- NEW DVD Series – Stone Setting with Bezels
- Tube Set Charm by Kim St. Jean
- Prong Basket Pendant by Kim St. Jean
- NEW DVD Series – Stone Setting with Cold Connections
- New DVD Series – Stone Setting with Wire
- NEW DVD Series: Introduction to Stone Setting by Kim St. Jean
- Featured Tool: Bracelet Bending Plier
- NEW Dvd by Eva Sherman
- Fun, Fast Fold Forming DVD Series
- Double Band Ear Cuff from Alex Simkin
Featured Tool April 9: 2-Quart Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine
by Rose Marion, Wire-Sculpture.com
Tool of the Week for
April 9, 2012
This week’s tool: 2-quart Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine, #CLN-520.30
Demonstration by Kate, JewelryTools.com
This ultrasonic cleaner from Euro Tool and Oris Nelson Enerprise is a jewelry-cleaning machine. Great for no-stone wire wrapped pieces and hard stones such as diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. (Don’t clean pieces with soft stones, as the vibrations could harm them). Simply fill the machine with solution and water, add your jewelry, and turn on. This machine is made from steel and has a 1-year warranty. Makes preparing for a show or a photo shoot a snap! |
Click here to see the 2-quart Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine, only available on JewelryTools.com: Click here to see more jewelry cleaning machines on JewelryTools.com
|
Click to Receive Daily Tips by Email
JILL
April 9, 2012 at 7:08 am
What is the best way to clean wire wrapped softer stones/pearls, or chain maille pieces with softer stones incorporated into the design?
Rose
April 9, 2012 at 9:06 am
I have heard great things about the SpeedBrite Ionic Cleaner, Jill! I know Dale has used it successfully.
Frances Lediaev
April 9, 2012 at 8:21 am
This gave me a chuckle when I read the “no-stone”, since we are all wire wrappers! And what do we wrap? Stones! Sorry to say, this is not a useful tip.
Rose
April 9, 2012 at 9:04 am
Thanks for your feedback Frances! I will say though that many wire pieces I’ve seen only involve wire – using weaving, coiling, crochet, or knitting techniques to produce beautiful textures and patterns. Even Dale’s “student’s first piece,” the All-Wire Bangle Bracelet, is “no-stone” — or “all-wire.” Some of my pieces involve cabs, but others only use beads and often just wire. I suppose it’s because I come from a knitting and tatting background.
I’m sorry this tool isn’t useful for you, but perhaps it is for other wire artists here. I simply try to feature an array of tools from JewelryTools.com so that folks cam see what tools are out there to make their jewelry-creating easier.
Best,
Rose
Frances Lediaev
April 9, 2012 at 10:09 am
I was thinking of all of my jewelry pieces I need to clean for this weekend and realized at least 95% have gemstones in them! Is the new trend to make jewelry pieces with only wire?
Rose
April 9, 2012 at 10:46 am
I’m not sure what the trends are in wire jewelry-making I really enjoyed one of the pendants in the recent issue of Wirework that was a woven piece, made with just 2 gauges of wire. But I probably lean toward the wire-only side for two reasons: 1. I like texture more than color, most days; and 2. I’ll run out of stones & beads, but not out of wire If your jewelry has gems, and YOU like it, and your customers like it, go for it! Don’t mind me. But do check out the Speedbrite Ionic online for jewelry with stones.
Jennifer
April 9, 2012 at 9:28 am
Hello,
Curious. Does a cleaner mean that it will remove tarnish from silver wire as well?
Regards,
Jen
Rose
April 10, 2012 at 10:18 am
Hi Jennifer, you can use it to clean silver, but we’d recommend you’d watch it carefully. It doesn’t take long to clean, so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t take too much off!
pam
April 9, 2012 at 12:05 pm
What about Swarovski crystals? I make bracelets with 6mm cubes.
pam
Rose
April 10, 2012 at 10:18 am
It should be fine on Swarovskis, Pam.
Don
April 14, 2012 at 11:03 am
Hey Rose wondering about Druzy agate stones or sea glass that is wire wrapped ? Will this machine hurt these items ?
Rose
April 16, 2012 at 12:16 pm
I would probably use a different cleaning machine for druzies and glass; even though glass & agate/quartz are fairly hard, I wouldn’t risk it. Thanks for asking!