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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2008-06-25, 9:48am
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Member
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Join Date: May 03, 2008
Posts: 75
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Tools not intended for Glasswork
I'm trying to gather a list of tools that I will need to start my own studio space. As soon as I've sold my house, I'm moving, and that is when I can order the torch, etc. that I'll need (meaning I'll have the funds available). I know a lot of people get tools that are intended for other hobbies, or steel work and use them successfully in their studios. My thought is that I could gather up some of the less expensive tools over the next couple of months.
What tools do you use at your station, that are not neccessarily intended for the specific use of working with glass?
Where do you find them, shop, kitchen or garage?
Where can you buy tools that will hold up to the heat?
I'd be grateful for all recommendations.......Lynn
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2008-06-25, 10:04am
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boro color bender
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Join Date: Jun 06, 2005
Location: The Oregon coast!
Posts: 10,039
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"Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley
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2008-06-25, 10:15am
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Sheryll
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Join Date: Jun 13, 2006
Location: San Jose
Posts: 1,928
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I found this great write up on Amazon awhile back... should give you ideas that most metal items work great as long as it's not directly in the flame.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syl...835977-5897627
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2008-06-25, 10:16am
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Entropy increasing....
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Join Date: Nov 12, 2005
Location: In a box of paints
Posts: 25,098
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A butter knife. I have the worlds cheapest butter knife that is really thin. I use that tool most of all. Got it at Goodwill for .79.
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"I am an artist… I am here to live out loud." Emile Zola
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2008-06-25, 10:24am
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Spoiled
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Join Date: Sep 05, 2005
Location: Lake WaConDa, NE
Posts: 1,534
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Start being on the lookout for items that are stainless steel or brass. Once you start torching you'll never look at things the same way.
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Aimee
"I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity" Poe
An amazing Cuda with 2 M15's & propane, a Lynx, and a Tondodama torch.
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2008-06-25, 10:54am
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Maker of Famous Burn Gel
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Join Date: Jan 25, 2006
Location: On the Bay in Virginia
Posts: 1,368
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There was a thread a few months ago about what we all use from the kitchen, etc...
I can't find it now, but maybe someone can direct you...pat
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Pat, as in PittyPat
Glass Rod Carriers in To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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2008-06-25, 11:16am
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Member
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Join Date: May 03, 2008
Posts: 75
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Tools
Looks like I'd better start visiting the Goodwill stores and yard sales for usable items.
Thanks for the lists of people selling tools, and supplies. I need to decide on a list of items that I absolutely need to have and start buying them up. The little stuff, I can afford right now, the oven, torch, glass assortment and vent have to wait until I get to my "retirement home".
I already have a little set of SS tart pans that I can use to roll the glass into frit. I have a couple of coffee mug warmers, if I should start to use the soft glass (I've used mostly Boro up to now....only had two sessions with the soupy, soft glass....gets away from you real fast).
My instructor told me that one of her students bought a mold (like the Doming block at Harbor Freight), without the punches, but it was in copper at Grizzly's (but I've forgotten what she told me they used it for). She has a number of marble molds with wood handles and I know that I want either one with multiple sizes, or several different ones. I also want the scissors that you can use to cut glass, an assortment of tweezers, graphite paddle or two.
Retirement starts Friday, and I'll be free to check out yard sales and thrift stores when I want to!
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2008-06-25, 11:22am
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Borovangelist
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Join Date: Jan 26, 2007
Location: Auburn, MA
Posts: 3,002
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I found a double ended metal measuring scoop at starbucks that I use to roughly shape marbles. It's pointed at the bottom, so it's not perfect, but it helps if things are way off.
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-Tom
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2008-06-25, 11:45am
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Entropy increasing....
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Join Date: Nov 12, 2005
Location: In a box of paints
Posts: 25,098
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I love going to the restaurant supply houses in Seattle. Everything's stainless steel.
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"I am an artist… I am here to live out loud." Emile Zola
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2008-06-25, 1:31pm
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Reality Impaired
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Join Date: May 28, 2006
Location: Left of Absolute Reality
Posts: 90
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Congrats on the retirement! When I retire, I am gonna clean out the basement - really, I swear I'll get to it then.
Guess I need to finish the degree and get a job first.
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Deb
"A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something."
- Frank Capra
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2008-06-25, 1:42pm
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Glass Hive Kiln Tech.
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Join Date: Jun 23, 2007
Location: Toledo, OR
Posts: 907
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American Science Surplus
www.sciplus.com
Great site for tweezers, pliers, bead cleaning tools, even some sculpting tools.
VERY INEXPENSIVE
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Henry David Thoreau
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2008-06-25, 1:50pm
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Does that shed?
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Join Date: Jul 08, 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 610
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Remember those crimping/straightening irons we all had a few years ago? Take the ends off and you have some pretty cool marvers. Take stainless measuring spoons, grind out mandrel grooves on either side of the bowl and there ya go, a home made lentil press.
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2008-06-25, 2:17pm
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Member
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Join Date: Jun 21, 2007
Location: Duluth, MN
Posts: 77
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A good pair of sheers or scissors for cutting glass will definitely come in handy.
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Ben
Burning a tanked Phantom
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2008-06-25, 4:52pm
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Crispy Critter
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Join Date: Jun 05, 2005
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 3,300
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All sorts of medical and dental tools are handy.
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2008-06-25, 4:56pm
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Crispy Critter
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Join Date: Jun 05, 2005
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 3,300
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And I cut the tines off a pair of fondue forks and use them to pull stringers.
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2008-06-25, 5:09pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 03, 2006
Posts: 123
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Go to Harbor Freight, if you have one close, and walk around. They have TONS of gidets that are great. I have a set of spatula things, Not sure what they are really called, but they are very useful when poking, dragging and shaping beads.
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2008-06-25, 5:15pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 27, 2005
Location: Yarmouth, Maine...home of the Clamfest
Posts: 7,693
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And don't forget the local hardware store! I've found all sorts of goodies just poking around in the "$4.44 bin" (and other bargain bins ) for toys...pokie tools, etc. You never know what you can "repurpose" to use for glass!
(heck, my "flame proof surface" is a cookie sheet! actually, I think that's what Nikki uses to separate some of her glass COE's maybe?....)
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new purple cricket @ home! minicc @ playing with fire in rockland! Sue & Nikki fighting over who gets to anneal the wonkies To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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2008-06-25, 5:17pm
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I'm a lilac!
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Join Date: Jun 09, 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 8,793
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A dental spatula, a paring knife, and tweezers!
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-Kalera
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2008-06-26, 4:49am
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Join Date: May 03, 2008
Posts: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisdd
And I cut the tines off a pair of fondue forks and use them to pull stringers.
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At first I wondered why you would do that, the handles would be short and get hot fast......then I remembered, most of the fondue forks have a wood handle and some length to them. Good idea. I once cut the middle tine off of a small fork (3 tines) to use for making frosting roses.
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2008-06-26, 4:53am
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Member
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Join Date: May 03, 2008
Posts: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anzie
Remember those crimping/straightening irons we all had a few years ago? Take the ends off and you have some pretty cool marvers. Take stainless measuring spoons, grind out mandrel grooves on either side of the bowl and there ya go, a home made lentil press.
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Somehow, I can't picture what you are describing....maybe because I've never owned a crimping iron. I'm seeing deep grooves in my mind. Do you have a photo?
Never having owned or used a press, it took me a little thought to what you were saying about the measuring spoons.
Lynn
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2008-06-27, 5:29pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 01, 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,458
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lunamoonshadow
And don't forget the local hardware store! I've found all sorts of goodies just poking around in the "$4.44 bin" (and other bargain bins ) for toys...pokie tools, etc. You never know what you can "repurpose" to use for glass!
(heck, my "flame proof surface" is a cookie sheet! actually, I think that's what Nikki uses to separate some of her glass COE's maybe?....)
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Yup! My work surface is a cookie sheet, marked with the COE. (Not that it makes a huge difference, it's 104 99% of the time.)
I looove all-metal cuticle pushers for shaping - I used it nonstop until Brian made me a brass version. Tweezers, non-serrated pliers for sculptural, and bigger serrated pliers for holding shorts to use 'em all up.
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"...living hopefully ever after..." -john lennon
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2008-07-02, 12:00am
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I'm a lilac!
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Join Date: Jun 09, 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 8,793
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Oh, I forgot my favorite "repurposed" tool... a curling iron heater, for pre-warming rods. There are some colors I would simply never use if I didn't have this tool! And, at $35, a heck of a lot cheaper than ones designed for the purpose.
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-Kalera
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2008-07-02, 3:47am
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Run Free Sweet Boy
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Join Date: Jan 29, 2008
Location: Orlando, Fl.
Posts: 2,194
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I use a lot of dental tools and a knife more than anything else, and a buck pair of scissors.
My two newest finds for redirected tools is a scissors type cigar cutter, makes a great pair of mini diamond shears at the bench. And I use a pizza cutter on my glass lathe to give me a good spot to snap bits off, like goblet tops and feet etc.
artierial clamps are great, the ones with a loop on the end of hemostats,lets you hold round or long things.
Have a ton of fun,
Candice
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NEW FLAMINGO BEACH BEAD TUTORIAL AVAILABLE NOW.CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT AND ICICLE TUTORIAL, VISIT MY ETSY SHOP AT To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"It's not what you have, it's who you are."
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2008-07-02, 8:27am
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Formerly Deesigned Beads
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Join Date: Aug 29, 2006
Location: Cape town, South Africa
Posts: 612
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my surgical scapelblades and handle. I got a box of the blades years ago when I did poreclain restoration, and the thinness of the blade makes it an excellent cutter or shaper, or to push applied stringer into position. I have not made a bead without picking it up. When the blade get to heat damaged from the hot glass, I just chuck it, and replace it with a new blade. That happens about once in 6 months. The best bit about the scalpel is that because the blade is so thin, it looses heat collected from the glass very quickly.
Diana
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2008-07-02, 8:05pm
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Glass-aholic
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Join Date: Mar 21, 2007
Location: CT, tolland CT
Posts: 4,332
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antique tools are great! Also any antique molds and pretty much anything that is flame proof i'll try once, many more ALOT. I really like the lobster fork things and a chisel that I use almost ALL then time. I also love my razor tool that is a metal exacto handle and a razor blade stuck in it "T" ways. I use it always it seems. and a spoon is my friend!!!
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Minor 10lpm Oxy-Con + HH on Propylene . . . . . .
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WASHERS & TOPPERS - layering components for interchangeable glass topper and to use in other jewelry/metalwork.:
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2008-07-03, 6:19am
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..in withdrawal....
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Join Date: Sep 17, 2005
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 321
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Stainless Steel chopsticks for pulling stringers!
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2008-08-10, 6:44am
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Resident hippie
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Join Date: Mar 06, 2008
Location: Co Dublin Ireland
Posts: 2,733
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I just spent most of the day trawling through
http://www.sciplus.com/faq.cfm
and found all sorts of wonderful stuff. When I wondered about international shipping I found - you guessed it. I'm not in luck today with getting stuff from the US. LOL
Anna
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2008-08-10, 1:50pm
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A Beadin' Path
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Join Date: Jan 22, 2007
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 56
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Love the cookie sheet idea. Everything else is so darn expensive but I currently use old ceramic tiles for my worktop surface.
I, too find myself rummaging through Goodwill almost every weekend. I like to buy cone shaped sugar dispensers for my finer frit. It's clean and manageable. I get them at the Dollar Store. Dental tools are pretty great too.
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DANIELLE
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"WORRY looks around, SORRY looks back, FAITH looks up."
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2008-08-10, 3:47pm
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 24, 2008
Posts: 103
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if you search the forum for homemade tools or where did you get that youll find some ideas for tools
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2008-08-25, 2:41pm
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Does that shed?
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Join Date: Jul 08, 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 610
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eej713
Somehow, I can't picture what you are describing....maybe because I've never owned a crimping iron. I'm seeing deep grooves in my mind. Do you have a photo?
Never having owned or used a press, it took me a little thought to what you were saying about the measuring spoons.
Lynn
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A pic of my favorite tools.
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