grinding cabs with dremel

Started by mel, July 12, 2015, 05:20:37 PM

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mel

I have been making some teensy weensy cabs for small stud earrings. The way I make them, I often end up with a wonky base which needs levelled before the cab can be glued evenly on a post. This means I may have to grind off up to about a mm on one side. I tried a dremel with a diamond coated disc and lost quite a few as they cracked. I've since discovered that I need to use water to cool. So how do I do this? do I grind and plunge the cab or do I dip the grinding disc? I've read about adding Vaseline and washing up liquid too. Would I need this for something so diddly? My efforts also 'smoothed' the grinding disc....

The base of the cab wont be seen, so all I need is to level rather than polish, and actually a rough surface will glue better too.

Here is a photo so you can see the size of the cab.

cab close up by Mel, on Flickr

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Moira HFG

They are nice!
I think I'd rub it on a wet diamond pad just to take a mm off, unless I had 100 to do. But yes, you always want water to lubricate diamond tools, or the coating rubs off. And the thing you're working on gets hot.
I would drip water onto the cab, as it flies off spinning things!

Fluffstar

I agree with Moira - I'd use a diamond hand pad + water in a bowl.  Hold the cab with rubber gloves to help with grip.  I quite often have to clean shelf primer off the back of opaque frit balls which are the same small size and shape, and I do them by submerging the diamond pad in a bowl of water and then rotating the frit balls on top, holding them with rubber gloved fingers to stop them slipping about.  I got my diamond pads off ebay for 6 quid each, way cheaper than the 20 or so they were on warmglass at the time! =)
Kathy

mel

Thanks for that, sounds like its definitely worth a go. I tend to make a little holder thing with blue tack as it helps me grip the cab (and also test the secureness of the CZ into the bargain, I've only had one come out so far!)

Just had a look on ebay, what grit size do you think?
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Steampunkglass

You can even use just caborundum grit directly on a metal plate, add a little water, and grid like that, although the pads are better. Grit size will depend on what finish you want, for something so small you may want to start with a medium to fine grit such as 220, but it's as much dependant on how much you want to take off. A coarser grade like 120 will work quicker but give a much more rough texture

Moira HFG

I'd go for coarse to medium, maybe 120 or 200. You don't need it smooth, but they're only little and you want a bit of control over how fast it's disappearing! The blue tac is a great idea  :)

Pat from Canvey

I would add that the more expensive 3M diapads last for years. I'm only now on my second one after about 20 years and the first one still has usable areas on it. I also use them for other things like cleaning rust off metal tools or sanding down tips from cut welders rods used for mandrels.

Trudi

Do you make your cabs on the end of a mandrel?

I shape mine in a cavity of a round roller, and to flatten the bottom I put the mandrel in along the hole groove with the cab sticking out one end. and I use the end of the press to flatten the bottom gently!

mel

I've used a regular cab mandrel for buttons and have made bigger 'little' cabs on the end of a regular mandrel, but I make these completely off-mandrel. I see what you mean about shaping a flat base, a good idea.
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Jennie Lamb

Have you tried Julie HB's Bead Spanner that is great for flattening the base??  Also check out Amanda's site I think I remember seeing tiny cab mandrels there but I might be wrong www.mangobeads.co.uk