Author Archives: Julia Lowther
What’s in the Shoebox?!
Tonight is the Winter Solstice and an (almost) full moon, so it feels like a good time to send this annotated list out to keep you busy on the longest night of the year :). I wrote this months ago, … Continue reading
Posted in Mewsings
3 Comments
Be Kind to Fish! Dispose of ALL Spent Pickle Responsibly.
The sad truth is that the “safe” “organic” “natural” or “food grade” products sold as jewelry pickle are only all of those things BEFORE you use them. Even after you use them they are still (relatively) safe for you and your drains, … Continue reading
Posted in Studio Chemistry
Tagged calcium hydroxide, citric acid, copper, disposal, fish, hazardous waste, lemon juice, pH paper, pickle, safety, sodium bisulfate, sulfuric acid, toxic, vinegar
19 Comments
Solder Inlay
There is something strangely appealing about metal mosaics, in which different metals are juxtaposed seamlessly into a single smooth surface. Delving deeply into the mystery of that appeal will lead you to exotic techniques like mokume gane, marriage of metals, and … Continue reading
Dressing Pliers – “Fashioning” Your Tools
This is an authentic Peruvian llama finger puppet. Only the finest and most exotic dressing for my pliers! Why do pliers need dressing? They don’t, actually, need clothing, but what almost all pliers DO need is a bit of specialty … Continue reading
Posted in Get the Most from Your Tools
Tagged dressing, finishing, pliers, sanding, sanding stick, sandpaper, tools
9 Comments
MISSA, how I
This is a love letter. My favorite place to teach asks a lot of me and of my students. No spiffy studio chock full of tools and equipment awaits us here, just folding tables covered in protective cardboard standing in a … Continue reading
The Elusive Tam O’Shanter Hone… Mourning the Loss… Seeking a Substitute.
Many years before I ever saw one, I had heard of the mystical Tam O’Shanter Hones (also called Water of Ayr Stones, Snake Stones, or simply Scotch Stones). Touted by old hands in the jewelry business as the best no-fuss … Continue reading
Posted in Get the Most from Your Tools
Tagged abrasive, alumina, aluminum oxide, Ceramic Stone, finishing, Gesswein, hone, James Binnion, Jim Kelso, Moldmaker, NSS, polishing, Scotch Stone, silicon carbide, Snake Stone, Staedler lead holder, Tam O'Shanter, Ultra-Soft Polishing, Water of Ayr Stone
13 Comments
Pickle Tags
In a couple of weeks, I’ll be teaching another silver stack rings class, so I made pickle tags for my students. Nothing fancy, but SO useful (like that horseshoe nail in the adage). If you need to pickle a bunch of similar but … Continue reading
Wind & Cut Jump Rings Simply & Efficiently
Do you need a lot of wire rings that are consistent in size, but you don’t have an expensive pendant drill and jump ring cutting system? Read on for the simplest and least expensive ways I have found to achieve a big pile … Continue reading
Posted in Get the Most from Your Tools, Tools to Make
Tagged chain, coils, cutting, jump rings, transfer punches, truss clip, winding, wire
31 Comments
Golf Ball Bezel Pusher
Luminary metalsmith Tim McCreight casually mentions making a bezel pusher from a golf ball and a nail in one of his books*. Turns out that pounding a nail into a golf ball is surprisingly difficult. Golf balls are very tough, … Continue reading
Wire Gauges – Why They Are Useful
Though the tool pictured above is called a wire gauge (or gage), it is also used to measure the thickness of sheet metal. For a metal disc with holes in it, its price ($30-$50) can be a bit surprising to those new … Continue reading
Posted in Get the Most from Your Tools
Tagged AWG, gage, gauge, measure, sheet, SWG, wire
10 Comments
