This is one of my favourite things as the possibilities are so
varied.
I have used a traditional style metal sinusoidal stake for years
now, but have been looking at the ‘Advanced forming stakes’ that are
now on sale. They seem to be made of Delrin or something similar.
Is anyone out there using them please? Are they any better than my
good old metal stake, or are they just being sold as a cheaper
alternative?
A lot of the tools you can get in America are not on sale in the UK
and the postage to get them shipped over to England is very
expensive - therefore, I like to try to find out if the tool is
really worth having before I place an order.
Imogen Waitt
Imogen Shafto Design
Designers and Makers of Contemporary Jewellery
England
You can make your own from plastic cutting boards with a jigsaw and
a half-round file, plus some time. The plastic stakes are nice for
smaller, light work.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Imogen,
The plastic ones fill two needs: first for a cheaper alternative to
the big steel stakes. Expensive as the plastic ones are, they’re
still less than half the cost of the big steel ones for similar
sized bays, and they’re tougher than the wooden ones which are the
other alternative.
They also give you a surface which won’t mark your metal the way a
steel stake can. The drawback is that they don’t spring quite the
same way as a steel stake, and they do get torn up over years of
use. (at least for me, forming titanium…)
A little birdie tells me that a new style of plastic anticlastic
stake will be available soon. Something more versatile than the
’advanced’ stakes, at roughly the same pricepoint. Stay tuned…
Regards,
Brian Meek.