[Jewelry making - Article 00015] - Re: [Orchid] Tube bending

[Jewelryartschool]

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    Depending on the size of the tubing and the thickness of the walls -
    there are several methods... 

    I believe that MicroMark and several other companies sell miniature
    tubing benders similar to the larger ones used to bend copper water
    pipe or metal conduit. 

    You can find a tightly coiled spring that fits snugly over the
    tubing. Bend the tubing inside the spring and careful twist the
    spring counter to its twist to work it back off the tubing. These
    first two suggestions are simplest, cleanest, and fastest for
    production work 

    You can use one of the low temp alloys like CerroBend, Woods, or
    Fields metal. Most of these melt in boiling water. Fill the tube with
    the liquid metal, bend it when it's solid, and put it in a pot of hot
    water - the metal just runs out. 

    You can use tightly rolled paper "cord," bend and then heat until it
    burns to ashes. 

    You can use plastic rods of various kinds, bend and then heat until
    it burns to ashes. 

    You can use plastic covered electrical wire, again heating until the
    plastic melts and the central metal wire pulls out. 

    These four methods require safety precautions, ventilation, etc. 

    You can also use very fine sand packed tightly inside the tube. The
    "sand" I use for this is the Delft clay sold for casting purposes. 

    Lastly, you can set the tube so that it hangs over the edge of the
    table at the point that you want to bend it. Use a weight of some
    kind to keep it in place. Light some black candles and some incense.
    Sit back and wait for gravity to bend it...grin 

Brian P. Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA USA
209-477-0550
www.jewelryartschool.com

 
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