Your favourite hand made tool....?

**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

Originally Posted by Solunar Silver Studio

and http://www.kitiki.co.uk/shop.htm?htt....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

Originally Posted by Milomade

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

Originally Posted by JasonJohn

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

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.