Homemade tools

Jewelry Discussion
1

I realy like to make homemade tools Ive’ just made a
sinclastic tool out of a wire stripper pliers and it works realy good
to make hollow bangles and rings I bought a book about homemade
equipment for casting. and is very interesting.I have found that the
pressure casting machine is very easy to make but the wax injector is
kind of complicated.even when it requires of simple materials. does
anyone have a tip on how to make one?. Also I would realy like to read
about some other secrets on homemade tools. or is it.do it yourself
tools? thanks in advance. Marco.

2

Hi Marco, Hi Folks,

This is old hat but way way back in the January 1993 issue of Rock
and Gem Magazine published a story titled “The Joy of Homemade Tools.”

Cheers
Hans Durstling
Moncton, Canada

3

Marco, lots of homemade tools tips in the “Cheap thrills in the Tool
Shop” book extracts at:

http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tree.cgi

best
Charles

Charles Lewton-Brain
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada

4

Hi there, I was hoping you could give me the name of the book that you
have for making casting equipment. My husband wants to do this for
me and I didn’t know there was such a book! Thanks in advance.

Laney

http://members.aol.com/kineticjwl/
Laney Clark Kinetic Jewelry Designs

5

All, I was taught to make all my metal stamps and chisels out of
automobile valves. We cut off the tops of the valves, annealed the
metal, carved into the valve stem the shape or design we wanted, and
then hardened the metal. Worked like a charm. Most automotive
machine shops throw the valves away. Ask them to save them for you
and pay a small price to give them incentive to save them. Tools
made this way will outlast the user.

Gerry Galarneau

6

Marco,

Here is a very simple method of wax injection. Place an old pot or
heat proof dish on a hot plate. Add wax. On the stove, heat a pot
of water to boiling. Place a syringe in the boiling water and plunge
water in and out a few times to make sure the syringe is hot.
Quickly take the syringe out of the pot using tongs and fill syringe
with molten wax. Immediately inject the wax into your mold. Working
very quickly is the key, but I have excellent results with this method. -Sydney

7

Dear Sydney

What kind of syringe would be recomended for the wax injection.the
metal ones.or regular plastic ones.

Thanks. Marco

8 
 I also know that the oceans do contain gold in solution but not so
as anyone has been able to extract it.

Oh, it’s not that hard to extract. You just need to process an
enormous amount of water to get any gold. And the extraction costs
far, far, exceed the value of the metal. That’s why it’s not done.

Peter

9

Marco

I use regular plastic syringes. I have a few different sizes -
different ones seem to work better with different molds. It’s just
trial and error getting the right one for the job. -Sydney

10

Couldn’t resist jumping in re syringes. I have used them for years
to inject wax. But, I found that after injecting two or three times
with the same syringe, the rubber tip of the plunger tends to jam
(probably due to heat…expansion). I resolved this issue by dipping
it in mineral oil and then wiping it off with a paper towel. I do
this every 2 or 3 injections and it keeps the rubber cool, the correct
size and also keeps it soft. Try it.

Cheers, Don at The Charles Belle Studio where simple elegance IS fine
jewelry!

11

Just made a great prong tool… saw it in a show… picked up a set
of ignition pliers… as they are sometimes called … I got mine at Pep
Boys auto… about $13.00…I would call them a pipe wrench pliers
… the pliers head curves over about 20 to 30 degrees … the angle
helps… also, the pliers opens at several levels which helps when
tightening the prong head.

Just had to remove the teeth and change the angle of the top jaw a
bit, cut a prong slot and … WOW a great tool. Jim

12 
    Just had to remove the teeth and change the  angle of the top
jaw a bit, cut a prong slot and .. WOW a great tool. Jim

Yes, Jim, my friend Steve Darnell gave me a pair of these several
years ago, and I would never be without them for turning down prongs.
Remember to polish the jaws, of course. For those interseted, the
tool is a Channel Lock Pliers. I use the #414, available at Harbor
Freight for $9.99, I believe.

HTH,
Roy