Make handy reference tiles for all your enamel colors

Wendy Orlowski's project, "A Fresh Take on Polymer Bead Construction, " appeared in the May 2012 issue of Art Jewelry.

Check out four tools that take all of the difficulty out of cutting metal tubes for your metalworking projects.

Carol Mather's Jerboa Salt with Spoon was featured in Art Jewelry's May 2012 Beyond Jewelry.

We featured Kathleen Nowak Tucci's Selena necklace in the May 2012 issue of Art Jewelry. Download her mom's gourmet chocolate chip cookie recipe that helps Kathleen get scrap rubber for her jewelry projects.

Wendy Orlowski's project, "A Fresh Take on Polymer Bead Construction, " appeared in the May 2012 issue of Art Jewelry.

Download the "Director's Cut" version of the May 2012 Studio Savvy: Under Pressure.

How to Carve One- and Two-sided Cuttlebone Molds

Download the ring template for Maria Apostolou's window-box ring, featured in the March 2012 issue.

How do you make sure you don't waste your time and money? Choose well, prepare correctly, take it seriously, have fun, and follow through.

Download the circle template for Melony Armstrong's Gear Necklace, featured in the January 2012 issue.

The inside diameter of a jump ring is measured by the size of the mandrel used to make it. Some jump-ring manufacturers use mandrels that are measured in fractional inches (like 1/8 in.), while others use mandrels measured in millimeters, which come in quarter-millimeter increments. When choosing jump rings to make a project, this can be confusing. If a project calls for jump rings measured in millimeters, and the store you shop at sells jump rings measured in inches, you may find that there are no rings that perfectly match a straight math conversion (1 in. = 25.5 mm).

 

In this chart, the first figure is the one that the project calls for, if the author used jump rings measured in inches. The number in parentheses following that figure is the exact mathematical conversion to millimeters. The number in the second column is the closest commercially available size in millimeters.

To find the relative hardness of gemstones, jewelers reference this scale. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find a FREE downloadable PDF of the Mohs Scale of Hardness.

Press-n-Peel Blue (PnP) paper was originally invented for etching circuit boards. The paper has become popular with jewelers because you can use it without any special tools to quickly and easily produce photo-realistic etching results. Learn how to use it as an etching resist on metal in this all-levels tutorial.

When you're using gemstones in your metal clay jewelry, be careful which stones you use. Many gemstones may be damaged if you fire them in a kiln or with a torch when you're sintering your metal clay. Use this chart of natural and lab-grown gemstones to see which stones are safe to use in metal clay designs.

Lapidary is the art of cutting stones. Want to learn the lingo? Read on to find out some basic jargon and terms that lapidarists use for equipment, tools, techniques, and more.

Threaded connections are all about the functional beauty of the ascending spiral. When a spiral is cut into a metal hole (tapping) or cut around a piece of rod (threading), you've got the makings of nuts and bolts. First, though, it's helpful to get acquainted with the vocabulary and tools associated with these cold connections.

Use basic lapidary equipment to learn how to cut your first cabochon in this beginner tutorial.

As part of my "Modified States" Studio Savvy column, on page 25 of the May 2010 issue, I showed you how to make three quick modifications to customize your tools. This bonus tutorial will show you how to add an adjustable shim to your tube-cutting jig.

Learn how to make your own texture plates and tear sheets to add customized, low-relief textures to metal clay surfaces in this beginner tutorial. All you need are photocopies of your own drawings or copyright-free patterns and some polymer clay.

Jewelry-making files are an investment, so be sure to buy the ones that meet your needs. There are many different cuts, shapes, and varieties of files; some files are designed to meet very specific needs. When searching for the perfect files for your bench, consider the material you'll be working with, the level of detail you'll need to achieve, and the style of jewelry you'll be making. Use this guide as a reference for choosing the right file. It'll save you time and money. Click below to download the FREE PDF.

Tourmaline is a gemstone of many colors. In this extended version of the Stone Sense column from Art Jewelry magazine's January 2010 issue, learn even more about common species of tourmaline, bicolor and parti-color stones, treated stones, traditional terms used to describe tourmaline, and more.

Learn the parts of a typical ceramic-fiber kiln and common kiln terminology with this basic diagram. This article is an excerpt from "The Care and Feeding of Your Kiln," by Pam East from the March 2009 issue of Art Jewelry magazine.

Learn a freestyle approach to combining bronze and copper metal clay in this all-levels tutorial on a wet overlay technique. You won't have quite the control that you do with the five inlay techniques I show in "Bronze and Copper Clay: Five Ways to Inlay" in the November 2009 issue of Art Jewelry, but unexpected results can be serendipitous! Scroll down to find a FREE downloadable PDF of this tutorial.

In this 20-page tutorial, learn how to work with BRONZclay, including studio setup; storing and working with bronze metal clay; embedding gemstones, glass, and metals; drying and firing; refining; repair; finishing; and more!

Art Jewelry magazine's Metalsmithing 101 columnist Michael David Sturlin shares his sawing exercises for beginners who are just learning how to use a jeweler's saw, or for more advanced jewelry makers who want to hone their skills. For an in-depth tutorial on how to use a jeweler's saw, check out the November 2009 issue of Art Jewelry magazine.

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. Click below to download the FREE PDF.

Use this handy chart to determine which drill bit and saw blade to use for piercing your metal sheet. Click below to download the FREE PDF.

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. Click below to download the FREE PDF.

No need to cut up your magazine! Print this template to use with the project "Scribble into Enamels -- Sgraffito Revealed!" page 32 of the July 2009 issue of Art Jewelry magazine. Click below to download the FREE PDF.