Hi Jerry, I have the same bracelet mandrel with the same problem. I
just wrapped it with masking tape. Now no scratches and no work. John
Daly Grand Junction, CO.
I built my own bracelet mandrel out of two inch galvanized pipe. A
photo is located on page 8 of tidy bench, 7th craftsman down:
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/BenchExchange/jeweler-bench-8.htm
It is attached to my bench using a pipe flange of the type sometimes
used to hold the clothes rack pipe up in a closet. One nipple
extends up to an elbow with a polished piece of pipe extending out
horizontally from the ell.
I had the plumbing supply store cut the horizontal pipe threaded
only on one end. I chose a piece from the scrap box that was fairly
smooth to begin with. I especially avoided the deep indentations
that the vice from the threading machine makes.
After mounting the manderal, I started the polishing job using 100
grit plumber’s sanding tape available with the accessories for
working with copper pipe. I used the tape shoe-shine style over the
mandrel. Once the mandrel was fairly smooth using the plumber’s
tape, I graduated to 3M Trizact abrasive tape (available on page 393
of the 2003 Rio Grande tool catalog.
The mandrel takes an hour or so to polish up and is excellent for
bangle bracelets. It will also adapt to other sizes of pipe using a
bushing reducer. It was a bit of work to make but for me, well
worth the effort.
Howard Woods
In the flowers and foothills near Eagle Idaho.
Hi Jerry , Why not take it to a machine shop and get it linished ? I
work for an engine reconditioning shop and linish reground
crankshafts all the time . The belts I use are 400 to 600 grit and
give a great finish for a mandral - the coaser grits will even take
out small marks and its all done in a few minutes - I have made
myself ring and bracelet mandrels and have finished them all like
this with no problem . Best wishes from sunny Nelson , Philip Wells