Art Jewelry magazine Editors' Blog : tools

New online content — free videos, projects, and PDFs

Hazel Wheaton — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:56:00 GMT

::eyes calendar::

It's been a long time since we last checked in with the blog, but to make it up to you, I come bearing gifts. Our July 2009 issue made its debut just in time for the Bead & Button Show, which has occupied all our lives recently. We're awfully proud of the issue, and a quick look at the July table of contents will make it clear why.

To add extra value to the print edition, we've put a whole bunch of new content online, from videos that demonstrate particular techniques, to articles that give the basics about a particular medium, to charts that provide quick references when you're trying to pick out the right drill bit to use.

Plus, subscribers to the print magazine get an extra how-to project that directly ties in with one of the projects in the magazine.

Here's a rundown of some of the new stuff:

New subscriber-only project:

Learn how to use wireworking and wire-wrapping techniques to embellish a hook clasp in this beginner tutorial by Erin Paton. You can make a plain clasp or dress it up with a pearl — your choice!

Three new reference charts, available as free PDFs:

Ring size chart: Find standard U.S. and U.K. ring sizes plus inside diameter measurements and inside circumference measurements in this quick-reference chart. Also, learn how to calculate the length of metal sheet you'll need to make ring bands.

Metal piercing chart: Use this handy chart to determine which drill bit and saw blade to use for piercing your metal sheet.

Convert drill bit sizes to inches or millimeters: Drill bit sizes are based on a gauge system that's different from the standard wire-gauge system. Use this chart to convert between drill bit number, inches, and millimeters.

To get you all prepped for Angela Gerhard's lovely Sgraffitto enamel bracelet project, Associate Editor Jill Erickson has written an Introduction to Enamels: A glossary of terms plus safety basics.

And finally, the Art Jewelry editors unveil four brand-new instructional videos:

New video: Using a rolling mill Watch this video to learn about how to use a rolling mill to make a sheet of metal thinner.

New video: Roll-printing Metal Watch this video to learn how to impress a texture onto a sheet of metal using a rolling mill.

New video: Using a Disk Cutter Watch this video to learn how to use a disk cutter to cut circular disks from a sheet of metal.

New video: Using a Dapping Block Watch this video to learn how to use a dapping block to dome a piece of metal.

Enjoy all the new goodies!

Think about visiting Tucson for the gem and mineral (and jewelry, tools, metals, wire...) shows! The Art Jewelry editors are.

Kristin Sutter — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:55:00 GMT

It's November, and here in the Art Jewelry offices, our thoughts are turning to the Southwest — not because our Wisconsin locale means we've already got snow in the forecast, but because in February, the city of Tucson, Ariz., is inundated with countless vendors from every facet of the jewelry world. Every year, we make the trip to scout for new products, new discoveries, new contacts, and new friends. If you've never heard of the phenomenon that is Tucson, check out "How to Tackle Tucson." The article, written by editor and veteran Tucson-goer Hazel L. Wheaton, is a practical guide to what "Tucson" is, why you should go, and how to enjoy the experience.

For dates of the 2009 Tucson shows, go to www.visittucson.org. If you can't make it to Tucson, you can look for shows near you in our Events Calendar. You can also discuss shows, including Tucson, in Going to a Show? on our forum.

Enjoy!

—Kristin

Find out what tools you need for working with metals, metal clay, bronze clay, enamel, wire, chain mail, stone setting, engraving, finishing, polymer clay, and more

Kristin Sutter — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:16:00 GMT

Tools, tools, tools! Do you wonder what tools you should get if you're going to take up metalsmithing? How about metal clay, or polymer clay? Or, maybe you want to know what tools you should have on hand no matter what medium you're working in. Well, here's your answer: In the November 2008 issue of Art Jewelry, we published an eight-page bonus poster that tells you what tools you'll need to have in order to work in a given medium or for a given task.

We were so excited about the poster that we put the info up online too! (If, for some inexplicable reason you haven't picked up your issue yet, you can find a PDF of "The Right Tool" here.) Of course, the print version has its advantages: it's a pullout, so you can proudly display its glossy pages on your studio wall. And, it's one continuous sheet of paper, so you won't need as many thumb tacks to get it up there, and you won't have to spend time with your level making sure all eight pages are aligned. Of course, the biggest advantage to having the print version means that you have the rest of the issue surrounding it.

We hope the poster helps you as a shopping list, a quick reference (what do parallel pliers look like again?), and as a vision of beauty that only a tool junkie could love.

Enjoy!

—Kristin

P.S. Subscribers, if eight pages of info isn't enough for you, you might want to check out our archive of Product Reviews.

How To Polish Your Hammers — New Subscriber-Exclusive article on Art Jewelry magazine's Web site

Addie Kidd — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:28:00 GMT

We've just posted a new how-to article on our Web site exclusively for subscribers. It's in conjuction with Marie Cristine Knuff's article "Forge and Easy Chain" on page 58 of the newest issue (November 2008) of Art Jewelry magazine.

In it I walk you through the simple steps necessary to clean up your dinged, rusted, or worn hammers and bench blocks. (The Before and After shots are shown at right.)

So why take the time to polish a hammer??

When hammering, the texture of your hammer and bench block are transferred onto the metal. So a polished hammer and clean bench block are needed if you want to impart a shiny texture on whatever metal you're hammering. Clean, shiny tools will also save you extra time that would otherwise be spent cleaning up the hammered metal afterwards.

If you're a subscriber, check out the article in our Online Reference section here at www.ArtJewelryMag.com/reference. (That's under the Web site's Resources tab in case you didn't already know.)

And once you're ready to take that shiny hammer out for a spin, check out the current issue of Art Jewelry magazine.

~Addie~

P.S. If you're not currently a subscriber, you can still see our handy Abrasives grit chart. It lists traditional sandpaper grits in conjunction with the micron-graded equivalents.

P.P.S. If you're curious, you can find out more about the benefits and bonuses of subscribing here.