Hello!

ok, so I was thinking...again!...and decided to do some google searching, using the keywords:

"1 1/4" mini mounted rubber mandrel PSA hook and loop velcro foam backing diamond grinding disc pad"

(with my focus being on finding the foam backing, which seems to be the common denominator need)

 

and then as I clicked in and out of websites, I just picked up new keywords and tighter keyphrases as I went along...shopping is so much fun and I love tools!

what I found was the below ideas...

 

(this might help save hands, and give a two handed grip on the piece, but in a smaller setup, with more visability!)

foredom handpiece holder 

http://www.foredom.net/handpieceholder.aspx

 

 

 

 

There are many offerings for the below set ups.  It all boils down to finding the matching sizes for the all below components, to compile the right tool...and figure out (or diagram!) the mating of the individual pieces...PSA versus loop versus hook...ie: what will be touching what in the progresion)...

(looks like 2” is the common denominator here for flex shaft bench work?)

 

Mini mounted rubber mandrel for PSA discs

http://www.foredom.net/mandrels-drumanddisc.aspx

 

PSA backed Velcro hook loop conversion interface pads

https://www.vermontabrasives.com/Loop-Vinyl-Conversions-for-PSA-sanding-discs-and-sheets/

(1”, 1 ½”, 2”, and more  available here)

 

PSA backed foam backing pads

https://www.vermontabrasives.com/Interface-Pads-for-finishing-discs/

(1 ¼”, 2”, and more available here)

 

PSA backed diamond grinding discs

http://www.foredom.net/search.aspx?find=Diamond+Microfinishing+PSA+DISC

 

http://thesandingglove.com/TheSandingGloveCatalog.pdf

and here is the mother lode!  Small and larger sizes…

 

http://www.sandmate.com/en-pdf/Catalogue_EN.pdf

proprietary mounting on mandrel…

 

have fun shopping!

 

(I tried to insert photos, butpost got truncated...)

all the best,

Julie

 

 

This post was edited by Julie B at August 13, 2015 11:46 AM EDT

Hello,

Comment from: Trish White I believe you can buy these from Ricky Frank directly

Good to know!

all the best,

Julie

Thank you again, Edmund and Julie! I hadn't actually watched the Ricky Frank vids but will now! There is another topic on the forums for flex shaft grinding that mentions Ricky's set up- had no idea there were videos so now I'm really excited to see how he uses those grinders!

I am definitely going to check out the JoolTool vids as well and I really appreciate the addendum for improvements to your system, re. the irrigator and drill clamp. I've never seen one of those before but I'm sure I can track one down. This is all such great info!!!

I think the handpiece-holder Julia found is a good alternative if one grind only small items.

As separation agent you can also use terra alba (Kaolin)-powder. You get it in the shops for cramic-technique. It is ver cheap. In Germany 1000 gramms cost only 3 $,

Mix it wit a bit water and some wallpaper glue. Wallpaper glue is my favored holding agent for all enamel techniques.

Edmund

This post was edited by Edmund Massow at August 16, 2015 5:10 AM EDT

Wow, Julie B! That is great info and thank you for taking the time to find all that and post it! I actually have the flex shaft vise but haven't used it yet- got it in a lot of used equipment- you know how that goes.... I'll be looking up those urls for the foam and grinding attachments. That is great!

Edmund, I'm not sure I follow what the kaolin powder is for. I do have kaolin for kiln wash but what are you separating with it? I see the next sentence is about using it with wallpaper glue- this sounds interesting. Are you referring to an alternative for Klyr-fire for sifting or for lotus root, for example, to hold cloisons? My work tends to be jewelry scale although I'll use lotus root occasionally if I've got a complex design or rarely a vertical wall like on a tube shape. How do you use the wallpaper glue- I'm very interested!

I've not tried the dop wax to afix the enamel to a dowel but I think I'm getting there since it does really help holding onto small pieces and we have plenty lying around to try.

Thanks again, everyone- this is an amazing forum and so incredibly helpful. Even though I'm attached to a workshop facility and have wonderfully knowledgeable colleagues in metals it sometimes feels like I'm enameling in a vacuum and having such a great community of enamelists to ask questions of and learn from is a true blessing! This medium is a life-long learning process no matter how long one has been at it!

Hi!

These look good!  I think these are the ones!

(dual lock= velcro I believe)

Best Regards,

Julie

 

http://www.enamelworksupply.com/tools.html

#2590-1 Diamond Disc Set - $15.75 with Dual Lock Mandrel   
#2590-2 60 Grit Discs - $10.25 / set of 5      
#2590-3 120 Grit Discs - $8.95 / set of 5      
#2590-4 280 Grit Discs - $8.10 / set of 5      
#2590-5 400 Grit Discs - $7.40 / set of 5      
#2590-6 800 Grit Discs - $7.40 / set of 5     
#2590-7 Mandrels - $33.50 for 5 Dual Lock Mandrels 

The Diamond disc set #2590-1 contains 5 discs (1 of each grit) + a mandrel. Each diamond disc is 1" in diameter and Velcro backed. The mandrel included with the set has a 1/8" diameter shaft to fit your Dremel or flex shaft. The Dual Lock mandrel provides a tight hold.

 

 

#2630-1 Cerium Oxide Discs with Mandrel - $17.50 00 / 5 discs + Dual Lock mandrel.

#2630-2 Cerium Oxide Discs - $11.00 / 5 discs alone

Cerium Oxide provides the final touch to polish-finished enamels. After grinding your piece with
finer and finer grits of grinding materials, go over the enamel with cerium oxide to add luster. The Dual Lock mandrel provides a tight hold.

 

This post was edited by Julie B at August 18, 2015 12:23 AM EDT

after many years of using lots of methods, i've settled in on the jool tool. see the video i made on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnMLGFD16y4

been using it since february 2015 and love it. it's got the quickest learning curve of anything i've ever seen. it took me years to get good with my lapidary/lortone beaver equipment. the jool tool has replaced that for me. i've recently written a review of the jooltool in the spring 2015 issue of the Florida society of goldsmiths (FSG) newsletter. and i like it so much that i helped Ani, the creator of it, develop a kit for enamelists. I can get you a 10% discount on purchases from jooltool if you order through me.

dual lock is not velcro. dual lock is a 3 m product in which plastic pieces snap together and hold very tightly. much better than velcro, as  the velcro sanding pads begin to wear out and fly off the mandrels over time, or when wet.

Hallo Jewel Cark,

A mix of kaolin powder, water and some drops of a holding agent you can apply on the the back side of a piece, to prevent, that the piece does not melt fastened to the rack. You can use it like Scalex.
Wallpaper glue is my preferential glue for all enamel techniques. A thick solution becomes used cloisonné wires to glue on steep-walled items.
Beside this, I mix into all wet enamels one or two drops wallpaper-glue. This holds the enamel after drying safe in its places, if you transport it too, respectively into the kiln.
And last but not least I give some drops of the wallpaper glue-solution into the spray-water if I sieving dry enamel to steep-walled bowls or so.
In another thread becomes asked, what oven temperature and time is ideal. That you cannot say, because too many parameters play a roll . Everyone needs for his kiln, his enamels, his work pieces, etc.  find the ideal values ​​themselves.
I work as follows. My kilns are always heated up to 800 degree Celsius (1470 F).
If you do not have a temperature-controller, the firing-chamber (muffle) should show a bright cherry-red.  Then the firing-rack + work piece becomes placed into the kiln. After some time, (the sense for the right length of time one learns over the time) I open the kiln door as short as possible and judge the appearance of the enamel surface. Are the enamel-surface smooth and the enamel surface shiny, I take the piece from the oven and let it cool down.
In my big furnace, the furnace temperature is at the back of the muffle by at least 100 degrees Celsius (210 F) higher, than at the door side. That is why often the enamel-surface at the end of the work-piece already smoothly, whiles the enamel-surface on the door side of the enamel-surface is still a bit rough. Here I turn the plate vertically by 180 degrees and let the work piece so long in the oven until the rear enamel-surface of the work piece is also smooth and glossy.

To protect your eyes it is wise, to wear safety-goggles with infrared protecting glasses.

Hello Everyone,

JulieB I do think those are the right ones! Thank you! Edmund, the kaolin and wallpaper glue trick is ingenius! I really dislike Scalex and as well I never seem to have any handy. Being able to mix up my own version when I need it is brilliant and what a great alternative to the lotus root and Klyr-fire as a holding agent as well. Ricky, thank you so much for commenting on this! I am definitely going to watch the video you posted. It  does look like a great machine. I'll update the thread once I've tried some of these techniques to see which is working for me. There are probably plenty other enamelists like me out there who also have aging hands! Thank you again!!!

Hi Ricky,
I have watched your and Anie's video concerning the Jool Tool machine. I think, that is the best grinding tool for enamel-jewelry I've ever seen. The big advantage is, that one can observe the enamel surface during the grinding process. Also the trick with the black felt pen is brilliant!

In combination with the "Dopping wax" methode it should also be the perfect methode for people with artrose. By the onto the back-side of the workpiece glued "handle", the work piece is very easily to hold and lead.
If anyone is interested at the whole manuscript of the Dopping wax method, I can send it as an personal E-Mail appendix.

Edmund