Looks very detailed; great to see the idea of making tools from scratch being promoted. The method for achieving centred drilled holes is excellent - simple and effective.
Did I overlook where the tips come from or how they\'re made?
if you mean the sculpting tool tips, you have to look into the older posts (june-juli). I decribed quite detailed how to make different sculpting tool tips.
The blog has to be read backwards (starting with the oldest post). Otherwise it could be a bit confusing, I confess.
Yeah I know how blogs read (very obvious :)) but I didn\'t spot that there were June and July entries, sorry.
Making tools completely from scratch is something you don\'t see often, I hope lots of budding sculptors will try it at least once or twice - as you say yourself, its seems that most people get used to one or two tools and end up doing nearly all their work with just those.
I just read through this guide RingerT shared and I have to say, the making of the tools sounds as fun as using them to me!
Ringer (I know you're in Germany right?), or anyone else with experience, where in the US would I find the "spring steel" rods mentioned to make the tools or under what specific name. I went to the local mega-home improvement store and found some stuff but it seemed to be much larger diameters than what was wanted for this.
I'm going to go looking for a variety of safety pins as those were said to be good options in the guide too.
I know Einion is a proponent of using toothpicks (that's cocktail sticks right?) coated in superglue so I may do that in the meantime!
Someone also mentioned using teflon rods as tool material too. That seems like a perfect application for a material like that...anyone heard of problems using that material?
Sorry to dig up an old thread but just found it searching and had some questions!
Ringer (I know you're in Germany right?), or anyone else with experience, where in the US would I find the "spring steel" rods mentioned to make the tools or under what specific name.
Good question. If you can't find a source locally, how about here maybe? Certainly seems cheap enough - $2 for two 1' lengths - that even with shipping it shouldn't break the bank.
Originally Posted by Scherdy
I know Einion is a proponent of using toothpicks (that's cocktail sticks right?) coated in superglue so I may do that in the meantime!
Yep, cocktail sticks. I've used them in the past but have mostly moved away from them toward steel wax-carver type tools. They're fun and easy to make, and cost nearly nothing, so I'd recommend making at least a few.
Originally Posted by Scherdy
Someone also mentioned using teflon rods as tool material too. That seems like a perfect application for a material like that...anyone heard of problems using that material?
Not so far. Shawn might be the only one to try them so far. I'm just about to get around to buying some to make some of my own tools and give 'em a test drive; I'll be selling the excess rod in batches on eBay if you're still in the market by then.
Same place as above also stocks virgin PTFE so you could get some at the same time as the steel; this is an excellent price for it by the way, about the best I've seen in the US.
Thanks for that site Einion. So many types of steel and stainless steel there that it makes my head hurt. I just looked for the smallest diameter they had though. Seems like 3/32" was one of the smallest they had. Should be plenty small I think.
I got some safety pins to start clipping and using the medal rods in those andd realized I don't have an anvil/vice to hammer them on and the concrete floor isn't the greatest of hammering surfaces. I think I'm going to try a splitting wedge for a work surface I have somewhere that was used long ago for it's intended purpose.
blog about making your own sculpting tools
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