Seperating Disks

Jewelry Discussion
1

Here’s a handy trick i picked up a few years ago and thought i
would pass along. I find seperating disks (the hard composite
cutting disks) indispensible. They come in two sizes,
thick(reasonably priced) and thin (way too expensive and very
delicate). Sometimes the thick ones are just to thick to do the
job and the thin ones too expensive to keep in stock. The
solution is to make the thick ones thin. Since the disks are
hard enought to cut just about anything metal i chose a diamond
to cut the disk. I prefer a straight baggett (i use a chipped
stone and if you set very many baggetts you probably have one or
two) which i hold with a set of pliers very firmly.I then chuck a
seperating disk (on a mandrel) into my handpiece, then use the
diamond as a tool to grind the spinning disk to the taper and
width i desire. It takes a little practice and be sure to wear
safety glasses as the disks have been know to shatter. I really
like these thinned disks for fold forming. I use them to cut the
fold line on the sheet stock i wish to break, because they are
thinner i find i can cut tighter curves for folding. hope it works
as well for all of you as it has for me. Frank.

2 
Here's a handy trick I really
like these thinned disks for fold forming. I use them to cut the
fold line on the sheet stock i wish to break, because they are
thinner i find i can cut tighter curves for folding. hope it works
as well for all of you as it has for me.

I’ve been using the thin disks to sharpen worn setting burs. Not
quite like new, but an definite improvement when one is in a
pinch.

3

A separating disc trick I like is to cut a notch in the edge of
the disc 1/4" to 3/8" of the circumference by 1/8" to 1/4" deep
to allow yourself to see through the disc when using it as a
sanding disc. (Like a split lap) They’re great for accurate
trimming.

You can cut the notch with another abrasive wheel or nibble it
with pliers.

Round the leading corner of the notch and they’re surprisingly
safe, and relatively durable.

Dick Caverly
rcaverly@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/rcaverly/home.htm

4

Hi,

You can go to your local machine shop and ask them to get you an
Industrial diamond set in a steel rod. They cost about $25.00.
I’ve used mine for about 3 years now and it looks almost new.
It’s great for shaping silicone carbide and aluminous oxide
stones too. Another product is a Norbide stick made by Norton
Abrasives Co. My Dad, a tool and die maker, gave me one about
10 years ago and I still use it to. I used it daily for about 7
years until I got the diamond. I suspect that I have worn about
.3mm off of it so far. The stick is about 75mm long to begin
with. I don’t know how expensive they are, but I know they are
not inexpensive.

Regards,

Skip

                                  Skip Meister
                                NRA Endowment and
                                   Instructor
                                @Skip_Meister
                                06/08/9718:18:18
5

you can also cut out every other tooth on the burr to amke a
very usable wax burr. Frank

6

If you got the knack of sharpening dull drills with a thin
separating disk but find the cross section (the web of drill) is
to wide, it can be made narrower by cutting (relieving) equal
portions from both side. This can improve the cutting ability so
that it can out perform a new drill. This help a lot in
setting. Jim alpine@hay.net