blog about making your own sculpting tools
- Thread starter RingerT
- Start date
freakinacage
Well-known member
fair play, they look very professional
Hi Einion,
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.
RingerT
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.
RingerT
Einion
New member
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.
Einion
) 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.
Einion
Thank you, that\'s extremely generous.
Scherdy
New member
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. 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!
Einion
New member
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.
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.
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.
Einion
alextheartist
New member
Cocktail sticks hardened with superglue are great
Shawn R. L.
New member
Self made is almost all I use now.
Scherdy
New member
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.
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 and ebook updated
Hi again,
I've posted a new tutorial in my blog lately. This time it's about the use of stamp tools and press moulds for sculpting. I know, there's a big discussion about "stamping" in the sculpting community.
I've also updated the free ebook, so it contains all tutorials from my blog again.
I also added a printer-ink-friendly version with text and photos on plain white background (not the brown paper like structured background anymore). So if you want to print it out, you won't waste more printer ink than necessary.
http://sculptingtools.blogspot.com/
RingerT
Hi again,
I've posted a new tutorial in my blog lately. This time it's about the use of stamp tools and press moulds for sculpting. I know, there's a big discussion about "stamping" in the sculpting community
.I've also updated the free ebook, so it contains all tutorials from my blog again.
I also added a printer-ink-friendly version with text and photos on plain white background (not the brown paper like structured background anymore). So if you want to print it out, you won't waste more printer ink than necessary.
http://sculptingtools.blogspot.com/
RingerT
Once again I have updated my blog about making sculpting tools.
This time I've posted a tutorial about making larger sculpting tools for sculpting in larger scales.
If you are interested in that, you'll find it here: http://sculptingtools.blogspot.com/
This time I've posted a tutorial about making larger sculpting tools for sculpting in larger scales.
If you are interested in that, you'll find it here: http://sculptingtools.blogspot.com/
Hi again,
I've posted a new tutorial in my blog lately. This time it's about the use of stamp tools and press moulds for sculpting. I know, there's a big discussion about "stamping" in the sculpting community
I've also updated the free ebook, so it contains all tutorials from my blog again.
I also added a printer-ink-friendly version with text and photos on plain white background (not the brown paper like structured background anymore). So if you want to print it out, you won't waste more printer ink than necessary.
http://sculptingtools.blogspot.com/
RingerT
Shawn R. L.
New member
I've had good luck making different shaped sculpting tips with Teflon. Drilling out the center and adding a wire to give it some rigidity helped. Shis-Kebab skewers are good material. Easy to work and very strong. Good for putting a tiny piece of sand paper on the tip to sand small spaces. Stronger than toothpicks and holds up better when wet.
Allen wrenches (hex wrenches) are good stock for blades. You need to be very careful when grinding to not have them heat up to the point of changing color as that is when the strength goes out of the metal. I chill them in ice water and grind only for a 1/2 second or so then quench for about 10 seconds. Not as much of a hassle as it sounds. A Dremel tool with a diamond saw is a good way to do finishing grinding without so much of a risk of overheating..................as a side note, those diamond saws are cheap and last FOREVER.
Allen wrenches (hex wrenches) are good stock for blades. You need to be very careful when grinding to not have them heat up to the point of changing color as that is when the strength goes out of the metal. I chill them in ice water and grind only for a 1/2 second or so then quench for about 10 seconds. Not as much of a hassle as it sounds. A Dremel tool with a diamond saw is a good way to do finishing grinding without so much of a risk of overheating..................as a side note, those diamond saws are cheap and last FOREVER.
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