Ingenuity needed!!! Or just a right tool...
 

I am working on a project where I am making glass top on the big needles, the kind of needles you use with sewing. These needles are pretty sturdy but since they are just about 3" long, I need something to hold them with. I used the handle of the X-acto knife, which would be ideal to turn since it isn't too bulky. The problem is that when I marvel, it loosens up the thread and the needle falls out. The last piece went on the floor twice and onto the table 3 times and I tried to tighten it in the middle of working numerous times. I need something that stays tight, but will not be impossible to loosen up when it is time to put it into the kiln.

I found that my smallest collet nut from my dremel would hold them perfectly, and would be easy enough to loosen up when the time comes, but the dremel is not light nor small enough to spin. Anyone would know where to find a tool that is basically just a handle for exchangable collet nuts? Or would anyone have any other ideas how to hold a needle while working on a torch?

Thanks for any help!

Pin vice?

Maybe something like this, #TDI PV55 - Mini Pin Vise:

http://www.tdiinternational.com/cont...FSNyQgodvHAAvg

I use a mini pin vise but it has problems with loosening too, although not as much as an exacto handle would. I'm still searching for a better solution but so far no love. What would be ideal would be a pin vise lined with some sort of gripping material (kevlar?) that was heat resistant, rubber wouldn't work I think, too much heat.

A pin vise will work but if it's not stainless steel they tend to heat up. The rubber handles don't heat up as quickly. It all depends on how long you'll be working the "thing" in the flame. I bought a stainless steel pin vise from here: http://www.tedpella.com/dissect_html/picks.htm#_1350_5

It's got a tiny collet so it will hold 20 gauge wire or thin needles. I really like. The only thing is the inside part isn't stainless steel and I was sticking it in water between pieces and eventually it started to corrode. Now, I have two of them so one can cool off while I'm using the second one.

http://www.cooltools.us/Metal-Clay-D...-p/drl-202.htm I might just have found something that would work as a needle holder... maybe. Gotta go to buy new battery for my push ruler first to find out how thick my needles are. I don't know if you can change the collet nut on this one, but maybe I don't need to.

Oh wow, how I didn't see these comments until I posted my response... Lots of suggestions, yes, I think pin vice would be best!

Will take a minute to go through your suggestions, they might be much better than what I found.
Just a second :)

Awesome links, thanks, I am worried that the thicker needles are too thick to fit either of these... I really need to get my push ruler battery changed so I can get the needles measured, don't want to buy another unnecessary tool... Thank you so much for the help, I think I might have found the solutions now! :) If only the needles are in range.

I've gotten mixed results when googling to determine its flammability (and don't have a setup yet to test it myself, boo), but perhaps some kind of contraption made with cork?

OK I have an Idea, and this may not work,
Take and fine the fondue forks that have been gathering dust for who knows how long.
Then open a bottle of wine saving the cork.
Drink the wine.
tomorrow stab the cork onto your fondue fork.
Spin the fondue fork around a bit to find approximate center.
Stab the pin into the cork and make a test bead.

The cork may end up being to temperature sensitive and likely will wear out quickly.

On the other hand I'm sure you can find help to drink the wine.

In a pinch I've used a wood dowel and drilled a small hole in the end. The tricky part is getting the hole dead center AND straight down. It works well if you can.

I knew there was an easy way!!! Why didn't I think of cork. I thought about wooden dowel, but didn't know if I would get my needle straight enough.

I love having you guys around. Why have I even tried to figure all this out??? Now, if we weren't moving, and if I only didn't pack those fondue forks away already!!!
:evil: :evil: :evil:

But I will try something else... maybe just a screw driver or something. :)
Thanks a bunch!

And the best part, I get to drink wine!!! 7 Deadly Zins, here I come!!!! :D

Make a polymer clay handle! You can just form it around your tool and shape it how you like. I use an old dart as a poker...I only had the dart part . It works really well and you can make it really fun too.

Pia - I have this one and it will work but it gets hot quick because it's aluminum.

The cork idea is brillant. I'm going to give it a try the next time I torch.

OMG the dart, that's so smart! :::headed for old dart board in garage:::

Lol, love the ideas. Susan, I think it might be ok, since my needles are almost 3 inches long, and when they were rolling all over the studio, I was still able to take them into my fingers to reattach... :) Yeah I know, the process was not calm and collective, I was screaming on the top of my lungs for everyone to scatter if I blow up the studio... Lol! The smallest needles are about 3" and the bigger ones about 3.5" I will show you the image of the pins that were all over the studio floor... ;)

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...919_200958.jpg

So here is what I have been trying to do, these poor bastards have been all over the studio floor, and work bench... They are definitely my guinea pigs...

whoooaaaaah, that's a huge hand... sorry, always have the images appear huge even though I resized it...

Pia, what do you do with them?

They are for my friend who does bobbin lace, they are called divider pins, you know they sometimes have hundreds of bobbins hanging from those threads on the pillow, when you put one of these pins on the pillow, you can put behind it the pins you want out of the way from messing up your work. :) I have not sent them to her yet, I was suspicious of the bigger ones being too thick, wouldn't want it to leave a hole on the pillow... but I will only find out by sending her some.

http://home.earthlink.net/~slambiris/pillow.jpg look at this image, there is some divider pins... though they are quite small...

This is exactly what I was thinking!

I was thinking too complicated, the cork would be easy, and if it wouldn't work, no harm, I hate buying new tools that I have no use for. :)

Oh, once I saw, and I have used it successfully for 1/16mandrls, where you take a handful of mandrels and 'tie' them together. Then you can stick the shorty in and hd it as an was tention of the mandrel. I'm not sure it would work that small though.

Great idea Jaci, worth the try, and wouldn't have to try to stick my needle straight, would go like that by default. :) Thanks a bunch!

Those are awesome, glad I came into this thread.

-D

Silly question, but why not just marver in the opposite direction so you don't unscrew your handle?

It doesn't seem to matter which way to marvel, I think any pressure loosens it up. And I really suck marveling the other way.

Thanks Donna! :)

Those are really cool Pia!!