Craft Blog

Tools you need for metal wire crafts. There are several tools that are needed in order to create the most beautiful metal wire crafts successfully. Then there are some tools that are optional. These will either help to create special parts of crafts, or will make the overall job easier. We will look at all of these different tools.

Wire

The wire you use is a supply, but it is also a tool for metal wire crafts. The wires can come in different gauges, types and strengths. You will find that there are several options for your metal wire crafting needs in your local craft store, or even online at the craft sites. You may find it online at a discounted price.

Pliers

There are two kinds of pliers that you will need for sure. There are other types of pliers you may choose to purchase. These can be for ease of use, or for specialty plans. Though these are the two basic types of pliers you will want to look at getting.

1. Round nose pliers- these are pliers that are rounded on both sides of the tips. You will want to have a good quality set of these pliers, because you will be using them relatively often. Here are some of the reasons and jobs you will be doing with this tool.
a. You will be making loops with this tool.
b. They will also be used for smooth bends.
c. These are also great for curves and other fixtures. 
d. This is a tool that can do specific metal wire crafting jobs that no other tool can really do.
2. Chain nose pliers- these pliers are flat and work the wire by the flatness on the inside. They also have a rounded outside that can be used with the flat inside to create a specific look, texture, or function of the wire. This set of pliers needs to also be of higher quality. They are used often in metal wire crafts. The flatness on the inside of these pliers needs to be very smooth. That way you will not transfer any scrapes, indentations or marks over to the metal you are working on.

Wire cutters

Wire cutters are the next tools you will find are very important in your metal wire crafting tools. You may want to get a couple different sets of wire cutters. A good one to start with is the ones that are the small yet strong kind that create a flush cut. These will make a V-shape cut in the wire on the one side, and on the other side will create a straight cut.

There are many other sizes and shapes available for the wire cutters out there. They key will be to find the sets that will do the types of wire cutting you need for your projects.

Do not go cheap on your wire cutters either. The reason is, if you do you will find that they can break, or even cause injury when build poorly.

Bench block and chasing hammer

The bench block and chasing hammer is a tool combination. You will usually find these separate than any kit you mind find. They are two separate tools that work significantly together.

1. The bench block is a flat surface that has a satiny surface. This tool needs to be smooth, clear of dings etc.
2. The chasing hammer is used to flatten and smooth out the wire on the bench block.

These are the main tools you will need for metal wire crafting. You can probably find many of these tools in kits. However, making sure you buy good quality tools will be imperative if you want to have tools that work well and last longer.

Here are some great projects for metal or wire crafts. Crafting with metal and or wire can be interesting, fun and useful. You can make many great things from metal and wire. You will also be able to find that the items you make are great gifts for your loved ones.

Enjoy these great ideas for projects with metal or wire crafts.

Idea #1- Wire decorated frames

This is a relatively simple wire metal craft. These are the supplies and tools you will need to create these beautiful frames.

1. Lucite frame
2. A photo to go in the frame
3. Wire cutters
4. Tooth picks
5. Needle nose pliers
6. Translucent pony beads
7. Low temperature glue gun
8. Metallic silver pony beads
9. Wire solder from a hardware or craft store

Here are the instructions

The wire solder is pretty easy to molt and maneuver to make lovely shapes. So for the most part the word you choose to bend your metal in to could be just about anything. The main thing will be that the word can be bent into the wire and that it will fit onto the frame you have chosen. So that will be your first step. Choosing the word you want to bend the metal into.

You can use the pliers you have, your fingers, or even a pen to wrap the metal around in order to create the word you have chosen. You want the metal to be able to go around the entire edge of the frame. But, the word will stay on the top or bottom of the frame. You can cut the wire into separate pieces to make the word, or you can use one long piece to get the word to look smoother.

Slide a few of the transparent and silver beads onto the wire. The beads will be what is used to hot glue the wire onto the Lucite frame. So put one or two every couple of inches. Then using the hot glue and the toothpicks, glue the beads firmly to the frame.

This is fun easy, and a beautiful gift.
Idea #2 Simple metal embossing project

This is another relatively simple metal craft. Here are the supplies and tools you will need.

1. Stylus (wood, metal or plastic)
2. A sheet of thin copper, or tin
3. Scissors that are strong and sharp
4. Firms surface much like a notebook. Something that is soft but holds shape.
5. Card stock
6. Tack tape
7. Ribbon
8. A pattern (picture, photo, art piece copy etc.)

Here are the instructions

Start by cutting the appropriate size of copper or tin metal needed for your project and pattern. Then place the shinny side of the copper down on the notebook.

Next you will want to place the pattern you have chosen onto the metal. Use the tack tape to hold the pattern into place. This way the pattern will not slide, and cause problems with the finished product.

Now using the stylus you have, you will need to trace the pattern into the metal. You can actually do this step twice. That way you will be able to get a well-defined picture.

You can now patina the design if you would prefer. That will also add beauty to the finished product.

Now you can glue the metal picture to a piece of card stock with glue or double stick tape. This will create a base and structure for the metal picture to sit on.

Then you have your finished product.

There are many other projects, patterns and ideas out there for metal, and or metal wire crafting. You will find that doing a little research can offer you tons of inexpensive gifts, decoration ideas and much more.

Here are five teenage friendly wire craft ideas. Teenagers love to make wire crafts. They can use their creativity to make works of art, gifts and holiday decorations. Lets take a look at five different craft ideas you can make available for your teen to try.

Idea #1 Cell phone charms

With most of the teens out there having a cell phone, it is no wonder that they are starting to accessorize their phones with their own uniqueness. These adorable cell phone charms are a great way to use wire crafting to make their cell phones unique.

These charms will likely cost less than $5. Here is what you will need and how it works.

You will need

Tiger tail wire; this should be about two times as long as you want the charm to be
3 crimp beads are also needed
Beads or charms that your teen will like to use to create their charm
Flat nose pliers

Here is what your teen will need to do.

1. Put the tiger tail wire through the small latch at the bottom of the phone. Pull this wire though to where both ends are even.
2. Put a crimp bead over both ends of the wire. Pull the bead up toward the latch as far as it will go. Then use the flat nose pliers to crimp the bead into place.
3. Now place beads and charms onto one side of the wire. Finish this line with a crimping bead.
4. Now flatten the crimp to hold the beads into place.
5. Repeat these steps from step 3 to complete the other piece of wire.

Ribbon and bead bookmarks

We want our kids to enjoy crafts, and we also want them to enjoy their books. Well if you can combine the two, maybe they will get more from it. Here are some way cute bookmarks that will liven up their reading time.

You will need

Two cone end caps
1 measurement of about 1 m of tiger tail wire
Wire cutters
Flat nose pliers
A small packet of the crimp beads
A wide selection of beads that your teen will like
About 30 cm of ribbon

Here is what your teen will need to do.

1. Take about a 10 cm piece of the tiger tail wire. Now fold that piece around one end of the ribbon to make a loop.
2. Take both tails of the wire through the crimp. Now slide the crimp up as far as possible to secure the loop. Press that flat, by using the flat nose pliers.
3. Now do the same steps over with two more pieces of wire.
4. At this point you will want to thread all three pieces of the wire through the cone end cap. Pull them hard to fit them snugly into place. Put a crimp over the tails. Then crimp flat right at the base.
5. Now spread your beads onto the wire strands. Use a crimp to hold them into place.
6. Then repeat all of these steps on the other end of the ribbon to create the same affect and you are done.

You can also make wire earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Here are the things you will need to make these three. The instructions are blended, because they are very similar.

You will need

Beads or your teens liking
Copper wire
Spring clasps
Charms
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters
Sterling ear hooks for the earrings

Here is what your teen will need to do.

1. You can use different lengths of wire to create the different types of jewelry your teen wants to make. They key will be using very thin wire, so that you can maneuver the wire to work in the shapes and with the beads and charms you want to use.
2. You will want to string the beads and charms onto the wires in a manner that will still allow for movement but will be optimal for color or design.
3. Create the different looks by beading the wires and then using your flat nose wires bend the wires to hold the beads into place. That is unless you want the beads to move freely.
4. Then attach the hooks, or the spring clasps to finish any of these three wire metal craft ideas.

You will find that there is many wire metal craft ideas out there for your teens. Have fun helping them find ones that will work best for them. These are only five teenage friendly wire craft ideas. There are many more out there.

Five kid friendly wire crafts. Wire crafting is not just for adults. There are many fun and easy projects with wire crafting that is safe for kids. Here are some of those fun ideas you and kids can try out.

Bubble wands are the first craft idea we can look at. To get good bubbles, you need good bubble soap. However, the want is just as important as the bubbles. The science of it all really does rely on the type of wand you have. Imagine the enjoyment and rewarding feeling your kid will have, when they have made their own wand.

Here are the instructions and what you will need to make a great bubble wand.

Here is what you will need

An easy to bend metal wire around 31 inches in length
Needle nose pliers
You can use plastic coated wire hangers instead of the metal wire
Floral netting is another variation
Scissors sharp enough to cut the wire, or wire cutters

Take one end of the wire, and make a loop over to the other end. You will want this loop to connect to the wire, about 6 inches up the length. This way you have a handle to hold on to. Use your wire cutter to cut the wire. Then use the pliers to tighten the wire onto the handle. Make sure the handle is good and straight.

You can use the floral netting to cover the top circle part of the wand to create a better structure for the soap to grab on to. That is about it. You have now help your kid create a bubble wand.

For the soap, you can use the pre made stuff, or here is a good recipe for excellent bubbles

10 cups of water
4 cups of dishwashing liquid
1 cup Karo syrup

Spiral or other shaped paper clips. These are fun gifts that your kids can make with their own hands.  Here is what you will need.

Some softer metal wire
Straight nose pliers
Wire cutters (for you to use)
A tape measure

Here is how you do it. Start by cutting off a six-inch piece of the wire for your kid to work with. Then if they are coordinated enough to use the pliers, they can use them to bend the wire into shape. However, if you have soft enough wire, they can probably bend it by hand. The shapes can be anything there hearts desire. The only thing is that there should be some overlapping or close-set parts to be able to push over a few pieces of paper.

Wire bookmarks are easy, here is how.

You will again be using a softer piece of the metal wire. You will probably need a little larger piece than with the paper clip. I would say about 14 inches. You will need the same tools and supplies listed above.

Simply bend the bookmark into the shape you desire, and then add a twist at the ends of the design for structure.

Beads and metal wire are always fun and easy for kids. It is also great for coordination. If you don’t think they will eat the beads you are good to go.

Here is what you will need

Thin metal wire from your craft store
Some beads that will be easy enough for your kids to hold
A pair of pliers
Wire cutters (for you to use)
Maybe a clip for the end to connect with

Start by creating an anchor on one end of the wire.
You will simply have your child string the beads onto the wire in the order they find most beautiful.
Then you will want to help your child either tie off the ends, or hook them together with a clasp or clip of some sort.

Metal wire ornaments are fun for the holidays and will last for years.

Here is what you will need

Thin enough wire for your kids to be able to bend
Some beads of all different colors and shapes
Wire cutters (for you to use)
Pliers

Simply loop off one end of the wire. Then let your child bend the shape they want into the wire. Now let your string the beads onto the wire. Then you will want to close off the ends with a clasp, or just hooking them together, or tying them off.

You have it. These are five kid friendly wire crafts that your kids will love and enjoy today and in years to come.

Here are some easy, awesome metal or wire craft ideas. Metal and wire crafting can be a blast. There are many projects that take a few minutes, to a couple hours. They can cost less than $5 and can be for almost any age level.

Lets check out some easy and awesome metal and or wire craft ideas that you can do with just a little bit of your time, and your artistic abilities.

Jingle bell door hangers

These are cute crafts that are awesome and fun. They are easy to do and are great for the Holidays.

Here is what you will need

1. One color or different colored jingle bells
2. A heavier gauge of wire probably the 20 or 24 gauge should work well
3. Wire cutters and pliers
4. Curling ribbons
5. 1 or more 1-inch metal rings

Here is what you need to do

 Start by deciding how long the completed hangers will need to be.
 Now add an additional two inches for the length of the wire, and cut it with the wire cutters.
 Use the pliers you have to wrap one end of the wire around the metal loop.
 Now you will want to string the bells you have in what ever order you like, along the wire. Leave a little room at the bottom in order to make a secure loop.
 Then attach several pieces of ribbon on the bottom, and then curl the ribbon.
 Now hang it on the door for a fun looking holiday decoration

Metal wire frames

These are beautiful easy metal wire frames that take only a few minutes, but speak out with love and caring. They are great picture frames because you use the wire, to create one word that tells other how you feel. You can use words like; Love, Mom, Joy, etc.

Here is what you will need

1. Lucite frame
2. A photo to go in the frame
3. Wire cutters
4. Tooth picks
5. Needle nose pliers
6. Translucent pony beads
7. Low temperature glue gun
8. Metallic silver pony beads
9. Wire solder from a hardware or craft store

Here is what you need to do

 The wire solder is will be relatively easy to bend. You will want to start with the word you want to use. Then you will want to create a frame that will go around the entire frame edge. You can use pliers, wire cutters, or even a pen to help mold the wording the way you want it.
 Now you will need to take the translucent and silver beads and place them in different areas of the wire craft. These beads will be what you will use to anchor the metal wire onto the frame. So placing them an inch or two apart would be a good idea.
 The word should be placed at the top or bottom of the picture frame. This way there is plenty of room for the picture to be seen.
 If you need to cut the wires, and bend them a bit to make them mesh together better, it will work fine also.
 Now take the hot clue and put a little glue onto each of the beads. Then press the beads onto the frame and clear with the toothpicks any extra so there are not any drops on the frame.
 Let the frame dry.

These are only a couple of the easy, awesome metal or wire craft ideas that are out there. There is so much to find on the net, and also in craft stores. This is a great craft to pick up on and enjoy.

In these modern times we have several options available to metal crafters.  A wide variety of tools are available for almost every aspect of punching, riveting, bending, rolling, and producing decorative scrolling in metal.

Punch and Shears

This type of tool is available in both a Practical version and a Master version for business owners.  These machines combine a hole punching facility with a guillotine for cutting mild steel strip, square hare and wire to length.

The Practical varieties can accommodate 20mm x 3mm flat strip, 5mm square bar and 5 mm round bar/wire for shearing.  Punching can handle up to 3mm diameter hole in up to 3mm thick material.
Some of these machines are portable and are well suited to "on-site" work, and have an adjustable punch platform with four available cutting edges on a small shear blade.

The Master variety handles a more sophisticated work load.

Riveting/Bending/Rolling Tools

This type of tool can normally be found in an "all-in-one" capacity.  By combining all three functions into one tool, it offers quite a bit of appeal to a crafter.

The riveting function eliminates a need for welding, making this a safe and easy way of joining metal strip and scroll work together, and it gives the finished job an authentic and traditional appearance.
The bending function of these tools allows you to bend all manner of components out of flat strip, square bar and round wire.  This is essential in producing frameworks for decorative work.

Finally, the Rolling function enables crafters to create circles and arcs to be consistently rolled, all with no need to pre-heat any materials.  You may also find some varieties equipped with end stop screw and nut fitted for producing consistent bends and circles/arc when rolling.

Scroll Formers

This wonderful tool can be used to create all the beauty of traditional scroll work!  It can be found in several different sizes depending on the size of material they handle, as well as smaller hand-drawn versions.  They are generally easy to use and can come equipped with a special starting lever to for initial part of scroll when using a heavier gauge material, and tube forming components.

Twisters

This type of tool adds a decorative twist to steel bar.  These are very reliable in producing consistent results in square and flat metal bar because the metal is twisted without heating it before hand.  It is common to purchase these tools with adaptors that can be used in place of the standard collar to allow rapid twisting, or basket making attachments which produce beautiful ornamental baskets that can easily be formed using pre-welding clusters of four 6mm or 8mm square bars.  Typically, longer twists can be achieved with care by moving the twisted section through the machine and then twisting the next section. 

You can generally purchase these tools individually.  They can also be found in complete sets or packages, or tailored to your specific requirements and budget.  Most tools can usually be found in both Practical and Master tool varieties.  The Practical variety is more suited to crafters intending to produce smaller scale items involving small or intricate scrollwork.  This does not mean that these tools cannot be used to make a larger scale project such as gates or furniture.  The Master variety tools are more geared toward projects of larger size and/or volume.  These tools allow a stronger material to be tackled more easily.  These tools do tend to take up more room, but offer a greater versatility overall.

There are several options open to metal crafters today, and wide variety of products.  This makes producing beautiful metal art projects easier and safer.  Shopping around for tools may allow you to find exactly what you need and want to become an expert craftsman. 

Where to sell metal crafts? You can sell your metal crafts in many places. The main thing is selling your metal crafts someplace that will make it worth your time and money. If your metal crafts are good, then they will sell. It is just a matter of knowing how to get the best advertisements and recognition. Here is some information that should help.

Online!

The best, and easiest place to sell your metal crafts is through the Internet. The reason is that many people just do not have time anymore to go to swap meets, or craft shops as often. It will be important to also utilize those options for selling your metal crafts. However selling over the Internet will prove to be a much more effective selling place.

You can reach thousands of viewers every day through the Internet through listings like eBay and your own private web site. It really is simple to set up to use one of these options and it costs very little and is sometimes free.

You will also not have to spend as much time trying to sell your metal crafts, because the sites are pretty much self-maintaining. With the use of PayPal, it is even more convenient to complete the total transaction on the Internet, other than mailing the product to the customer.

Simply go to eBay online and start the process to become a seller. This takes a few minutes. There is a small fee, however when items sell, you make that money up.

 http://hub.ebay.com/buy

If you want to create your own web site, be sure to make an attractive site, with either a shopping cart, or a toll free phone number. The customers do not want to pay for a phone call to purchase an item. You can create your own web site for free through sites like these.

http://build-website.com/
http://www.homestead.com/
http://geocities.yahoo.com/

Here are some tips to selling on the Internet.

Know your market. There are different items that will sell well than at other times. For instance, Christmas metal crafts will sell better from November through December than any other time. Get your focus on holidays, seasons and special occasions. This will help meet your markets needs.

Know your pricing. You may be able to over price and sell a few items to people who do not know what is available. However, it is better to sell many of those crafts at fair prices for creating a higher over all profit, and you will feel better about it.

Make sure your site, and selling information is accurate and professional looking. Even if you want to use a cozy font, it is important that the information is displayed correctly.

Good pictures are imperative. People hate to buy what they cannot see. This id because with out a visual of what they are getting, they may feel the risk is too high. Therefore, having at least one view of each of the craft projects you are selling is best. In some cases, it may be a good idea to get a couple views. You can purchase an inexpensive digital camera now days for $20.

Ask questions!

So many other people are selling their crafts over the Internet. How are they doing it? There are many options available for asking questions, groups, forums, and much more.

The more information you have the better your metal crafts will sell. This is where to sell metal crafts. You should be able to make enough money to pay for your work, supplies and time.

Where to go to find the latest in metal/wire crafts? You can find great new ideas for the latest options in both metal crafting and wire crafts. Here are a few ideas, and some sites you can check out.

Painting metal- whether you are going with an old metal piece that needs to be refinished, or you have made a metal object that you are painting for the first time. Here is a site that has good information. http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/decorating/article/0,1793,HGTV_3545_1464482,00.html

Decorating with wire- use wire to decorate vases, kitchen utensils, or candlesticks by wrapping the wire around the object. This not only creates an amazingly different look, but old items appear new. Here is a site with some good ideas of what is new.
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lv_budget_decorating/article/0,2041,DIY_14102_2269482,00.html

Pressed plate materials- you can use press plate to create a beautiful décor for ceilings, stove back splashes, umbrella stands, and wainscoting. You can look at some examples here. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lv_budget_decorating/article/0,2041,DIY_14102_2269482,00.html

Decorate with metal- you can use different types of metal items and crafts to decorate any part of your home. For example: a metal antique shower curtain rod can be the perfect look to an amazing bathroom. Here is how this works. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/la_fabric_accessories/article/0,2041,DIY_13987_2269484,00.html

Embossed metal- you can emboss frames, boxes, and much more. Here is a place that gives great instructions on creating amazing embossed metal boxes. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_boxes/article/0,2025,DIY_13747_2268192,00.html

Colorful copper wire- creating amazing metal wire art is easy with the use of colorful copper wire. You can make great wind chimes, sun catchers and much more. Here are some instructions to making a copper wire, and stained glass sun mobile. http://www.thisnext.com/item/964903C0/Copper-Wire-and-Stained-Glass

Slave bracelets, and other jewelry- there are so many places to find beautiful and fun wire jewelry options. Here is a site that makes an amazing butterfly harem bracelet. These items are new and the latest in beaded wire jewelry. http://www.thisnext.com/item/BCF328A1/Needle-Woven-Butterfly-Harem

Letter works for jewelry- this is a big thing with the teens today. Spell our your own special words on metal jewelry. You can put about anything you want on your bracelet or necklace. This type of wire and metal art creates a level of ownership and fun. Here is the basic idea. http://www.thisnext.com/item/F04326F0/LUCKY-Copper-and-Olivene

Or how about the shot gun earrings. They are fun, and different and definitely new.
http://www.thisnext.com/item/8DA1B10D/SHOGUN-Iridescent-White-Coin

Cover picture frames, boxes, and books with metal- you can emboss, wrap, and decorate many objects with metal. The ideas are all up to you. The old is back in fashion, so the old have become the new style.
The ideas that you find on the Internet or in craft stores leave plenty of room for your creativity, ideas and skill. Using your own skills is what is new in metal crafting, and metal wire crafting.

Metal and wire jewelry have always been part of metal and wire working. However bringing the art of other countries is in! You can learn the metal and wire art of other countries and use these styles in your arts and crafts.

You can also look at your local craft store to find the newest metal and wire working styles, patterns and crafts available for the making. There are tons of magazines with great ideas that you can use, and then implement your own ideas.

These are some options for where to go to get the latest ideas for metal/wire crafting. So you will for sure be able to find just what you are looking for. The main thing is to create crafts that are within your expertise. This way as you learn the new ideas, you will have fun.

What tools are needed for wire crafts? This is really pretty simple when it comes down to the basic tools. There are additional tools that you can get that will make the wire crafting easier and more professional, however lets start with the basics.

#1 Wire Cutters

The best wire cutters to start with are a small flush cut set. The way this looks is that one side of the cutters is angled. This way it makes a v-shape cut in the wire on one side, and a straight cut on the other side.

There are many different sizes of wire cutters available. There are also different styles and brands. It is a good idea to get a good set that will last for a while. Cheap tools are often times cause for injury and mistakes.

#2 Round Nose Pliers

It is important to get a good set of round nose pliers. The reason they are called round nose pliers is because both sides of these pliers are rounded on all sides.

These pliers are used for making different types of loops, smooth bends and curves with the metal wire.

These round nose pliers will be used on pretty much all of your wire metal crafts. They are the only tools that can do this type of job. Therefore you need at least one pair. You will likely find different types and brands. Just make sure you get a versatile pair that is durable, as you will be using them often.

#3Chain Nose Pliers

The way these pliers work is that on the inside, they are flat. Then on the outside, they are rounded. The tips of these chain nose pliers are sharp and are shaped to a point. That is why these pliers are necessary for reaching into small places.

It is very important that the inside jaw of these pliers are very smooth. The reason is that if there are ridges, scratches or grooves of any kind, which will be transferred to the metal.

The metal you are working with is easier to damage than most people would think. This then will be a cause for issues with your wire-crafting project.

You will also be able to use these chain nose pliers to make angled bends. You will also need probably two sets of these chain nose pliers for different uses.

Sets

These tools listed above, are usually sold in sets. Here is a site that you can check out what the sets look like and the price they run. http://www.artbeads.com/wire-craft-tools.html

#4 Bench Block and Chasing Hammer

Wow, that is a mouth full.  The reason is that it is actually two tools used together. They are usually sold separately of most kits. They will cost around $40.00

The bench block it self has a smooth satiny looking surface. You will want to make sure there are not dings, grooves or scratches. This will help to prevent damage to the wire craft.

The way these tools work are that you lay the wire on the block and use the chasing hammer to flatten or shape the wire to be the needed shape for the wire craft.

The main thing is that you want to only hit the wire, and not the block. This way the block stays shinny and smooth. Therefore protecting your future wire crafting projects.

There are also other tools that you can purchase as said earlier for wire crafting. However these are the ones you will for sure need for all wire crafting projects. If you get into more advanced projects, you will likely need additional tools.

What are the tools needed for making metal crafts? There is a variety of different metal crafter projects you can make. This can be anything from the thin sheets of aluminum to the large pieces of metal used in welding large art objects.

Therefore depending on the type of craft project you want to complete will depend on the tools you need. The pattern or kit that you get, will tell you the specific tools you will need to get for your project.

Here is a list of the basic tools needed for metal crafts, and short explanation of what they do.

1. Wooden modeling tools. These are wooden sticks that are used to shape pictures, designs, and shapes out of the thin metal shapes. Here is an example of what a kit, with these tools would look like http://www.enasco.com/ProductDetail.do?sku=9703266
2. Molds. These molds are used to help shape the pictures or forms of the metal to get the wanted design.
3. Punching Awl. This tool is used for aluminum, brass and copper foil metal. This screwdriver looking tool is around 2 ½ inches long for the blade and 41/2 for the full size.
4. Burnisher sets. These are used to create different details in the metal. They come in the size of 4 ½ x 5/16. They come with 1/8 and 1/16 ball tips and spoon tips.
5. Liner. The liner is used to create images in the metal also. It is used for tracing, and outlining.
6. Spatula. These spatulas are used to create fine details, and good definition in the designs. They are about 6 inches long.
7. Modeler. This tool is used to create find details and good definition to the metal craft.
8. Patterns and books. These are used to instruct you on the tools, and techniques that will need to be used. Here is an example: http://www.mjdtools.com/books/sheet_mtl.htm
http://shopping.msn.com/results/shp/?bCatId=997

In addition to this type of metal crafting tools, there are tools for metal crafting on a larger scale. This is in reference to the home working blacksmith crafts. Here is a list of tools for that metal crafting option.

1. Milling machine. This machine is used to remove unneeded metal material from the metal crafting project. This machine can do several different things, slot cutting, planing, drilling and threading, rabbeting, routing etc.
2. Lathe. This machine tool is used to spin a block of material, so that it can be shaped to fit the required need of the metal craft.
3. Cutting tools. These include, saws, chisels, shears, lasers and any other type of cutting devices. These are used for cutting the metal to make it the shape and size desired.
4. Drills. These are used for making holes.
5. Taps and dies. These are used for making holes also for screw threads.
6. Grinding machines. This tool is used to create a very fine finish or very light cuts.

Each of these tools listed is important when you are working with metal crafting. So whether you are going with small metal crafts, or the larger metal crafts, there are some safety tips to keep in mind.

 Read the instructions carefully
 Make sure you have all the tools, and supplies needed
 Do not leave work site unattended with small children or animals around
 Wear protective gear
 Take your time. Being in a hurry causes mistakes, and accidents
 Enjoy yourself
 Use the right tool for the right job

These are the tools needed for making metal crafts. Using these tools correctly can help you to make beautiful art out of metal that will last for many years to come.