Learn to reach a high polish by sanding through the grits, then using Sunshine cloth buffs on a flex shaft at light pressure.

Videos of hinged pieces from the September metalsmith challenge by @chromarocksjewelry, @corinalunitagems, @afarberdesign and more.

A tip from @bearandtheadelaide: use short, soft spurts of canned air to clear dust before photographing or boxing jewelry.

@sinead_cleary_jewelry marks finished pieces with micro engraving pens when stamping would deform the metal. Practice on scrap first.

@khdjewellery dips silver in boric acid and denatured alcohol before soldering to help flux flow and reduce fire scale.

@callirrhoejewellery cleans pieces with an electric toothbrush and mild soap, plus which stones should never go in an ultrasonic.

@un_x_marked wraps hard copper wire around her wax pen tip to work fine details, fill bubbles and repair cracks in wax.

Learn to use a Pepe disc cutter: make a shim matching your sheet gauge, lube the punch, pre-mark the metal and strike with a brass hammer.

A tip from @maridesignjewelry: hold small jump ring coils in a miter cutting vise for sawing so the rings do not fly off.

A tip from @elisamelegarijewelry: press stones into Play-Doh to visualize your layout without making a mess.

A tip from @annie.lesperance: tie elastic around a clothespin to make a tiny clamp for holding small pieces while filing and polishing.

@bearandtheadelaide hangs clipboards with jeweler specific templates for custom orders, supply orders and to do lists.

2,368 Tips From The Community