I didn’t know welding suppliers had tungsten rod! I don’t have a
platinum pick so that’s what I’ll try! One for you. They have
stainless steel welding rod, which is the best gold solder pick
I’ve found. Until I try tungsten I suppose. They sell it by the
pound. they are cut in three foot lenghts. One piece (12 gauge I
think) is so light they never charge me.
I usually make a pick around 8" long and 1/2" 45 degree bend @
the business end. The other end I contort freely; makes it
easier to find on my cluttered bench.
Hello Alan! Just a follow up on my spreadable wax. The last time
I made what I,m using now; I added injection wax for a little
more strenght. I had forgotten this “improved version”.A loose
proportioning would be 1/3 inlay wax (dark blue), 1/3 diclosing
wax, and 1/3 injection wax. I mix it in a watchmakers tin. If
you spray your mold knife with mold spray, you can get excellent
surface appearance in repair areas of waxes using this
spreadable wax.
Saw your humorous post on containers. Made me think of my
Dads’ ingenuity. He used to cut plastic liter bottles in half
and use them to put nails and screws in; and then stack em’ !
… Geez Dad!
“Urine specimen jars” Gee Rene, I’m almost afraid to ask but how
did you wash all those? Handwash in the sink or by dishwasher?
YUK!!! Never had Haagen Das.
My container of choice are the cardboard boxes that paper and
envelops come in. They line my walls. Labeled and stacked. The
lids are really great as trays. Darkroom paper boxes and Hoover
& Strong boxes are great too!
Glass coffee jars. Great for storing things and keeping airtight
but visible.
One of my favorite tools is a weaving tool I picked up at
Penland School. I’m not sure what the official name of it is.
Easy enough to make a wooden handle with a heavy pin. I use this
to:
Stretch the holes in earnuts to fit my posts.
I also scratch patterns onto metal with it.
Sort tiny items like stones.
4.And it is good to poke holes into my earring cards.
5.Loosen that large piece of sand clogging my sandblaster.
6.Reach the glue in the tube.
Grasscloth paper cut into small 2 inch squares make great
earring cards. Those small hinged clear plastic boxes that clip
shut store my solder. I scratch the info on the lid.(using my
above tool) I take my charcoal blocks outside and grind them down
on the cement sidewalk to reflatten the surface. Of course make
sure that you have binding wire wrapped around the charcoal to
keep it from splitting apart. Bind them before you even use the
torch.
I keep my rendering watercolors and gouache premixed on a
porcelain pallet covered with Saranwrap (hah, such an appropriate
name) to keep on hand to use at a moments notice.
Beeswax near my drawplate. So I can just pinch a tiny bit and
stick it onto the hole before I draw my wire down.
Add a few drops of purified water to my flux when it is too
concentrated and acts up.
Plastic cups (like for beer) with tiny holes punched in the
bottom (guess what I use for that) are great for cleaning things
in the ultrasonic. Plastic coated electrical wire bent into six
hanging sections such as -v-v-v-v-v-v- is good to hang things in
the ultrasonic. Great for earrings. (my ultrasonic is still going
strong since 1981) Toothbrushes (need I say more) loosens the
crud the ultrasonic might be having a hard time with. Speeds up
those gem cleanings so they don’t have to be in long.
Paintbrush to sweep my bench. I use a diamond scoop as the
dustpan. A scrap of a board with holes drilled into it to hold
all my flex shaft tools.
The rubber netting/mat stuff for under rugs placed under my
steel block keeps it from sliding around. Also works great to
help grip and open jars.
On the CD this week: “The Best of the Doors” can’t seem to pry it out.
I just installed a shut-off valve between my Gravermax and
air compressor. As soon as I stop engraving I turn off the
Gravermax and and then the air at the shut-off valve( which is
attached conveniently to my desk). When I start to engrave again
I reverse the above process. Saves my compressor alot of extra
work.
I keep all my wire and sheet in enclosed document folders
for easy access and organization.
I made a neat little organizer for all my extra rubber
wheels, sandpaper discs, stone wheels, cut-off discs and drum
sanders by hammering finishing nails into a piece of plywood (
3/4 X 6 X 4 " ) , cutting off the tops of the nails, and
stacking the above onto the nails, which I keep on my desk.
G’day; Nice simple one; those bamboo skewers: a short
piece can be slotted at one end with a small strip of #600
wet/dry paper inserted. When used at fairly slow speed in a
handpiece, you can fine sand intricate places.
Another; those needles - don’t waste a valuable pin vice on
them. Clamp one in a bench vice with the eye outwards, and
carefully drive a 3" length of 5/16 dowel over it. Next cut
away a part of the other end to make a flat. You can glue Velcro
to this and if you have a strip of the opposite sign glued to
your bench upstand, you can have a handy row of them. Cheers,
/\ John Burgess
/ /
/ / Johnb@ts.co.nz
/ /__|\
(_______) In sunny temperate Mapua NZ -
I always keep my broken saw blades handy when using epoxy, they
can fit into the small spots and the dull teeth of the blade
help to hold the epoxy. Eileen
Hey anybody try weak hydrochloric acid, it re etches the files
by dissolving the weakened metal and it removes metal filings,
just make sure you oil dip your files afterwards and dry
thoroughly. Ringman john
He used to cut plastic liter bottles in half and use them to
put nails and screws in; and then stack em' !
Which reminded me that I use a gallon milk/water jug to clean my
stainless steel tumbler mix. I poked a few holes in the bottom
and cut away the top quarter leaving only the handle. The mix
goes in and I can rinse it and let it drain until the water runs
clear.
I’ll pass along a tip I was given this weekend by Dan Clark, who
demonstrates silversmithing at rockshows in the
Illinois/Wisconsin area.
Dan uses one of those ceramic soldering blocks(with all the
little holes). Prior to heating the piece to be soldered, he
heats an area of the block to glowing, slides the piece onto the
heated area of the block, and heats the piece quickly and more
evenly to soldering temp.
One for you. They have stainless steel welding rod, which is
the best gold solder pick I've found.
A useful variation here is instead of using the plain stainless
steel, get a flux coated one, used for arc welding without shield
gas. you sharpen these to a point on a grinder, as usual. Don’t
bend it, or the flux coat comes off. the key to this idea is
that the flux coat is a welding flux, not something we’re using
for soldering, and it stays right on the rod. WHERE IT ACTS AS
A QUITE GOOD INSULATOR, keeping your fingers unburnt while you
handle the soldering pic… Easier than going to the trouble of
putting a handle on the rod, and then you can hold it pretty much
wherever you like. It does eventually heat up, but a darn sight
slower than a plain uncoated rod.
Since most bezel wire comes in standard heights, John taught me
this neat trick for cutting wire so it doesn’t bend. While
cutting the wire, make sure one side is flush with the bottom of
the blade and keep it there. The right side wastes away, while
the left side (or the good side) stays perfectly straight. I
never have to raise or file/sand a bezel to accommodate a
cabachon. I get more stone and it is much easier to set. Stays
firm too!
Bob Fairbank for this one. If you are switching from a large
mandrel in your flex shaft to a tiny drill bit, hold the drill
bit in your thumb and forefinger in one hand, and press your
thumb carefully against the side of the flex shaft jaws while
depressing the peddle. The “jaws” collapse perfectly around the
drill bit. I have only the standard #30 tip, as do
mostmetalsmiths and schools. This works great for newer
students.
Someone once suggested tearing off a small strip of masking
tape, taping it to the table and mixing epoxy on it. Then it
can be removed and discarded. No fuss, no mess and no
leftovers. I tried it and it worked very well. So whoever had
that suggestion–Thanks!
One of the things I use are test bottles for pregnancy kits,
they hold melee stones and small repair parts well as you can
see into them easily, they are also great for solder pallions,
at 40$ per kit the bottles did not justify being thrown away,
You can find similar bottles in your local Head shop. …
Ringman-- Hailing in Seattle
I use a number of clips and specially designed tweezers for
holding things during soldering. They are all made of stainless
steel strips that I salvage from discarded windshield vipers.
Bend to shape with pliers and file the ends to suit the purpose.
I just realized, while working today, that I store all of my
needle files, saw blades, little torch tips, etc. in the lids
lazy to drill my own holes)
OH, but my favorite tool in my studio (well, one of them) is my
bench shear…purchased at Harbor Freight for $50! Once you get
used to cutting with it, you can pretty much get rid of those
old tin snips!
I use the smallest “Post it” note stickers you can find (about 1
1/2" x 2") to mix epoxy on… easy to peel off the top sheet and
throw it away when done. Sometimes, I leave the toothpick or
sawblade used to apply the stuff in the mix. Then when I go back
by that bench I’ll check to see how/if it hardened properly…
Also, I have a heat lamp (set up with a timer) over a ceramic
floor tile on the bench, to accelerate the hardening of the
epoxy. Ten or fifteen minutes seems to do it… Also shortens the
time needed to set up the stronger 24hr epoxies…