If you’ve got the bug for making your own jewellery, there’s a good chance you’ll want to do it at home. And with many of us spending more time than ever in our own houses, now may be the best time to start thinking about how to make jewellery at home.
Setting up a jewellery workshop at home means you’ll be able to craft unique pieces of jewellery in the comfort of your own living space – it’s a win-win! If this is something you’d like to try, there are a few key components you’ll have to sort out first – from getting the right equipment to understanding health and safety rules. Find out more about setting up a jewellery workshop at home below.
Setting up a jewellery business from home
Whether you’re a silversmith or you prefer working with gold, setting up a jewellery business from home is a great place to start. So, what do you have to do before you can begin setting up a jewellery workshop at home? The two most important things to consider are: having the right equipment and knowing how to go about jewellery making at home safely. To help you on your way, we’ve compiled a list of top tips to ensure health and safety in a jewellery workshop and an example of a jewellery making table setup for inspiration.
Health and safety in a jewellery workshop
Maintaining your safety when jewellery making is key. To avoid any potential damage to yourself or your belongings, here are a few of the most important pieces of safety equipment and advice to follow:
Wear gloves. Especially when dealing with high temperatures or sharp tools, protective gloves or finger protectors are essential.- Use eye protection. Depending on the type of jewellery you’re making, you’ll need suitable eye protection. This could be with safety glasses, goggles or even a face shield if you’re polishing, grinding or drilling metal.
- Wear appropriate clothing. This means wearing close fitting garments without any danger of sleeves or excess material getting caught in equipment or catching on fire. To be on the safe side, we’d recommend wearing a heat resistant apron
- Ensure good lighting. Vital for keeping you safe, good workbench lighting means you’ll reduce the risk of cutting yourself instead of your metal.
- Have a first aid kit handy. Unfortunately, accidents do happen when working with sharp objects and fire, so to prevent any further damage make sure you have a first aid kit nearby. It needs to be fully stocked with plasters, tape, gauze, hydrogen peroxide and an eyewash kit.
Jewellery making table setup
Now we’ve gone through some of the key features for maintaining health and safety in a jewellery workshop, it’s time to set up your workbench. A jewellery making table is perhaps the most essential piece of equipment when it comes to setting up a jewellery business from home, so it’s important to make sure you get your setup right. Before 
you start setting up a jewellery workshop at home, there are a few essential pieces of kit you’ll need:
- A workbench. Depending on the type of jewellery you’ll be making, the size of your workbench will vary. Workbenches often come with a range of helpful features like tool organisers and graduated drawers for efficient storage.
- An adjustable chair. Maintaining the right posture when jewellery making is important for keeping backache to a minimum. So to ensure you’re sitting properly, we’d recommend you get an adjustable chair to keep you comfortable and supported while working. Keep in mind that the way you sit at your workbench is very different to an office desk. You should sit significantly lower, making sure that your neck is not looking down and strained as you work.
- Lighting. If the room you’ll be working in isn’t the brightest, you’ll need to find a source of light. Choose from a range of lighting options, including desk lamps, overhead lighting and even LED headbands.
- Storage. To keep your workshop organised, there are plenty of storage solutions you can use to keep your equipment out of your way while working.
- Basic workshop equipment. To ensure a smooth process, stock up on all the basic workshop equipment you need before starting with your designs.
And that’s everything! Now you have all the information you need for setting up a jewellery workshop at home, it’s time to get creative. Check out our business advice hub if you’re looking for guidance on setting up a jewellery business from home today.
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