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Post by TheRock on Oct 16, 2017 11:01:37 GMT -5
My wife and I have a whole bunch to learn in making jewelry but where is a good source for supplies and tools drillpresses for diamond bits and what is needed. Any direction I sure appreciate it. Thanks ~Duke
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Post by orrum on Oct 16, 2017 11:24:40 GMT -5
China!
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Post by TheRock on Oct 16, 2017 19:55:35 GMT -5
orrum Do you have a company name and address? Thanks manofglass Walt I appreciate your answer. At least one that gives an ounce of brainwork!  ~Duke
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Post by Pat on Oct 16, 2017 20:28:02 GMT -5
Depends.
Which area if jewelry making do you want to explore?
riogrande.com covers a lot: metals, Foredom, packaging materials. Should add that rio and tripps both carry a lot of chains and smithie materials and equipment.
Tripps.com is best for stone setting. Awful website; better paper catalog. Also carry thread for knotting pearls.
diamondpacific.com for cabbing machines.
Hand tools (pliers and wire cutters at a cheap hardware store if to be used for smithing; for beading, get good ergonomic tools. Rio has them.
Anyhow, good luck and enjoy!
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Post by orrum on Oct 16, 2017 20:52:15 GMT -5
Hey pardner look on ebay for what you want. Findings are available and chain and all that stuff. It's good stuff for learning and beggining. A guy on here named BikerRandy got me started. I have since made thousands of cabs and attached them to various ordered from China "stuff". I also have learned quality silversmithing in Quartzsite and wire wrapping and flint knapping and wow yes I do teach Hillbilly Wire Twisting or tge more formally Cold Forge Wire Wrapping. This hobby will both challenge you and grow you in your lapidary skill set. Go RTH, we ROCK!!!
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Post by gmitch067 on Oct 16, 2017 21:32:38 GMT -5
I get most of my supplies from Amazon. You might find items cheaper from other places, but I like the convenience of arm-chair shopping... and I have a "Prime" account. I am not a metal smith, so it restricts me to already produced "Jewelry findings" (that is what you need to look for in your Amazon searches). Many of my gift recipients are 12 years old and younger. I do not want to give them very expensive cab mounts - that they will use and abuse... and loose. For them a cheap mount is just as appreciated as the adults appreciate the sterling silver mounts. I purchased my jewelry making and wire wrapping tools from Amazon also. I bought some beginner books for the Amazon Kindle and followed their advice for what tools were needed. Tela ( rockjunquie ) has a current post dedicated to hand cabbing which you might be interested in: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/80300/hand-cabbing-info-requestAnd... There is a RTH section dedicated to jewelry making and such (see menu for HOME/Lapidary Discussion Topics) You can find some interesting tutorials below that section: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/33/lapidary-diy-articles-tutorials |
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Post by orrum on Oct 17, 2017 7:31:24 GMT -5
Now that's a good post!
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Post by TheRock on Oct 17, 2017 8:53:50 GMT -5
Depends. Which area if jewelry making do you want to explore? riogrande.com covers a lot: metals, Foredom, packaging materials. Should add that rio and tripps both carry a lot of chains and smithie materials and equipment. Tripps.com is best for stone setting. Awful website; better paper catalog. Also carry thread for knotting pearls. diamondpacific.com for cabbing machines. Hand tools (pliers and wire cutters at a cheap hardware store if to be used for smithing; for beading, get good ergonomic tools. Rio has them. Anyhow, good luck and enjoy! Thanks Pat, that's twice I heard the name Rio Grande? |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718 
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Post by Fossilman on Oct 17, 2017 9:57:53 GMT -5
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Post by TheRock on Oct 17, 2017 9:59:44 GMT -5
I get most of my supplies from Amazon. You might find items cheaper from other places, but I like the convenience of arm-chair shopping... and I have a "Prime" account. I am not a metal smith, so it restricts me to already produced "Jewelry findings" (that is what you need to look for in your Amazon searches). Many of my gift recipients are 12 years old and younger. I do not want to give them very expensive cab mounts - that they will use and abuse... and loose. For them a cheap mount is just as appreciated as the adults appreciate the sterling silver mounts. I purchased my jewelry making and wire wrapping tools from Amazon also. I bought some beginner books for the Amazon Kindle and followed their advice for what tools were needed. Tela ( rockjunquie ) has a current post dedicated to hand cabbing which you might be interested in: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/80300/hand-cabbing-info-requestAnd... There is a RTH section dedicated to jewelry making and such (see menu for HOME/Lapidary Discussion Topics) You can find some interesting tutorials below that section: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/33/lapidary-diy-articles-tutorialsThanks for the Info gmitch067 So much to learn and So Much to do and I'm running out of time to do it! I should have started this years ago. |
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Post by Pat on Oct 17, 2017 9:59:50 GMT -5
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Post by TheRock on Oct 17, 2017 10:01:35 GMT -5
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Post by accidentalrockhound on Oct 17, 2017 11:43:46 GMT -5
TheRock, Duke as I am very new to this the only place I have bought from is rio grande jewellery supply. such as flux, pickle, silver solder easy,medium,hard some sheet silver and some hand tools like a bezel pusher/burnished a jewelers saw and blades. very reasonable prices and have had no issues fair shipping cost and fast service and always received my orders earlier then eta. very pleased I have shopped around but always went back to the Rio, granted I only have 3 orders with them I am totally pleased with everything I got. also try your local CL my be surprised also can search surrounding areas with in driving distance. Hope you and your wife enjoy this hobby my family and I feel in love with it in a whole new way, we have come along way since being simple rock hounds, my first lapidary tools were sand paper and a tile say, my second tool was a 2' grinding wheel purchased for 5$ at a fleamarket. and my CL find forever changed or hobby.
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Post by MrP on Oct 17, 2017 12:08:16 GMT -5
I get most of my supplies from Amazon. You might find items cheaper from other places, but I like the convenience of arm-chair shopping... and I have a "Prime" account. I am not a metal smith, so it restricts me to already produced "Jewelry findings" (that is what you need to look for in your Amazon searches). Many of my gift recipients are 12 years old and younger. I do not want to give them very expensive cab mounts - that they will use and abuse... and loose. For them a cheap mount is just as appreciated as the adults appreciate the sterling silver mounts. I purchased my jewelry making and wire wrapping tools from Amazon also. I bought some beginner books for the Amazon Kindle and followed their advice for what tools were needed. Tela ( rockjunquie ) has a current post dedicated to hand cabbing which you might be interested in: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/80300/hand-cabbing-info-requestAnd... There is a RTH section dedicated to jewelry making and such (see menu for HOME/Lapidary Discussion Topics) You can find some interesting tutorials below that section: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/board/33/lapidary-diy-articles-tutorialsThanks for the Info gmitch067 So much to learn and So Much to do and I'm running out of time to do it! I should have started this years ago.  I did. Doesn't matter. Farther behind now then when I started and keep getting farther behind............................MrP |
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fossilpeeps
off to a rocking start
Member since October 2017
Posts: 14 
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Post by fossilpeeps on Oct 17, 2017 12:11:27 GMT -5
It depends on what quality of stuff you want. If you want lower priced chains and findings, there are a LOT of people on Etsy and EBay who are selling such items at low prices. Try www.etsy.com/people/purplemountainbaby?ref=pr_faveshops for chains. There are others on Etsy who sell jump rings and bell caps at good prices. If you go to EBay and put in "18K gold filled chains wholesale" there are a lot of vendors selling nice chains. They are in China or Hong Kong, so it may take up to 2 weeks to receive the items, but you get them a very good prices, and the ones I received are VERY nice! |
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 17, 2017 16:33:39 GMT -5
I hate to be contrary, but buying precious metals from China is a huge gamble. I have never met anyone who wasn't ripped off. I myself have been ripped off, too. China has a bad reputation for selling fake metals. And, IF I were going to do it, I would go to Aliexpress. I bought some black rubber cords with sterling ends. One of the sellers did not send sterling silver and did not send rubber- it was pvc. I know it was because I have used it before. A good place for sterling chains is Dreamland Jewelry. They were recommended her by Don, I believe, I put in an order and was very, very happy with the whole process. Very high quality at a good price. Rio Grande is awesome. Yes, they aren't perfect, but I have been very happy with them and their customer service is excellent! I ordered some coiled wire and they sent spooled wire. I was livid, because it had happened before. Coiling spooled wire is NOT fun. So, I chatted online with them and they gave me the sterling silver wire free and rebated my shipping! I, too, like ebay for a lot of things. BUT- I have noticed lately that a lot of sellers are actually taking orders on ebay and then having it "drop shipped" via amazon prime. This irritates the hell out of me. On ebay, sellers are supposed to ship the NEXT day after payment. These drop shippers don't do that. I count on having my things quickly. So, to me that practice is completely unsatisfactory. |
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Post by orrum on Oct 17, 2017 19:25:10 GMT -5
Hey thanx I like that Dreamland site Tela!
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Post by TheRock on Oct 17, 2017 23:49:52 GMT -5
TheRock , Duke as I am very new to this the only place I have bought from is rio grande jewellery supply. such as flux, pickle, silver solder easy,medium,hard some sheet silver and some hand tools like a bezel pusher/burnished a jewelers saw and blades. very reasonable prices and have had no issues fair shipping cost and fast service and always received my orders earlier then eta. very pleased I have shopped around but always went back to the Rio, granted I only have 3 orders with them I am totally pleased with everything I got. also try your local CL my be surprised also can search surrounding areas with in driving distance. Hope you and your wife enjoy this hobby my family and I feel in love with it in a whole new way, we have come along way since being simple rock hounds, my first lapidary tools were sand paper and a tile say, my second tool was a 2' grinding wheel purchased for 5$ at a fleamarket. and my CL find forever changed or hobby. WoW this Rio grande name keeps poping up over and over I have something to go on now! Thanks Rockhound ~Duke |
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Post by TheRock on Oct 17, 2017 23:57:00 GMT -5
I hate to be contrary, but buying precious metals from China is a huge gamble. You can be contrary all you want Tela, Iv'e seen your work, and the proofs in the pudding. I would rather spend a few bucks more and get good stuff! ~Duke |
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~Duke
