There was posted a link to a video on the proper cutting of a bench pin. Can someone repost please?
Ergonomics is the safe and effective relationship between a worker
and the work environment. For the bench jeweler who spends hours
working with a bench pin, it is important to make it work
efficiently and effectively for you. There are many modifications
you can make to ensure this.
Thanx boss.
I wonder, why do they set the pin up, upside down? Paf Dvorak
Sloped top and horizontal bottom is the standard orientation for a
bench pin. People who do a lot of flat piercing sometimes put them in
the other way to support the sheet, but for most work having the
slope on top is advantageous.
Elliot Nesterman
Pat Dvorak
The pin is not upside down! If you were putting diamonds on a
slanted pin, guess where they wolud end up? They’d be on the bottom
of your bench-pin.
Always flat side UP!!!
Gerry!
I wonder, why do they set the pin up, upside down?
I’m guessing that store bench jewelers rarely do a lot of piercing,
for which we art jewelers like to have a nice level bench pin
surface. That bench pin video is particularly slanted towards ring
repair and(maybe) manufacture, IMHO.
M’lou
Hi Paf et al
Bench pins have 2 sides. The flat side is used for piercing and the
slanted side is used by jewellery mechanics.
The slant makes it easier to file, so they say.
Personally this video, although interesting, does not produce the
highest quality ring holder.
Saying this, I used wooden/plastic bench pins for years.
Till I bought a BENCHMATE, with the setters pack, about 5 years ago.
The setters pack allows you to clamp rings from the inside, which is
especially good for wide bands.
Being able to pivot/swivel the ring clamp is also very useful.
One modification I made was to glue a rubber bench pin to the T
section Shellac pad. I use this for filing.
Here is a video link
The Benchmate is worth every cent in increased quality and time
saving.
When my daughter came back to the bench after having a child, I had
bought her a Benchmate.
She could not believe the difference.
Not affiliated with GRS, just a satisfied customer.
Richard.
Always flat side UP!!!
That’s my opinion as well.
But in the video the flat side is down.
Paf Dvorak
Sloped top and horizontal bottom is the standard orientation for a bench pin.
It’s certainly the standard way jewelry tool catalogs show pins.
People who do a lot of flat piercing sometimes put them in the other way to support the sheet, but for most work having the slope on top is advantageous.
When you’re filing a piece that is to be flat, how do you prevent
the side farthest away from you to be thinner than the side closest
to you? And what is the advantage to having the slope on top?
Paf Dvorak
One side is for sawing – when the flat side faces up. The other
side, withits slope, is used for filing and shaping.
Betsy
Nice video. But I was hoping it would show what that table next to
the holder is for-- I have one, but I’ve never figured that out.
Noel
File a certain number of times, rotate the piece, file a certain
number of time rotate the piece. Check as you’re filing, I’ve never
found it to be a problem flat side up or own.
Regards Charles A.
Gerry
I know Hatton Garden but I noticed in your blog you mention “Haddon
Gardens” Is this a typo ? Spent a far bit of my younger days
traipsing around Hatton Garden dropping stuff off and picking it up.
I worked in Old Bond Street at that time.
Chris Hackett
But in the video the flat side is down.
I flip my pin when I think it’s necessary.
I was taught flat side down, but it doesn’t really matter as long as
you can use the pin to make jewellery.
Regards Charles A.
When you're filing a piece that is to be flat, how do you prevent the side farthest away from you to be thinner than the side closest to you? And what is the advantage to having the slope on top?
The general advantage of working on an inclined surface is that when
you use the surface to support the piece, as when filing the taper on
a piece of wire to be drawn, the incline gives you a better viewing
angle and a more comfortable angle of attack. It’s pretty much the
same reason calligraphers, designers and draftsmen work on inclined
drawing boards.
If your bench pin is at the standard height, hitting you 2-3" below
the clavicle, then the slope is in many ways convenient. And if you
need a flat surface there is one just beyond the bench pin.
Also the flat bottom gives a bit more clearance to your supporting
hand when filing, sanding, etc.
As to filing a flat surface. Being able to file a surface flat is a
question of technique, practice, and constant observation and
measurement. Whether the underlying surface is horizontal or
inclined you adapt the angle of the tool to the angle of the work.
That said, if you really need to have flat, parallel surfaces start
with a piece of sheet stock and keep the surface unmarred. Once you
put a hand file to a flat surface you introduce irregularities. This
is assuming you need mechanical flatness. If you only need visual
flatness then you can file well enough. If you do need mechanical
flatness put it to a split lap, or a milling machine if it’s a large
piece.
Elliot
Elliot Nesterman
Not affiliated with GRS, just a satisfied customer.
I’m a great big fan of GRS tools too. I remember when I first got my
benchmate, long ago, how pleasantly surprised I was that someone was
finally making high quality hand tools for bench jewelers. I also
love their micro-engraving ball and their Acrobat stand.
I’m in the flat side up camp in the big bench pin debate.
A funny little bench pin story. Although I had been working on the
bench since I was 18, my mother, (who is a super smart lady, who I
admire and love very much), had never visited my shop until I was
maybe 35 years old. She came in, looked around, walked up to one of
the benches, pointed at the bench pin and said, “Don’t those things
hurt?” When I looked puzzled and asked what she meant she responded,
“Well, don’t you rest your head on that when you work?”
We all cracked up and then set her straight.
I always think of that when I’m giving a shop tour to the
uninitiated. What seems obvious to us can be a confusing mystery to
people unfamiliar with the inner workings of a shop or studio.
Mark
Been using this system for 15 years. wonderful…is all I can say. I
did take a aluminum stepped wax working mandrel and cut it in half
length wise down the center then cut each og the different size
steps off and I use them for supports when working on rings that are
thin or might distort under the pressure I might be putting them
under…
I flip my pin when I think it's necessary.
This makes the most sense of any post on this subject I’ve seen.
Thanx
Paf Dvorak
The general advantage of working on an inclined surface is that when you use the surface to support the piece, as when filing the taper on a piece of wire to be drawn
belt sander
Paf Dvorak
File a certain number of times, rotate the piece, file a certain number of time rotate the piece. Check as you're filing, I've never found it to be a problem flat side up or own.
You don’t use the reflection of your fluorescent bench light to
determine if your surface is mirror-like? Paf Dvorak
I suppose ultimately it depends on where you trained. My first job in
the trade was in a shop owned and staffed by European emigrs and the
bench pins were all sloped side up.
Elliot Nesterman