I just shared a great big long Members only Monthly over at my Patreon site, which touched on a new metalworking/multi-media project that I've been working on. I thought it would be fitting that this weeks' Scouting Sunday focused on jewelry and metalworking! I personally own all of these items (though some may not be the exact same brand, partially because mine are OLD!)
You need a good set of pliers. It should include bead crimping pliers, needlenose, round taper and flat heads at the very least. Bonus if you can get some that have a silicone or rubber tip for when you're working with really soft metals.
If you're going to be forming round shapes, you need a set of bail making pliers. These are also useful if you have the desire to make your own jump rings. I know that many jewelers do, but I'm lazy and I don't. I still have a pair of these pliers though, but I use them for shaping wire on my hand-formed pieces.
I find myself reaching for this tool more often than I thought I would. I use it for making holes for jewelry in resin, clay and some select metals, as well as widening beads that are maybe a bit too narrow for my chosen wire.
I have several bead boards, I find them incredibly useful to help you lay out your design before you get started. This one is nice because it's got multiple forms and it's much sturdier than the plastic versions you'll find in most craft stores.
If you're into making unique shapes out of your wire, a wire bending jig might be one of the best tools that you could get. You lay out the pegs and then you can use them as a sturdy form to wrap your wire around. It will allow you to be much more precise than if you were using your hands.
If you like making jewelry, or just things that have a round shape in general, you'll want to pick up some nice mandrels and a rubber hammer. This set is nice because it includes both a metal ring mandrel and a wooden one, and a nice big bracelet mandrel.
If you work with certain wires, you'll know how hard they are to straighten once you've shaped them. But throwing them out is such a waste! With this little tool, you can straighten most wire with little effort.
If you plan on flattening anything, or hammering shapes into any sort of metal, you'll want an anvil. This is just a little bitty anvil, meant for itty bitty things. They of course come larger, but who wants to haul around a few hundred pounds of metal?
For doing detail work, sometimes you need a better way to view your piece. This awesome tool has a lighted magnifier, as well as a clamp set to hold your piece and act as a third hand.
Here's another set of shapers. This one includes triangles and squares too!