Jewelry Making with Brad Simon

Polishing Machine

Place a piece of cardboard from an old box under the polishing wheels.  Just lay it on the bottom of the cabinet under where the wheel turns.  This will cushion and possibly keep from damaging the piece of jewelry that "gets away" while polishing.  A piece of kitchen type carpet also works well.

  ~Brad

Jewelers Tools,Polishing Jewelry,Handmade Jewelry

Filing Jewelry

You should always take great care when filing.  It is impossible to replace the metal removed by each stroke of a file.  Always take care that you do not file away too much metal, especially around a solder joint.  When filing to remove excess solder, often the mistake is made of filing too much, resulting in thinning the metal.  Stop filing when the outline of the solder is just barely visible.  Sanding to prepare the metal for polishing will remove the remaining solder.  If you continue to file until all evidence of the solder is removed; when sanded the metal will be thinned more than necessary.

  ~Brad

Jewelers Tools,Filing Metal,Jewelry Making

Palladium Ring

Check out this great article about making a Palladium Ring

http://guidetojewelrymaking.com/articles/tanzanite950palladium.html

Making a Palladium Ring

Buff Wheels

Drill a 3/8” hole in the center of your muslin buff wheels.  Then place on the tapered spindle of your polishing motor.  This larger hole will allow the wheel to move up further on the tapered spindle.  You can then place an inside ring buff on the remaining tapered spindle.  You can then use both the inside ring buff and muslin buff wheel with out stopping the motor to change the buffs.

~ Brad

Jewelry Making,Jewelry Fabrication,Bench Tips,Goldsmith,Jewelers Tools,Bench Jeweler

Clean Files Occasionally

Files need to be cleaned occasionally.  Allowing the file teeth to become clogged or collect metal chips, greatly reduces file efficiency.  In addition, trapped metal may scratch the work surface.  To clean, hold the file by the handle with the tip resting on the bench pin.  Then, brush diagonally across the file with a file card (a stiff wire brush with short bristles).

~ Brad

Jewelry Making,Jewelry Fabrication,Bench Tips,Goldsmith,Jewelers Tools,Bench Jeweler,Wax Carving

Soldering Small Pieces

When soldering several small pieces together place the parts ½ way into soft wax.  Then, pour casting investment over the parts.  When the investment hardens remove the wax and solder.  The investment will withstand the temperatures of soldering and hold the small parts in place.

~ Brad

Jewelry Making,Jewelry Fabrication,Bench Tips,Goldsmith,Jewelers Tools,Bench Jeweler