Tool Talk - My Favorite Bench Pin
My Favorite Bench Pin
It's been awhile since I've talked more specifically about jewelry skills and tools. And it's been awhile since I've talked to you about tools and I've desperately missed talking about my favorite and most useful jewelry tools.
Disclaimer - I don’t get paid for any of my jewelry tool reviews. I just really love a useful tool and want to share them with you. You can find this bench pin here.
I really do love those moments when you're in a group of jewelers and you all get to geek out on your favorites. This is the driving force behind my Tool Talk videos.
I have found through trial and error, practice and patience, that the tools that work best for me do one of two things - either they produce a better result -OR- they make my life and work easier.
What makes for a better result is going to be different depending on what kind of jewelry you make. For instance, if you produce jewelry with a mirror finish, then a polishing lathe is likely an essential tool for you to have. Personally I don't have one because my jewelry is more rustic and doesn’t require a mirror finish.
What I Look For in a Tool
I look for tools that create more ease in my work, or that make my work more fun and satisfying - my smooth action foot pedal, a hammer that is the perfect size and finish, or the best ever bench pin!
This bench pin from Flow Studio Supply is the bees knees. I'm not even going to make a Tool Talk video about it because there's really nothing to be done with it—you put it into the clamp of your bench pin and voila! Instant fun and way easier to work on.
Why I Love This Bench Pin
I love the expansive surface - great for supporting larger pieces of sheet.
I love that it has two small little cups so I can hold on to diamonds or small bits of gold or silver.
I love that there's a tiny little ledge that allows me to easily saw tubing or a large rods.
And I love how many different slots there are in it to be able to hold my piece exactly how I need to.
I also love that I can write notes using a sharpie (you can even see some of mine) and then wipe it off with alcohol.
And I can still customize it just like my old wooden bench pin. I can still drill into it to hold post earrings and it's super durable because it's made of a durable plastic that is meant to last a long time. This is a similar material to what is used in cutting boards.
Is this tool right for everyone? That's not really for me to say but I love passing along my favorite so that you can test it out for yourself. You can find it in Flow Studio Supply’s Etsy shop. And mega major thanks to Liza from Liza Michelle Jewelry for turning me onto this bench pin in the first place.
Have any questions about this handy tool? drop it in the comments below!
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