I mentioned a couple of days ago that it might be an interesting
idea to wrap the coils in masking tape prior to cutting.
I tried that today and it is the best idea I’ve had for cutting
coils. I didn’t have to hunt for dowels to insert. I just wrapped the
coils while still on the winding mandrel in masking tape. I cut them
at a far slower speed than I ever have done. Nothing jumped, it
didn’t matter how tight I clamped the coil in the cutting jig. It was
very smooth.
The downside - after cutting 12 coils, there was adhesive on the saw
blade. It was easily removed with acetone. Alcohol would have worked
as well.
The upside - I don’t have coils of many sizes that I have to find
containers for. They are nicely taped together until I use them.
Neil, try the liquid Bur Life when cutting. I am glad I could help
even a little bit.
Veva, you helped a lot. So did quite a few others. Orchid is
irreplaceable, and the community has become an important part of my
life.
Other than having the cutting blade turning in the right direction
(which is a bit less obvious to us lefties who foolishly think that
left is the ‘right’ direction); people have suggested making the coil
a solid unit by taping it or waxing it; making the coil hold its
shape better by inserting dowels, toothpicks, wooden skewers, the
former wrapped with tape, or even rolled up magazine subscription
insert cards into the coil; taping the coil before removing it from
the mandrel, at which point the coil would tend to spring out;
rigidly securing the coil holder to the bench…
From failure to success; from wasted tool to a tool that works,
seemingly easy as pie via email. Thanks Hanuman; thanks Ton; thanks
Orchidian friends.
I mentioned a couple of days ago that it might be an interesting
idea to wrap the coils in masking tape prior to cutting. I tried
that today and it is the best idea I've had for cutting coils.
Yes, that’s the way I do it, too, but I’ve never had a problem with
adhesive on the blade. Do you wax your blade? I do, and maybe that’s
why no adhesive adhering.
One additional thing I do is draw a line down the coil to help me
saw straight. I find it helpful. Last, I have filed a groove in my
bench pin at the angle I like for sawing the coil and I rest it
there, held by hand.
To prevent the coils from dropping and becoming tangled in each
other, could you dip the coil in paraffin wax (or beeswax), then
mount it for cutting? I'd think the wax could help hold the coils
together as well as acting as a lubricant?
An easy way to stiffen a coil that will be cut into rings, is to run
a strip of scotch tape down the length of the coil before putting it
in the coil holder.
I’ve used this technique for coils made of all shapes, gauges &
diameters with no problems. I like the KISS method (keep it simple
stupid).
Judy, try using painter’s tape on your coil rather than masking
tape. You’ll get less adhesive on the saw blade and it holds almost
as well with no residue.
Instead of masking tape, I use artist’s tape. Smooth, less gummy,
easy to remove. Nothing sticky left on rings. Similar to painter’s
tape but much better. I also wax my blade.
Nothing jumped, it didn't matter how tight I clamped the coil in
the cutting jig.
One thing to consider when clamping the top plate down TIGHT on the
coil holder is this. A tight or over tight top plate causes the cut
links to act like calipers on disc brakes. This puts an extra load on
the cutter power source & heats up the rings & the blade. The best is
to just tighten the screws holding the top plate until they touch the
top plate. All the top plate needs to do is to keep the coil from
‘jumping’ out of the grove in the coil holder base. The grove acts
like a brick in front & behind the tire of a car.
Scotch or masking tape holds the cut rings in place. It prevents
them from falling into the path of the rapidly turning blade &
getting deformed or causing damage to the blade.
Scotch or masking tape is especially helpful if you are cutting
short (aprox 10 rings or less).
Wrapping the silver coil in plastic tape really works well, but it
also helps if you thread your saw blade though the inside of the
coil, of course it can’t be too long. Now you can lean the coil
against your bench pin for sawing, which also helps a lot.
Wrapping the silver coil in plastic tape really works well, but it
also helps if you thread your saw blade though the inside of the
coil, of course it can't be too long. Now you can lean the coil
against your bench pin for sawing, which also helps a lot.
i’m pretty new at jewelry making, but this seems to be one of the
greatest tips yet!