Working Away Like An Elf

My studio work this week has been filing and sanding pendants until my elbows give out. I came up with some new designs and thought I would give y’all a sneaky peeky!







Either something is wrong with my soldering iron or something is wrong with me. Probably the latter. All my lines are lumpy and require a lot of finishing to look nice and smooth. I’m beginning to think my iron is too hot or not hot enough. And I don’t know how to tell which it is. So a new soldering iron may be in my future. The time and expense this one is causing me is too much. I’m going though a tip every 10 pendants. The tips get very “eaten away” and don’t conduct heat well after that happens.

The Weller soldering irons seem to be more what I need as far as professional durability. They are made for the serious stained glass artist. Now I just need to decide which one I want to try. Anyone have suggestions? I am more likely to make the leap into stained glass if I have a better soldering iron, too.

Shopping for tools is fun! My significant other loves that I ask for power tools for presents. That way he gets to shop at manly stores and never has to enter the mall! Win, win! Last year he got me a Dremel and the current soldering iron I am using. This year he got me a sewing machine, which I consider a power tool. (You have to plug it in, right? You use it to make other things, which is the definition of “tool”, no?) I picked it out so he didn’t have to walk into the estrogen-filled JoAnns sewing center. He “gets” me as far as gifts go. No frilly or scented junk for me. I’m practical. But I have been known to gladly accept shiny things of the jewelry kind. Hee hee.