Jewelry Making Daily Publishes Free Jewelry Tool Guide to more than 125 Jewelry Making Tools

June 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Loveland, Colorado: Jewelry Making Daily clues jewelry makers in to when to use a ball peen hammer, a planishing hammer, vs. a chasing hammer. The eBook guides beginners who want to know what chain nose pliers and round nose pliers look like, or what kinds of other jewelry pliers are available. In The Illustrated Guide to Jewelry Making Tools, readers will find everything needed to get started making handmade jewelry and find out what basic jewelry tools are necessary and what each one is designed to help jewelry makers do better.

The eBook can be downloaded online: http://www.jewelrymakingdaily.com/Jewelry-Making-Tools-Guide/

This illustrated eBook is a valuable reference for those just venturing into jewelry metalsmithing, and full of interesting comments from established jewelers for those at more of an expert level. From tips for setting up a jeweler’s bench to selecting top of the line jewelry tools for forming, cutting, soldering, and finishing, this jewelry equipment guide is a must-have. Readers can discover fully described jewelry tool categories with detailed photos and expert advice to learn what jewelry tools the professionals have chosen to use and why.

"The best tip I ever learned in jewelry school was to use two bent-nose pliers for opening and closing jump rings. Bent nose pliers allow you to firmly grasp both sides of the ring without obscuring the opening from view.” - Denise Peck

This comprehensive guide is a great resource full of in-depth information on jewelry equipment as well as tips and tricks from experts on the jewelry tools they use and why. The free Jewelry Making Tools Guide from Jewelry Making Daily in-depth articles covering jewelry tools in 30 different categories:

Forming- Jewelry Pliers, Hammers, Mandrels, Stakes, Anvils, Dapping, Punching, Compression, Clamps, and Vises

A ball peen hammer is an all-purpose hammer with one round and one half-domed face... A chasing hammer has one flat face for striking other tools or planishing metal, and one round face for forming and riveting... A planishing hammer has flat or convex faces to smooth metal that has been worked by other hammers or to harden metal... A bench block is a common jewelry anvil... A mandrel is a specialized jewelry anvil. Sizes and shapes vary from a ring mandrel to a mandrel for neckpieces, bezels, or a bracelet mandrel... A rolling mill is used to change the thickness of metal sheet or ingots by compression... A dapping block is used to form domes or half rounds... Jewelry pliers are carefully selected to perform specific tasks, e.g., flat nose pliers are for angular bends, and for drawing or pulling... Pliers, vises, and ring clamps help with strength and accuracy.

Cutting - Saw Frames, Saw Blades, Files, Gravers, Stamps, Drill Bits and Burs

The process of forming often starts with cutting a shape from a sheet of metal. For very thin metal, this may be done with snips; however, snips can curl, twist, and deform the sheet. Most often cutting is done with a jeweler’s saw and blades. Simple holes are cut in metal with drill bits, by hand, or with a motorized tool. Depressions in the surface of metal are cut with burs or with gravers. Stamping cuts the surface — typically in a decorative pattern — unlike a punch, which merely moves the metal. Metal files are the first step in finishing metal, and come in a range of shapes and “cuts” from coarse to fine... Needle files are used for small components and delicate work. Cylindrical rotary files on a shaft can be used in a flex shaft motorized handpiece.

Soldering - Torches and Soldering Aids

A jeweler's torch, just like any torch, is a device that mixes fuel (natural gas, propane, acetylene) with air/oxygen to produce intense heat. It is possible to fabricate jewelry using only cold connections such as rivets. However, almost all jewelers use some kind of torch for soldering, texturing (such as granulation and reticulation), and coloring metal. Torches are also used to heat metal for casting.

Finishing - Hand and Motorized Finishing

The final step in jewelry making is finishing. Finishing may include texturing a surface as well as polishing. Finishing may be done by hand, with sanding and polishing sticks, with a flexible shaft motor tool, or with a dedicated polishing machine. Finishing also uses compounds. Bobbing compound or tripoli is used after filing and sanding for marks left by those tools. Jeweler's rouge is for final finishing. Different colors of rouge are used for different metals: red for gold, silver, brass, copper; green for white gold, platinum, or nickel; black for silver; yellow for platinum or stainless steel; and white for niobium or titanium.

Specialties - Casting, Wax Carving, Metal Clay, Stone Setting, Cabochon Cutting, Faceting, Gem Carving, and Beading

Discover all the specialty jewelry making tools needed for casting waxes, using metal clays, setting gems, cabochon cutting and faceting gems, and even beading.

Bonus Jewelry Tool Project: Custom Jeweler's Saw Grip

Unfortunately, the most basic and most personal tool leaves much to be desired in terms of ergonomics. The problems are many. An easy way to reduce hand stress is to reduce grasping power, so making the frame handle larger and custom fitted achieves this. With a little bit of polymer clay, the jeweler's saw handle can be molded for a custom fit. When the clay cools, the result is a saw frame that is much better balanced and to custom fit the jeweler using it.

The eBook can be downloaded online: http://www.jewelrymakingdaily.com/Jewelry-Making-Tools-Gu...


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