Doc Mark
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Ok, I just received my new toys, ie. drawplate and a collection of finishing stones. Now more queations arrise. I'm still only using annealed copper but it's working quite well. I can now do tight curves etc. without tearing up the lines. However, after I smooth the inlayed surface with the stones, what do I do to restore the high shine. The finest stone I found was 1200 grit and it makes a nice smooth, flat surface, but it's dull. The stoneing oil that I got from Gesswein also seems to darken the metal somewhat. What can I polish with that won't round off the engraved lines? Are emery cloths finer than 1200 grit?
The next big question concerns the drawplate. I lubricated the annealed wire and tapered the end to get it to pass through the holes. But when I get down to around 0.500 I can't seem to get the tapered fine wire to even enter the hole without bending severely. I'm annealing before every pass. When I taper the wire small enough to enter the next hole, the tip of the wire breaks as I begin to pull it though the drawplate! I have some fine, smooth beaked pliers ( no serrations) and yet I can't pull the wire without snapping it off just at the point where the taper ends. Am I doing something wrong, or is it that copper is so much less malleable than gold?
Help again!
Mark
The next big question concerns the drawplate. I lubricated the annealed wire and tapered the end to get it to pass through the holes. But when I get down to around 0.500 I can't seem to get the tapered fine wire to even enter the hole without bending severely. I'm annealing before every pass. When I taper the wire small enough to enter the next hole, the tip of the wire breaks as I begin to pull it though the drawplate! I have some fine, smooth beaked pliers ( no serrations) and yet I can't pull the wire without snapping it off just at the point where the taper ends. Am I doing something wrong, or is it that copper is so much less malleable than gold?
Help again!
Mark