Making Diamond Tools

Howdy All,

In my community college jewelry class, we are attempting to make
diamond drill bits and could use assistance. We tried plating
the diamond grit onto a flat surface but couldn’t get the grit to
stick, it just floated on the surface of the plating solution
(we’re using 100 grit). Since diamonds are heavy, shouldn’t they
sink? Also, how should we go about getting the diamond grit to
plate to a virtual surface (a cylinder bit for instance)?

TIA

Ketarah

Now this is just a suggestion and not the tested & true. If the
mess size is big enough and not a powder. You could coat a small
of diamond in glue on a flat surface. Roll them to make sure
there covered all over and then smooth flat again. Take the
drill and roll it lightly over the diamond & glue so that is
picks up just a little coating on the tip. It should look like
a match. Let Dry. The glue should not cover the space between
the diamond grit. Suspend in a plating solution from an
alligator clip (just the head not the hole drill). Use very low
current for 1-3 days to electroform a coating over the diamond.
Of course I coudl be totally wrong. Jim alpine@hay.net

In my community college jewelry class, we are attempting to
make diamond drill bits and could use assistance.  We tried
plating the diamond grit onto a flat surface but couldn't get
the grit to Ketarah

In another E-mail subscription list “The Facetor’s Digest” a
gentleman started yesterday the most informative thread how he
plates his own faceting laps,and Diamond tools.he just started
and has said he will go into the detail of it all in subsequent
posts.I cannnot reprint here without permission,and it is really
his genius directly you should listen to.He did mention a company
named "Starlite’ that plates anything for $150/sq inch and raved
about the quality of the work.No contact info.I would suggest you
contact the webmaster,and if you can’t subscribe,he will refer
you to the website where this list is archived.The webmaster
contact is:NNDewbre@ix.netcom.com (Norma & Jerry Dewbre)

Mark Liccini

Gemstone Rough Dealers Since 1970
http://www.LICCINI.com
mark@LICCINI.com

Take a penny, using s jewelers saw with small blades make cuts
about 1/16 inch inward at an angle. Pack the slots with the
diamond grit and tamp down the slots it holds the compond and
then you can drill it in the center and put it on a small shaft
for your flex shaft. I have never used this method, but have
known a person that did this with good results Rick

Hi Ketara,

 In my community college jewelry class, we are attempting to
make diamond drill bits and could use assistance. <<

You didn’t say if the purpose of your erxercise was to develope
was to ma ke diamond tools or if you had a job that required a
special diamond tool to complete.

I’ll assume you needed a special tool to complete some job. You
can buy many kinds of plated diamond tools a lot cheaper than you
can make them (faster too).

If, for instance, you need a diamond bit to drill a hole in a
rock, get a piece of copper or brass wire or tube a little
smaller than the diameter of the hole desired. For larger holes
the tubes work better. Coat the end o f the wire with vaseline
(diamond has a great affinity for oily/grease items). Sprinkle a
very little diamond grit on a smooth surface. Roll the greased
end of the wire through the grit. Only about 1/8 - 1/4 inch of
th e tip needs to be diamond coated. Use modeling clay or putty
to build a small dam, about 1/2 inch diameter, around the area to
be drilled. Start to drill the hole. After the holer is started
just enough to keep the drill from wandering, put some water in
the dam.

Check your progress often to allow the bit & hole get water.
You may nee d to add more diamond grit from time to time.

If you want to make a flat lap with diamond, start with a
relatively soft metal such as copper. Sprinkle the selected
diamond grit over the surface as evenly as possible. The entire
surface doesn’t have to be covered, but the coverage should be
uniform. Use a hard steel roller (an old steel bearing works
good) to press the diamond grit into the copper. Keep a steady
drip of water on the lap when it’s in use.

Depending on your requirements most any soft metal (something
the diamon ds can embed in that will hold them after being
embedded) will work. For flat laps you can even use plastics.
Commercially, diamonds are polished on cast iron scaifes (flat
laps).

Dave

    In my community college jewelry class, we are attempting
to make diamond drill bits and could use assistance 

Your dentist may give you the used ones for free, they can only
use them breifly before they begin to generate too much heat. Mark
P.

In Orchid Digest 183, Ketarah Shaffer asked about making diamond
tools. The only reference on the web I could find was at
http://www.sculptor.org/diamond.htm, which is a page of
links to other references. Also, Kinkankas (Gem Cutting, p100)
describes ways of making diamond drills.

Hale Sweeny
@Hale_Sweeny
Administrator, Lapidary Digest Mail List
Durham, NC

Hale,

Are you sure you don’t mean Sinkankas, the gem cutting guru?

Are you sure you don't mean Sinkankas, the gem cutting guru?

Yes, that is who I meant. Who did I say it was? If I said
someone other than Sinkankas, I must have been neurologically
challenged!. I even got up, went to the bookshelf and looked up
the reference in Sinkankas’ book!! Hale Sweeny
@Hale_Sweeny Administrator, Lapidary Digest Mail List
Durham, NC