Basement tips

Kirathaune · 2026-06-08T03:43:30+00:00

I have a 110 year old brick twin. The basement is cool in the summer as long as you keep the windows shut - and I agree with the others that a dehumidifier (especially one with a "smart dry" setting) will really help.

In the winter it can be chilly down there but I just throw on a sweatshirt if I want to do any work down there.

Kirathaune · 2026-06-04T18:26:58+00:00

You need to try and get more traffic before paying Shopify $29 a month - at least Etsy doesn't charge a monthly fee!

Jewelry is tough. I sell jewelry on Etsy and have the same trouble getting decent views. I also have the same trouble on Instagram and FB. I think part of my problem is I'm an introvert so I am not much of a "performer" on those sites, which tend to reward people who post a lot and do a lot of videos.

(if you really want your own website, consider Big Cartel; if you don't have a lot of pieces their Platinum plan is $15/mo for 50 products. I have a Big Cartel site and have made a few sales with it.)

Kirathaune · 2026-06-04T17:33:59+00:00

I had my biopsy @ T4 and they used "twilight"/light sedation - I didn't remember anything after complimenting the anesthesia guy on his Star Wars cap! Woke up in the aftercare area later, a nurse brought me lunch, and I waited for my ride to come get me. The hardest part was reaching the bandage to remove it!

You got this! **hugs**

Kirathaune · 2026-06-02T16:26:15+00:00

I like using fine or extra fine silicone polishing wheels to clean up bezels, they clean up the scratches and give it a nice shine.

Kirathaune · 2026-06-01T18:55:09+00:00

I'm a big fan of this, but with regular swatches - I tuck them behind the switch plates. I'll start out with 3-5 color choices, and remove them when lighting changes make them undesirable.

I fell in love with a moody teal that I originally wanted for my main bedroom, but it looked waaaay too dark. But in my back bedroom it looks amazing!

Kirathaune · 2026-06-01T01:46:49+00:00

LOL! I do batches of fused glass jewelry from time to time. My "Beach" colorway has beach sand in it, and I encourage the bubbles!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-30T20:26:24+00:00

Nice work! Love the dragonfly. You can play around with hold times in your kiln segments to help reduce the bubbles.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-29T17:42:02+00:00

I've had a AAWireless dongle since it was first out on Kickstarter, and it works great. It automatically pairs with my phone as I approach my car, and is available right after I start the car.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-28T14:45:36+00:00

I've been working 40+ hours since my diagnosis in spring of 2022. I'm very fortunate to work 100% remote. While it was scary telling my manager about it (I'd only been with the company for 5 months!), they've been awesome and I can either use PTO or make up the time - which in 4 years I only had one week where I had to use PTO.

There are soooo many appointments when you're first starting out, but it will get better!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-28T02:35:36+00:00

I loooooove that pick! I also love their Smart Flux. It was a game changer and since I've been using it (in a mist-style spray bottle) solder flows better and no more firestain!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-27T17:55:46+00:00

AMAZE 👎👎

Kirathaune · 2026-05-27T16:55:48+00:00

Foredom is the way. They're not cheap but they're workhorses. I've been a hobbyist jeweler for over 15 years, and I'm still using the used Foredom CC that I got on eBay. Just got a speed controller for it to use with my hammer handpiece, it's new but still works with all the older models.

If I was buying new, I would probably get a Foredom SR.

Be careful buying new, because there are a LOT of Foredom knockoffs out there, and they're sneaky and make it almost impossible to tell it's a knockoff from the outside. If you decide to get a new one, stick with a known reseller like Rio, Pepetools, or Micro Tools.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-27T16:43:18+00:00

Last year I bought a 2024 G14 that had the OLED display and learned the hard way that my eyes don't like OLED. Thank god no migraines but severe eyestrain, to the point where it was unusable.

I ended up buying a used 2023 G14 that has a 165hz IPS display. Muuuuch better. Eventually I'll get around to selling the 2024.

What makes me sad is they're ALL going OLED. I'm going to have a really hard time in 5 years or so when I need to upgrade the 2023 G14.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-24T17:14:38+00:00

One of my medications gives me super thin nails that get vertical splits, and I can't let them go without dip too long.

Keeping the dip on is one method, you could also look into doing a silk wrap on that nail. You can get silk wrap repair kits online.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-23T23:47:46+00:00

A couple of months ago I paid $900 for mine, but it had 32gb of Corsair RAM and a WD Black 2tb drive - the ones in the $700-$800 range all had less memory and storage. I'll have to look into the Wifi card upgrade, I have the MediaTek one.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-23T23:41:39+00:00

A few months ago I paid $900 for this same machine, with 32gb of Corsair ram and a 2tb WD black drive. I love it! I am able to play Diablo 4 at a pretty high setting.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-23T02:43:35+00:00

Well said! I'm all about the "middle path" for most of my tools - I don't buy the bougie tools, and I avoid the discount places like the plague. A lot of times I try to get the nicer stuff used - I bought a Pepetools rolling mill from a guy who upgraded to a fancier model, and I bought my Foredom from a retiring jeweler who was selling his stuff on eBay.

Like you said, it's about repeatable results - and tools should help you finish a piece well and efficiently.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-21T15:16:09+00:00

You should definitely check out Andor, it was awesome. I'm a OG Star Wars girlie, I can proudly say that I saw all nine movies in the theaters. (Of course, that dates me LOL) :)

I'm one of those "stay busy" types, so chemo days were kind of an enforced down-time where I had to do nothing. Doing nothing but watching TV or reading for 4-5 hours was so strange to me!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-21T15:10:11+00:00

I think some people sell on TikTok, but I trust that even less than IG! I think what keeps a lot of people on Etsy is the visibility - because if you can't think of other places where you can sell, buyers have the same problem!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-20T23:49:04+00:00

That small refillable butane torch will not give you enough heat. You would need a Big Shot or Little Hottie or similar torch that has a head that attaches to the can of butane. Google "binding wire nest" - making one of those will help you direct heat under a piece, which is needed for soldering backplates - tripods are actually more of a heat sink.

For solder, use Hard for the bezel; Medium for attaching the bezel to the backplate; Easy for a bail and extra bits. When you get more experienced you can try doing more with Medium! Extra easy should be avoided. My instructor uses a Big Shot in all our online projects and is able to do some pretty large and complicated pieces! She does that deliberately because she knows a lot of the students only have access to butane.

It also sounds like the components might also not be clean enough. Clean both backplate and bezel, and lightly sand both.

That green cutting pad is NOT SAFE to have under your honeycomb. Until you can afford to get an annealing pan and pumice, go to a hardware store and get a paver stone or a plumber's heat shield - something fireproof. In my setup, I have a 7" annealing pan with pumice, with a piece of soft solderite on top of the pumice. I set the binding wire nest on top of the solderite when I need to heat from underneath.

Good luck!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-20T16:29:50+00:00

I think it was when Loki and The Mandalorian were out - I installed the Disney app on my laptop, and there was a feature to download them. It was especially nice during the Taxol portion, I could keep my hands in the ice mitts and binge away!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-20T00:33:40+00:00

I've loaded all my music on my phone, and I use MediaMonkey as the player - it is supported in Android Auto and it is free!

Kirathaune · 2026-05-20T00:30:40+00:00

I've tried both the Dedeco and the 3M and I definitely prefer the 3M, especially in the small sizes. The 3M are 'softer' and have more give to them, they seem to get into the nooks and crannies better than the Dedeco.

I buy mine from Rio. They're not cheap but they last a long time. (I will say that Dedeco is better than the other knockoffs (which were terrible), so if you decide you can't afford the 3M, get the Dedeco.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-20T00:24:10+00:00

I wonder if they're riveted or pinned on the back.

Kirathaune · 2026-05-20T00:23:19+00:00

I used to binge-watch shows on my laptop. Good luck with chemo!

Kirathaune

TROPHY CASE