[Jewelry making - Article 00352] - Re: [Orchid] Carving Mother of Pearl

[Peter B. Steiner]

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    Hi Karen, When working such a tiny object I would be inclined to
    clamp the Mother of Pearl in a padded vise, and then carve it with a
    flexshaft. 

    Mother of Pearl is composed -mostly- of Calcium Carbonate.  There are
    also a few organic molecules in the mix - so you'd be wise to wear a
    good "respirator" style dust mask while cutting.  (MOP dust is
    somewhat toxic; and many people are allergic to it.)  Reduce the dust
    with a slow water drip, such as you might find on a faceting machine.
     Surplus IV tubing and Oxygen tubing are ideal for this purpose. 
    (Ask your pharmacist to order a 25' coil of the latter. You'll find
    plenty of uses for the extra material.)  Run a gravity feed from a
    jug of distilled water.  You can use a hemostat (or a clothespin) to
    control the rate of flow.  Take care to clean up the slurry before it
    dries, so that you don't wind up breathing it later. 

    MOP can be carved with Tungsten Carbide, Aluminum Oxide, Silicon
    Carbide or Diamond.  (Any abrasive flexshaft points which you have
    on hand should do the job.)  MOP is very sensitive to heat (which is
    another good reason to cut it under a water drip.)  It is also fairly
    brittle. Let your cutting tool do the work.  Use just enough hand
    pressure to keep the point from slipping off line. 

    As always...when running a water drip, use only grounded electrical
    tools.  Keep the water drip below the level of the motor!  Catch the
    effluent in a plastic or hard rubber basin.  Place your water
    containers in such a way that, even if they tip over, the water can't
    reach either the flexshaft motor or any part of your electrical
    system.  Wear rubber-soled shoes.  (I know, these are -really- basic
    safety precautions. They're not intended for you. :-)  I mention them
    only because this note will eventually fall into the hands of a
    beginner.) 

    If I can be of further assistance, don't hesitate to ask! Have fun. 
    :-) 

Pete
Peter B. Steiner
Western New York, USA
troubadr AT buffalo.edu


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