At 09:20 AM 4/27/97 -0500, you wrote:
I have some info someplace on how to make a mini lathe from
acrillic(sp). As far as the live center goes it’s just a
bearing presure fit into acrilic, with a short brass rod (one
end of which has been shaped into a cone) presure fit into the
bearing. If you have any specific questions about it’s
construction or materials, let me know. I’ve made one and it
works great!
There are a number of wax milling and turning tools for sale.
Matt makes a turning attachment that fits the #30 foredom
handpiece. They also make a mandrel with a scraper blade along
its edge that is great for reaming out carving wax ring tubes to
size.
My most used tools for wax carving are the above mentioned
mandrel, a fairly large cylinder bur in the flex shaft for basic
shaping (aided by lines drawn on the wax ring blank with a pair
of dividers) a really large single cut mill bastard file for
rough filing and flattening, and a few gravers, assorted dental
tools and an exacto knife. I use a smaller cross cut cylinder bur
for shaping openings for stones. I do more fabrication than
waxing, however, so I tend to leave the waxes less than perfectly
refined before casting, and detail them in the final metal
casting.
I’ve recently discovered that Hoover and Strong will make
eternity band mountings to custom specifications directly
machined in their alloys to whatever depth, width, channel width,
and channel wall thickness I want. Their manufacturing charge for
special orders is very reasonable.
Rick Hamilton
Richard D. Hamilton, Jr
http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton