[Jewelry making - Article 00670] - Re: [Orchid] "Orchid in Print" Book Series Announced

[The Doctor]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

    One of my favorite tools for use with the flex shaft is the rotary
    hammer. This is a nice little tool that can help with porosity in
    castings, as well as rapid burnishing of practically any metal.
    Here's how anybody with a torch can make one: 

    Find a broken (or buy a new, they're not expensive) drill bit,
    around 2" - 3" in length. I prefer a 3/16" diameter bit, but larger
    ones can be made for use with larger materials. Being hardened, you
    must first anneal it with your torch by heating it to red hot, and
    cooling slowly. It's easier to cool slowly by covering it with clay,
    pumice, etc. 

    After cooling, mark a place about 3/4" from the end of the bit that
    will be chucked into your flex shaft. Now, heat again and bend it on
    an anvil, in a vise, with pliers or Vise-Grips, etc (you get the
    idea), to about a 35 to 40 degree angle and, again, cool slowly. 

    Next, mark the end you just bent (not the chucked end) about 1/4" or
    so away from the shank and cut off the excess. Grind that end into a
    smooth hemisphere, working down with successive grits to a fine
    polish. What you're shooting for here is a piece of tool steel rod
    that is bent at a 40 degree angle with a round, hemispherical ball
    end that will rotate in the flex shaft's chuck. 

    Finally, heat it up again, this time going through the light yellow
    color to the deeper straw yellow color. This is the hardness you
    want that won't be either too soft, or too brittle. Allow it to
    air-cool this time. Polish again, and enjoy. 

    The idea of the rotary hammer is that it provides a very fast series
    of glancing blows to the surface of your metal. Much quicker than a
    hand-held hammer, this little tool can save a lot of porous
    castings, and can burnish very quickly. 

James in SoFl

____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________