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#1
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I need a very small plier with nylon jaws....
I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are
very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Rio Grande has one "small" flat-nosed plier with nylon inserts, but the tips are about three or four times thicker, just too big to use. Anyone know of a source for pliers that fit the bill? |
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#2
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Call Frei and Borel and ask. They usually stock a huge variety of pliers.
http://www.ottofrei.com/ They haven't got their entire inventory on their website... ; ) SES -- http://www.metalcyberspace.com Listen to the Universe and Dance to the Rhythm of it-*SES* |
#3
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I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are
very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. You might consider making a set if you can't find any. Buy some inexpensive pliers to start (until you get the bugs worked out). Grind/file an indentation in the ends of the pliers to accomidate the inserts, then epoxy leather in the ends and grind outsides to match the plane of the pliers. Essentually the same thing you would do with those wooden ring holders, but on a smaller scale. |
#4
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On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 08:17:18 -0800, in rec.crafts.jewelry "Jim Caldwell"
wrote: I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Rio Grande has one "small" flat-nosed plier with nylon inserts, but the tips are about three or four times thicker, just too big to use. Anyone know of a source for pliers that fit the bill? I know those flat nosed pliers you've found. Wonderful little things, aren't they. Unfortunately, I've not seen nylon jawed ones that small, though they may exist of course. But you might try lining them with other than electrical tape, which I've found to have a somewhat less than aggressive adhesive, so the tape doesn't stay on well. Ordinary masking tape sometimes can be quite effective, and is cheap. Other possibilities include soft nylon (?) tubing, such as is used for fish tank air lines, which is available at hardware stores like Home Depot and others, in a wide variety of sizes. A length of such tube pushed over the jaw may last longer than tape, since it won't come off till you're working has actually cut through the tube. Another similar product that will give you a slimmer jaw is electrical heat shrink tubing. As purchased, that's a bit thin, but once you shrink it down on the plier jaws, it's a good close fit, and thick enough to last a while. The toughest product I can think of, and one which would last quite well, is pricier. It's called "Jett Sett", which is a reinforced plastic material much like nylon. You buy it as beads, which soften to a gooey state in very hot water, and which then can be formed around the plier jaws however you wish. Once it cools, it's rigid and strong. If you put some small grooves in the jaws of the pliere before doing this, for the plastic to lock into, then the sleeve you've thus formed won't come off. After it cools, you can use files or abrasives to further form the jaw liner if you wish. The main problem you'll have is that you'll need to fool with this in order to get the shape of the insert such that the jaws will still meet at the tip, since if you're insert is too thick nearer the joint of the plier, then the plastic will have to be much thicker near the end of the jaws to still meet. But you'll figure that out as you do it. The main trouble with Jett Sett is that you've got to buy about a pound of the stuff in the package, and that runs a bit over 30-some dollars. Rio Grande Carries it. But you might find it useful for other things. It makes great work holding fixtures to hold onto work your making, or custom tool handles for anything from gravers and needle files to whatever, and is totally reusable, so that when some bit gets worn or damaged, just heat it back up in hot water and reform it. Finally, there is a similar plastic (actually, probably the stuff from which Jett Sett was developed) used in medical uses such as orthopedic braces and various custom formed things like hand braces, casts, or the like. Aquaplast is a plastic that comes in varying thicknesses and stiffnesses of sheet, which also soften in hot water and you can then form them into whatever shape you desire. It's possible that you could talk the orthopeadics department of your local hospital out of a few small scraps. The stuff has been used by metalsmiths for a while now, after folks discovered that you could cover hammer heads and forming stakes with the stuff in order to get non-marring tools for silversmithing and the like. Hope that helps. Peter Rowe |
#5
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On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 16:16:19 GMT, "Jim Caldwell"
wrote: I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Rio Grande has one "small" flat-nosed plier with nylon inserts, but the tips are about three or four times thicker, just too big to use. Anyone know of a source for pliers that fit the bill? Go to the hardware store and buy Plastidip or equivalent. You dip the tips of the pliers into it, wait for it to harden, and the plastic covering will last for a few weeks. It's very cheap and effective. -- Marilee J. Layman |
#6
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Jim Caldwell wrote:
I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Rio Grande has one "small" flat-nosed plier with nylon inserts, but the tips are about three or four times thicker, just too big to use. Anyone know of a source for pliers that fit the bill? How about bronze pliers, instead of nylon? You can easily shape them as you see fit. http://www.mscdirect.com/PDF.process?pdf=2273 top right of the page, Non Sparking Pliers, Long Nose Pliers, Order# 33010380. They are quite expensive, $77.39 plus shipping etc. -- Abrasha http://www.abrasha.com |
#7
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I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are
very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Rio Grande has one "small" flat-nosed plier with nylon inserts, but the tips are about three or four times thicker, just too big to use. Anyone know of a source for pliers that fit the bill? One thing to check before going through the trouble of getting new pliers or coating the jaws of existing pliers is the edge of the jaws. As pliers are mfgd. most of the jaw edges are usually a sharp 90 deg or less, It's the sharp corner that tends to make material you're working with. Round ALL the edges of the jaws a little by sanding with a fine sandpaper. I like 400 grit wet/dry paper for this job. If that doesn't do the trick, stop at an electronics or hardware store & get some 'shrink tube' that'll slip over the jaws. After slipping the shrink tube over the jaws, heat it per the instructions. It'll shrink to the shape & size of the jaws & stay. Dave |
#8
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"Abrasha" wrote in message
... Jim Caldwell wrote: I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Rio Grande has one "small" flat-nosed plier with nylon inserts, but the tips are about three or four times thicker, just too big to use. Anyone know of a source for pliers that fit the bill? How about bronze pliers, instead of nylon? You can easily shape them as you see fit. http://www.mscdirect.com/PDF.process?pdf=2273 top right of the page, Non Sparking Pliers, Long Nose Pliers, Order# 33010380. They are quite expensive, $77.39 plus shipping etc. -- Damn and Blast. You beat me to it. Both this post and "jen's" post can try the soft metal plier. In adition to the bronze plier a careful deburring and breaking of the edges will help a lot to keep marring of the work to a minimum. -- Don Thompson Ex ROMAD |
#9
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On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 16:16:19 GMT, "Jim Caldwell"
wrote: I am making 14 KT wire-wrap rings. It requires flat-nosed pliers that are very small, and and need to have a soft material on the tips like nylon. I got one from an internet jewelry supply that is the right size....4.5 mm wide by 1 mm thick tips. Problem is, I have to wrap the tips with electricians' tape...and it has to be re-wrapped about twice during the course of making a ring. Have you considered buying that liquid that's made for dipping tool handles in? It comes in a can, you dip metal into it and let it dry. It forms a nice, rubbery surface. The more you dip and dry, the thicker it gets. When it wears off, you dip again. I'm sure it would last much longer than electrical tape. You can also use shrink-tubing. Plastic tubing that you put over the plier jaws then heat with a blow dryer until it shrinks to fit. Barbara Dream Master www.dreamweaverstudio.com Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~~ Albert Camus |
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