This is the Kaiser-Lee Board, a tip shared years ago by my friend @thewildpine It’s soft and you can press components into it. In this pic I have a pendant upside down and a jump ring bail gently pressed into the board so I can solder it exactly... more
So sorry to start the week like this… Also between summer hours, training Winnie to be a therapy dog, mom in hospice, my desire to work on my own jewelry I know I haven’t been as present here. For five years I shared new content from our community... more
The most underrated skill in metalsmithing: threading a saw blade without losing your mind 😅 Teeth out and down, blade away from the frame (see graphic). Then bench pin + a well-placed hip for tension. Not gonna lie, these @craftoptics are the only... more
Laura from @thewildpine changed my life with this tip 🤯 If you have a scrap of gold sheet and you’re looking to cut out a bunch of backplates, try this! Swipe >> Use rubber cement to attach a piece of paper directly onto your sheet. If your sheet... more
“Having a baby made me realize how much time I wasted before.” Laura from @thewildpine is BACK on the latest episode of my podcast! Laura and I go way back, and I was deeply honored to be one of the first people she told when she found out she was... more
What was a gamechanger for you?!? Our community has shared so many tips over the years, does one stick out in your mind? Did you have an incredible instructor who showed you something? Sharing is caring y’all! *I am soldering a very delicate... more
2019 me had no idea 2026 me would still be here. Class 7 at GRS Training Center is in the books and I got a little emotional with this one, not gonna lie. Back in 2019, with no engraving experience, I took my very first class with Sam Alfano,... more
Hey Subscribers! I have been working with all types of vintage jewelry in the past year. Often times I am polishing and engraving but sometimes I need to do minor repairs or add a new jump ring. This is when I prefer to use my Sunstone Pulse Arc... more
Mailtime Monday 📦 This week I'm sharing the story behind the miniature benches that have captured the attention of all of us miniature cute-obsessed smiths out there. 🤣 I also want to know your thoughts on doing a limited run of crop shirts ( ai am... more
IT’S FINALLY HERE 🤯 swipe >> for the big reveal!!! I mean COME ON! It’s so smol. It’s a fully functional bench but miniature. It’s meant to be an object of joy, decor for your studio…the start of you making a collection of miniature tools… 😂 This... more
Polishing in the tiniest spaces from @jennistuartjewelry “Polishing tight spaces tip. Use silk embroidery floss with built in needle. Holds up better than cotton and comes in multiple widths for any project.” LOVE this video, with multiple uses... more
Comment “list” for a link to sign up for my newsletter!! Hey friends! If you weren’t able to catch me live earlier today, here’s the edited highlights. I covered a lot of ground so let’s get into it: I bought myself a bunch of @getspeks and I went... more
Do you use a butane torch? Or perhaps just soldering a larger item like a bangle? @silvermaplestudiome has you covered with these tips!! “I use a butane torch so when I’m working with a little bit more silver, I set up a charcoal block behind my... more
Summer PSA for your jewelry studio, friends 🌿 Save every silica packet that comes in your vitamin bottles, shoe boxes, wherever you find them, and toss them into your bench drawers and any other containers you store your tools in. It takes zero effort... more
Mail Time Monday 📬 Hey friends! If you weren’t able to catch me live earlier today, here’s an edited (read: corrected 😅) version of the highlights. I covered a lot of material — and made a few mistakes along the way — so consider this the cleaned up... more
Beginner tip for anyone who loves making bezel settings: double-sided tape on an index card is a total game changer for holding your stone while you wrap your bezel wire around it. Because this stone is a bit irregular and asymmetrical, taping it down... more
Ever wondered how to turn a thick bezel into prongs? That’s exactly what I’m doing here, and it’s way simpler than it looks. I’m using a cylinder bur to remove the material between where I want my prongs to be, but honestly? A needle file can do this... more
I don’t think we have ever shared this before. @deglation uses a round ball bur to modify her honeycomb soldering surface to custom fit earrings made in production. “When we need to produce large quantities of the same earrings, this little trick... more
🔊 Sound on for this one because this hinge tip from @cognac_jewellery_school is SO good. “This is my favourite low-tech soldering hack for tiny hinges: Prevent accidentally soldering them closed with a soft graphite pencil & rod (pencil refills... more
I do this 👇 After closing my ring shank (I used parallel pliers here!), I run a thin saw blade (2/0–4/0, or honestly whatever works for you!) through the seam. I had to correct my caption here, I would avoid lubricating when you saw so you can keep... more
