Project Planning

 Recently I embarked on a new type of jewelry project.  It involved a larger size leather cord, drill bits that matched the wire size I was going to use, and rivets!  

The pendant wasn't that challenging, I have done foldform / air chase techniques with the heat sync cooling method a few times now.  But rivets are new to me, especially handmade ones.  My torch isn't as hot as I'd like it to be, so "drawing a bead" on heavier gauge wire doesn't always work.

This new project required a hole for the rivet which was almost easy enough with a hole punch I already have, but a smaller hole would have been better.  It also required a hole drilled in 6mm round leather cord for the 16 gauge wire to fit through.  Needless to say I didn't have a small enough drill bit.

Challenges like this arise all the time in jewelry making.  You need an array of tools and endless supplies, and I picked a pandemic to restart my jewelry career so all my shopping is done online.
When you order online you must know your millimeters and wire gauges, as well as drill bit sizes or any other detail that is pertinent to your project's success.

One time I ordered a hammer that was just what I wanted to add to my collection, only to receive it and realize it was almost a miniature!  Read the fine print is the lesson there.

This is what I call a prototype.  It appears to be a finished piece of jewelry but I know where the flaws are and cannot offer it for sale.  But the experience was well worth it!  I learned how to do it, and what will be required for a better finish the next time - and - I can wear it and no one will know what's wrong with it, because it's in the clasp.

So the moral of this story is, research your project, try to gather all the tools you think you'll need and execute with confidence.  If you hit a roadblock, stop, research some more and try again.  

Never give up!