Tips from experts...

To clean the silver;

Cover a plastic pot with aluminium folio. Put 3-4 tablespoon carbonate of soda. Fill the pot with boiling water.  Arange your silvers in the pot such a way that the silvers touch the folio as much as possible. Let stand few hours then wipe them with a soft cloth.

To polish the wax model;

If you want your casted jewellery to be as smooth as possible, you have to polish your finish wax model. You can use a piece of denim fabric for this job. You can even use your blue jeans while sitting enjoying your coffee.  

Q-tips

Like wooden sqewers, and toothpicks, the q-tips can also be used on your flax shaft. Just dip it in your polishing agent and use it  to polish hard to reach areas. 

Diamond magnet;

When you are setting small stones it is very usefull to have a 'diamond magnet'. Stick a piece of sticky wax to a toothpick . With this to pick the stones very easily. Toothpick will prevent the wax melting with the heat from our hands.

To mark the places of stones on a pave setting;

Cover the face of the metal with a thin layer of wax. Pick the stones with 'diamond magnet' and arrange them table down on the wax. After all the stones are in place heat the wax a little just enough to stones sit in there places securely. Let the wax become hard again. Take the stones out with a needle without disturbing the arangement. Now you have an idea where each stone will be setted. You make a hole in the middle of every mark that the stones left on the wax. 

To make a hole with a drill bit.. 

Sometimes it is not easy to make a mark on the metal (maybe the metal is too thin or curved) to drill a hole. Take a sharp object and wherever you want the hole on the metal, turn it to make a point there. After this you can use a normal drill or a ball point drill to make your hole.

Cutting porous stones

When cutting porous stones under mohs hardness of 5, like turquoise, howlite or alike stones soak the stone in water for about a week. This will prevent the stones soaking up cutting oil.

Cleaning of sawing machine

Line the bottom of the saw compartement with a double layer of burlap. When your cutting is finished drain the oil and dispose of the slush accumulated on the burlap easily.

Tumble polishing

Use small pieces of styroform for tumbling media.

Preparing the beading tread

The night before beading hang the beading tread or nymo with a heavy (1/2 to 1 ounce) object to stretch.

Screw a large hole

To place a screw in a hole that is too large place a small piece of steel wool, add a little of white glue.

Marcasite

To preserve it; Wash the stone in 1 heaping tbsp baking soda, 1 quart of water, dry. Dip the marcasite in medium mineral oil and drain. Don't store marcasite in white paper. It forms sulfric acid.

Jewellery cleaner

1/4 cup amonia, 2 tbsp liquid detergent, 1/4 cup vinegar  Mix these items and clean your jewellery.

Cleaning porous stones

Toothpaste with fluorite penetrate the stone and flushes away dirth with water.

To clean silver

 Don't throw away the water in which you boil the potatoes. Wash your silver in it.

Tigereye polishing

Before polishing the tigereye brush a little vinaigre.