Jewellers Journal
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What is Siligum? And how to use it for Silver Clay Jewellery Making
Siligum is a non-toxic silicone moulding compound. It comes in two parts (one white and one blue) that when mixed together can be used to create flexible but durable moulds.
It has many uses in a variety of different fields, but in jewellery making it can used for capturing fine detail in plants and flowers, shells, and other small objects that can then be used with silver clay to create jewellery and other embellishments.
What’s a Cotter Pin and how to use one when soldering jewellery
A cotter pin, also known as a split pin, is a metal pin designed for fastening two parts of a mechanism together (think tractors and machinery) but in the world of jewellery making they are also a really useful tool when it comes to soldering.
Setting up your Home Jewellery Studio: The Essential Tools List - UK Edition
UK EDITION
With a seemingly unlimited choice of jewellery tools and gadgets to choose from it can be quite daunting to know what to buy (and what not to buy!) when first setting up your home studio.
So here I have compiled a list of all the essential tools you’ll need to get started with sawing, soldering, metal forming, filing and hand polishing, silver clay, and gemstone setting, as well as some optional extras that are a good investment for your studio and a few starter kits that you may find useful.
Setting up your Home Jewellery Studio: The Essential Tools List - Europe Edition
EUROPE EDITION
With a seemingly unlimited choice of jewellery tools and gadgets to choose from it can be quite daunting to know what to buy (and what not to buy!) when first setting up your home studio.
So here I have compiled a list of all the essential tools you’ll need to get started with sawing, soldering, metal forming, filing and hand polishing, silver clay, and gemstone setting, as well as some optional extras that are a good investment for your studio and a few starter kits that you may find useful.
Setting up your Home Jewellery Studio: The Essential Tools List - USA Edition
USA EDITION
With a seemingly unlimited choice of jewellery tools and gadgets to choose from it can be quite daunting to know what to buy (and what not to buy!) when first setting up your home studio.
So here I have compiled a list of all the essential tools you’ll need to get started with sawing, soldering, metal forming, filing and hand polishing, silver clay, and gemstone setting, as well as some optional extras that are a good investment for your studio and a few starter kits that you may find useful.
What is a Polishing Motor and how to use one in Jewellery Making & Silversmithing
To achieve a high quality finished piece, time spent polishing is essential. So today we’re taking an introductory look at the Polishing Motor to explore what it is, how it works, and what it’s used for, as well as some common attachments and polishing compounds.
What is a Pendant Motor/Flex Shaft and how to use one
A pendant motor (also known as a Flex shaft in the USA) is a high-speed rotary tool that is used in jewellery making for tasks such as drilling, polishing, sanding, engraving, and setting.
In this post we look at how it works, what it’s used for, and some of the different kinds of attachments you can use to make jewellery
What is a Barrel Polisher/Rotary Tumbler and how do you use one?
A Barrel polisher is a machine consisting of a rotating cylinder containing a polishing solution and stainless steel grains known as ‘shot’. Jewellery is placed inside the cylinder and tumbled on a motorised base. The resulting burnishing action of the shot on the metal produces a high shine.
In this post we look at Barrel Polishers, what they are, and when and how to use them
How to make your own Sanding Sticks for Jewellery
Sanding Sticks are wooden sticks of different shapes with emery paper or sandpaper on the top and are used as part of the polishing process in jewellery making to remove file marks or hammer marks from metals in almost every handmade project.
Bezel Setting Cabochon Gemstones: A Beginners Guide
The very most important thing to consider when setting a cabochon in a bezel setting is the height of the metal in comparison to the gemstone itself. In this journal entry we look at how to achieve the right height, how to set your cabochon gemstones using hand tools, and which tools to buy
The Durston Tools Bangle Forming Die Set: Unboxing and Making an Anticlastic Bangle
Today we’re looking at the latest tool to arrive in the Cognac Jewellery School workshop: The Bangle Forming Die Set from Durston Tools. It’s always exciting to receive a new tool, and as this is no exception. As always with Durston this tool is beautifully made and has a quality feel to it, combining versatility and quality with ease of use, making it a valuable addition to the jewellers studio.
What is a Jewellers Saw and How do you use one?
A jewellers or piercing saw is a small, handheld tool used for cutting intricate shapes and designs in metal, It‘s made up of a frame that holds a thin, flexible blade and is an essential part of the jewellers toolbox. Learn all about the jewellers saw, which saw blade to use, and how to use it here