Favorite tips

Jewelry Discussion
21

Here are a couple of my favorite tips to add to the mix. It is a
lot of fun to read what you all have to share.

Q-tips
In addition to wooden skewers and toothpicks, Q-tips (cotton
swabs) also fit right into a flex shaft and work well for
polishing hard to reach areas. Just charge them with a cutting or
polishing compound and go for it

Diamond magnet
When setting stones it is very helpful to make a “diamond
magnet” to help pick up and place small, or even large stones.
This invaluable tool is made by attaching a wad of sticky wax on
the end of a wooden dowel, or pencil. Microcrystaline wax is
ideal. Beeswax mixed with a bit of charcoal powder also works.
The dowel is essential to keep the wax from being warmed by your
fingers. Touching a stone to the wax makes it stick so that you
can transport it to the desired location. If a stone gets stuck
in a tube setting or pave setting before you set it, and you
cannot get it out, the same magnet can save the day. Place the
wax on the stone and push down to make complete contact. Then
quickly yank the magnet and 9 times out of 10 the stone comes
with it.

Situating stones for pave
The same wax also works when positioning diamonds for pave.
Here’s how: rub the surface of the metal with wax, depositing a
thin layer. Then use the diamond magnet to pick up and position
the stones, table downward in the arrangement you want. You can
use a wooden dowel to move them around by placing the wood on
the culet and sliding the stone. When all the stones are where
you want, use a cool flame to warm the metal just enough for the
wax to liquefy then let it cool. Now remove the stones with a
graver or blade and you will find a perfect impression of the
table, exactly where the stone is to be set. Eyeball the middle
of the round impression and that is where the starter hole
should be drilled.

Starting a drill hole
Sometimes it is not possible to use a center punch to make the
little impression required before drilling (perhaps the metal is
too thin or you don’t have access). We all know that trying to
drill without a little indentation is difficult because the
drill bit moves around. Instead of using a center punch use a
graver to make a little flick exactly where the hole should be.
If you are setting in an engraving block, place the tip of the
graver in position and rotate the block, as the graver makes the
indentation you need. Or use a small ball bur in a flex shaft to
make the indentation.

Alan Revere
Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts
San Francisco

22

Topping my list of favorite “tools” . . . . .

Haagen Dazs ice cream carton lids (I had an 16 year collection
of these, at 2 -3 cartons a week until I moved a couple of years
ago): good for holding small parts and objects in various stages
of completion, keeping things organized on the bench. They have
nice flat bottoms and good sturdy sides. Chocolate is a useful
flavor. I tried Ben & Jerry’s lids, but they didn’t cut the
mustard.

Haagen Dazs ice cream cartons (you wouldn’t expect me to throw
them away, would you?): holders for pens, pencils, markers, razor
blade holders, bamboo skewers (I use these too), tongue
depressors, metal scrap, etc. Throw some lead weights in the
bottom of a quart size container and it’s a great pliers rack.

Film canisters: The Fuji ones are transluscent so you can see
the contents, sort of. (Any photo lab will recycle hundreds of
these your way for the asking.) For collections of all things
tiny. They are airtight, so solder chips stay clean until used.
For a sifter, cut off the bottom with a coping saw, place a small
piece of brass screen in whatever mesh size you want on a
hotplate, press the canister briefly onto the hot screen and the
plastic will melt instantly to the screen. Trim screen off with
scissors and you have a lidded sifter/container for enamels, or
rosin (if you use that for etching resist).

Urine specimen jars: I used to live next door to a med tech who
would bring me buckets of these 4 oz plastic jars, with lids.
They were dirty, of course. They piled up (outside) until one
afternoon I bit the bullet and washed them all. They are my most
used container, for solvents, small parts, silver scrap, patina
solutions, holders for small punches.

Coke and Pepsi flats: these are the cardboard box bottoms that
the cans are delivered in. Pepsi is slightly larger than Coke,
the pair making a great lidded box that’s about 10 x 14 x 2 for
sheet metal or whatever else needs flat storage. If you’re into
watery beer, Coors plus Budweiser also make a good pair, the
Coors being slightly smaller.

Tongue depressors: A box of 500 costs less than $10 at a large
pharmacy. These are great stirrers for larger amounts of liquids,
especially when there are solids and liquids to mix together,
such as paste flux or boric acid in alcohol. They break easily,
making smaller pointed pieces like huge triangular toothpicks.

A half inch thick delrin pad, about 6 x 6: Tap plastics will cut
one for little money, or buy a pricier one as a white "plastic"
cutting board. I use as a base for hammering/flattening sheet,
setting tube rivets, or whenever I want a hard surface without
marring the metal.

Finally, a tool known to stained glass people as a “fid”. It is
a delrin tool used to open lead came, and has a couple of
different shape configurations on both ends. One end is more
pointed and makes a useful burnisher/pusher. The other is flat.
Can be filed and finished to adapt to your needs.

Now off for my chocolate fix . . . .(it’s the full moon)

Rene Roberts

23

For polishing wax, try something less dangerous than lighter
fluid and a bit more pleasant smelling, not to mention not as
aggressive - turpentine. Seems to be the main ingredient in the
wax polishes sold commercially, lasts longer on the rag than
lighter fluid, and has more uses around the shop. Try putting a
drop of turp. on a small cut like that one you just made with
the saw blade, or that hole from the drill bit - takes the
soreness out. Those split finger tips in the winter - works
great. A drop on an insect bite takes the itch out. Haven’t
tried it on small burns, but turp also is good for the skin.
Try it, you just might like it.

24

I like to use the polyethylene lid from a can of coffee for a
base to mix epoxy on.The epoxy does not bond well to polyethylene,
so when it has cured I flex the lid and toss the cured epoxy out
and save the lid for its next use. Also the bamboo sewers seem to
be better than toothpicks for mixing sticks. WayneM

25

Hello Steve! On the steaming tweezers; I make mine with stainless
steel welding rod. Next time you pick up oxygen get a piece. I
then fabricate the tweezers, rubber wheel the ends and plier
marks and high polish the ends. The smaller diameter ss welding
rod is the best solder pick I’ve found yet. No good for plat.
however.

	 Bye for now,
	 Tim
26 
 Shrinky dink, (kids shrink plastic), makes castable designs
and bonds together in the heating process, a small drop of glue
holds it together until it bonds in the oven.

Speaking of shrinky dinks, if you get the plastic cups at the
grocery stores (i.e., for fresh ground peanut butter, liver or
clams) it is the same plastic and you can bake it just as you
would shrinky d. and get the same results.

God bless,
Tom

27

For another effective file cleaner, take 3/4 in wide x 2-3in
long 18G piece of nickel silver, compress one of the narrow ends
using a rolling mill so the end looks something like this—>.
Use it as is or insert it into a handle and push it along the
grooves of the file, and it soon develops fine teeth which then
pushes out any entrapped metal in the file. Works far better
than the file combs they sell for this purpose. JZ Dule

28

Hello Alan! Great tip! Concerning pave’ layout I would like to
pass on a wax recipe for pave’ layout. Use 1/2 that dark blue
inlay wax and 1/2 disclosing wax. It spreads like cool butter.
The color after warming is blue and very helpful for seeing the
table impression on the metal. I also use it to fill small
defects or crevices etc., just by spreading with a mold knife
over the area to be filled. I use it routinely when doing
gallery wax work for touch up in corners etc.

Pass on and thank you!
Tim

29

Some of my favorite helps:

Computer mousepad–makes a great surface on which to sand
delicate objects. I particularly like to lay enamel pieces on
the mousepad while stoning.

Daily pill organizers–or whatever they’re called–you know the
long skinny plastic containers with 7 sections, each with a
pop-up lid. I keep my solder bits in these and write the type of
solder contained on each lid. These also come in handy for
storing those itsy nuts, bolts and washers that some of us use
for cold connections!

30

Just a follow up on holding stones in place during setting.
Occasionally filling the seat with wax is helpful. Most often I
use beeswax with (intentionally, so it is not to sticky) bench
sweeps added. I then roll it into a one or two mm “hotdog”. I
place it opposite where I intend to punch and remove with
tweezers, and place again where I need it. Thismethod is very
quick effective and not to messy, unless you push it to hard.
The idea is to just smoodge (spelled right?) gently so it holds,
but keeps its’ shape so it can be removed.

Cheers,
Tim

31

Another tip…

A really cheap soldering pick - Next time you go to have your
oxegen tank refilled, ask for very thin tungstin rods- about
$1.00 a piece - I get a few at a time. Come home, break one in
half, drill the end of a wooden dowel and shove the rod in.
Tungstin is the best material I’ve found for soldering, even high
temperatures, and this method gives you a much smaller, more
precise pick than the catalogues offer. It is delicate, but at
$.50 each, thats okay…

A burnishing tool to fit into areas too small for a rotating
hammer… take an old burr and file into a square. Hold parallel
toto the pit and burnish.

Sharing tips is good…

32

Shrinky dink, (kids shrink plastic), makes castable designs and
bonds together in the heating process, a small drop of glue holds
it together until it bonds in the oven.

Tell us more about using this! Do you shrink it before
investing or allow it to shrink first and burn out after
investing? This sounds very interesting for some models!

My tip- I use a 4 Jawed Drafting Pencil holder to hold burrs or
modified burr stock when wax carving. It makes a very balanced
handle and is ‘quick change’ too.

Lorri

33

This is a great thread …

One of my favorite tools is my prescription safety glasses. The
optometrist looked a little confused at first, but I found a
pair of chunky sunglass frames that fit my face really closely
(the best pair was among the cheapest) and got shatter-resistant
lenses. So much better than trying to haphazardly fit something
else over my regular wire frame glasses. They go on my face
before I do anything else in the studio and I don’t have to think
about it again.

I also use one of those thick plastic bags that they package
sheets in as a guard when doing certain messy flexshaft
operations. I can hold the work and the handpiece inside the bag
but still see everything when doing wet lapidary stuff, carving
wax, grinding steel, polishing, etc. All the gunk flies around
but stays inside the bag, makes it real easy to clean up.

~kara

34

Hi-
Two of my favorites . . .

  1. Using flat thumbtacks to hold the layers of scored and
    folded emery paper on the flat stick. I use sticks with about 3
    different grits of emery. The sticks are 12"x 7/8"x 1/4" (I
    still think in inches in certain areas!).

  2. Taking a small batch of lengths string (maybe18" folded in
    half. Make a knot that will form a loop to hang them from a
    small nail on the bench - off to the side of the bench pin. To
    be used with different polishing compounds for hard to get to
    places in castings or whatever. Put compound directly on string
    and feed the string through the hole. Multiple strings can be
    fed through depending on the surface to be worked on. Hold the
    end the string taut and run the piece of jewelry back and forth.
    It would be great to get some of the emery strip on the market -
    but for now I will also tie short lengths of folded emery paper
    to be used in the same manner - tied to one of the strings.

Look forward to all the tips! Have you’all seen The book “Cheap
Thrills in the Tool Shop” - by Charles Lewton-Brain? Thanks
Cynthia

35

Hi,

A useful little gadget that I use for soldering a series of
heads together in an arch, (such as 4 or 5 round base or basket
heads for an anniversary type ring that need to follow the curve
of a size 5 finger and then be attached to a shank, or 20 heads
in a hoop shape for an earring hoop), is as follows.

Take about 6 inches of metal hanger wire and roll it thru a
rolling mill to flatten slightly, the heads rest upside down on
the thin edge of the wire. Then bend it to the curve of the size
of the ring only slightly larger. It needs to be larger so that
when you set the heads on the wire upside down, the arch of the
base of the heads matches the arch of the needed ring size (just
hold it up to your mandrel). The wire makes all of the prongs
line up perfectly. You can solder all of the heads together with
high temperature solder without fear of anything shifting. Its
much easier than freehanding and more accurate than setting them
in clay and then covering in plaster. I have used the same wire
for about 20 years, it looks like a french curve these days and
I always can find a spot to set up the heads to achieve the
needed curve. I have ground and filed some areas on the wire
thinner for smaller settings.

I hope that made sense.

Mark P.
WI

36

I have a few favorite tips of my own! When channel setting
stones, after I have cut their seats and placed them in, I heat
the piece of jewelry slightly where my stones are and run a
little bees wax in it. It then goes into the edges and you can
then maneuver your stones to their proper positions, then hammer
with you hammer hand piece. A little steam, sometimes you have
to heat it with your torch, and you are setting tightly.

Another tip is I use a Number 2 pencil as my pick up stick for
my solder. I can maneuver the solder around and it will never
stick to the lead tip. You have to remove the wood outside
about an inch up. I do this by lighting it on fire with my
torch. Then I run it over my file till it come to a point. I
then heat the end of the lead pencil, put a dab of boric acid on
the tip, and your pencil is a soldering pick.

Don’t use this on platinum as it will contaminate your metal.
Also, make sure you have a REAL wood pencil. I have taken
pencils from my children and found out that they were only
plastic and melted.

And all those burs laying around your bench. Take the lid of a
small ring box and cut the seam of two of the edges. Fold it
down and then lay your burrs in them, facing you. You can now
have 100 or so burrs all in one place and you able to see shape,
sizes and sharpness in one place.

And for rhodium. If you don’t have time to nail polish your
piece and let it dry, or your polish is a little sticky and
thick, ever try a permeant marker? This works great and very
quickly. When you are done, put it in a jar of alcohol, then
into the ultrasonic for a couple of seconds, and you are clean.
Also, if you do use nail polish, use a polish with color. I
once worked in a place that they used clear and I told them that
if they used a colored polish, they could see where their polish
was. Don’t know why they didn’t think of it.

Hope these tips help. Some of yours have for me!

Amber

37

I mix my epoxy on a piece of Suran Wrap - easy and disposible. I
mix it with a McDonalds coffee stir stick. I also use a turkey
pin (the pin you stick in the turkey to lace it up). It is long
and makes a great solder pick. The turkey pin has many uses -
scripe, pick, or any thing you need a long thin pick for.

38

For storing those little solder paillons I use contact lens
storage containers. Just label them H,M, or E. Also, if you
hate cutting those paillons, make life easier by rolling the
sheet solder thinner in a rolling mill. Makes cutting
easier…or mill a piece of wire solder flat and clip it into
little bits. >D<

39 
   For another effective file cleaner, take 3/4 in wide x
2-3in long 18G piece of nickel silver, compress one of the
narrow ends using a rolling mill ...

Dear JZ For this purpose I use a piece of copper tubing, cut it
open in one end, hammer it flat, and there you are. A nice tool
and even with a built-in handle.

Kind regards
Niels L=F8vschal, Jyllinge, Denmark
@L_F8vschal
phone (+45) 46 78 89 94

40

Hi all, what a great thread!

Paper clips: straighten 'em out, then rebend into a roughly
triangular shape with the two ends extending a little beyond the
apex. Bend the two ends so that they’re parallel, splay out the
ends with a hammer so that they’re flat, and you’ve got great
little mini fire tongs to hold small objects. They don’t become a
heat sink and you can make them to all shapes and sizes to suit
the job.

regards, Rex from Oz