Friday Favorites: 2019 Holiday Gift Guide for the Aspiring Jewelry Maker
/The holidays are here! If you are shopping for the perfect gift for a crafty family member or or yourself, this holiday gift guide for aspiring jewelers has ideas for every budget. Whether it’s copper electroforming, being or silversmithing these are the items on every jeweler’s wish list! I would consider myself an expert on all things jewelry making, so rest assured I’ve included items I personally own, use and absolutely love.
Copper Electroforming
TekPower Power Supply
TekPower has always been a reliable brand for power supplies and they are simple to use for beginners. I always recommended the 3-amp power supply for beginners who want a smaller setup. I see TekPower has come out with a new and pretty 5-amp power supply in a sleek black look, and the price is unbeatable.
Dremel Rotary Tool
If you have a rotary tool and several bits to grind, shape and polish then that’s all you’ll need for this craft. I’ve always been a Dremel fan. They are reliable and stand the test of time. Another great option is a flex shaft. A flex shaft is great because it’s a smaller tool and you hold it in your hand like a pencil so you can o more detailed work. The great thing about Dremel is they offer a flex shaft attachment so you get the both of best worlds.
Silversmithing
Soldering Torch
There are two types of torches you can get, one is a butane torch which is smaller and less powerful but they’re great for soldering tiny pieces together without melting your metal. I personally use a butane torch by Dremel and it works great for all my jewelry needs. But if you want to solder bigger pieces of metal then you’ll need to get a torch with a big tank using either propane, acetylene gas, MAPP gas, etc.
Metal Files
For shaping your metal pieces you can’t beat the usability of metal files. Grobet makes some of the best files on the market, and their prices are very affordable. Metal files come in all shapes and sizes so I can’t go over all of them in this gift guide so I’m just going to share the top 3 metal file types every jeweler should have on their bench.
Jewelers Hammers + Mallets
Like files, there are many types of hammers and mallets that jewelers need in their arsenal. But, for a beginner jeweler here’s my recommendation on the main 4 types of hammers and mallets that get most jobs done.
Ring Sizing Tools
Rings are the most loved pieces of jewelry to purchase, wear and make, in my humble opinion. When I first started making jewelry all I wanted to make were rings. But it can be a pain to figure out what size to make so these next tools will help with just that.
No matter your choice of jewelry making these tools are invaluable to have at your bench. So which present are you most excited to see underneath your Christmas tree this year?
