit into, to remove the dust particles from going everywhere. I hope this tool helps other metalsmiths as much as it's helped me!” 😬 This looks glorious and a sander is definitely on my wishlist 🙋‍♀️ Do you have one? What’s your favorite use for it? *Please always wear eye protection when using a sander or your flexshaft 😎 🙏🏻 #Metalsmithsociety #ladysmith #jewelrytools #jewelrytoolporn

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SANDING THE INSIDE OF A RING

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For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show off two options from @riogrande for sanding the inside of a ring (or other curved surface) with your flexshaft. Option 1️⃣: Mounted Sandpaper Cartridge Rolls. Full disclosure here, you can use a split mandrel and cut your own strips of sandpaper, but here is why I like the rolls: 1) They are a huge time saver; you don’t have to spend time cutting strips. 2) The sandpaper won’t fall off or flap around! 3) They come in grits 240-1000 and they are color coded for easy identification (I created my own chart for quick reference). Prior to using these I had unidentifiable, beat-up pieces of sandpaper all over my bench drawer 🤦‍♀️. With the cartridges, I can easily store them and quickly switch out for the next grit. You can use them to quickly sand excess solder, remove file marks and create a unified surface on the exterior or interior of your pieces. They break down to about $1.69 per mandrel so they are cost effective as well! Option 2️⃣ is a new product from @riogrande: Inside Ring Sanding Buffs. Available in two different 4-Grit Assortment Kits ( 330100 + 330099). The center of these buffs is made of Scotch-Brite™ and they have vertical flaps of sandpaper spaced evenly around the circumference. This design allows the entire ring to be sanded at the same time, meaning it’s harder to accidentally give your ring an uneven sanding. They work quickly, saving you time! These mandrels work out to about $2.50 each and the kits include three each of 80, 180, 220, and 320-grit (330099) OR 600, 800, 1,200 and 1,500-grit (330100) - giving you some variety to experiment with. The 1,200 grit will produce a nice satin finish if you're into that 🙋‍♀️ Rio is offering our community 10% off both tools if you’d like to give them a whirl 😁🙏🏻Mounted Sandpaper Cartridge Rolls in any grit (337060 – 065) and Inside Ring Sanding Buffs 4-Grit Assortment Kits (330100 and 330099) through 2/1/19 using code MTLSMITH2 (*This promo is not combinable with Rio's Cyber Sale November 23-26) Always use eye protection and please consider a mask to avoid inhalation of particles! #sponsored #metalsmithsociety #riojeweler

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MINI POLISHING CLOTH BUFFS

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For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show how to achieve a high polish by using Sunshine® Cloth Buffs from @riogrande on your flexshaft. These inexpensive buffs (based off of the popular cloths) are impregnated with polishing compound so you use them as is! They give off very little residue and the residue they do leave can easily be cleaned in an ultrasonic - or if you don’t have one 🙋‍♀️, some mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush. These are different than other buffs I’ve used on my flexshaft, you only want to apply a very light pressure and apply ¾ speed on your flexshaft pedal. These babies are the final step of polishing, so I recommend going through as many grits of sandpaper as you can (I went from 240, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1200). Sanding sticks are a great way to be able to sand flat surfaces and the outside curves of a ring. For the inside of a ring you can use the same sandpapers on a split mandrel. Once you’ve removed all scratches and achieved a nice sanded finish with 1200 grit (or more) you lightly use these Sunshine Buffs both on the inside and outside surfaces. They work awesome. You are going to want to purchase screw mandrels to mount them on (item 333105 @riogrande ) and if you were only to experiment with one size I recommend purchasing the ⅛” H x 1” diameter (item 330180) as they will fit nicely inside a ring. Rio is offering our community 20% off this item 😁🙏🏻(in any of the three sizes with the pinhole center for your flexshaft) through 2/1/19 using code MTLSMITH2 (*This promo is not combinable with Rio's Cyber Sale November 23-26). This is definitely the perfect add-on item to try as they retail for $5.63 for a package of six! *Please be safe and always wear eye protection and a mask when using polishing buffs on the flexshaft! 🙏🏻 #sponsored #metalsmithsociety #riojeweler #metalsmith #jewelrytipoftheday #flexshaft #jewelrytools #polishingjewelry

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DIY MINI POLISHING CLOTH BUFFS FROM 
@williamcobbjewelry


REMOVING A SCRATCH FROM A STONE USING YOUR FLEXSHAFT FROM @chromarocksjewelry

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Here is a super useful tool to remove scratches in a stone from @chromarocksjewelry -“This is the ‘Gem Shine Polishing Wheel’ It's great for removing light scratches from stones/cabochons. It works great on opals, turquoise, onyx and others that are higher on the mohs hardness scale. It's hit or miss on softer stones with a hardness under 5 like malachite, coral, or amber. The wheel is filled with a 2000 grit polishing paste. They come in packs of 5 with 1 3/32" mandrel. You can purchase them through @stullerinc and @gesswein1914 To use, get it going in your flex shaft. Apply pressure to the stone until you see some paste flow out. The more pressure, the more paste. Then lighten the pressure and polish until the scratch is removed. Buff and you're done! Also pictured in the video, the lazy smith's workholding solution. Masking tape taped down with one piece sticky side up to keep the stone from flying. 😂” I’m just like 😯 over here. How many of us have slipped and scratched a stone 🙋‍♀️ let’s all share our stories..I’ll start 🤣 it was a gorgeous opal in the final stages of setting 🤦‍♀️ 😭 Huge thanks to Carmen for sharing this awesome tip and also shooting that super fun video with the bonus tip! 🙏🏻😘 #metalsmithsociety #jewelrymakingtip #jewelrycommunity #gemstones #stonesetting #stonesettingtips

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GETTING YOUR BEZELS SMOOTH WITH PUMICE WHEELS FROM 
@lejewelrydesigns

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Here is a tip for getting your bezels smooth like BUDDAH from @lejewelrydesigns -“After using a hammer handpiece, there will be a lot of marks and scratches. To remove the marks and scratches, without scratching the stone, use pumice wheels. They magically sand the bezel wall, without hurting the stone. Yoi can see the left side of the bezel has been sanded, compared to the right side (third photo 😁👊)” this tool is called the AdvantEdge Pumice Wheel Kit and Lauren purchased hers at @riogrande 💃🏼 I own em too, they are indeed magical. Always wear eye protection 😎 when using them and apply gentle pressure as they take material away pretty rapidly. 🤘 #jewelrycommunity #metalsmith #benchjeweler #bezelsetting

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USING A CUP CUR ON THE ENDS OF EARRING POSTS AND WIRES

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I wanted to share my process of making my earring wires soft and wearable and I’d love for you to tell me about yours! First I use a Busch Twincut Concave Cone Bur and this awesome tool rapidly rounds down the end of my wire (the macro video just shows me beginning to shape it, then my hands started shaking 🤣) then I take AdvantEdge polishers and shape it further (those are item 33260710 at @riogrande for coarse and you get get finer grits to polish all the way to your final polish!) You could also careful polish the tips on your polishing machine or with a mini cotton buff and some polishing compound on your flexshaft (more on this topic coming for this week’s tool talk, so stay tuned!) always wear eye protection when using these tools! Always test your earrings and make sure they aren’t stabby (that’s an official term 🤣) prior to shipping to a customer! #metalsmithing #jewelrymaking #jewelrymakingtools

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DIY STEEL WOOL POLISHING MANDREL FROM @azetama


COLOR CODING MINI POLISHING MANDRELS FROM 
@sandrasommerdesign

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Here is a genius way to color code mandrels from @sandrasommerdesign - “Nail polish is a great way to color code on metal. I use my flex shaft to polish work. Here I am about to use the Luxor compounds for the first time. A little dash of nail polish on the steel mandrel that corresponds to the color of the compound helps keeping things from getting mixed up. Fortunately, I had the right colors already in my drawer.” This is amazing! Such a good idea to code them because you don’t want to mix them up and there is no way to differentiate once they become darkened with compound and metal. 💕 also 💅🏻 Has anyone else been using the Luxor?!? Lets us know what you think! I’ve been loving it! #metalsmithsociety #jewelrytipoftheday #jewelrypolishingtools

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POLISHING ROUNDED SURFACES

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Here is a tip for cleaning up curved surfaces like the inside of a dome! I use 3m Radial Bristle Discs, you stack 2-4 on a screw mandrel and they are fantastic for using inside curved surfaces! Biggest thing to watch out for is you don’t want to accidentally hit the screw top into your piece 🙋‍♀️ ask me how I know 😂 They come in different grits so depending on how much I need to polish the area I will go with the least abrasive to get the job done. They do put scratches into your work so you want to make sure you don’t go unnecessarily aggressive. If I have a little solder to clean that these can’t handle I’ll often use a small silicon wheel and then switch to these. Hope this is helpful, I’ve received this question quite a bit! How do you handle those curves surfaces?!? We’d love to hear other methods!! As far as where to buy these they are sold by most jewelry tool suppliers, I’ll throw a link onto my #tooltalktuesday page (that’s on my website) even though it’s Sunday 🤷🏼‍♀️ #metalsmithsociety #jewelrytools #jewelrypolishtools #ladysmith #metalsmith #polishing

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QUICK CHANGE HANDPIECE

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For this week’s #tooltalktuesday I wanted to discuss my Technique Quick Change Handpiece (for 3/32” tools), I gotta start by saying even though I’ve made jewelry on and off since I was in high school I have never used a quick change handpiece. I think I always considered it a sort of luxury, now that I’ve used one for a month I can’t ever imagine not using one! Basically this handpiece replaces the handpiece that comes standard on your Foredom flex shaft and allows you to open and close the collet to change out your bits with a single hand. And without a chuck key (I feel like there should be a meme about the missing chuck key 😂). Since this is the only one I’ve ever used I can’t compare to other brands but I love this Technique one, it saves me SO much time changing out different bits. In the past if I was using something like 3m Radial Bristles (we discussed a few days ago) I might skip some of the grits just due to the amount of time it took to change them out (I know this sounds lazy but I’m just being honest!) Huge thank you to @ottofrei1930 for generously sending me this game changer! As I wrote this it appears theirs is on sale and you can also save an additional 5% off your total order with code MMS719 🙏😘 Would LOVE to hear everyone’s experience with quick change handpieces or whether it’s something on your wish list? #sponsored #honest #jewelrytools #jewelrycommunity

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TENNIS GRIP TAPE ON YOUR HANDPIECE FROM 
@isobel_and_aveline

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If you’d like less slippage, especially when working with cut off wheels and more "dangerous" attachments, less hand fatigue and general finger crampiness try this flexshaft modification from @isobel_and_aveline -“This is tennis racket grip tape, but baseball bat grip tape works well also. You can get it at the sporting goods store, Wal-Mart, target, etc 😊 I used Wilson grip tape.” P.S the 3m radial discs (the attachment in this photo) are one of the first tools I recommend to people who reach out to me about what to buy for their flexshaft or how to polish without a polish machine. #metalsmithsociety #jewelrytools #jewelrytipoftheday @foredomelectric #flexshaft #foredomflexshaft #3mradialdiscs

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USING YOUR FLEXSHAFT TO TWIST WIRE


TURNING YOUR FLEXSHAFT INTO A MINI WAX LATHE FROM 
@marymaryhandmade


RUBBER DENTAL WHEELS FOR POLISHING FROM 
@callirrhoejewellery

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It’s #tooltimesaturday #tooltalk #tooltalksaturday 🤔🤷🏼‍♀️ (one will eventually stick) and this one comes from the bench of @callirrhoejewellery - “I use these instead of the silicone wheels. I find they last MUCH longer than the silicone and pumice wheels. They are called “greenies” and “brownies” and are actually used by dentists. The brown is equivalent to a black silicone and the green is equivalent to inbetween a blue and pink. It gives a high polish but not as high as a polishing compound. The green is stone safe, but the brown is not. I’ve only ever used them on gold and silver so can’t speak for platinum or anything else.” She purchased them at Otto Frei. Thank you so much for sharing these! I know many of us who don’t have polishing machines are always looking for polishing bits to help our work get the finish we want! #metalsmithsociety #toolporn #jewelrytipoftheday #foredomflexshaft

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