Category Archives: Tools to Make
Wind & Cut Jump Rings Simply & Efficiently
Do you need a lot of wire rings that are consistent in size, but you don’t have an expensive pendant drill and jump ring cutting system? Read on for the simplest and least expensive ways I have found to achieve a big pile … Continue reading
Posted in Get the Most from Your Tools, Tools to Make
Tagged chain, coils, cutting, jump rings, transfer punches, truss clip, winding, wire
31 Comments
Golf Ball Bezel Pusher
Luminary metalsmith Tim McCreight casually mentions making a bezel pusher from a golf ball and a nail in one of his books*. Turns out that pounding a nail into a golf ball is surprisingly difficult. Golf balls are very tough, … Continue reading
Make a Wire Knitting Spool
In my opinion, the hardest part of spool knitting with wire is finding an appropriate knitting spool. There are commercial versions available (also called French Knitters, or Knitting Nellies), but I prefer to make my own, so that I have … Continue reading
Posted in Chain Making, Tools to Make
Tagged chain, knit, knitting spool, spool, tools, wire
10 Comments
Portable Jewelry Display Cone
If you travel out-of-town to do craft fairs and shows, you are probably already hungry for ways to make the stuff you have to lug with you as light and durable as possible. If you aren’t hungry yet, do a … Continue reading
Posted in Tools to Make
Tagged collapsible, cone, display, necklace, neoprene, portable, unbreakable
2 Comments
Micro Sanding Strips
If you are in the habit of doing elaborate and detailed piercing, you have probably discovered that it’s easy to make crevasses and crannies with a saw blade that are tough to clean up and finish with even the smallest … Continue reading
Posted in Tools to Make
Tagged finishing, polishing, sanding, sandpaper, saw frame, strapping tape
16 Comments
Make Your Own Lemel Trap
Every year I cut a LOT of silver wire into tens of thousands of jump rings. As the saw bites through the precious metal, it throws off lemel, the metal equivalent of sawdust. Unlike sawdust, silver lemel remains precious, and … Continue reading
Posted in Tools to Make
Tagged dust, health, Jump Ringer, jump rings, lemel, polishing, safety, silver, Trap
17 Comments
Wooden Dapping Punches
Wooden dapping punches are useful little things to have about the jewelry studio. They are gentle tools, and won’t mark your metal the way metal punches will. To the uninitiated – and those without cabinet-making experience – they may look … Continue reading
Custom Sanding Sticks
The brilliant thing about making your own sanding sticks is that you can make them exactly the size, shape, and sandpaper grit that you want and need. The other brilliant thing is that it’s super satisfyingly easy to do!
