Eureka!

Hi Friends! You may recall a while back I posted a question about
using a mini table saw for ripping strips of metal from a sheet. I
wanted a way to quickly and accurately get nice square cuts without
distortion and the need for a lot of filing. I finally broke down and
bought the MicroLux Tilting Arbor Table Saw from the MicroMark
catalog (stock# 80463) for $329, and got the optional 230 tooth, .02"
kerf blade to use with metal.

All I can say is, “WOW!!!” It’s nothing less than awesome! I should
point out that the instructions discourage ripping (long axis) metal
stock… only cross-cutting. I just cut about 20 (5mm x 3") strips of
18ga. metal through the thing and it was fast, easy and very clean! I
made a “pusher” out of some brass stock to keep my fingers away from
the blade and to hold the sheet down, which I would recommend. Each
cut was completed in less time than it would take me to load a new
blade in my jeweler’s saw, and the clean, square cut virtually
eliminates the need for filing, and the associated loss of material.
I cut all the strips in less than 15 minutes… taking my time. The
old-fashioned way I’d still be filing the first one!

You can visit the MicroMark Web site at www.micromark.com, or call
800-225-1066. Everyone should have this catalog, even if you’re not
interested in this saw. Lots of great mini tools appropriate for
jewelers… and often much cheaper than the same product in a jewelry
tools catalog. Just saw a digital caliper with .01mm accuracy in the
catalog for about $50… I paid about three times that through my
usual jewelry tools vendor!

Usual disclaimer… not associated, just a very happy customer!

All the best,
Dave
Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio and
Carolina Artisans’ Gallery
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com
http://www.CarolinaArtisans.com