Tumble & Clean To Finish Wire Work & Jewelry

As jewelry designers and makers, silversmiths and wire worker, getting the right shine and cleaning of the jewelry is key to selling. But what is the best way, technique or even equipment to properly clean the jewelry and get it ready for the marketplace. Here are some common techniques and suggestions for tumbling and cleaning your jewelry in order to achieve that ‘perfect’ finished look for the marketplace.



Tumbling jewelry is the most popular and common method used by many people to clean their jewelry and harden wire or metal used in the jewelry. There are many different types on the market and range from side rotary barrels to vibrating bowl tumblers. But with so many different machines on the market, which ones are the best or most effective? I suggest first to ask around and get advice from fellow artisans, jewelry makers, silversmiths, and wire workers. As these individuals use tumblers on a daily and weekly basis and can give first hand experience/knowledge to the pros and cons in the use of their type of tumbler and method. There are many on the market and is just depends on how much and what you are doing as to what is your preference.



By tumbling the jewelry, it accomplishes several things; first it cleans the pieces and second it polishes or hardens the metals. I mentioned that there are two types, vibrating/bowl and rotary/barrel tumblers. They all come in a variety of sizes and capacity levels; depending on how much jewelry you are going to put in, depends on what type of tumbler you plan to buy. Do your research and make sure the capacity of the one you chose will do the job without marring, mangling or even breaking your jewelry.

With either of these methods, you will be using a type of tumbling media. Be sure to check that your tumbler can use water (mix in a drop of dish soap) or uses mixed stainless steel media. With the use of dish soap, this acts as a detergent that is good at lifting oil and grim from the surfaces of stones and gets into the small pockets of metals.

Once you have chosen and purchased your tumbler, use these easy tips with your jewelry.

*Put your jewelry in the bowl or barrel
*Add water to about 1” above the jewelry
*Add a drop of dish soap and put the lid back on, tighten and then turn it on

If using a barrel or tumbler that uses dry mix and no water, and then add a hand full of stainless steel mix or what is best for your tumbler, close and tighten lid, turn on.

I’ve found that many people will tumble their jewelry for different times. This is again your preference and will take some trial and error to determine what is best for you. Most people will suggest from 15 minutes to several hours. Depending on what I’m tumbling, I will do between 15-20 minutes, this has been best for my jewelry and tumbler.

Once complete, then pull your jewelry from the tumbler, rise in warm water and dry with a clean soft towel. I then will lay the jewelry out and allow to fully ‘air’ dry for several hours or over night.

Make sure to clean out and maintain the tumbler which ever kind you purchase. Check with the manufacturer for their cleaning and maintenance tips.

Good luck and happy tumbling!

Working with Wire

In a lot of my designs I use different metals, quite often I try to do something with wire; either as links, swirls, or freeform wire on a stone or pendant. When working with wire gives my imagination that little added bit of ‘flare, spice, or spark’ that I’m looking for when working with natural stones, glass, pendants, or crystals. Most often I get asked, “How do you know which is the right size and what material is best?” The answer, you just learn with much time, research and patience.

One of the first things you need to consider when working with wire is to look at durability, malleability, style, color and manufacturer.
Wire is measured in gauges, from 16 all the way to 34; with 16 being the heaviest/thickest and 34 being the smallest/thinnest wires. Typically, the thicker the wire, the sturdier it will become. However, the type of material used for the wire also affects how flexible a particular gauge will be.





Rules of Thumb

*For bracelets, heavy necklace pendants designs or winding wire around very large beads, making charms or creating chain links, a 16 to 18 gauge is suggested.
*Gauges 20 to 24 are considered medium to thin thickness and are good for wire wrapping beads, as well as for constructing findings, headpins, and ear wires. This is typically the gauge used for making earrings and 20 or 22 are the best for ear wires.
*The smallest, skinniest wires are 26 to 34 gauges. They are easily manipulated and flexible, perfectly for use with small beads in embroidery and stitch projects. You can find wire in brass, copper, pewter, or artistic non-tarnish are inexpensive and typically soft wires to work with; while sterling silver and gold filled are more expensive and typically vary in hardness’s from dead-soft to half-hard.
*Sterling Silver is great looking and made soft or hard. The only thing to remember is that silver will tarnish.

*For wire that will not tarnish and will retain its beauty and luster, try working with non-tarnish wires; it is very inexpensive and usually made from a copper core; covered with silver, gold, or colored coating that has been treated so that it will not tarnish.
*While the others run the spectrum of price; the most expensive wire to work with is gold or gold-filled, which does not tarnish. Some wire works will substitute gold-plated wire for cost effective designs.


Whatever your choice, you will find that working with wire brings out the artist and craftsman in every design.

Browse our available to purchase designs combining wire and other metals.