Jewelry Making with Brad Simon

Mini Wood Polishing Points

2009-12-07T10:45:00-05:00

Placing a section of a bamboo skewers (like you buy in the grocery store) in your flex-shaft can make an excellent wood lap polishing point. File the protruding end to a point, and use your favorite rouge or tripoli. The...

Bench Jewelers Burnishers

2009-11-30T13:51:00-05:00

Small burnishers can be made by grinding off the teeth of old needle files and polishing them. Be careful to not over heat the file when grinding as you do not want to remove the temper. These provide nice shape...

Soldering Jewelry

2009-11-23T08:43:00-05:00

Do not try to move metal when heated to temperatures that solder will flow. This may cause the metal to crack. Instead, allow the metal to cool, re-align. Then, complete the soldering. For all your Jewelry Findings go to: Southeastern...

Bench Jewelers Saw Frames

2009-11-16T11:02:00-05:00

Keep two or three saw frames at your bench with different size sawblades in each one. Color-code the handle with spray paint so that you can easily keep them separate. Then. regardless of the work, you will always have a...

Polishing Jewelry

2009-11-09T09:39:00-05:00

Always work just below the center of the buff wheel while polishing. Never raise the jewelry above a horizontal line even with the motor spindle, or lower it too far below. Both of these situations will cause the wheel to...

Firecoat - Soldering Jewelry

2009-11-02T11:16:00-05:00

Always coat the jewelry with boric acid by dipping it in a solution of boric acid and alcohol. Then, burn off the alcohol leaving an even coating of powered boric acid over the jewelry. When heated the boric acid will...

Using a Jewelers Saw

2009-10-26T14:33:00-04:00

Saw with a slow steady up and down rhythm using the entire length of the blade. This will allow you to saw faster and more accurately. Short choppy strokes result in uneven sawing and will prematurely wear out that section...

Bench Jewelers Buffing Machine

2009-10-19T08:12:00-04:00

When using a buffing machine always hold the jewelry in a breakaway grip. Never interlock your fingers into the piece. NEVER PUT A RING ON YOUR FINGER TO POLISH. Always roll up or button your sleeves, and wear an apron...

Jewelers Sawblades

2009-10-12T10:31:00-04:00

To store sawblades unwrap the wire binding and place in the tube they were supplied in. Holders can be made by cutting the tube 4 ½ inches long (blades are 5 ¼). Attach the tubes to the inside of your...

Soldering Jewelry

2009-10-05T23:26:44-04:00

Soldering is one of the most basic operations preformed by a bench jeweler. Developing other skills is of little value without the ability to solder with confidence. The only way to attain a level of proficiency is by gaining correct...