Lampwork Etc.

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-   Tips, Techniques, and Questions (http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29)
-   -   Found a great tool for punching holes! (http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218512)

eregel 2012-02-24 8:01am

Found a great tool for punching holes!
 
I stumbled over something kind of wonderful in the clearance bin at a sporting goods store. This gizmo is sold to clear out the paint that blocks the eye in fishing jigs, but it works GREAT for making holes in pendants!

Excuse the nasty mess of a pendant - my torch froze just as I started encasing a jellyfish (note to self, do the big complicated piece FIRST in the session, not last...)



No idea if there are more of them out there, or if they've been discontinued - I bought the only one at the store I found it in - but worth looking around!

AmorphousDesigns 2012-02-24 8:11am

cool find! this also looks like a surgical instrument, but at a much better price.

eregel 2012-02-24 8:23am

Yes, it's basical a hemostat with smooth, pointy, curved jaws. I was delighted how well it worked - not only did it make a perfect round smooth hole, I was able to hold onto the piece long enough to burn off the 10mm rod that I'd built the jellyfish around! (In all honesty, I hadn't totally thought through how the heck I was going to hold it while I did that, and my cold-sealed punty had long since come off) Probably never find another - but it's a great excuse to haunt bait and tackle stores. (Like I ever need an excuse...)

I did a quick search online, and all I found were jig-eye cleaners that look like fingernail clippers - don't think I'd be all that excited about grabbing hot glass with THAT!

cgbeads 2012-02-24 8:35am

I did a quick google, couldn't find it, so I'm betting it is discontinued.

-D

greywillow 2012-02-24 9:05am

Those are towel clamps. Should be easier to google with that term. :biggrin:

Iwannadobeads 2012-02-24 9:19am

<And the clouds parted and the choir sang> Hallelujah!!!
Thanks!!!!!!!

kk5336 2012-02-24 9:32am

You got a good price for those...I did a very quick search and the cheapest I found them was $14.95...does anyone know where to get them cheaper?

Truewealth 2012-02-24 9:36am

www.amazon.com

search for 'towel clamps'...lots of them listed.

valjean 2012-02-24 9:38am

I found a 3 1/2 inch one for $9.83 at this site:
http://www.medexsupply.com/products/...=MED-MDS10220Z

......Val

valjean 2012-02-24 9:44am

Yes, they are even cheaper at Amazon, thanks...Val

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truewealth (Post 3907133)
www.amazon.com

search for 'towel clamps'...lots of them listed.


kk5336 2012-02-24 10:37am

Thanks!! Don't you just love Amazon! I usually check for everything there first, but I've been off my game lately, lol!

Truewealth 2012-02-24 10:47am

you might also check on ebay...probably even cheaper there!

kk5336 2012-02-24 11:00am

I ordered from Amazon...the price was great $3.45 (I ordered 2)...shipping was $6.31.
Ebay may be cheaper, it's the shipping that adds up.

designsbykurato 2012-02-24 11:16am

I bought this one on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Backhaus-Tow...item255ae34183

Kevan 2012-02-24 1:11pm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Backhaus-T...item20c2acc010

5betsy 2012-02-24 3:17pm

WOOT!!=D>
SUPERB. =D>

Just the reason I haunt this site every every every day.

Thanks a bunch.

essiemessy 2012-02-24 3:19pm

Looks good. What a great find.

I also found some of my old long-nose/ round-nose pliers that went all rusty years ago, and no longer suitable for jewellery making. I tried cleaning them up in the flame, then bent them similarly.
They're not the best, but as hole-makers, they cost me nothing and do the job adequately, if not all that brilliantly.

FourTailsLampwork 2012-02-25 2:22pm

Those are surgical instruments; I have a pile of them from when my sister got the leftover box :) And yes, they work *great*. If you buy your frit at That Frit Girl she has some haemostats that she includes as a gift, and you can ask if she has any more of these.

2tumblingdragonz 2012-02-25 7:45pm

thanks for the ebay link.....much cheaper than amazon!

are these similar to Peter's pliers?

namaste
Rowyn

Ravenesque 2012-02-25 11:31pm

The ebay sellers are going to wonder why so many people want these all of a sudden :lol:

My step dad showed me these, I explained what I wanted to make and he pulled out one of his huge fishing catalogs. They were about 10.00 so you all found a good price.

Thanks for the tip!

jaci 2012-02-26 6:38am

I have seen these at flea markets for 2-3 bucks. But they were bigger. This is a nice size!
You might also check widget supply.

Edited to add:
Looks like they have them for .79 cents!

http://www.widgetsupply.com/mm5/merc...&Store_Code=WS

eregel 2012-02-26 6:52am

OMG! That Widget Supply link is going to cost me money over the coming months, I can tell!!!

Ravenesque 2012-03-01 5:19pm

oh I love widget supply! Not sure why they didn't come to mind first for me.

I got one these in the mail today from Amazon and one end is VERY sharp, the other dull..ok that doesn't matter much but just saying it's not like any I've seen in pics.

Also the ends don't meet up, they actually cross over each other like scissors.

I'm going to order another pair and throw this one at my step dad for his jigs.

-edit, wait, the ones in the widget link says they cross over, do they all? I see how it would still work but the other pics seem to show they just touch not overlap.

Lyssa 2012-03-01 7:00pm

I have to stay away from Widget Supply. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by eregel (Post 3909236)
OMG! That Widget Supply link is going to cost me money over the coming months, I can tell!!!


2tumblingdragonz 2012-03-01 7:08pm

I received mine from the ebay site today. very cool tool. thanks again for posting that link.

namaste
Rowyn

Ravenesque 2012-03-02 8:43pm

ok so, do they all overlap?

in Pat's photo it looks like they do not, but mine do. Googling images seems some do and some do not?

2tumblingdragonz 2012-03-04 5:02pm

If you don' t close them on the tightest notch they match up on mine.

namaste
Rowyn

emoon 2012-03-04 5:04pm

Love a good tip! Thanks!

Ravenesque 2012-03-04 6:51pm

Thanks Rowan, mine do overlap on any notch (which I will grind off anyways), which means it won't work. Googling now I see some towel clamps do, some do not.

Widget says in the description they overlap.

I can't tell on any pics on ebay or amazon overlap, link to where any of you bought yours that do not overlap?

#-o

eregel 2012-03-05 1:14pm

Mine overlap, they work GREAT for making holes in pendants!


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