I have made my first hinge (copper, and actually my second, since the
first was soldered into a lump) and my problem is how to file the "V"
all the books talk about into 20Ga. copper for a seat for the three
knuckles. What tool? I tried hand filing, not too successful, and
then used my belt sander (better). Is there a flexshaft tool that
would be best for this? Hold in a vise for the filing? How much of a
V? and should there be a minute space between the two bases or fit
flush. I have checked some postings, and looked in the books, but
couldn’t find the little “tips” that I know some of you have.
You can use a saw ( either a jewelers saw or a cut off wheel in a
flexshaft) to first cut a channel where you want it. Follow that up
with either a rattail file of a suitable bur (krause or bud or
conical) held at a very shallow angle, so it won’t want to jump out
of the groove.
You ask about holding it in a vise. My preference, especially with a
bur, is to hand hold the piece. A bur will tend to chatter when the
piece has no ‘give’.
You used a belt sander, how big an object are you making?
To prepare the site where the hinge knuckles go I file with a 6"
flat file an angle on there first, at about 45deg, I don’t know what
that is in US measurements to prepare the area for the ‘vee’, then
I saw a long cut along the centre of the flat area, and then file
with a rat’s tail. The file tends to stay in place with the saw cut
there.
Cheers
Bri
B r i a n A d a m
e y e g l a s s e s j e w e l l e r y
B u s h J e w e l l e r y W o r k s h o p s
Auckland NEW ZEALAND
www.adam.co.nz
Anneal your metal first I have pretty good results starting with a
0/0 blade then notching the metal where i want the tube or half tube
to go, or blocks if i’m doing a disappearing hinge.
that’s where the rest of the posters and I part ways. I have a
modified slim curved burnisher that i have made into an ultra sharp
scraper that is about 0.5 mm at the tip and three sides,2 beveled and
razor sharp,the third just tapers to the tip and is smooth and sharp
on the curves length so at each top edge where 2 sides meet it is a
perfect 90 degrees of sharpness tapering down to a thin razorlike
cutter that accomplishes many things…so on the pull stroke it cleans
out the awed groove with a few pulls…i also have a lozenge shaped
machinists 6" file that does well to form v grooves…you can modify
screwdrivers, large masonry nails, many things to make excellent
scrapers that work on a push or a pull stroke for cleaning and
finishing ( as some debuerre and polish at the same time). a diamond
slitting wheel is overkill, but depending on the gauge of your metal
a cut off whell can make quick work of grooving metals in a
flexshaft…
to prepare the area for the ‘vee’, then