What's your favorite tool? Cleaning my bench, my favorite tools are the oldest I have. Dividers, bench pin used as drilling waste board, ruler, ring clamp.

Missing Australia, so I made myself a sterling black fly. #iykyk Moving there in 2027. 🤞

Second cuff/bracelet based on textured glass I found in Puerto Vallarta. Sterling silver, frosted/satin finish. Further thoughts in comments #tdmw #jewelery #ooak #silversmith

Someday I'll upgrade the "scoop" I use to load the electro-melt furnace. But that day isnt today. #lostwaxcasting #tdmw

Kidney pendant from 2021. Cast in sterling silver from a hollowed-out wax that itself was copied from a rubber toy. Made for a friend who gave a kidney to her mother and who I worked with at the toy store where we sold this rubber kidney. #tdmw #ooak #silversmith #metalwork

I need to start a reference collection of twisted wire patterns. The middle one is half round and round twisted together, will make in silver as a frame around a portrait in a western style buckle. #metalsmith #silversmith #tdmw

Looking at this GRS mount box to upgrade my gold recovery. I have a flimsy box I use rn, when grinding castings, etc. But long term need something sturdier. This one on ebay for $90 shipped. #goldsmith #jewelrymaker #ooak #silversmith #jeweler

Turquoise set in sterling silver ring. The stone size determined to ring size due to the design I chose. Came out to a US size 13 ring. Really happy with how this ring came out. #tdmw #silversmith #jewelry #metalwork

Cast sterling cuff in style of vintage Taxco jewelry was my goal. Inspired by textured privacy glass you find see everywhere in old buildings in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I took a piece home from a building which, like a lot of PV, which will be gone soon, ... #taxco #silversmith #jewelry 1/2

HARD PASS! To whatever you like. I have a growing list where my response will be HARD PASS. Cast bronze lapel pin. Currently only one, but I might some more. #jewelry #lostwaxcasting #metalwork #tdmw

My tribute to Lao Gan Ma brand chili oil with black beans. One of one since they changed the lid to have a sticker instead of printing her image directly on the metal like they used to. #laoganma #jewelry #metalwork

I built a new kiln controller. This time with touchscreen display. This is the 3rd kiln controller I've built. Same Neycraft manual kiln for ~30 years. Need to remove plastic film and finish screwing together, but test fire was 💯 #lostwaxcasting #jewelrymaking #silversmith #metalsmith #goldsmith

The joy of finding you already have the shape of forming stake you were shopping for. #metalsmith #tdmw

Gold is so insanely expensive rn. Shown is ~52grams of 18k gold being alloyed and made into wire. The intrinsic value of the gold is $4173. If I purchased 18K gold wire instead of making it, it would have been an additional $1000 in processing charges. #jewelry #handmade #goldsmith #tdmw

Prototype flask base. It's a challenge to target the 18mm/.75" pour spout (in black below) with a graphite crucible, especially when pouring small amounts for say 1-2 gold rings (15-30g total weight). New funnel is 50mm/2" wide and test pour went well, though flask not well seated for vacuum

New baby, old baby. Graphite crucibles wear out fast. The fresh one is smooth and shiny, the other used ~15 times is a crumbling mess. #lostwaxcasting

Siraya Tech Defiant 25 (1:1) is my new favorite molding silicone. I used to use Sorta-Clear 37 (1:1) and sometimes Sorta-Clear 18 (10:1) It is thinner, trapping less bubbles (I still vacuum after mixing) and cheaper. Durability is TBD. #moldmaking #jewelrymaking #silversmithing #sirayatech #tdmw

Day one Tokyo: I always wondered where the "land" hanging in space on classic Chinoiserie wallpaper etc from Europeans (left, pic 1) was based on. Was it maps (right, pic 2) like this one at Tokyo National Museum that present space in an unusual way? Any art history majors know?

Prototype flask base (right) Vacuum casting when using an electro-melt furnace is a challenge with small flasks b/c the pouring area is so small. Trying to make an improved wider funnel base unless someone knows where do buy something like this commercially? #tdmw #lostwaxcasting #metalsmith

New small studio solution: I now have my rolling mills on wooden skids w/ felt bottoms that slide into place and are bolted down to the bench. Both slide into corner when not in use. Hopefully next studio will have more space. #tdmw #maker #studio #handmade #metalsmith #jewelry

Made this little sabot charm yesterday with the conflagrated idea of the French Resistance and the origin of the word "sabotage". I fear the US is sliding into fascism and acts of resistance small and large will be necessary to stop it. #tdmw #lostwaxcasting #waxcarving #handmade #jewelry #maker

My studio in the snow. I like the snow for about 5 minutes. It's been days and I'm so over it.

New convenience while vacuuming investment: a cheap ($15) percussion massager #tdmw #lostwaxcasting #metalsmith #casting

This was this morning but feels like a metaphor for January. #tdmw #lostwaxcasting #jewelry

Making a chunky 18k yellow gold paperclip bracelet. #tdmw #goldsmith #handmade #jewelry

My "chain library". When I make a chain for a specific piece I will look at my previous samples and make more as necessary until I know what shape wire, what thickness, what size mandrel to form it around, orientation (e.g. half-round wire in or out). #tdmw #metalsmith #handmade #jewelry

Replaced prototype with soldered circuit in my self-built kiln controller based on this project: github.com/jbruce12000/... It was a hassle getting set up, but I love having a web-based kiln controller. #tdmw #lostwaxcasting #metalsmith

Vase with forever flowers of brass. The vase is after another metalsmith's work, but I have no idea who it was-- something I saw online years ago on tumblr. Mine has two lids, one with a large single opening and one with a grid of small openings. #tdmw #metalsmith #handmade

Cock pins. Background context: Women at my former employer frequently had their ideas dismissed until a man parroted the same idea. This job also had a dress code that involved requiring men to wear neck ties. When they rescinded the dress code after ~30 years ... (1/2)