[Jewelry making - Article 01759] - Re: [Orchid] Tools priorities

[Jay Whaley]

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Rai,

    Go for the rolling mill. Get a 4-1 ( or more) geared combination
    (grooved and flat) rolling mill and also look for removeable side
    rolls, for making half-round stock. The wider the better. With the
    mill, you will be able to make all your own wire and sheet stock, if
    you choose to do so, or can modify any existing stock into what you
    want. I routinely make custom bezel stock in any width and thickness
    in about 15 min. If you are going to draw wire through your
    drawplate, you will want to use the grooved portion of your mill to
    taper the end of your stock to get it through the drawplate
    initially. If your new mill has the side roll capacity, you can have
    new rollers made by any qualified machinist, and have any shape you
    want milled into the rollers, so you can make custom shapes, or extra
    wide half-round, as I do on mine. 

    Your drawbench will be used far less often than your rolling mill
    (usually just for round stock) I have a portable one, mounted on a
    heavy-duty sawhorse with fold-up legs. Mine's a four-footer, but you
    could go longer if you think you're going to make longer wire than 3
    to 4 foot. I keep mine in a closet until I need to use it. It is
    powered by a hand operated winch, holds the stock with a vise grip
    connected to a heavy nylon strap. Works quite well. Cost me less than
    $100 to build. Plans for it are out there on the internet, I know. 

    The drawbench is cheap, and a relatively simple device, but the
    rolling mill is the complicated part. I recommend a Durston above all
    others, and also own a Cavallin, my number 2 choice. Durston makes a
    huge number of custom rollers you can buy to fit their mills, but
    they make no effort at all to market them, as far as I know. Cavallin
    provides a single half-round groove on the side roll of their new
    mills. (???) Good luck finding a used mill that won't need re-milling
    of the rollers before you can use it. Most people have no idea how to
    keep a mill in good condition, and end up damaging them
    inadvertantly. Happy rolling. 

Jay Whaley UCSD Craft Center
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