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Goldsmith
25-08-2012, 01:19 PM
I have posted this on other forums, so forgive me if you have seen it before. I use home made clamps to secure sections when soldering. I make my clamps from sheet stainless steel, available from many sources, but I get mine from eBay.see; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/stainless-steel-sheet-600-x200-x-9mm-430-splash-back-/290432325080?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Weldin g_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&hash=item439f1d95d8#ht_500wt_969

I use a piercing saw to cut strips from 0.9mm. thick stainless steel sheet. The strips are 4mm. wide and 100mm. long. Then I file the strips clean and bend them into shape using pliers. The photo below shows the shapes I make and some of their uses during soldering.

3811

James

medusa
25-08-2012, 04:29 PM
I really intend to get some of these made. What I can't work out is how the T shaped ones fit though.

Goldsmith
26-08-2012, 07:26 AM
I really intend to get some of these made. What I can't work out is how the T shaped ones fit though.

Liz, take a look at Dave's photos on the UKJC forum, page 2 of the thread,"putting together a silver chain". Dave made a T clamp and gave it a try, now he likes them.

James

medusa
26-08-2012, 08:56 AM
cheers james!

theresa
29-08-2012, 09:14 AM
Thanks James - I have been meaning to make some for ages now and fortunately have a piece of stainless steel knocking around. So here goes...
Theresa

Pauline
30-08-2012, 08:09 PM
I have posted this on other forums, so forgive me if you have seen it before. I use home made clamps to secure sections when soldering. I make my clamps from sheet stainless steel, available from many sources, but I get mine from eBay.see; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/stainless-steel-sheet-600-x200-x-9mm-430-splash-back-/290432325080?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Weldin g_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&hash=item439f1d95d8#ht_500wt_969

Yay ...... my steel has arrived :-) The company you recommended were absolutely fab! All I need now is diferent blades to cut it with..... not willing to be delayed me thinks I will have a play and start marking it out for cutting. Thanks loads James

Dennis
30-08-2012, 09:39 PM
Actually, If you have standard 2/0 blades, a light touch and a candle for frequent lubrication, you will easily make James' clamps as I did. Just rub the candle on the back of the blade every 2.0cm or so.
Dennis.

Pauline
30-08-2012, 09:53 PM
Actually, If you have standard 2/0 blades, a light touch and a candle for frequent lubrication, you will easily make James' clamps as I did. Just rub the candle on the back of the blade every 2.0cm or so.
Dennis.

Thanks for the suggestion Dennis. I'm still building up tools etc - I don't have 2/0 but I do have 3/0 and possibly 6/0 .... are the 3/0 any good for the task?

Keia
08-10-2012, 10:18 PM
James, do you sell these atall for us busy part-timers?

Dennis
08-10-2012, 10:56 PM
James, do you sell these at all for us busy part-timers?

There are all levels of jewellery making, of course, but if you are unwilling to tackle something like this, you are missing some of the learning curve which would make you a better worker.

Besides there is much satisfaction in making or adapting your own tools. Dennis.

Goldsmith
09-10-2012, 07:51 AM
James, do you sell these atall for us busy part-timers?

As Dennis said, making these types of clamps is part of the learning curve of becoming a better worker. Like Dennis you might probably think up variants of the clamps to better suit your jobs. You can make a clamp in five minutes.

James

Keia
09-10-2012, 08:42 AM
There are all levels of jewellery making, of course, but if you are unwilling to tackle something like this, you are missing some of the learning curve which would make you a better worker.

Besides there is much satisfaction in making or adapting your own tools. Dennis.

Ohh no, please don't get me wrong - it's not about being unwilling, it's about finding the time. Something like this looks like it could take hours, but James says it only takes 5 mins so that makes it far more realistic for me to work with. I don't get time to brush my hair most days never mind make my own tools, the only thing I've managed to make time to make for myself is half a pickling ladel =)

Dennis
09-10-2012, 11:27 AM
Sorry, I was being Grumpy. Dennis.

Keia
09-10-2012, 11:42 AM
Sorry, I was being Grumpy. Dennis.

I think it's just one of those days to be honest, feeling it abit myself =) You're totally right though - I should make a conservative effort to make the time to make these things that I need - the experiance gained from it would be immense and necessary to developing other skills. I've purchased the sheet from James reccomended seller and printed off his tutorial. I fully plan on lumbering the husband with childcare duties this weekend so I can crack on with it. I wonder how everyone else got on with making theirs?

snow_imp
09-10-2012, 01:09 PM
I'm at the same point as you Keia, bought some steel from James' recommended supplier and printed out his instructions. But haven't got any further! Let us know how you get on, it might spur me on to have a go too.

MeadMoon
09-10-2012, 04:19 PM
I've made two so far. It's the sawing that takes the time for me; even with the recommended "Platinum King" saw blades it takes me an age. After that, just a minute or so to file and shape.

ps_bond
09-10-2012, 06:00 PM
I cheated and used work's shear to cut half the sheet I had handy into neat lengths. The strips curl slightly, but it isn't really an issue for this (and it took seconds to do).

susieq
09-10-2012, 08:11 PM
I've made two so far. It's the sawing that takes the time for me; even with the recommended "Platinum King" saw blades it takes me an age. After that, just a minute or so to file and shape.

Same here Elaine - I cut a 10cm square off my stainless steel today and then five strips off that. My stainless steel is slightly thicker at 1mm and even though I had platinum king blades too it took me well over an hour and five of my saw blades.

When the blades were new, I found the sawing reasonably easy, but once I'd got 4cm or so cutting further became progressively more difficult until I reached a point where it was taking so long just to cut another mm, that I swapped for a new blade. Need to make a cross piece so that I can use it as an anchor for clamping wire for bangles, but I think I need to invest in another pack of saw blades.

Susie

S

trialuser
09-10-2012, 08:32 PM
Presumably there's no reason this stuff cant be cut with a full size hacksaw?
A bit fiddly to support it perhaps.

Wallace
09-10-2012, 09:23 PM
I use cotter pins - I think I saw that in the Revere tips or someones tips! They work really well. got them on ebay and some at halfords... I love to saw, form, fold, solder, add stones... but the ones I made mostly sit in my cupboard of darkness. Maybe I should try them again.

mizgeorge
09-10-2012, 09:29 PM
Might have been my tips Wallace - I use cotter pins for almost all holding operations! Some just as they are and others bent into all sort of interesting shapes. I bulk buy mixed packs on ebay and they keep me going for ages!

Wallace
09-10-2012, 09:32 PM
may have been - it was a brilliant one - such a time saver and soooooo cheap in the long run. Saves me hours of work in my limited time (due to my day job!)

mwah xxx for all the hints, tips and encouragement George xx and everyone else too! :D

Keia
09-10-2012, 10:14 PM
Do'h! Well gutted now after buying the sheet! Genius tips. (will still have a crack at making the James style ones when the sheet arrives, since I've already bought it, garghh!) Now to find someone with a bench vice and a hacksaw....

Didi
09-10-2012, 11:04 PM
Hi there. I've been making the James ones as I go along. I use a hacksaw to cut them and it doesn't take too long at all. Good fun really. Didi

Wallace
09-10-2012, 11:36 PM
Hi there. I've been making the James ones as I go along. I use a hacksaw to cut them and it doesn't take too long at all. Good fun really. Didi
that is great news Didi.... I think I am just being a fashionista as the cotter pins look like hair grips.... takes me back to my kid days. lol Just a quick pointer, never, never, ever try and open a cotter pin like you would with a hair grip! (Kirby grip to our American friends).

Dennis
09-10-2012, 11:39 PM
Whatever saw you use, the blades go much further if constantly lubricated with candle grease or beeswax. I also wonder whether in using a jeweller's saw you are using too fine a cut. 2/0, or even 1/0 stay sharp longer and I haven't bothered with platinum king as I find them too brittle.

I too was taught to use cotter pins when I first started, but now find that compared with stainless steel, they don't keep their springiness once heated. Also cotter pins get rough and mark silver, which the stainless steel clips do less. Dennis.

Wallace
09-10-2012, 11:47 PM
Whatever saw you use, the blades go much further if constantly lubricated with candle grease or beeswax. I also wonder whether in using a jeweller's saw you are using too fine a cut. 2/0, or even 1/0 stay sharp longer and I haven't bothered with platinum king as I find them too brittle.

I too was taught to use cotter pins when I first started, but now find that compared with stainless steel, they don't keep their springiness once heated. Also cotter pins get rough and mark silver, which the stainless steel clips do less. Dennis.

I do use some big pins Dennis... have taken a couple through my mill to straighten them out and then bend them again.... depends on what you get used to and how you use them... we all have ways of working with the tools we have and often adapt them to suit. I like the cotters as a preference, but that is just me (oooh, and George) too.

Dennis
10-10-2012, 10:21 AM
Well to highlight the difference is what forums are for Wallace, as long as no one takes offence. That said, if anyone tried putting a cotter pin through my Durston they would risk having their hand chopped off. Dennis.

Goldsmith
10-10-2012, 11:00 AM
I didn't believe some of the times quoted for making stainless steel clamps, so I have just been down to my workshop with a stopwatch and I made the clamp shown below. I used my usual 0.90mm. thick stainless steel sheet and I pierced a 4mm. wide by 100mm. long strip, using my saw frame loaded with a 2/0 size Glardon Vallorbe saw blade. I marked a strip with dividers, pierced the strip from the sheet and then bent the strip into shape for a the clamp shown below.
The total time taken for me to make this clamp was 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
I must also say that I have used cotter pins in the past and I found that they are not as good as using these clamps.

James

3924

bilythepink
26-09-2013, 10:37 AM
5131 Thank you James ... got round to making some of your clamps, eventually ... they are absolutely invaluable :ta:

Goldsmith
26-09-2013, 10:59 AM
I am glad you like them Bil,
While writing my technical book, I prepared this photo sheet showing how I make a T shape soldering clamps. Using 0.90mm. thick metals and piercing strips with a saw frame they only take a few minutes to make and last a long time.

James

5132

bilythepink
26-09-2013, 11:51 AM
A have a friend with a huge industrial guillotine who risked losing his fingers, for the price of a pint of bitter, to cut me lots of strips :D and have managed to bend them into all sorts of weird and wonderful shapes. Thanks for the new pic ... what is the title of your book ?

Goldsmith
26-09-2013, 02:07 PM
A have a friend with a huge industrial guillotine who risked losing his fingers, for the price of a pint of bitter, to cut me lots of strips :D and have managed to bend them into all sorts of weird and wonderful shapes. Thanks for the new pic ... what is the title of your book ?

My book is taking ages to write as I keep going back on things, I am trying to add photos to each technical tip as I think photos explain thing much better than words.
I did have a book of my work published back in 2009, but it was only a small print run so it is quite expensive, see;http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Work-Master-Goldsmith-James-Miller/9780719801020

James

kiwikiwi
24-10-2013, 05:19 AM
Great idea. Going to make some today