{"id":6601,"date":"2017-01-23T09:30:23","date_gmt":"2017-01-23T09:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cooksongold.com\/blog\/?p=6601"},"modified":"2021-11-17T10:04:09","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T10:04:09","slug":"jewellery-finishing-techniques-and-tools-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cooksongold.com\/blog\/learn\/jewellery-finishing-techniques-and-tools-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"Jewellery Finishing Techniques For Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In our final installment of this beginner jewellery making tools<\/a> series of blogs, we walk you through the tools of the trade you\u2019ll need to refine and finish your latest precious metal projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jewellery<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like coming to the end of a long jewellery making project and reaching that rewarding stage of There\u2019s nothing quite like coming to the end of a long, jewellery making project and reaching that rewarding stage of finishing the piece for a professional look and high shine. As a beginner, you may need some guidance when it comes to jewellery finishing techniques for metal pieces and tips on how to use certain jewellery polishing tools. Use our advice below on three jewellery finishing techniques for beginners and the accompanying tools you need to transform your pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The different jewellery finishing techniques:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sanding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When working with precious When working with metal jewellery pieces you\u2019ll inevitably need to sand them, especially after soldering. Sanding jewellery is a necessary jewellery polishing technique as excess metal may have been left behind, as well as fire scale, pickle residue and any potential scratches caused when constructing the piece. It is also important to prepare your pieces for polishing by sanding them \u2013 the more work you put into this pre-polishing stage, the easier it will be to create a professional shine. Working by hand in this pre-polishing stage will give you greater control over the pressure you put onto the metal, and it will allow you to file away any marks or scuffs for a fine surface ready for polishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tools for sanding metal that you\u2019ll need include:<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emery Paper and Sticks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invest in sanding sheets with varied grades. Using the coarsest sanding paper (400 grit) through to the finest (1200 grit) will give you the best results. Using flexible sheets also means that you can wrap them around buffing sticks for use with pieces with curved edges. Buffing sticks are a great investment. Simply replace the emery paper when spent and continue to sand your jewellery pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tumble or Barrel Polishing Jewellery<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tumble or barrel polishing jewellery is an efficient way of polishing metal jewellery when you have a lot of small pieces to get through, saving you time and effort polishing intricate pieces by hand. Also known as \u2018barrelling machines\u2019 or \u2018rotary polishers\u2019, they use steel shots (small, round and pointed steel pieces) to reach every surface of your metal pieces while tumbling in the machine. A soap solution or polishing compound, known as \u2018Barrelbrite\u2019, is also mixed with water and added to the barrelling machine before the machine\u2019s motor tumbles all the materials inside, leaving you with a professional finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tools you\u2019ll need for barrel polishing jewellery:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrelling machine<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steel shot<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrelling compound<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start out with a barrelling starter kit<\/a> as this will include all the elements you need to get going: the\u00a0barrelling machine, steel shots, and barrelling compound. However, it\u2019s important to remember that tumbling your pieces will not remove scratches or marks in your metal. Taking the time to remove any scuffs by hand by sanding before you take the next step will mean that your jewellery will have a more refined finish. As you\u2019re starting out in your jewellery making career you may want to invest in a barrelling machine once you\u2019ve mastered sanding and polishing by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electric Polishing Mop<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drill polishing with a specialised, handheld, electric polishing mop tool is an excellent way of getting accurate results with your jewellery. All the polishing burrs you use in conjunction with your handheld polishing tool have a slightly different function, so it may be worth investing in a\u00a0beginner\u2019s drill polishing kit<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 this will give you all the attachments required to improve on your jewellery finishing techniques for metal, without having to invest in more technical mop polishing motors just yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage you\u2019ll need to be most concerned with small, soft polishing mops<\/a> as opposed to more abrasive discs. Electric polishing mops come in varying sizes and are made with different materials such as felt, calico, wool, and swansdown. A denser mop made from felt or calico should be used in the first stages of polishing. You should then move onto using a softer mop made from wool or swansdown for the final buffing stages. Remember to apply a polishing compound generously to your mop before you begin polishing \u2013 an all-purpose polishing compound is the ideal choice for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tools you\u2019ll need:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rotary drill<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polishing mop kit<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polishing compound<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that using a motorised tool creates a lot of heat and debris, so always take the necessary safety precautions before working on your jewellery finishing techniques. Make sure the room you\u2019re working in is well ventilated and that you are wearing safety glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A large polishing motor can be used to an excellent finish and shine with your precious metal jewellery projects. However, as a beginner, you may first want to refine all of the jewellery finishing techniques for metal that are required by hand before considering an investment in an industrial-sized polishing motor. When it comes to intricate surface finishing techniques with large motors and mops, they can be difficult to master as they require a large amount of skill as well as safety awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By slowly mastering the jewellery finishing techniques for metal, including sanding, tumbling and polishing, then you will then be able to move onto using more complex tools and techniques for that perfect finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to know more about which tools you should invest in as a beginner jeweller? Take a look at our comprehensive  Guide to Beginner Jewellery Making and Jewellery Making Tool<\/a>s<\/a> to help you become a master jeweller.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In our final installment of this beginner jewellery making tools series of blogs, we walk you through the tools of the trade you\u2019ll need to refine and finish your latest precious metal projects. There\u2019s nothing quite like coming to the end of a long jewellery making project and reaching that rewarding stage of There\u2019s nothing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1785],"tags":[608,159,29,610,30,1775,324,325,622,99],"class_list":["post-6601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-polishing","tag-guide","tag-jewellery-guide","tag-jewellery-making","tag-jewellery-making-guide","tag-jewellery-tools","tag-legacy","tag-polishing","tag-polishing-motor","tag-polishing-tools","tag-tools"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nJewellery Finishing Techniques For Beginners | The Bench<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to finish your designs to the highest standard with our guide to jewellery finishing techniques. 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