From the category archives:

Tools

Garage sale finds for the organized artist in me.

by lorigreenberg on April 17, 2010

Back to my recent retail therapy…there were a couple things that related to bead making/selling/organizing, etc.  So, to stay on topic, here’s the latest acquisitions:

I found a new office for my mom at a church garage sale.  And she was really really happy.  This rolling organizer was only $8. It was new, never used and I can’t even imagine what they go for in the craft store.

So, how is this an office for my mom? Well…she helps me at my bead and studio shows.  She’s a very organized person and although she never says it, I know that it probably drives her crazy when she has to search all over my boxes to build herself a working space at the shows.  She is in charge of my money, receipts, credit card transactions, wrapping, etc.  So, when I told her that this is going to be her office for the shows she was really excited.

She can pack into it what she wants, how she wants it and everything will be in one place.  Calculator, order books, credit card machine, tissue paper, bags, boxes, tape, stapler, etc.  I was very excited too because we can pack it once and then just put it away between shows.  (yes, I have office supplies in duplicate for my office and for shows).

The next item, I’m not sure what it is…maybe a spice rack?

Two dollars.  I am now using it as a tool rack.  You may wonder…’you have two sets of supplies for shows and your office, but you don’t already have a tool rack?’  And you would be right on track.  I have a few things that I’ve tried to use for my wire working and metal smithing hand tools.  I haven’t grown to love any of them.  This is another attempt.

For two bucks, I figured I couldn’t go wrong.  I have since found that it is a great way to store small spools of wire and cording in the bottom half.  I like it.

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Bead Relievers, er, Releasers

by lorigreenberg on March 20, 2009

Last year I took a class with Andrea Guarino.  When I was there she showed us a soon-to-be-new-on-the-market tool.  The Bead Releaser by Jim Moore Tools.  I had talked to her earlier that year in Tucson and she told me how her thumbs had actually separated from her hand from removing beads from mandrels.  I think that’s how she explained it…her thumbs separated from something they should have still been attached to.  Regardless, it didn’t sound good and she had to have surgery in both hands, rendering her out of commission from bead making for a while.

Yikes.  That got me to thinking…I’ve had carpal tunnel and I was lucky enough to have it healed with acupuncture.  There are still days that my wrists bother me and the time I notice it most? When I’m removing beads from mandrels.  While this may look harmless:

removing bead from a mandrel

It’s not.

The right hand here is twisting that tiny mandrel in order to break it free from the bead.  Yes, I use pliers for some but it’s still a gripping and twisting action.  And while that might not seem like much to you young whipper-snappers out there, wait till you hit 40 and things start changing.  And the bigger the bead, the more twist strength you need.

So, knowing I had had wrist problems in the past, I bit the bullet and invested in one of those Jim Moore tools.  Not cheap but much cheaper than what it would take to repair my hands and think about if they couldn’t be repaired…that made the tool priceless.  I got it home after buying it at the Gathering and didn’t use it.  That was eight months ago.

My wrists weren’t bothering me and I wondered if I had just wasted $175.  Until this past month.

Something’s going on with my thumb.  Is it repetitive motion?  The start of arthritis?  I notice it when, again, I’m removing beads from mandrels and when I’m writing with a pen.  Two things I do a lot of.  Out came the Bead Releaser and I doubt it will be put away again.  It’s good to be prepared and probably would have been smarter to use it before I needed it, as I don’t know if there is damage done.

This is what it looks like in my studio (clamp not included):

Jim Moore Bead ReleaserHere’s a video of how it works.  Just drop your mandrel in, screw to tighten it and push down.  You get in the groove with smaller beads and it goes really quickly.

There is another method out there that I just came across in Rosemarie Hanus’ blog using a less expensive hand riveter.  You can read about that here.  I probably would have tried that first…I usually try the cheaper method first.  And then I find that the more expensive one really is better.  I think the gripping and squeezing of the riveter would have aggravated my wrists eventually…since I feel it when I grip pliers.  But, it’s an option for you.

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Silversmithing work station. For now.

by lorigreenberg on January 15, 2009

Remember all that silver work I’ve been learning and practicing?  I thought I’d show you where it’s all happening…this little spot in my studio is cram packed with the tools I’ve been using.

silver smithing set up in studio lori greenberg

I’m still in the process of rethinking the studio.  Since I’m not planning on doing much bead stringing I’m wondering if I could move some of my metal working over there.  I don’t quite see it yet but I will.  I’m already removing shelves that I don’t need so that gives me more space.

Tool racks you see in this picture are also headed either to storage or for sale and the tools are going to be packed away too.  I just don’t use them and I have plenty others that are waiting for me to write up into articles and such.  Some people say you can never have too many tools.  These days I’m saying I’m overwhelmed with tools.

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