encasement question

newbee
there is this material which is a water soluble polymer which is used to
hold jewelery peieces
name is something like jetsett--gogling not helpful

stuff is water soluble and turns into a hard material which when needed
to be removed is placed in water

any hel is appreciated--rio catelog not helpful as was zaks catalog
i believe i saw it used on a demonstration of metal fusing to make a
pair of earings
sure i saw it on ganoskin but cannot refind it
any help is appreciated

tia
peter

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:50:31 -0800, in ¤õ ilaboo wrote:

newbee
there is this material which is a water soluble polymer which is used to
hold jewelery peieces
name is something like jetsett--gogling not helpful

stuff is water soluble and turns into a hard material which when needed
to be removed is placed in water

any hel is appreciated--rio catelog not helpful as was zaks catalog
i believe i saw it used on a demonstration of metal fusing to make a
pair of earings
sure i saw it on ganoskin but cannot refind it
any help is appreciated

tia
peter

the stuff is indeed called Jett Set (I think that's the spelling, not sure.

Your description of how it's used is accurate, but you're a bit wrong on it's
properties. It is NOT water soluable. It is, instead, a very low melting plastic
material, similar to the low temperature thermoplastics used to make medical braces and
fixtures to fit the body. It softens and melts at below the temperature at which water
boils, so it's used by immersing it in boiling water, producing a soft pliable mass
which can be formed around an item to be held. When done, hot water again softens it
allowing the item to be released. It is used for many of the same things that orange
flake shellac or other setters cements and dop waxes have been used for traditionally,
but since it's a plastic, not soluable in alcohol or other common solvents, it's more
durable, and it's stronger in general, so it can also be used for things like custom
tool handles, sheaths for plier jaws so they're non marking ,or other semi permanent
fixtures and tools.

You can get it from several sources. Rio Grande carries it, and Frei and Borel also
carries something very similar (though not quite the same product, it's very similar).
Not sure whether other tool suppliers carry it also, but I'd expect they would. Ask the
folks at Gesswein, or Stuller, or Contenti. Like I said, I'm not sure if they carry it,
but would expect you could find it easily enough, if for some reason you don't wish to
get it from Rio Grande.

Peter Rowe