Your Most Important Tool
One of the most important tools a metalsmith, jeweler, student or hobbyist can store in their tool box is organization! Without having your priorities, budgets and timelines laid out, you may run into more snags and miss opportunities had you been a tad more organized.
Organizing Your Workspace
Keeping all your tools and supplies organized at your bench or workspace can be a challenge. All those drill bits, burs, hammers, saw blades, bits of sheet metal, wire, beads, and stones! I spoke to professional organizer Linda Deppa for some tips on keeping it all under control. Give these ideas a try and see how they work for you!
First, keep the things you use most frequently within arm's reach. If you have to go far to put your tools away, you'll be more likely to skip it and leave them in a pile on your bench! A small tool organizer can keep things together on your bench top without taking up a lot of space. Racks or drawers right next to your bench are great for storing tools nearby.
Learning to SEE; Designing More Creative Jewelry
Learning to SEE Designing more Creative Jewelry
I am always looking for jewelry design inspiration, how about you? Do you try to come up with ideas for creating unique jewelry designs, thinking "out of the box"?
One thing that I have learned is that inspiration is EVERYWHERE! It is as easy as learning to open your eyes and really see what is around you.
Best Black Patina
The secret lies in the application. The first step in working with any type of liver of sulfur is to clean whatever area you plan to patina. Grease and oils can create a pocket that could later led to chipped patina and your hard work wasted. A little degreasing agent (my favorite is Dawn dish soap) and a 3M scrubby pad work wonders on grease.
Next, in a well ventilated area, fill an open glass or metal container with hot water. Or place the container on a Bunsen burner or other gentle, yet warm heat source. While wearing gloves, goggles and a respirator, you add a small amount of liver of sulfur to your heated water. If you are using the rocks, then a few small chunks or one chunk less than the size of your smallest finger tip will be plenty for any container about the size of a large soup pot. If you are using the gel, use no more than enough to coat a nickel, unless you plan to paint with it. ...