Just a reminder!

[diandwill]

I have been engraving for some time now, as a major part of my jewelry store offerings. I have an older GRS power hone, and a Tom White variable speed hone, so I am able to keep my gravers sharp...very sharp.
Had a rush order to engrave a single initial on 2 14K lockets, (the engraving area was .345mm thick, not very), so set the first firmly in thermolok, and cut a light ribbon 'C' and then lined it. Looking good. THEN i needed to take it out of the thermolok. I didn't want to microwave it, and didn't take the plastic or material out, and had overlapped it too much, leaving me the choice of cutting the plastic with my '0' onglette. It worked really well, but I am impatient, the clients are showing up soon, and I slipped! Whew, nothing bad happened. So I went back to it and slipped again. I did tell you these gravers are sharp. It was a bleeder and required 3 stitches.
Please be careful with sharp objects!.
Thanks

 

[silverchip]

Need Xanax??????

 

[scott99]

Sorry to hear abut your injury, I hope you heal well and don't do it again. I only say that because over the years I find myself very capable of cutting the same place again. Sort of like biting your lip I guess.

scott99

 

[GTJC460]

Do yourself a big favor! Go to home depot or lowes and buy a heat gun in the paint stripping section. It's a very handy tool to have right at the bench when working with thermoplastics. I use to hate having to trudge to the microwave to heat up some water or the material. Now I just reach over, pickup the gun and get to work on it.

Figure on spending $50-80 for one. It's well with it!

 

[monk]

my doctor doesn't allow me to use or even own anything sharp !

 

[Sam]

Do yourself a big favor! Go to home depot or lowes and buy a heat gun in the paint stripping section. It's a very handy tool to have right at the bench when working with thermoplastics. I use to hate having to trudge to the microwave to heat up some water or the material. Now I just reach over, pickup the gun and get to work on it.

Figure on spending $50-80 for one. It's well with it!

I use a HOT AIR SOLDERING STATION which sits right next to my GraverMach. It's got pinpoint control for spot heating Thermo-Loc. Fantastic accessory for those who use Thermo-Loc. Ebay has plenty of them.

 

[John P. Anderson]

Sometimes it's an advantage only having one arm. Far fewer finger cuts though it can be done.

 

[golden forge]

I had the issue with Plasti-form, and Thermo-loc when using them to hold mountings when setting stones. If the stones are the type to take a little heat, hot water can soften it up a bit , or my Harbor Freight heat gun, It was cheep, and has worked good for about five years.
And for stones that do not take heat, I still use good old fashion red shellac that devolves in alcohol.

 

[KCSteve]

At the craft stores you can get a little heat gun. It's used for embossing and other paper crafts, usually.
Click here to see the one at Hobby Lobby for $25.

I use one like this to soften up ThermoLoc all the time.