Post #519682 by TikiMango on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 4:32 PM

Seeksurf, could you imagine the coin collecting that would happen? I'd collect them.

TikiG, you are too much. Thanks for the mad props. I made one 'button", you can make the others! :wink:

JohnnyP, thanks for stopping by.

Tikigodz, thanks for liking the "coin", though I'll still consider it a medallion. As for tools that I use... I must first apologize to all the tool fanatics in TC Land, for my humble collection is worn and rusted. Its hard to keep things shiny and bright in this Florida humidity, especially when you are 3blks from the beach.

I have a Dremel that I use only with sanding drums. I use it to smooth out a chunk of bone that I have cut on the scroll saw and for basic shaping. I use a Foredom rotary tool for all my other burs. A polishing wheel is installed above.

Here are most of the burs I use on a regular basis. Various sizes of inverted cones (left), round balls (right), diamond coated burs (top), and a few different shaped ones (dispersed around). The penny is for scale.

Finally, I use a small collection of jeweler's files, normal and diamond. I'm not sure what you call some of the shapes. Top left only has teeth on curved edge and sides, which is nice if I need to take something down without taking something else away. Middle left is triangular in shape, and lower left has an oval cross-section. I use this the most, as when I am trying to smooth something as there are no hard edges to gouge lines in things. I don't use the diamond ones that much since they leave more scratches that my normal files, but various shapes there for different things (flat, triangle, and round).

Finally, the yellow stuff in all the photos is 320 grit sponge from 3M. Really nice stuff if you haven't tried it yet. Being on a sponge, it is very compliant to various surfaces, but still has enough "bite" to get something done while being forgiving enough not to mess anything up.