I constructed a cheep grinding machine. Maybe it helps you. The article you'll find in the attachement

If you have any question, feel free to ask me 

Edmund

Here in the forum we can see wonderful, too technically perfect enamel work again and again. So I wonder, why as good as no one responded to the most questions. Is it too much work, or do one not want divulge "secrets". Trish makes so much trouble with the forum and the cooperation of most of the members is limited to present their own works! I. I find this very sad.

Hi Karen
Because you give no reply, I think a grinding machine is no solution for you. I think that you have the same reservation as so many participants of my enamel courses whom I demonstrated the electrical wet grinding machine. But I can assure you; even very carefully Ladies use the machine in the second part of the courses. It is true, the machine getting used to become popular with it. But if you are popular with it, you'll never miss it. You need only a 1/3 of the grinding time, against hand-grinding. And if you work careful you get no scratches during the whole process. The clone should not a problem be for any home constructor. The cost-amount of the replica is only a fraction of the costs a commercial precious stone grinding machine.

However, also for the hand-grinding it gives some tricks, to preserve the hands and do make the grinding more easy. Again we have a look to the gemstone grinder.

 

I think the biggest problem for the most hand-grinder is, to hold the work piece during the grinding process. Therefore one can "gluing" the work piece to a so called dop stick. The dop stick is only a metal- or wood-rod, which get prepared with dop wax. Dop wax you get by supplier for Gem cutter accessories, or via internet. (Pic left. Top: With hot wax prepared wooden dop stick; Front: Back of the work piece.)

You can dop sticks make from wooden or metal rods, handle of files, screws with a larger head etc. (Pic right)

 

If one has no suitable dop stick, one can it from a wooden rod and a piece of sheet make. Cut the sheet so large and in form that it covers as much as possible the back of the work piece. (Pic right). Drill two little holes into the sheet and fasten it with two screws on a wooden rod. If the work piece is domed, one can the sheet camber also a bit.

 

(Pic left: Suitable dop stick prepared with hot wax

The work piece may be except for the grinding be finished, that is, the back is counter-enameled and all findings, etc. are soldered to the back.  

If you want gluing the work piece it must be good warm. Cold work pieces don't stick. To warm up the work piece put it at first onto a little rack and set the container with the hot wax and the rack on a cooking-plate. (Pic right)

Preparing the dop stick: Heat up a part of the dop wax until it is liquid. Put one front end of the rod into the hot wax. The wax layer should be at Minimum 0,5 Inch thick.

Wear an old, lined glove, if the work piece is very warm. Press the work piece with the back side onto the wax layer and let the wax and the work piece cool down. Normally the work piece should well onto the dop wax sticking.  If not, make the same procedure again.  On You Tube, you’ll find 2 videos how to prepare dop sticks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEzKXdVjV2Y   and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-h-pzAHbzU

Now you have a good handle to hold the work piece. As grinding material I recommend diamond pads.  These pads seem at the first view very expensive. But they have a very long lifetime, if you use it right. That means: grind always wet; don't use the pads to grind the rims of a work piece to remove the cinder; use the pads ONLY to grind enamel surfaces.

3-4 pads with the approximate grain sizes 200, 400, 600, 800 are sufficient for the initial tries. To polish the surfaces utilize an a bit thicker sheet of felt and as polishing compound "Cer-oxide". Never use fatty polishing material. That can leave a dirt-film on the enamel surface which is hard to remove.  

You can grind under a slowly dripping water tap, or you dip the piece and the diamond pad during the grinding-process, again and again in a large bowl with water. If you use a bowl you must, if you change over to the next finer pad, clean the bowl very good and filling it with fresh water. Otherwise you can get scratches into the enamel surface.

If you the grinding and polishing have finished, lay the stick with the work piece in a deep freezer. After a short time the work piece drops away.

Dop wax, Cer oxide, Diamond pads you'll find in the Internet.

Edmund

Hi Edmund, thanks so much for all the great information. I am just beginning to do enameling and am still learning the basics, so the grinding machine was too much for my brain to deal with at this point. I have kept the information and will look at it again once I feel more comfortable with what I am doing.

I thank you so much for sharing and spending all the time it took to answer me so thoroughly.

Regards, Karen

I like diamond hones. They are bigger than files. About 3 x .5 inches, and come from www.ijsinc.com, not very expensive. Get 220, 400, 600, to smooth off the wires and then flash fire the enamel to shine the glass.

Hi Lillian, I went to that site and could not find anything called diamond hone, diamond file or anything like it.

Hi Karen 
The picture of the diamond pads i have forgotten! Sorry. . Here it is. You can the pads find, if you in the Internet the catchword "Diamond Pads" use, and then on "Picture" click. . You see a lot of distributors of diamond grinding tools.
A machine really makes sense only if you more or less enameling professional.. For an once in a while-enameller, hand sanding is certainly the better method. But Diamat Pads are worthwhile in any case!

Edmund

Search www.ijsinc.com for a "flat diamond file", there are four grits, you only need the 220, 400, 600. I also have the diamat pads, they are nice but these diamond things from Indian jeweler a supply work well and are $4.50. If you us them wet as you should, they last forever.

Very helpful, thanks!!

Got them, very happy. This should make it a lot easier.

I am doing OK with enameling so far, but find it tedious to use the diamond file to clean the piece by hand after firing. I am enameling on fine silver.

Would appreciate it if someone would let me know if there are any shortcuts.

Thanks, Karen