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Piercing tubing?

Jewelry Discussion
#1

Hi Folks,

Imagine you had a metal tube, with an oval cross-section…
approx. 1" x 1/2". Then say you wanted to pierce a pattern in
one side of this tube. A conventional jeweler’s saw is not the
answer. Obviously, I could pierce sheet and create the tube from
the sheet, but I already have the tube. Any ideas? I thought of a
separating disk, but I want to be able to do curves or more
intricate designs.

Any suggestions appreciated, as usual!

Thanks,

Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio
Charlotte, NC

#2

You like to make problems for yourself don’t you? You might try
filling the tube with hard pitch and cutting the design with
sharp chisels. The intricate cut designs of ancient jewelry were
made with chisels.

Marilyn Smith

#3

small drill bits, ball burs and especially a long thin bur
called a krause bur may work. i have used a krause bur to do some
fairly fine designs in hard to reach places. it take a little
while to get used to controlling the cutting because it has a
tendancy to 'skate" around and catch in one spot and cut a nice
notch exactally where you do not want it. Do not know if this is
what you had in mind but i hope it helped. Michael Chapman

#4

Then say you wanted to pierce a pattern in one side of this tube.
I want to be able to do curves or more intricate designs.

G’day. Dave; what about trying with the finest straight dental
burr you can get, and used after drilling an entry hole the same
size? –

        /\
       / /    John Burgess, 
      / /
     / //\    @John_Burgess2
    / / \ \
   / (___) \
  (_________)
#5

Imagine you had a metal tube, with an oval cross-section…
approx. 1" x 1/2". Then say you wanted to pierce a pattern in
one side of this tube. A conventional jeweler’s saw is not the
answer. Obviously, I could pierce sheet and create the tube from
the sheet, but I already have the tube. Any ideas? I thought of a
separating disk, but I want to be able to do curves or more
intricate designs.

Dave;

Small dental burs like inverted cone burs could outline your
design. Small cylinder burs could cut away and open up the
design. Gravers to finish?

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

#6

Hi Dave,

You could use a krause burr or what in Germany is called a flame
burr. This is a long, cross cut tapered burr which ends with a
point. Ideally you start with a small hole, insert the burr and
use it like a router to cut out your shape. Because the bur is
tapered you have various choices of cut width depending how deep
you hold it. You can in fact start a hole with this tapered burr
and then sink it to about its middle and so use it as a router to
cut your shape. The standard small burr that dentists use (and
give you piles of for free if you ask them) works very well in
this regard. Charles

Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain

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#7

Try a Krause bur

#8

You might try filling the tube with pitch and pierce with a
narrow, sharp chisel. Work with a method similar to chasing. What
about the hi-tech route. Is there an EDM shop nearby? What
material, gauge, hardness?

Dick Caverly

#9

david, it seems that everyone else has already covered most of
my ideas using burrs and gravers. here is a thought though.
place your burr in a stationary devices such as a drill press or
clamp your handpiece in a vice and move th tube as opposed to
moving the burr. that way the burr is less likely to grab and
run amuck! the tubing is easier to control. also use lots of
burr lubricant. good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Frank.

#10

Holy frijoles!! I can’t believe the responses I got for a
problem I thought was insurmountable! You people are
outstanding! My budget doesn’t currently support the acquisition
of an engraving machine (need a rolling mill much more…), but
the etching and burring and chiseling and gravering ideas are all
feasible!

The designs I have in mind are pretty much geometric, but if I
ever get one of those engraving machines I might try something
more representational.

Thanks again, everyone!

Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio
Charlotte, NC

#11

I just got home from working at my shop (it’s about 12:30 AM) so
this may be a crazy suggestion to someone whose brain is
functioning, but how about drawing the design with a graver,
drilling a hole every so often, and then using a slim reamer and
maybe some ball burs to cut away the rest. You didn’t mention
how thick the metal was so I don’t know if the ball burs would
last very long.

If the pattern is open enough, and the material is not too
thick, you may also be able to take a broken saw blade (4 or
larger probably) and secure it into an exacto knife handle so it
only protrudes maybe an inch, max (never tried it, just thought
of it) and use it like a keyhole saw. A short length like that
might be stiff enough to work with.

I think any of these methods will be somewhat tedious, but who
knows, they may work. LOL!

Sharon Ziemek

#12

Hi,

What is the thickness of the walls of the oval tube? What metal
is it?

If it isn’t too thick, scribe your pattern and try piercing the
piece with a burr in your flex shaft, or may be a fine drill.
Then cut out the design carefully with a cross cut fissure burr
(dental size 699 or 701) be sure to use burr life or some such
product liberally. You can clean up the edges with a fine grit
diamond. Don’t press too hard, use a steady pressure and let
the burr do the cutting. Take your time, and you should get
satisfactory results.

Skip

                                  Skip Meister
                                NRA Endowment and
                                   Instructor
                                @Skip_Meister
                                05/21/9704:36:01
#13

Dave: Why not cut the pattern on a piece of flat sheet and pierce
the design. You could then use a half round dapping block and
punch to get the desired oval. If this is not available ISO007
cone square bur to cut your design. This would require a
steady hand and some planning on your design before cutting.

Regards,
Roger Kitchens

http://web2.airmal.net/rogerk