Introducing The Basic Tools & Materials

Get Stocked Up With Everything You Need For This Class

Woaaah, put your wallet away, my friend!

Before you dive into purchasing all these tools and materials, please remember, we always recommend that you watch the class in full and check out the handouts before going out and buying the tools. You can watch the class as many times as you like to figure out which tools are best for you. So grab some popcorn or a coffee and enjoy the class (before you get out your wallet)!

Jewelry-making tools with rings, gemstones, and a vise on a wooden surface.

Remember, it’s not the size of your tool collection - it’s what you do with them that counts. Without further ado, here’s your one-stop-guide to every single tool we demo during this class (remember, you don’t need all of these!)

Ready to Get Started Creating Stunning Soldered Rings?

The good news is, these aren’t just useful for this class alone. Most of them (aside from the consumables) will last your entire jewelry-making career, and can be used on a variety of different projects.
Check out our top picks for:
Assorted gemstones of various colors and cuts displayed on wooden blocks and a white surface.

Materials

See what metals, wires and gemstones we recommend using for this Rings Within Rings class.
Skip To Materials
Screwdriver with multiple bits on wooden surface.

TOOLS

Get your studio kitted out with all the tools you need for these intermediate techniques.
Show Me The Tools
Magnifying glass with a black grip and silver rim resting on a wooden surface.

Magnification

Make stone setting a helluva lot easier with our favorite magnification options.
Check Out Magnification

Materials Guide

Check out what metals, wires, and gemstones we recommend to bring your stunning soldered rings to life. The best part about this project is how customizable it is to your unique style, so let your personality shine as you choose your gems and wire!

Metals & Wire

Where to Buy Metals & Wire:

A round icon displaying the flag of the United States, with red and white stripes and white stars on a blue field.

USA: Rio Grande, Otto Frei, Stuller, Hoover and Strong, Halstead, Allcraft

Flag of the European Union: blue background with a circle of 12 yellow stars.

Europe: K A Rasmussen, Herens & Herens, Bijou Moderne, Cookson Gold

A circular icon featuring the Canadian flag with a red maple leaf in the center and two red bars on either side.

Canada: Ormex

A circular icon depicting the Australian flag with a blue field and white stars on a circular background.

Australia: Koodak Palloys

A circular icon of the United Kingdom flag with a blue background, red cross, and white diagonal stripes.

UK: Cooksons, Betts Metal, Bellore Rashbel

Brazilian flag with a green field, yellow diamond, and a blue globe with stars and a white band.

South America: Fornitura

For more worldwide suppliers, check out our Suppliers and Discount page within the Metalsmith Academy.

What You May Need:

Silver chopsticks and a wooden board on a light surface.
16 gauge (1.3mm) or 18 gauge (1mm) sterling silver sheet for the ring band

The amount required will depend on the size and width you wish to make each ring band (but 7cm x 2cm should be more than enough for 2-3 rings).

A blank white square card on a light wooden surface.
18 gauge (1mm) sterling silver sheet for the domed portion of the setting

2cm x 2cm will be more than enough for this project. Hard, half hard or dead soft is perfectly fine for this. However, if you do purchase hard or half hard, you will need to anneal this before forming your dome.

Silver chains draped over a light wooden surface with a light background.
Beaded or twisted sterling silver wire for the outer ring bands

I used 1.9mm beaded wire in the handout and 1.5mm beaded wire in the video.  The size you choose is entirely up to you.  You can also use plain round wire or any other wire if you prefer. Halstead and Rio Grande have a great selection in the USA. Cooksons would be my go-to in the UK.

Close-up of a wooden board with several braided silver cords draped over it.
Beaded or twisted wire for the bezel setting border

5cm should be enough for one ring, but it does depend on the size of your stone.  I used 12 gauge twisted wire in the handout and 16 gauge twisted wire for the video – again, this is entirely personal preference. The size you choose is entirely up to you. You can also use plain round wire or any other wire if you prefer.

Coiled silver wires resting on a wooden board with a light background.
16 gauge sterling silver wire for the bezel seat

4cm should be enough for one ring, but it does depend on the size of your stone.

Three thin strips in red, orange, and green on a light wooden surface.
20 or 22 gauge wire silver solder in hard and medium and easy

I like to use 22 gauge wire solder which I roll out as thin as possible using a rolling mill. You can also do this with a hammer if you don’t have a mill.

Gemstones

Where to Buy Gemstones:

A green checkmark icon on a teal circular background.

Lucy Walker Jewelry Bazaar

A green checkmark icon on a teal circular background.

Rare Earth Minerals

A green checkmark icon on a teal circular background.

Gems By Genovese

A green checkmark icon on a teal circular background.

Clam Shell Gems

For cheap-as-chips cabochons you can practise with, check out Ali-Express (they might not be real, but they’re cheap!)
The best place to buy gemstones is really at a gem show. If you can find one locally, it’s always worth the trip!

What You May Need:

Round cabochon or rose cut gemstone (7-10mm is ideal)

Assorted colorful gemstones on a wooden surface, including blue, red, green, and pink stones.

We cover bezel setting a 7.3mm rose cut in a bezel setting as part of the class. Ideally, you’ll want a cabochon with a flat base for an easier life, however this style will work with cabochons that have slightly domed bases.

Shop Gems in Our Online Bazaar Here
Assorted colorful gemstones on a wooden surface, including blue, red, green, and pink stones.

Tools Guide

FYI: in this intermediate class, we won’t be covering any basic tools or soldering equipment - we assume you’re set-up with the soldering basics like saws, files, flex shafts etc. If you don’t have these on-hand, we recommend picking a different, less advanced class altogether, like our Bezel Set Pendant and Chunky Bezel Set Ring classes.

Where to Buy Tools (With Cheeky Discounts!)

Please enter the code at checkout for an exclusive discount.

Coupon with "Gesswein" on the side and "LWA21 (5% discount)" in the center.
Discount coupon for Otto Frei: code "LWAY5" for a 5% discount on orders over $100.
Pepe Tools discount code "LUCYW24" for 5% off, with a teal and white design.
Coupon with "Microtools LWROCKS (3% discount)" text, teal and white design.

What You May Need:

Remember, you do NOT need everything listed here! Many of these tools do the same thing.
This is simply your one-stop-shop to every tool we discuss in this class:

Red-handled pliers on a white background.
Reverse Action Ring Opening Pliers

Super handy for opening up joins in ring bands and bezels to place solder.

See ExampleBudget Version
Pair of metal pliers with blue handles on a white background.
Flat and Half-Round Pliers

With one flat and one half round jaw, these pliers are ideal for basic light-weight work such as forming ring bands.

See Example
Close-up of a pair of needle-nose pliers with blue handles on a white background.
Flat and Round-Nose Pliers

With one flat and one round jaw, these pliers are again ideal for basic light-weight forming work requiring tighter bends than the flat and half round pliers previously mentioned.

See Example
Two metal wire cutters with black blades on a white background.
Maun Parallel Pliers

Parallel jaw pliers are a must in my opinion. A budget option of these is available, but Maun are certainly the best, and more comfortable to use.  I recommend the flat nose, and chain nose options.

See Example
Two wire cutters with orange and blue grips on a white background.
Flush Cutters

Flush cut snips, as they’re also known as, are another must. You get what you pay for with these and my favorite brand by far is Tronex – however they are a little pricey.  Second in line and more reasonably priced are Xuron.

Tronex Flush CuttersXuron Flush Cutters
A metal crimping tool with a flat, rectangular jaw labeled "STAINLESS PAKISTAN.
Ring Bending Pliers with Nylon Jaws

Great for helping to close up heavier gauge ring bands without leaving marks on your metal.

See Example
Diagonal cutting pliers with white handles on a light background.
Ring Bending Pliers

If you’re intending to make rings with heavier gauge metal and you don’t have strong hands – these are a big help.

See Example
Pliers with black handles and white tips, used for gripping objects without scratching.
Ring Forming Pliers

Handy to have for forming rings, but not really necessary – the main issue with these is they only come in one size.

See Example
Rubber mallet with a wooden handle on a white background.
Dead Blow Mallet

If you’re going to buy a mallet, buy a dead blow mallet. There’s steel shot inside, so this mallet really packs a punch.

See Example
Silver mechanical pencil with a red ring near the top, on a plain white background.
Ring Mandrel

If you’re going to make rings, you’re really going to need one of these. Never blindly trust the measurements on these things though, always check it against the ring sizing set you’re using at the time to make sure the sizes match.

See Example
Metal ring sizer gauge set with multiple rings on a loop against a white background.
Ring Sizer / Finger Gauge

If you’re going to make rings, you’re going to need a set of these.  Again, don’t trust these blindly, always measure! I’d suggest getting a couple of sets in different widths if you plan on making a lot of rings.  

See Example
Manual metal sheet cutting machine with gray body and lever handle.
Durston Tools Guillotine Shear

For sure, you don’t need this just for this project, but I just wanted to make sure I linked to the exact one that I used in the class. It certainly saves a lot of time cutting straight lines with a saw frame.

See Example
Hand press machine with a lever and multiple molds on a rectangular base.
Durston Tools Ring Stretcher

Again you really don’t need one of these, but they are exceptionally handy to have.

See Example
A small metallic mechanical component with two protruding threaded connectors.
Miter Vice

These aren’t absolutely necessary, but they do help ensure you have perfectly flat and perpendicular edges when filing. This is just the economy one which works fine, but there are more expensive ones available.

See Example
Metal compass with pointed ends on a white background.
Starrett Dividers

If you want to work accurately, then a pair of dividers are a must. Starrett are my favorite (reasonably priced) brand, but budget options are available too which will work perfectly well.

Starrett DividersBudget Friendly Version
Digital caliper with measurement display, next to a piece of light-colored wooden board.
Mitutoyo Electronic Digital Caliper, 6"

There are cheaper options available, but this brand is by far my favorite! You will notice the difference in accuracy with a cheaper pair and those certainly don’t last as long (in my experience).

See Example
A cylindrical brown sanding drum on a white background.
Sandpaper Bands

I use these in 120 grit to clean up the inside of ring bands. These will need to be used with the Drum Arbor next door.

See Example
A metal rod with a black rubber stopper on one end.
Drum Arbor

If you want to use the abrasive bands previously mentioned, you’re going to need one of these to mount them on.

See Example
A set of colorful dental polishing tools with different shapes in a clear plastic case.
Eveflex Rubber Wheel Kit

You can buy these wheels individually, but I highly recommend starting out with a kit.

See Example
Brown cylindrical abrasive burr with a metal shank, labeled "#240" on a white band, against a white background.
240 Grit Sandpaper Rolls

I used just the 240 grit for this particular ring, however they’re super handy to have in 400, 600, 800 and 1000 grits too.  These are my favorite brand as they tear off cleanly.

See Example
Four metal scrubbing pads on shafts, arranged on a white background.
Coarse Mini-Mounted Abrasive Buff Set

I used these in the video to clean up the inside of our ring band – not necessary (a regular sandpaper roll would work) but I do really like them!

See Example
Four small cleaning drill brushes with layered scrubbing pads on a white background.
1000 grit Mini-Mounted Abrasive Buffs

The 1000 grit is for some reason not part of the abrasive buff set. Either 1000 grit or 1200 grit would work perfectly well.  Again, sandpaper rolls will work too.

See Example
Colorful round brush sander discs scattered on a wooden surface and white background.
3M Radial Disk Set

I find these to be invaluable in certain clean up situations. My advice would be to use sandpaper where you can and save these for when you really need them.

See Example
A jar of black shea butter on a wooden platform against a plain background.
Pepe Tools Blade Butter

Any lubrication will do, but this is always my go-to for my disk cutters.

See Example
A set of various-sized metal ball bearings arranged on a black display stand.
Durston Tools Dapping Set

You don’t have to use this particular model for sure, but it’s the one I used in the video.

See Example
Close-up of a black metal tip with a threaded end and pointed tip, possibly an archery or dart point, on a white background.
Fine Point Anvil for Foredom Hammer Handpiece

We used this (with a little modification) to texture our ring band.

See Example
Three sanding discs with metal stems in green, yellow, and blue on a white background.
Dedeco Diamond Polishing Wheels

I used these to shape my hammer handpiece anvil – but the Eveflex rubber wheel set will work well too – it will be a slower process however.

See Example
A metal hammer with a wooden handle, engraved with "Fretz" on the head, lies on a white surface.
Fretz Sharp Texturing Hammer

I used this to texture the side of my ring band in the videos. A cheap riveting hammer will also work perfectly well!

See Example
A jar of "Masking Mud" on a wooden platform, featuring a white label and white lid.
Ronda Coryell's Masking Mud

An excellent option for coating solder joins you don’t want to flow again. Yellow ochre also works well for this!

See Example
Metallic die punch set with circular base and various cylindrical punches on a block, displayed on a wooden platform.
Pepe Tools Disk Cutter

My absolute favorite disk cutter – nothing gets stuck in here!

See Example
A round, brown leather cushion with a stitched border on a white background.
Sand Bag

Probably one of the most underrated studio tools out there. I highly recommend getting one for a huge variety of jobs.

See Example
A black locking door latch mechanism installed on a wooden cabinet door.
GRS Bench Mate

I love this system,  it is quite the investment though, so I do recommend taking some time to see if it is right for you.  But, to find out whether it’s right for you check out our blog post below:

Read The Blog PostGRS Bench Mate
Metal ball vise on a wooden base, used for jewelry making, against a white background.
GRS Microblock Vice

Another great system for holding work during stone setting. Thankfully, there is a budget option ball vice also available. It’s not quite as smooth and sophisticated as the GRS model, but it gets the job done effectively.

GRS MicroBlockBudget Ball Vise
A wooden board with grooves and an L-shaped metal square on a white background.
Engineers Square

Your local hardware store should sell these. If not, Amazon has a decent selection. Just don’t buy anything too huge.

See Example
A metal taper pin with a cylindrical shape and pointed end, on a white background.
Round Bezel Mandrel

The easiest way to round out your bezels!

See Example
Silver metal rod with a hexagonal head on a white background.
Margin Roller

I used this to smooth out the hammer texture on the edge of my ring band.

See Example
Two metal strips, one silver and one gray, lie on a light wooden surface.
Titanium sheet

I used this to make my little soldering stand. Not necessary, but I found it super handy. I used 22 gauge.

See Example
Stack of multicolored sticky notes on a white background.
3M polishing paper set

I use this to polish up the sides of ring bands while keeping them perfectly flat. Not entirely necessary, just an option.

See Example
Two yellow-headed drawing pins with metal shafts on a white background.
Mounted Medium Grit Pumice Wheel

An easy alternative to using a pumice wheel on a screw mandrel. I also love the size of these!

See Example
A fluffy white pom-pom attached to a metal rod, placed on a white background.
Polishing Buff

Standard polishing mop – unstitched.

See Example
A rotary tool grinding attachment with a circular white buffing pad and a metal shaft.
Stitched Muslin Buff

The stitched buffs have a little more rigidity.

See Example
A brush attachment with radial bristles on a cylindrical metal rod.
Bristle Brush

These are great for getting right into the details for polishing. Although I didn’t use this in the video, these are my favorites.

See Example
Close-up of a metallic dental bur with a textured tip, used for dental procedures, on a white background.
Busch Cross Cut Cylinder Bur

I used this in 2.5mm to cut a chamfer around the edge of my bezel. Busch and Fox are my brands of choice – don’t buy cheap burs!

See Example
Six small metal engraving burrs on a surface, with a wooden block in the background.
2-5mm ball bur

I use a ball bur for carving out a recess in the ring band to fit the setting. 2-3mm in size will work perfectly. Again, Busch or Fox burs are recommended.

See Example
Green spool holder with clear thread, next to a small black and white cylindrical item.
Kite String

This is only mentioned in the handout, but it’s exceptionally useful for polishing in hard to reach places using a process called thrumming.

See Example
A green and white cylindrical container labeled "ZAM Push-Up Buffing Compound.
Zam Polishing Compound

My favorite one stop polishing compound.

See Example
Three red circular sandpaper discs with central metal holes on a white background.
Fine sanding disks 400 grit - ish

These are snap on sandpaper disks and so will need to be used with the snap on mandrel next door.

See Example
Two silver metal screws with flat, circular heads on a white background.
Snap on mandrel

If you want to use snap on sanding disks, you’ll need a snap on mandrel.

See Example
Dental mirror and probe tool with a metallic handle, featuring a small round mirror and a curved probe tip.
Head and shank tweezers

Handy for holding settings to ring shanks for soldering.

See Example
Rock tumbler with transparent drum and dual dials on the black unit base.
Tumbler

This is not the exact model I have – unfortunately I can no longer find it. I do, however, recommend plastic barreled tumblers over rubber ones.

See Example
A peach-colored bowl filled with small white beads on a plain background.
2mm ceramic balls for tumbler

We used these in the video to finish up the ring. We actually used 2mm balls rather than 3mm as mentioned in the video.

See Example
A bowl filled with small, round metal balls on a white background.
3mm stainless steel balls for tumbler

We used these in the video to finish up the ring – as with many things on this page, not necessary, just an option.

See Example
Close-up of a silver cylindrical metal tool with a textured, rough tip, likely used for grinding or drilling.
Diamond cylinder bur (3mm)

We didn’t use this, but I did mention it as an alternative to the cross cut cylinder bur in the video on setting the stone.

See Example
Close-up of a precision screwdriver with multiple bits placed on a wooden surface.
Foredom Hammer Handpiece

Rather than rotating, this handpiece runs in a back and forth... Read More

Foredom Hammer HandpieceForedom LX FlexShaft Motor

Magnification Guide

When it comes to stone setting, magnification makes all the difference. But, what are the options? Here’s our top picks for magnification tools to help you create more precise, delicate, and high-quality jewelry.

What You May Need:

A magnifying glass loupe with a metal cover sits on a wooden surface.
Triplet Loupe

If we’re working on precise projects, we need to clearly see what we’re working on. We can use a magnifying tool called a loupe to help us check our work at each step.  The most common loupe and the best choice for jewelers is the triplet loupe with a 10x magnification. If we use a loupe with a higher magnification, the object can easily become out of focus and we’ll have less of the object in focus at one time. A triplet loupe has three lenses that help correct color and other distortions which provide better optics than a single or double lens loupe.

See Example
Gray headband magnifier with lenses, resting on a wooden platform.
Optivisor

You might need something to help you see better while you work, in addition to a loupe. You can use an Optivisor, which is the tool that jewelers usually use. I recommend using 2.5x magnification. It’s important to know that if the magnification is higher, you’ll need to be closer to what you’re working on. Remember, more magnification is not always better.

See Example
Red-framed glasses with attached binocular lenses on wooden surface.
CraftOptics

If you are wanting something a bit more comfortable to use than an optivisor, I can’t recommend CraftOptics enough. I have a pair for soldering which have a longer focal distance and a pair for general bench work with a shorter focal distance.  If you do want a pair of these, I’d suggest calling the company to discuss your needs in detail – they’re always happy to help.

See Example
Hands crafting a ring with a blue gemstone in a vise, surrounded by various finished rings on a table.

You might be wondering, do I really need a microscope for stone setting?

The short answer is no. But, there isn’t one single tool in the world that can make as big of a difference to the quality of your work as a microscope. I personally do all my stone setting under a Leica S9D. As microscopes go, it’s undoubtedly spectacular, but it does cost a fortune.

But thankfully, they don’t have to cost that much. Whilst there is a difference in quality between budget microscopes and Leicas, it is a much smaller difference than you might think. And having a budget microscope is still 1000 times better than having no microscope at all.

Check out AmScope, Vevor, Vision Scientific and Amazon for budget stereo binocular microscopes. And of course, to find out what others have bought and tried, visit our community forums – it’s quite a big topic over there.

Rings Within Rings

Learn How to Create Multi-Layered Soldered Ring Bands Like a Pro

Supercharge jewelry-making with this 4-hour intermediate ring making class, designed to take your soldering, fabrication and finishing skills to the next level. Learn how you can combine these techniques to seamlessly create unique rings you (and your customers) will obsess over.

Person working on a gemstone ring held in a vise, with other rings nearby.

Just looking to purchase the individual course?

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Get lifetime access to the 150+ page full-colour handout that walks you step-by-step through creating your rings (yep, that’s larger than your average jewelry-making book and contains SO much incredible information to make sure nothing stands between you and your brilliant ring creations!)

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Two women crafting jewelry; one seated working, the other standing and guiding. Shelves with supplies in the background. From a class on how to make a ring with beaded wire.

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