Today while making some bangles I was dismayed to see some hairline
cracks at the small end of my round bracelet mandrel. They are about
1/4 to an inch long and radiate up the mandrel from the open small
end toward the tang. I have had this about 10 years and got it from
Rio. I use nylon and steel hammers on it. Is this normal wear and
tear or did I do something to cause this? I will have to buy a new
mandrel; I do not want to crack the new one.
Is this normal wear and tear or did I do something to cause this? I
will have to buy a new mandrel; I do not want to crack the new one.
You can repair it if you want to. You do need a large acetylene
torch for that. Sprinkle borax on the cracks, be generous. Warm
copper wire and deep in borax as well. Borax should adhere to the
wire. Braze cracks using copper wire as filler. Copper should reach
liquid phase. It may require some filling afterwards, but it will be
better than new.