Tech Tips

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Good Grip
Working in the shop, there are times when we need to get creative to �get �er done.� I tell my associates that they may use any tool in my shop in any fashion�as long as they don�t abuse the tool and, when they are done, it functions as originally intended.

So you�re probably wondering how these pliers modifications got past me. None of the pliers now functions as it originally did, but I�m not complaining. These simple modifications on very inexpensive tools have greatly enhanced my shop tool kit. Special thanks to my new shop associate (and bench wizard) Larry Shultz for sharing two of these ideas.

You can do these modifications quickly and easily in your shop. All you need is a bench grinder or a flex-shaft with a separating disc.

BABY CHANNEL LOCK. Available in many hardware stores, this 4.5 inch channel lock has the built-in advantage of an adjustable jaw gap. It has four jaw adjustment channels, with the smallest jaw gap range from 0 to 10 mm, and the largest from about 7 to 25 mm. You can use these pliers to move prongs around a gemstone on many crown assemblies�even very tall ones. To get a better grip on the prongs for this application, we modified the jaws. We cut a slot down the middle of the lower jaw to accommodate working around a prong base on a gallery-type crown. We ground the top jaw into a bird-beak form with a slightly concave face to securely hold the top of the prong being moved.

ROUND-NOSE CROWN PLIERS. This tool started life as an ordinary pair of round nose pliers. We cut one side of the pliers 5 to 6 mm shorter than the other side and gave it an angled, concave face. We then heated the tall side, bent it 90 degrees toward the cut side, and ground the face to a slight angle. Configured in this manner, the pliers will hold almost any crown very securely when preparing it for stone setting.

FLAT V-PRONG CLOSERS. A pair of inexpensive flat pliers becomes a safer (and most likely a faster) way to close V-prongs (or V-caps) when you evenly grind down the ends of the pliers to an approximate 90 degree angle. It is not

so much the closing action of the pliers that moves the V-prong, but rather a rocking and wiggling action applied to the pliers when they are pushed up against the V-prong.

Posted: 03/06/08

Digital Details
BY TINA WOJTKIELO SNYDER

Hot tear? Shrinkage? Gas porosity? Investment inclusion? Got a casting defect that you can not quite pinpoint? Your digital scanner may help you get a fast and inexpensive answer.

'Most small shops don�t have time to wait two weeks for a lab to analyze their casting defect with a scanning electron microscope,' says Daniel Ballard, sales manager for Precious Metals West/Fine Gold in Los Angeles. 'They need answers fast, and they often turn to us, their metal supplier, for help.'

But Ballard says it can be tricky to pinpoint a defect without taking a look. That�s where the scanner comes in. 'If my customer can scan the piece on the highest resolution setting, zoom in on the defect, and e-mail me an image, I can almost always help them get to the bottom of the problem�and advise them on ways to prevent it in the future.'

Ballard says a scanner with 1,600 dpi resolution is sufficient, but he says most scanners today, which cost as little as $80, can go up to 2,400 dpi. 'With all the free viewing software that is out there, you can zoom in for a really close look,' says Ballard.

Moreover, this type of digital analysis isn�t limited to casting defects. 'Retailers can use a scanner as the last step in their quality control process,' says Ballard. 'Many of them have stone replacement guarantees. Before that ring goes out the door, they can scan it to take a close look at the prongs and catch any defect they might miss with a 10 power loupe. If there is a problem, the setter can fix it before the ring goes out the door.'

Posted: 02/13/08

Resurfacing a used charcoal block
By ALAN REVERE

Charcoal is the ideal soldering surface because it absorbs oxygen, which causes oxidation (tarnish) on metal. Charcoal is also soft, so you can pin supports into it and shape it to hold work for soldering annealing. It's no wonder that after a short time the flat surface of a charcoal block deteriorates. While still functional for some tasks, the gouged-out surface of a well-used charcoal block is no longer suitable for pinning things in place or setting up assemblies that require a flat surface.

Fortunately, resurfacing a used charcoal block is as easy as walking down the street or leaning out your window. Brick, cinder block, and concrete are perfect grinding surfaces for charcoal. Simply place the block on the abrasive and rub it in a circle. A small cloud of powdered charcoal will rise as you even out the surface. Although this thins the block, it extends its functional life.
Posted: 02/13/08