To fellow wax carvers, Are wax chips getting in the way when you grind
wax? Just finished grinding away some wax from the back of a
project. The chips were falling back into the burr and were
obscuring what I was doing. I took a 1/4" wide by about 2 " long
strip of tape and wrapped it around the burr nearest the head. The
last 1/2" of the end of the tape was folded on it self so that there
was about a 1/4" flap. When using the burr the flap creates a wind
that blows the chips away.
Note: Be sure to warp the tape so that the turning of the burr will
not unwind the it Good Luck Lee
Very interesting idea Lee I will have to try it. I usually do my
grinding and filing in front of a hose from my air handler for my
dust collector. It sucks the wax dust away about as fast as I can
make it. Only problem is if you happen to let go of the wax it will
suck that up too. Then I have to stop and open the dust collector to
retreive the wax model. Small price to pay for less dust… Frank Goss
Hi Lee, When I have a lot of grinding or scraping of wax to do this
is what I have rigged up: I use a Whisper Fish Pump ( available at a
pet shop- I like Whisper brand because it is the quietest) - the
vinyl tubing diameter that fits the pump is large for my purposes so
I couple that diameter tubing to a smaller diameter tubing, and use
a rubberband to attach it to my flex shaft . I attach it to my
scraping tool with a dental rubberband (the kind orthodontists use
for braces). This blows the wax chips away. Happy Carving! Kate Wolf
Kate, the fish tank pump on the flex shaft sounds really handy! But
where on earth does one get the orthodontic rubber bands if one’s
kid doesn’t have braces any more?
Actually, I’d love to find a source for them for other things too-
especially the colored ones! I’d appreciate any leads.
Amanda, Any dentist can easily supply you with enough orthodontic
rubber bands to last a lifetime. I use them to hold a ring on the
steel ring mandrel while I’m tapping it with my hammer (it won’t
slide around), I use them to hold stones in a bezel while I’m setting
the stone (keeps it from bouncing around), among other uses. And
while you’re at the dentist, notice the mask that the dentist is
wearing. These dust masks are very inexpensive and far more
comfortable than the hardware store masks, and they seal out dust
better. A box of 100 cost me $8.00.
You can probably get an old catalog from your dentist. There are a
lot of wonderful (and some very gross) items inside. I usually just
ask my dentist to order a few things for me when he places his
order. Most dental suppliers will sell directly to you, but unless
you plan to order regularly, it may not be worth it. You will get a
lot of phone calls from sales reps and a lot of catalogs in the
mail.
But where on earth does one get the orthodontic rubber bands if
one's kid doesn't have braces any more?
Look in the yellow pages for dental suppliers, Patterson Dental
Supply as locations in many larger cities. If you can’t find a
dental supply ask your dentist or an orthodontist.
Kate, the fish tank pump on the flex shaft sounds really handy!
But where on earth does one get the orthodontic rubber bands if
one's kid doesn't have braces any more? Actually, I'd love to find
a source for them for other things too- especially the colored
ones! I'd appreciate any leads.
I bet if you walked into an orthodontist’s office and asked to buy a
pack, they would give you some or sell them to you. You may want to
check your drugstore as well.
Kate Wolf - in Portland, Maine where the sky is blue and the
leaves that haven’t fallen yet are blazing.
I order diamond burrs from SmartPractice http://www.smartpractice.com. I only place 2 or 3 orders a year
(around $100) and have always been surprisingly pleased with their
service to me. I feel like I’m treated the same as a big time dental
office. Never had any calls or catalogues other than the annual
update.