Repousse and Chasing Tools for Nature Motifs
@ringgoldnicole shares her repousse and chasing surfaces, sandbag, rubber mat, steel anvil and pitch, plus planishing tools for shaping silver.
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2,368 Tips From The Community
Curated from @metalsmithsociety on Instagram and searchable by keyword or hashtag.
Torch Safety: Checking Acetylene Tanks for Leaks
Learn how to check oxygen and acetylene torch connections for leaks with soapy water, when to turn tanks off, and why to ask for a tune-up.
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Protecting Gemstones While Soldering a Ring Band
Three ways to protect a stone while soldering: heat shield, a slice of potato from @hnossdesign, or water in a dapping block from @sarah.jackson.jewellery.
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Sawing Even Cutouts: Trace an Outline With a Sharpie
A bench tip from @arrowsandstone: trace around your design with a Sharpie held straight up, then saw the inner or outer line for an even cutout.
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Cleaning Sticky Wax From Files With Goo Gone
Learn how Goo Gone and a wire wax brush clean sticky wax from files, and why to be careful using it on carved waxes.
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Make a Soldering Nest From Steel Binding Wire
@mothersonthemountainjewelry shows a soldering nest made from 22g steel binding wire, great for heating pieces from underneath.
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Jewelry Studio Fire Safety: Keep a Mini Extinguisher
An important safety tip from @yearlycompany: keep a mini fire extinguisher in your jewelry studio in case something catches fire.
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Make a Mini Split Mandrel From a Wire Coat Hanger
@emilythatcherjeweller shows how she makes a skinny split pin from an old wire coat hanger for sanding tight corners with a flex shaft.
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Cleaning Wax Files With a Nylon Brush
A tip from @birdsmithjewellery: clean your wax carving files with a nylon brush from the hardware store.
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Unclogging Jewelry Files With a Piece of Copper
A tip from @andrewberryuk: push a straight copper edge across a clogged file's teeth to clear material and prolong the file's life.
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Stone Setting Skills: Tight Bends and Modified Tools
Stone setter @chrisbolanddesigns shares what elevated his work: using pliers and small mandrels for tight corners and modifying custom tools.
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How to Measure Bangle Size With a Tape Measure
A tip from @wyckoffsmith: measure around the widest part of the hand with the thumb tucked in, then make the bangle a few mm smaller.
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