Comments on: What Unofficial Jewelry Tools Do You Use?

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:17:44 +0000

I buy small pliers at flea markets for very little cost. I have a flat nose pair that I glued a piece of leather to on to the inside of each side of the pliers. I use this to straighten wire and it works great.

By: Getting Cheap or Free Supplies for Making Jewelry

Getting Cheap or Free Supplies for Making Jewelry — Sun, 06 May 2012 05:41:30 +0000

[...] What Unofficial Jewelry Tools Do You Use? Can’t afford jewelry tools? In this fun discussion, jewelry artists reveal their “unofficial” tools – ordinary household items that work quite well for making jewelry. (Be sure to read through all the comments at the bottom of the post.) [...]

By: carol

carol — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:11:47 +0000

alligator clips crazy glued to party stiks with color beads used to stop beads from falling off my bead wire….:)

By: Tina Jensen

Tina Jensen — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:29:38 +0000

One great tool was recommended to me by my local bead store when I went looking for a bead reamer. They use a spark-plug file from the automotive supply store, which has multiple heads in different sizes. The heads all fold inside the handle, making it compact and travel-friendly. My darling husband got me one for my Christmas stocking so I don’t know how much it cost, but it must have been less than $10 and will have many uses for years to come.

By: Leslie Schmidt

Leslie Schmidt — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:19:47 +0000

I love to use the black plastic lids from the small ice cream containers (i.e. Ben & Jerry’s) to sort my beads (by size and color), and the spoon to scoop them around my bead board or putting the beads into small plastic baggies. I keep my beads in usually 3″ x 5″ baggies (or smaller or larger as needed) with the shipping label and manufacturer labels attached or inside with individual bead pricing right on the labels. Then these go into my Sterilite three-drawer containers I get at Target (I have at least 20 of these stacked up). I sort my beads by color and by type (glass, acrylic, silver, gold, copper colors). I keep my tools on/in a easy-carry wooden container that is meant for silverware and napkins for a table. My bead boards are placed in a one-inch baking sheet with sides that I also buy (a two-pack) at Target. I line them with shelf liner as the liner doesn’t slip around like a bead mat and the bead boards also don’t slip around. I have six of these made up and often with projects in progress stacked up on my table ready to work on whenever I have time.

By: kipawa

kipawa — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:18:57 +0000

I use a 7 day pill box to organize my jumprings, crimpbeads, earring hooks and other findings. compact way to carry them around (in my handbag too).

By: Mary Anne

Mary Anne — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:45:38 +0000

My favorite hammer is one of those triangular hammers the doctor bounceson knees to test for reflexes! Its a soft triangular rubber with a rounded tip…perfect for getting into small spaces – like the intricate crocheted wire rings I have been making lately. I got it at American Science Center for $2.00, and I have never seen anything like it sold in jewelry supplies catalogs.

By: Cyreathia

Cyreathia — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:14:57 +0000

So many excellent tips listed above. I use the small parts bins sold at the hardware stores to store my beads and findings. I also use the weekly medicine containers to take extra findings (ear hooks/leverbacks, etc) to the shows so when someone likes a pair of earrings, but not the hook I can easily switch them out. Harbor Freight is my candy store. I can browse for hours. I have purchased their magnetic tool holder strip and attached it to my bench. Easily holds my pliers and other tools so I don’t lose them in my messy bench.

By: Pauline M.

Pauline M. — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:52:58 +0000

All these idea’s are great! I have used all kinds of antique kitchen tools, to old fridge shelves to hold ink stamps and such. Rolling pins, round light bulbs and metal pie tins adorn my craft room. If it’s not bolted down, it stands a good chance of being used at one time or another. My favorite tool however is a darling stuffed monkey my husband bought me years ago. I use it to display my newest jewelry creations. My family no longer wants to model for me. My monkey has never complained. Thanks Rena for all you do.

By: Sue

Sue — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 17:56:50 +0000

I use a dental pick to clean out the holes of beads or spacers that have debris left in them. If you ask your dentist he or she might give you an old one they don’t use any longer.

I used to make jewelry out of real rose beads and the dental pick is great for drilling out a hole in the center in order to place it on jewelry wire.

I love everyone’s ideas!