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View Full Version : Your favourite hand made tool....?



Solunar Silver Studio
24-07-2009, 05:29 PM
I've just posted on the Pickling thread in the Jewellery Discussion Area Advice section (post number 13) about a rather bizarre contraption that I have put together to service my very limited pickling needs...That gave me an idea for a new thread....
What novel handmade tool or contraption have you made that you wouldn't be without now as it is just perfect for the job...after all we are a creative lot aren't we? Move over Heath Robinson!
Barbara

bustagasket
04-08-2009, 03:42 PM
I think my simplest and most used home made tool is an old credit card.

I just wrap my wetanddry around it and it is soooo useful for sanding curved items before it gets the tripoli/rouge treatment. Credit cards are so flexible that it is perfect for rounded jobs as you can just manipulate whilst sanding.

*Makes a note in her note book - save next used credit cars* :D

ps_bond
04-08-2009, 03:47 PM
I use hotel keycards a lot for things - for example, cut a thin strip off and use it to both mix & apply epoxy, using the rest of the card as a mixing palette.

As for a favourite handmade tool... Er. None of them are particular favourites, there's too many!

Green Beetle
11-08-2009, 06:49 PM
Decided I couldn't afford a tumbling machine for polishing just the small bits and pieces I produce (rings, ear ring hooks, chain, bracelet and similar) but found a source for cheapish mixed stainless steel shot and barrelling compound. Throw everything in a screw top plastic jar and shake it around for about 15 minutes. You might end up with biceps like a blacksmith but the silver bits do come out nice and shiny.

Solunar Silver Studio
11-08-2009, 07:15 PM
Ha ha ha ha! :rofl: That reminds me of the time I kept the kids busy by giving them each a jam jar full of milk and getting them to shake it until it turned into 'butter'!! they danced :dance:and jigged and giggled but it worked in the end!!...and they had their own butter on bread for tea!! It only happened the once though....they saw through it the next time I suggested it!!!:-D

....got any spare children hanging around??!!

Petal
11-08-2009, 07:53 PM
uum, I wonder if I could use the jam jar and a spin dryer?

Jx

Solunar Silver Studio
11-08-2009, 08:16 PM
I hope you are joking!! ...but just in case you aren't...:"> If the jar survives the starting tumble...=:-O... the shot would eventually all be stuck to one area in the jar as the certrifugal force would take effect on it - so nothing in the jar would tumble.

Now - if you were to use a plastic tub....and have it on tumble dry...........:-D

mizgeorge
11-08-2009, 09:07 PM
Before I had a tumbler, I also used to chuck everything into an old peanut butter jar and roll it under my foot on the floor - free foot massage and polished silver all in one go!

(and yes, it does work to put it in the dryer - just wrap a towel round to stop it banging about too much and use low temp..... ;))

Lindyloo
11-08-2009, 09:13 PM
That's so brilliant. You guys are so resourceful. Why didn't I think of any of those solutions? :(|

Lindyloo
11-08-2009, 09:15 PM
Come to think of it. Next time I can't think of any ideas on how to gerry rig up a piece of equipment, I will just ask the experts!:Y:

Di Sandland
11-08-2009, 10:01 PM
My OH favourite phrase is 'its not designed for that' - his head would explode if I started using the tumble drier to polish my jewellery!

Petal
12-08-2009, 08:17 AM
Yes, I was joking !! haha - but a tumble dryer!! I hadn't thought of that one.#-o

Jules

Solunar Silver Studio
12-08-2009, 10:01 AM
Ha ha ha ha...your old man sounds just like mine Di,...no sense of ADVENTURE!!. Mine is pretty resigned now...and happily admits that he would put nothing past me!! I love him to bits!!!:D

Di Sandland
12-08-2009, 11:26 AM
Barbara, if it wasn't for folk like us, if the entire world was composed of clones of our husbands, nothing would ever get invented!

EmmaRose
12-08-2009, 01:03 PM
a 6" house nail cut rounded and polished to make a stone setting tool.
Em

agent_44
12-08-2009, 08:59 PM
Ha ha ha ha! :rofl: That reminds me of the time I kept the kids busy by giving them each a jam jar full of milk and getting them to shake it until it turned into 'butter'!! they danced :dance:and jigged and giggled but it worked in the end!!...and they had their own butter on bread for tea!! It only happened the once though....they saw through it the next time I suggested it!!!:-D

....got any spare children hanging around??!!

I remember doing that in primarys school when I was about 5, we all poured the cream from the top of our milk bottles into a jar and took turns to shake it, then had crackers with our butter on!

As for hand made tools, I honestly don't think I have any. I need to be more resourceful!

ben b
12-08-2009, 09:37 PM
........................

Milomade
12-08-2009, 10:36 PM
What a great idea Green Beetle - I want to try that - wher do you get the bits that go into the bottle? is it called 'shot'?

Solunar Silver Studio
13-08-2009, 06:48 AM
There was a thread about this somewhere..I remember adding my post to it but I can't find it now... Anyway - my contribution to it was...

http://www.ukge.co.uk/UK/grits.asp (stainless steel fine media)

and http://www.kitiki.co.uk/shop.htm?https://cherryheavensafeshopping.portal.ID4434 (If you can fight your way through their terrible website and get to a page you can order from!!!!)

Also some of the other pmc/acs places do it too...and I don't know if Cooksons do...but if they don't they could........:)

caroleallen
13-08-2009, 06:55 AM
I'm trying to make a nylon cross pein hammer from a normal nylon hammer but It's so hard, I can't cut it. Any ideas anyone?

ps_bond
13-08-2009, 07:00 AM
What are you trying to cut it with? It's definitely just nylon?

I'd probably use a jigsaw - or better yet, grind it off with a belt sander, linisher or an angle grinder with flap discs. A decent bastard file would work too.

I usually buy my silver steel from Cromwells... They conveniently do it in 5' lengths for most diameters.

caroleallen
13-08-2009, 07:04 AM
Thanks Peter, I'll try a jigsaw. Also good advice about Cromwells.

ps_bond
13-08-2009, 07:15 AM
Clamp it carefully if you do & put scrap wood either side of the hammer to support the saw.

Di Sandland
13-08-2009, 08:55 AM
and http://www.kitiki.co.uk/shop.htm?https://cherryheavensafeshopping.portal.ID4434 (If you can fight your way through their terrible website and get to a page you can order from!!!!)



I never, ever got that far!

Solunar Silver Studio
13-08-2009, 10:09 AM
Do you think someone should tell them??:)

mizgeorge
13-08-2009, 10:39 AM
Cooksons sell shot too, but I think they are VERY expensive on this one.

It's worth getting stainless steel rather than just steel - however well you treat your shot it will end up getting some rust otherwise. If you're polishing jewellery, make sure the mix has pins in it as well as other shapes, these are the most expensive bit, but are critical to getting into all the little nooks and crannies :)

I think UKGE are about the cheapest, but don't always have stock.

The kitiki (and all other incarnations of the same place) site is dreadful. And when you do get to a page you can order from, you discover it's not actually a secure site either. Far better to just ring them, they're very helpful by phone!

Green Beetle
24-08-2009, 05:04 PM
What a great idea Green Beetle - I want to try that - wher do you get the bits that go into the bottle? is it called 'shot'?
Sorry about the late reply - I went to Kitiki/Cherry Heaven/any of its other names and ordered the stainless steel shot and some barrelling compound. There were only two shapes in the "mixed" shot and I had to order little tiny pins as an extra - and find yourself a magnet if you do the same as they managed to find their way out of the envelope and twinkled across the carpet. Grrr. Had a helpful discussion with them by phone but, like other people, I find their website a minefield. The goiod news is that at least the prices include VAT and P&P so no nasty surprises.

I have found shaking the tumbler for about 15 minutes does bring small articles up really shiny; the finish is not super smooth but you don't notice it on small items like ear wires.

Green Beetle
24-08-2009, 05:05 PM
I once tried to and they seemed surprised ... !

Bigwol
05-09-2009, 12:28 AM
I don't own a barrel polisher, I know they are handy and it seems everyone here has one I prefer to hand polish with the polishing motor, someone also told me that barrel polishers don't give that great a finish, is this true?

Depends what you are barrelling, for chains and wire they are peerless, resulting in a bright mirror finish.

For things you spent ages getting perfectly square and crisp, barrelling smears the edges - rounding them so you wish you hadn't bothered.

Either way, I ditched the carbon steel shot and needles, replacing them with genuine stainless precision balls of 3 and 4mm diameter, this gives the advantage that they will never rust - and can be left in the barrel wet for months.

I use burnishing soap B - Can't remember where from, but metal detectorists web site coin cleaning rings a bell, it's better than the burnishing soap available in the jewellery trade - and only needs a teaspoon full every run.

Like you said - it's a double edged sword . . Sometimes, hand polishing is much better.

Dano
05-09-2009, 02:01 PM
on the subject of both barrel polishers and handmade tools, this is my favourite homemade

http://i31.tinypic.com/2rng5cp.png

because it taught me an important lesson that sometimes things are expensive because that's what they cost. making this saved me maybe £10 tops on the price of cookson's unit (the barrel and shot are from cookies) and that tenner does not cover gadding about for parts, swearing at it, and the resulting object being cantankerous as all bloody hell. it works though, and it was kinda fun to make but with hindsight i wouldn't have bothered at all.

caroleallen
05-09-2009, 06:34 PM
OMG that does look like hard work. Very satisfying though when it works. Tumbling is great for textured work but not so good if you want a mirror finish. As all my work is textured, it works great for me and saves so much time and mess.