Re: Newbie needs to buy a grinder

HI Java

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:58:42 -0400, "Javahut" <notnow@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


"Adrian Brentnall" <adrian-the papers and the trash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote
in message news:tvcr425107ib40urkf1pg689nhh9rrq538@xxxxxxxxxx
Hi All

Not wishing to reignite the WBS vs Grinder debate <g>

but

I'm doing some kiln-fused pieces for jewellry - they sometimes need
grinding or even diamond-sawing to shape after the first full fuse.

If I fuse them straight after sawing / grinding, I can end up with an
embedded 'haze' at the edges of the glass, apparently caused by the
coarse grinding / sawing. One way round this seems to be to use the
600-grit drum sander (as close as I can get to a wet-belt sander) - to
smooth out the rough edges, and then fire-polish.

Is this the way that others do it ? - or am I doing 'something wrong'
in the first place that leads me down this route ?

I do have a 'spare' (= broken !) grinder that could be recommissioned,
and fitted with a fine grinder head - maybe this is the way..?

Suggestions / comments please - but don't tell me to buy a WBS, thanks
<g>

Adrian,

The roughness of the grind, by any machine that leaves a rough edge, leaves
small fissures that form air pockets? perhaps, trapped particles from the
grinding process perhaps, the smoother you have the edge, from sawing or
grinding, the better off you will be.

Yes - it's been suggested that glass dust gets trapped in the
'grooves' caused by the coarse grinder head......

might check on an ultra fine grinder bit, (I've never seen one, but never
looked either),

I've seen people selling coarse / medium / fine grinder bits.
Certainly the 'fine grind' seems to solve the problem - but it can be
a bit of a tricky one when the 'thing' that you're grinding is a small
heart-shaped pendant piece...

fine emery paper on a stick for those tight inside curves,
but I bet you don't do many, it's labor intensive.

I guess it would be....
Hmm - wonder if a fine 'mini-drum' in a Dremel would have the right
effect - need to keep it wet - but it's worth a try....


Its easiest to adjust the design to make it work with what you have, but
where there is a will....

True !


I personally use the 600 grit diamond smoothing wheel on my beveler, leaves
a nice soft edge.

Don't have one of those <g> - or a wet-belt sander (before anybody
mentions one.....!)

I've not tried the various other options on my lapidary grinder (it
has coarse, medium grinding wheels and the 600-grit drum) - it's
possible that the 400 grade wheel would do the job - in which case a
little tool-rest close to the wheel would make life simpler, and be a
bit kinder on the fingernails <g>

Thanks for the suggestions - just wanted to know that I was going 'in
the right direction...

Adrian
Suffolk UK


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