Thanks so much Lucy. I’m in the US, in the New York area. Half my problem is that I asked the crew doing the clean up not to touch my tools or my bench, and they didn’t listen. They seemed to have thrown whatever they thought was salvageable in random boxes and tossed the rest 🤦🏼‍♀️ I’m grateful I managed to save my Durston mill and it’s now…

Read more

Thank you so much for the information! I will take a look at them both.

Hi guys, I haven’t been too active in the forums for a while because I lost my studio space (and half our house) in a flood in January. We’ve been living in temporary housing and I was really missing making stuff, so I was able to pick up a free wooden kitchen island and a locking tool cabinet so I could make my self a little space in the…

Read more

Thank you for all the great information! I can always count on this group for support and knowledge. Has anyone tried sandcasting with it?

So, not a specific class question, but I’ve been seeing some very beautiful pieces people are making lately out of bronze. It seems to have a rosy tone to it, almost like rose gold. How easy/hard to work with compared to copper or sterling? Where does one get high quality bronze sheet or wire? Does it tend to cause the same skin reactions…

Read more

I have to admit I’ve become totally addicted to sandcasting (I just got Craig’s large flask, can’t wait to use it!) but am still a total newbie….. I asked what I thought was a very innocent question in one of Craig’s FB groups the other day, and accidentally sparked a very heated debate!

I do not ever wear gloves when I am doing…

Read more

Hi Lucy! Do you actually have plans to add the aprons to your online shop? I’m in desperate need of something fire retardant and I think the design is adorable. I’ve managed to burn holes in all the kitchen aprons I’ve tried using 😳 Would live to purchase one if/when they become available. Thanks!

Ok, so I’m officially hooked on sand casting! I’m enjoying so much I feel like I really want to get a 3D printer but I know almost nothing about them and have a million questions🤦🏼‍♀️ For starters, do you really need a resin printer? I’m not sure if jewelry module can be successfully printed on a filament printer? I work in a very small…

Read more

Thanks Tammi! Your work looks great! I will check out that supplier. Right now I’m having a hard time figuring out what to use to make a mold. I’m just practicing, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

Hi guys! So glad Lucy added the sand casting classes, I’ve wanting to try sand casting and finally have the courage to give it a go. I was really excited about the casting stones in place part, but bummed when I saw that the stones you can do it with are pretty limited. Sapphires and rubies aren’t in my budget, so I’m wondering what you…

Read more

Thanks Lucy! I actually posted in Anie’s group the other day and asked if it was “cheating” to use the scratch eraser instead of going through all the grits if my metal wasn’t too scratched, and everyone agreed that that’s actually one of the best uses for it😂 I was checking out the durston mills and the guillotine as well, but I u think at this…

Read more

Hi guys, I’m a fairly new Jooltool owner and let’s just say, I know understand the woman on another thread who said it was the first thing she would save in a house fire! 😂 I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of how to use it and what it can do though. Lucy, would you consider making some videos with tips for Jooltool users? I…

Read more

Hi guys! I’ve been with Lucy for about 6 months and I’ve learned so much! I’m fairly new to metal smithing, and I’d love to meet some people in the area that are interested in meeting up virtually or in person. Would love some company to go supply shopping at the wholesalers in manhattan sometime. Send me a message if any of that interests you 😀

Hi guys. I’m having a week, and just felt the need to bang around my studio and make something to feel better. I have a pretty oval labradorite that I’ve been wanting to make into a ring, so I made a bezel for it out of 28 gauge fine silver bezel wire I had left from another project. I haven’t soldered it to a back plate yet. Then I watched the…

Read more

Thanks Tammy, I appreciate the feedback. Maybe I will try a pair of bifocals and see how that works.

Thanks Barb!

Wow, I didn’t even know that was an option! I’m going to order some. I’m glad you said hand cutting the shanks is crazy- I’m certainly not super skilled, but at least I know I’m not the only one that feels it’s too time consuming! I don’t have a mill yet though. I would imagine the metal would thin out a bit with hammering, but would it still be…

Read more

Thanks for the tips Travis! I appreciate it. Honestly, this is embarassing, but the part that takes me the longest is cutting out the ring band because no matter how much I’ve practiced, I can’t cut straight with my saw on anything longer than a short cut So the width ends up uneven and I spend a lot of time filing etc to get it straight.…

Read more

Hi Alaina, I realize this is an old thread but I just stumbled on it today. So I bought a very similar pair off Amazon for about the same price and really like them, except that working distance (focal length) is too far for me. I have to hold my work at arms length for it to be in focus. The focal length on mine is 420 which I notice is…

Read more

Hi Travis, I’ve finally gotten to the point where I am ready to start selling my spinner rings. I made one in copper just for practice but I really liked how it looks so I’m thinking of offering a copper inner band as well as sterling. How do I know how to price my rings? I’m too new at this to be fast yet, so if I went by my time no one…

Read more

I was just thinking of decoration, but I’ll see what it looks like as it comes together. I think I made my band a little wide- I started with 15mm because I figured I would be sanding it a bit etc. I imagine after you flare it though it gets a little narrower? Do you just have samples our on your table and then take custom orders? I’ve avoided…

Read more

Thanks Travis! By 10 and 13mm do you mean the width of the inner ring band? Also, I was thinking of trying to add some silver balls to the edge of my inner ring band which is copper. Do you think I should solder them to the upper edge of the outer surface of the ring? I was thinking about soldering them to the top edge, but not sure how…

Read more

I only have regular width ring sizing thingies. I couldn’t find wide ones. How do I know how much bigger I need the band to be to account for the width? Thanks!

I’m not sure this is the appropriate place to ask this question, but I couldn’t figure out where else to post it. I sometimes make charms from stones that hang from a bail and jump ring for necklaces I make. Lately, quite a few of the stones I’ve gotten aren’t drilled properly, and I have also amassed a collection of stones that are…

Read more

Ooh, so hard to choose! I need lots of practice! But I think the octopus set would be great for me! Thanks Lucy!

Hi guys! I’m pretty new to the group, and to metalsmithing in general. Having a ball though! So I really only have a flex shaft at this point which I’m figuring out how to use for many different things, but I don’t have any type of grinding or polishing equipment yet. I’ve been fascinated by the jooltool, but figured it was out of reach for…

Read more

This isn’t an answer but a similar question- with opaque stones, is there any reason to cut out the backplate? Is it just to save material? Not sure what I’d do with a piece that tiny anyway. I’m thinking about trying to bezel set a pink opal, and I understand they’re kind of fragile. Would keeps be the backplate intact protect the stone better?

Thanks for the advice Carmen! I didn’t realize that the quick change hand piece only took one size. My current rotary tool I switch out the collet size to use different size bits. Most of the higher quality ones I’ve purchase recently are the 3/32 size, but I do have some dremel bits that are not that size. Definitely food for thought. Also…

Read more

Thanks Lucy. I did get the Busch drill bits, and learned I had to lubricate them, so that made a huge difference! I did try to play with some new Busch ball burs yesterday (with burr life) and found them difficult to control, but I’m sure I just need practice. Do you recommend starting on a slower speed? My tool has a dial speed control, so…

Read more

Thanks for answering my post Lucy! So here’s my question about the flex shaft- this is what I’m currently using (didn’t buy it for jewelery, I already had it. https://www.worx.com/20v-makerx-rotary-tool-wx739l.html

Would a flex shaft be very different from this? The major problem I have is pieces getting very hot while I use it, which makes…

Read more

Rachel,

Thanks for all the great advice, and congrats on winning the challenge! I loved your piece and thought it was stunning! I can only hope to get anywhere near that level of skill and creativity some day! Currently, what I have is actually a workX maker tool, which is like a flex shaft hand piece but functions about as well as a dremel…

Read more

So I want to try the chunky chain class, but I have a few questions….Do you have to (or recommend) using both square and flat wire? I feel like the square wire might be a little challenging for me to work with. Also, If you want to make oval rings, do you need to have an oval mandrel? Couldn’t I just use my round mandrel and than reshape…

Read more

My husband would say the same! 😂 But they don’t realize that it’s not the point. We are doing this to learn how to use the saw well. Of course if you needed to make 50 of them, you wouldn’t want to do it by hand, but we’re here to learn. My husband will never get that!

Thanks Lucy! I have been eyeing laser cutters myself for a while😂 I definitely need the practice with the saw though.

Thanks Travis!

When Lucy is finishing the pendant in this class, is the 3m polishing paper at the end taking the place of using a felt buff with polishing compound. Is it better to use the paper? Also, I completely get why we are learning all the steps, and I am working on perfecting them, but it seems like a saw pierced pendant with any kind of intricate…

Read more

Thanks Lucy! I like the idea of the punch because I’m too nervous around the stones to use a hammer directly. I will definitely use some tape next time! At least I’m learning a lot 😂 I love your classes and this group. ❤️

I did use a small ball peen hammer for the texture. Sadly, last night while I was trying to repair a bar I had soldered to the back plate to hold it on the leather band I’m using, I wasn’t careful enough with my heat and I totally discolored the center stone 😩 I pulled it out and ordered a new one the same size, but I don’t know that the new…

Read more

Hi everyone, I’m totally new at this. I made a textured backplate for a bracelet, and I bezel set 3 stones on it. I scratched the backplate a little when I was setting the stones. It’s textured, so it doesn’t show as much, but I’d like to try to blend it in a little. I’m afraid to sand too much because I don’t want to loose all the texture.…

Read more

Thanks so much Travis. I will see what color it looks good with. I can post a picture later.

Hi guys, I’m a beginner, so forgive all the questions, but I want to add this opal to a pendant and I’m going to bezel set it. Not sure if I’m going to use silver or copper yet. My question is, since it’s a translucent stone, should I leave the back open? If so, do I need to solder the bezel to a back plate and then cut it out the way lucy does…

Read more

Thank you! Nice to see it in action!

Thanks for taking me through your process Ali! It was very helpful. I like the idea of designing around stones…..

Hi guys! I am really trying to do this, but I just joined so I am starting late and I am a beginner. I’m having trouble making a design that I love that is actually something I’m capable of making at my current skill level. I can solder and have made a few bezels (far from perfect!) and I’m learning saw piercing, but finding it hard to…

Read more

I’m brand new here, and very new to metal smithing, but I’d like to try to participate. I don’t know anything about rendering drawings though, I usually just draw things only I understand in pencil😂 Am I crazy to even try to learn how to render designs and submit something with only a month left? Thanks!