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Lily
20-05-2016, 03:28 PM
Hello,
I am sure this question has come up before so apologies (I can't seem to find the answer I need).
Does anyone have a brilliant way to hold really tiny items for sawing please? I usually do jump rings on a kebab stick or knitting needle but that doesn't work for this item and nor does using tape. It's too small to hold in my fingers without damage.
Someone, somewhere has a very nifty solution I am sure....
Thanks!

marna
20-05-2016, 03:39 PM
Would wrapping the tips of a little pliers with lots of masking tape to avoid marking it, and using that to hold it, work? I guess it depends on the shape of the think you're sawing....

Lily
20-05-2016, 03:49 PM
Thank you Marna!
I will have a go and let you know...

Wallace
20-05-2016, 04:13 PM
I do that with curved nose pliers

have also drilled into a set of pliers and rounded the edges on a pair too.


you could always invest in one of these, but will need to add some leather as the teeth on these bite hard into metal - click here for link (http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Small-6mm-hand-vice-clamp-987687.html#SID=413)


or a pin vice for really fiddly little things (things I like to make! :) ) click here for link (http://elementgames.co.uk/tools/tool-miniature-and-model-drill?d=22&gclid=CKrxrd6F6cwCFQ2eGwodLFkFCQ)

Lily
20-05-2016, 04:33 PM
Sadly still too fiddly, but worth a try thank you!
It's a bit awkward because I am trying to cut one tiny area without catching the silver close behind it. Tempted to do it with snips but I need to solder the edges together afterwards so wanted a nice clean cut and I don't think I could get the snips in to do one cut (would need two, one from each side).

Lily
20-05-2016, 04:48 PM
Thank you for the links Wallace,
The first one might be the answer. I found a c-clamp (I think) in the garage but it wasn't really strong enough and the silver slipped, so tried putting that into my vice to hold pliers. I ended up with something that looked quite Heath Robinson and it still didn't work. The one you suggested looks better with the screw tightener.
You say you drilled into pliers - can you tell me how that works please?
Thank you again

Goldsmith
20-05-2016, 05:03 PM
I am not sure what you are trying to hold, have you considered surgical clamps, I have a few pairs that I used on a job after I filed off the teeth, Amazon sell them, see;https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=surgical+clamp&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=95580224446&hvpos=1o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6922071494754269169&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3ur01nre6h_e

James

Lily
20-05-2016, 05:24 PM
Thank you James! Another great suggestion - they look fine enough to work - my pliers just got in the way. It's a small fattened square of silver - like a jump ring - and I need to make a join on one side.

Lily
20-05-2016, 05:43 PM
I mean flattened- not fattened

Dennis
20-05-2016, 06:53 PM
Well actually, it is usually possible to leave a stem or tab on an item (just draw it in before you start). This will act as a handle and can be cut off at the last moment. Dennis.

theresa
20-05-2016, 09:51 PM
Have you tried putting it in a ring clamp, the wooden sort with a wedge you push in. I use mine a lot for holding small items.
Or I clamp them in my little Proxxon bench vice with rubber jaws and swivel the head to the right angle for sawing.

metalsmith
21-05-2016, 07:43 AM
my suggestion:

Ring clamp (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proops-Clamp-wooden-wedge-Postage/dp/B00AFADUXE)

Goldsmith
21-05-2016, 08:23 AM
Another suggestion and a useful tool for your collection is a mini hand vice, like this model;http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/HAND-HELD-VICE--2863.html

James

enigma
21-05-2016, 08:26 AM
I tend to hold tiny things like that down on the bench peg with my left thumb nail pressing it, have sawed my nail several times though LOL

Goldsmith
21-05-2016, 09:21 AM
Another tip, recently I had to pierce some very thin scrolls to replace missing inlays in a tortoise shell box, as the gold inlays were to be as thin as paper, to make the piercing easier I super glued the thin gold sheet to some silver sheet, drew and pierced out the designs then gently heated the sheet and the metals separated leaving me the paper thin scrolls to inlay in the shell snuff box.

James

metalsmith
21-05-2016, 01:34 PM
my suggestion:

Ring clamp (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proops-Clamp-wooden-wedge-Postage/dp/B00AFADUXE)

Doh! I didn't see Theresa's entry!

susieq
21-05-2016, 02:34 PM
my suggestion:

Ring clamp (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proops-Clamp-wooden-wedge-Postage/dp/B00AFADUXE)

Don't know what I was doing wrong with my wedge ring clamp, but no matter how hard I pushed the wedge in it repeatedly dropped out which was very frustrating. So I changed to the one with the side screw and find it works very well.

http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Ring-Clamp-With-Side-Screw-prcode-999-AKX

Sometimes the screw does get in the way a bit, but other times I can usefully rest it on my bench peg for additional support.

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:19 PM
Such a sensible idea Dennis! I will definitely use this one on future projects. Thank you

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:26 PM
I think the ring clamp might work if I put it into the vice thank you Theresa. Definitely worth a try.

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:29 PM
Metalsmith thank you - actually I am overwhelmed with the kindness of people willing to help. I had spent an afternoon, mostly on my hands and knees, as I searched for the bit of silver that had pinged off somewhere again. Even if the suggestions don't help this time I shall certainly be using them in future projects.

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:31 PM
Thank you James, that looks like one to put on my wish list.

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:36 PM
Thank you Enigma, I did start out trying to do this but I keep my nails really short so it was my thumb that was suffering :D

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:39 PM
Wow! I'm impressed James and pretty sure that if I tried to do this I would end up with a little ball of silver or gold. I'm going to have a practice on some scrap.

Goldsmith
22-05-2016, 12:48 PM
Wow! I'm impressed James and pretty sure that if I tried to do this I would end up with a little ball of silver or gold. I'm going to have a practice on some scrap.

If you are referring to the super glue Lily, it doesn't take much heat to separate the glued parts.

This was the tortoise shell box I was restoring, it had some missing thin gold inlays.
8963

James

Lily
22-05-2016, 12:52 PM
Done it! Thank you Susieq and everyone. My ring clamp has the side screw too. I clamped it into a vice and the saw blade went nicely into the gap on the clamp.

Lily
22-05-2016, 01:01 PM
The box is beautiful James. Yes I did mean the superglue - just imagined the gold leaf rolling up in a ball (if I tried) because it's so thin. I like the superglue idea though.