Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts Rings Q&A

Q: I have some beautiful flatwear that I have found at estate auctions but not sure of process. How do I make spoon rings and what tools are needed?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Gluing Settings Q&A

Q: When I glue a crystal fancy stone into the setting, the glue oozes out the sides and makes a mess. What am I doing wrong, and what is the best way to clean off the extra glue without damaging the setting? Thanks.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Memory Wire Q&A

Q: What does one use memory wire for? I bought some thinking that it would stay the way I bent it, and found that it was impossible. Now what do I use it for?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Polishing Jewelry Q&A

Q: What are the pros and cons of using a jewelry tumbler for polishing jewelry as opposed to a hand held rotary tool?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Selling Jewelry Q&A

Q: I'm a new jewelry designer and I was wondering about different ways to promote and sell my one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, do you have any suggestions?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Measuring Q&A

Q: How do you measure beads?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Jumprings Q&A

Q: How do I determine the OD of a jumpring when all I have is the ID and the gauge?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Organizers Q&A

Q: What do you recommend for a work table surface for beading?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Resin Q&A

Q: How can I preserve flowers to be used in resin pendants?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Cleaning Pewter Beads Q&A

Q: How do you clean pewter beads?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Earcuffs Q&A

Q: I am trying to imitate ear cuffs I have previously purchased. One end of the ear cuff is sealed by a bead glued to it. The other end of the ear cut is left raw. How do I soften the cut raw end of the ear cuff so that it doesn't scratch the ear cartilage?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Selling Finished Jewelry Q&A

Q: I'd like to know if it would be practical to promote/sell pieces on more than one website--I suppose I'd also have to split the pieces between sites instead of showing them all on all sites--yes?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Metal Finish Q&A

Q: What does oxidated and anodized mean?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Fringe Q&A

Q: I want to make a seed bead fringe necklace, how does the seed bead stay on the bottom of the fringe, and how do I attach the seed bead onto the chain, and what type of wire or thread do I use to create the fringe. Fringe hangs 10" long by 7 1/2" wide. How is the bottom seed of the fringe secured? Thank you.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Freeform Seed Beads Q&A

Q: What is free form beading?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Right-Angle Weave Q&A

Q: I am new to the right-angle weave. I have watched the video several times. My thread is showing really bad and is loose in some spots. I am using round beads on FireLine thread. What am I doing wrong and also how do I finish it off? Thanks.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Finishing Q&A

Q: When finishing a piece, I don't have a problem with crimping or threading the wire back through the finished beads but I have to pull on it a little too tight for comfort to make sure that the piece doesn't have too much slack in it...and be ruined. Some pieces cannot abide a crimp cover and the crimp will be hidden well but still, is there a secret to achieving the aforementioned task without using a winch?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Right-Angle Weave Q&A

Q: What is the "correct" way of doing 2-needle right-angle weave? Do I keep changing from one needle to the other, or should I try to be a rightie and a leftie at the same time, i.e. keep one needle in each hand?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Metal Patinas Q&A

Q: From what I have read, liver of sulfur turns copper dark or black. I want to take hardened copper and give it the blue-green look it might have developed after being out to sea. Is there a product you can recommend?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Stringing Q&A

Q: What is the best way to thread soft materials like bugtail, cotton, etc. through snug holes? When I thread a woven cotton through a hole that is the exact size of my material I can't use a needle. I end up cutting off a lot of material to get to a new point that's stiff enough to pass through the bead. Is there a hollow needle or wire wrapping technique that will guide the cord end through beads with a similar hole size?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Brads Q&A

Q: I purchased brads and want to use them to connect a piece of filigree to leather. The brad pulls through the leather. What can I do to fix this problem?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Gemstone Drilling Q&A

Q: How do I drill a hole in a gemstone already polished.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Mica Powder Q&A

Q: What is mica powder and what is it used for?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Polymer Clay Embellishment Q&A

Q: How should I use Gilders Paste on polymer clay?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Crimping a 4-Strand Necklace Q&A

Q: I am making a 4-strand necklace, using a triangular spacer at each end. The spacer has four holes at the bottom but only one hole at the top. How do I finish and crimp the wires after they go through the spacer? Will all wires be visible?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Creating Earrings with Wire Q&A

Q: I want to create earrings by bending, shaping, bending back and so on. I design as I go but not sure what gauge and softness to use.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Finding the Strongest Magnetic Clasp Q&A

Q: Which of your magnet clasps would be the strongest? I need some for bracelets which need an extra secure clasp.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Making Wind Chimes With Wire Q&A

Q: I am going to make some wind chimes with glass beads. What type and size wire should I use? Thanks.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Cutting Plated Chains Q&A

Q: What tools should you use to cut silver plate chains?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Soldering Jump Rings onto Jewelry Q&A

Q: Hello, I'm a very beginner at jewelry making. I want to learn how to solder jump rings. I'm using gold-plated brass jump rings and wanted to know the best way to proceed. The jump rings that I'm using are very small and I'm wondering how to solder such small jump rings without heating the rest of the jewelry? Are there any alternative ways to do this?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Soldering Jump Rings Q&A

Q: I am wondering how to solder gold-filled jump rings. I have a soldering iron, what else do I need to purchase? And what size jump rings should I purchase? I need pretty small ones since my jewelry is delicate.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Making Necklaces with Leather Cord Q&A

Q: Question: I want to make necklaces with leather cord. I must buy supple cord so that it falls "flowing" around neck, not stiff. Nothing is mentioned about your leather spools. Please advise, I need all colors, all sizes, and all must be very flexible. Thank you.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Jewelry Torch Recommendations Q&A

Q: I want to do professional jewelry making. I have a micro torch but my pieces are bigger and usually are 10 gauge sterling silver. Can you recommend a torch?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Wire for Heavy Beads Q&A

Q: I am creating a necklace with rather heavy beads and am thinking about using 22 ga wire but have no idea how to finish it. I don’t think there’s a crimp big enough...HELP!

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Best Wire for Hook Clasp Q&A

Q: If I want to make an S-hook shape out of a sterling silver round wire to join the ends of a bracelet, is half hard the best? I know that dead soft is way too soft and malleable, and I think full hard would require way too much force to be able to shape by hand with needle nose pliers.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Beading Wire for Waist Beads Q&A

Q: Is Tigertail good for making waist beads? And if so, which strand is best?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Best Glue for Metal Q&A

Q: How can I seal the glass lockets with stained glass in them so a young child cannot access the glass inside them? What kind of glue would seal the lockets?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Seed Beads Q&A

Q: Hello, I am looking for non-tarnish seed beads to use in my jewelry work. It is so disappointing when the lovely bright metal seed beads go all dark and they spoil the look of my beaded pieces. Can you help please? Thank you.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Elastic Cord Q&A

Q: I live in Denver, CO and I have a problem with elastic cording breaking. My guess is it due to the lack of humidity. What would be the best elastic cording to use that will last?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Drill Bits Q&A

Q: Can you please tell me what type of drill along with drill bits I will have to purchase to drill through the stones like quartz crystal? I currently use a water pump lapidary tool by Gunther but the drill bits are too expensive and they don’t last. I’m looking for another alternative.

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Polymer Clay Q&A

Q: Can polymer clay be painted on with water-based paints? Before or after baking? And what kind of sealer do you use on finished product?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Wire for Suncatchers Q&A

Q: I am making a sun catcher to go outside, hanging on a tree. It will have seed beads (#11 the smallest) as well as large glass beads. What is the strongest wire to use that will go through these beads twice, and will not rust? Do I really need to run the wire through twice?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Wire Q&A

Q: What size wire should I use for wrapping beads to hoops?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Bead Reamer Q&A

Q: How can I enlarge the holes of 10mm stone beads enough to accommodate a 4mm-thick round silk cord?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Memory Wire Q&A

Q: Dear Fire Mountain, what tools should I use to cut and finish my memory wire jewelry?

Read the answer

Ask the Experts Making Ear Wires Q&A

Q: I want to make my own ear wires. What type of wire should I use?

Read the Answer

Ask the Experts Cabs & Faceted Stones Q&A

Q: What is the difference between a gemstone setting designated "low profile" and a setting that does not have the low profile designation? If I have an 8mm stone can I use either setting?

Read the answer

Categories

Tags

about Jewelry Making