Greetings! A quasi-new at this question. I need a tool to de-burr
the ends of my 20 gauge sterling and karat gold earring wires (the
part that goes through the lobe) The ends are flush cut, but still
too sharp to poke through. I want these ends to be smooth and rounded
. Now, I have heard tales told of a flex-shaft attachment to
accomplish just this amazing feat in mere seconds, yet have no idea
what its called. I have scoured the online Dremel and Foredom sites,
and the Orchid archives, but to no avail. All I know is that it has a
concave cup-like end. So, dear Orchidians, does it exist? Or is it
only as real as my imagination…would love your feedback!
To comment on Tucson-I was there for 6 days and only got to see
about half the show! It definitely seemed larger than even the
previous year. We made some excellent new contacts and purchases in
the most obscure places, but it was so overwhelming, we ended up
buying mostly from vendors we have already been doing business with
located in the main thoroughfares . As to AGTA, we waltzed right in
this year, all they asked for was my business license, very hassle
free (Last year, with a license, I was a thousand dollars shy of
their minimum purchase receipts rule-It didnt matter I had just
started my business and the four grand I had spent had been in the
previous 6 weeks!) Goofballs. Anyway Thanks in advance for any advice
and I hope someday to return the favor.
Hi Meike; Those are cup burs you’re after. Look in the burs section
of your catalogs. Everyone’s got them. Try them in 1 mm size and use
light oil because they clog up and overheat easy.
Hi Meike, It’s called a ‘cup burr’. They’re usually sold in sets, but
individual burrs are also available. They look like a cup that’s had
slots cut on it’s inside. They come in many sizes. It’s best to use
a size that fits the wire you’re trying to ‘round’. Lub the burr
before using to keep the metal from ‘packing’ in the teeth.
Sounds like you are talking about a cup bur whichshould be available
from any jewelry supplier . aaathey will be in the burr section af
any jewelry catalog in various sizes. This will dome the tip of the
wire. I however use a rubber wheel and then a hard felt wheel at the
polish. Frank Goss
Hello Meike,Rio has a manual “wire rounder” that deburs cut wire
with a few twists using a cup bur mounted in a handle- see page 310
in the current tool catalog. For speedier results, a cup bur in your
flex shaft would do the trick. Be prepared to have lots of cup burs!
When I make a batch of 20 ga wire posts, I slightly melt one end to
achieve a smooth end, before knotching and polishing. Nice smooth
post tip.
Judy in Kansas
Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936
The ends are flush cut, but still too sharp to poke through. I want
these ends to be smooth and rounded
Hi Meike, They’re called - believe it or not - cup burrs! Frequently
used for rounding off prongs for faceted settings, and just the type
of use you describe. They’re available from just about any jewelry
tool supplier, in a variety of sizes. For your needs, you can
probably buy just one or two sizes, rather than the complete set.
You place the end of the wire in the rotating cup and with a slight
lean to the handpiece, go around the end of the piece of wire. Be
careful not to lean the burr too much, as the edge of the cup can
nick or cut the vertical shank of the wire if it touches. I’ve done
this to prongs before…
Hi Meike- The flexshaft device that I use for finishing the ends of
ear wires is called a “cup bur”. Rio Grande sells them, and I believe
the size I bought to finish 20g wire is the 1.5 mm (outer diameter)
bur (item #344-347). I love it because of how fast it is to finish
the wires. Of course, what works even better is buying the wires
pre-made!
You may be referring to the ‘Single-Cut Concave Cutters’ or as they
are widely known, ‘Cup Burs’ They come in different sizes with a
3/32"shank to fit in a flexshaft collet of same dimensions. I find
the Rio Grande Steel Burs of high quality steel and they cut for
long life. Look for them in the Rio Catalog, order #342-146/170 and
they can also be supplied in set of 12 or 22 at different sizes.
Hope this helps.