View Full Version : polishing help!
mkay118
06-01-2012, 10:52 PM
Hi guys,
I've just started to create jewellery in my shed, gotten fully into etching, into a rhythm now but Im curious as to how I can polish delicate pieces, delicate i mean 0.2mm -0.8mm thickness etched. It's too fragile for polishing mops/buffing, i've been told to use a sonic cleaner, but I'm thinking the steel points will crush my piece. Any ideas? thanks in advance
Maz
Dennis
07-01-2012, 12:21 AM
Hi Maz,
Without knowing exactly what you are making it is difficult to give specific advice, but in order of sophistication you could polish textured finishes:
1. With a soft toothbrush and Silvo.
2. With a jeweller's brass brush and soapy water.
3. With medium and fine radial disks on your flex-shaft
4. In a tumbler with mixed shot and Barrelbrite. All these methods would preserve your etched texture without damage. Dennis.
mizgeorge
07-01-2012, 10:50 AM
I suspect you're thinking of an ultrasonic cleaner, which uses no steel or hard medium, just ultrasonic waves and a detergent. You can buy a cheap one for around £20 which works OK as long as you use it with warm water.
I happily polish pieces as thin as that with a mop on a flexshaft at fairly low speed, but if you're concerned, I think I'd either use a magnetic polisher, or as Dennis suggests, a tumbler.
mkay118
06-02-2012, 04:22 PM
Thanks I'm gunna invest in a magnetic tumbler for now im using and wire wool and soapy water, (thanks dennis). I used to use sanding discs frequently, but I got fed up of shredding the discs on my work and changing every minute or so. thanks guys
Dennis
06-02-2012, 06:52 PM
Thanks for coming back to us Maz. You might be right about you choice, but if you tried a soapy jewellers brass brush, instead of steel wool, the effect on etched surfaces would be very similar and you would save £££.
By the way what did you do with sanding disks that was not successful? Dennis.
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