Scoring tool for Murrini

[daisy103]

Hi,
Is there a scoring tool that I can use for scoring murrini to make it easier to cut? We have nippers but they don't cut off small pcs evenly and I think if we can score them first, this will take care of the problem. I have seen scorers for glass sheets but need something for a rod.

[RSimmons]

You can try rolling the cane against the edges of a wheel cutter to get a score line, but you still tend to get less than perfectly flat pieces. A wet diamond saw is the only way to cut perfectly flat, thin slices (1mm).

Robert

[theglasszone]

I use my nippers and it took quite a bit of practice to get the slices evenly and thinly nipped. One tip (I believe it came from Mavis Smith - please forgive me if I'm incorrect) is to learn to hold your can at an absolute 90 degree angle to the wheels of the nipper. She (?) had recommended sitting the cane on a small block or something to insure that it doesn't tilt either upward or downward while nipping. I think this is the way she described....

Anyway, that's the way I do it now, and have had much success. I also be sure to hold the cane just slightly "behind" the wheels of the nipper - not exactly directly in between the two discs. This seems to score/nip at the same time.

Good luck to you! I think different techniques are discovered by each murrini maker...hope you find what works for you soon!

De

[Lea Zinke]

For small cane, I do not use the disk wheel cutter, but the nippers as they just are easier for me to position.

For larger cane, I always use the wet diamond saw which yields a perfectly flat cut. Especially for face cane and initial cane which is so darn precious (!!!), I can slice it really thin and not waste any!

HTH,
Lea

[Bunyip]

Does the diamond saw leave a smooth surface or is it more like it was etched?

[QuiteCuntrary]

This reminds me.. I bought some diamond cut-off wheels for Dremel at Harbor Freight. I knew I had to have 'em, but really didn't have a particular use for them until now! I do have a wet saw, but I'd never drag it out to cut murrini. I'm just too lazy for all that. Gonna give the wheels a try!

[Ofilia]

It can depend on the size of your millefiori cane, but you may also do the technique of imbedding the the end of you cane to the hot mass, cool it, and snap the cane off. You have minimal glass usage, and no score or cut marks. I've been shown this technique by both Kevin O'Grady (on boro cane) and Loren Stump (on soft glass). It takes a fine touch and practice, but can be done if the cane is not too thick.

Otherwise, my choice the the wheeled nippers (of course not for thick, complex cane),

[pam]

I use the disk wheel cutters and simply hold my finger over the end, then bring the wheel in as close as possible and cut. Works perfectly and the murini don't go flying!!

[shawnette]

Originally Posted by Ofilia

It can depend on the size of your millefiori cane, but you may also do the technique of imbedding the the end of you cane to the hot mass, cool it, and snap the cane off. You have minimal glass usage, and no score or cut marks. I've been shown this technique by both Kevin O'Grady (on boro cane) and Loren Stump (on soft glass). It takes a fine touch and practice, but can be done if the cane is not too thick.

Otherwise, my choice the the wheeled nippers (of course not for thick, complex cane),

This is the technique that I use.

[Bunyip]

That's what I do too - still in the practice stage but getting tolerable results. I'm still curious about the surface of the cane when you use a diamond saw.

[RSimmons]

The surface after cutting with a diamond saw depends on the blade that you choose. Diamond blades come in different grades. If you cut with a Slicer blade on a ring saw (like a Taurus) the surface is fairly rough and will require some polishing on a lap. It also has a fairly thick kerf. Tile cutting blades will work, but the results are similar and you'll have to polish on a lap. I use a Saber 1000 lapidary blade from MK Diamond that has a 0.025 kerf and leaves a moderately polished surface. I can apply murrini directly to the bead surface after cutting with this blade. I'm going to try out the Yellow Blazer blade from Raytech (0.015 kerf) but it's not here yet.

IMHO, you'll want to use a thin kerf/fine grit wet diamond blade if you are cutting complex murrini (face cane, butterflies, etc.) that's more than about 3/8 diameter.

Robert

[getdul981]

Robert,

Do you want to run the saw at high or slow speed or somewhere in between? I just got a Swap Top and it seems to cut boro rods pretty good. The face of the rod is a little scuffed up. I'm assuming that will polish out when you apply the murrini or am I wrong? Thanks in advance.

Greg

[Otter's Flame]

Bunyip,
I find that as long as I clean the milli or cane surface in alcohol even if it does have that "etched" appearance from the diamond saw, it is fine once I apply it and work it into the bead or implosion.

[RSimmons]

There will always be a little roughness to the surface after a cut, just how much depends on the grit of the blade. My blades are very fine grit and leave a pretty smooth surface. My saw is an MK 340 tile saw with one speed - wide open. I just cut slowly and the blade do the work.

Otter's right about being sure that they surface is clean before you do anything with it. Rougher surfaces tend to create bubbles when encased, dirty rough surfaces make lots of bubbles. My murrini will smooth down on the surface of a bead just as they come off the saw. Encasing usually requires a little further polishing on the lap before use. They go up to full gloss if they're going into a paperweight.

Can't really address the boro question - I make soft glass murrini only at the moment.

Robert

[getdul981]

Thanks guys for the comments. I had thought I might do a little touch up with the lap wheel, but had not thought of cleaning up with alcohol. Thanks again

Greg

[lavendar420]

How do you polish such small things on a flat lap?

Thanks, Andi

[getdul981]

I'll let you know if and when I do it, but I'll have to guess "Very Carefully".

Greg

[RSimmons]

My wife was flattening some small stones on the lap yesterday. I had to warn her that a flat lap is also a high speed nail file. She ended up holding the pieces with loop hemostats and it worked out fine. It's a little harder when your murrini slices are only 1-2mm thick to start with. A dop stick like you'd use for faceting can work.

Robert

[PaulaD]

Originally Posted by RSimmons

The surface after cutting with a diamond saw depends on the blade that you choose. Diamond blades come in different grades. If you cut with a Slicer blade on a ring saw (like a Taurus) the surface is fairly rough and will require some polishing on a lap. It also has a fairly thick kerf. Tile cutting blades will work, but the results are similar and you'll have to polish on a lap. I use a Saber 1000 lapidary blade from MK Diamond that has a 0.025 kerf and leaves a moderately polished surface. I can apply murrini directly to the bead surface after cutting with this blade. I'm going to try out the Yellow Blazer blade from Raytech (0.015 kerf) but it's not here yet.

IMHO, you'll want to use a thin kerf/fine grit wet diamond blade if you are cutting complex murrini (face cane, butterflies, etc.) that's more than about 3/8 diameter.

Robert

Thank You for this information. I was just going to ask!!
Paula

[JoeDeM]

Drew Fritts's book on marble making, he uses washers on a table to get even slices using a nipper.

[RSimmons]

Originally Posted by JoeDeM

Drew Fritts's book on marble making, he uses washers on a table to get even slices using a nipper.

This depends on the size of the cane. It's OK for relatively thin cane, it won't work for anything much over 3.8 inch. It all depends on what you are cutting.

Robert