From: John De Armond
Subject: Re: The Jeweler's Saw - A Gadget Review
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

hes@unity.ncsu.edu (Henry E. Schaffer) writes:


#  When cutting up small things (such as cartridge cases to examine
#thinning of the walls, etc.) it helps to have a saw well adapted to
#this type of work.  Before you start thinking of power tools (aha,
#you did start thinking of your milling machine, or your Dremel tool,
#didn't you :-) it might be worth reviewing an old standby - the
#jeweler's saw.  It looks something like:

Hi Henry.  For people like me who have an allergic reaction to anything
requiring manual manipulation, a diamond cutoff wheel in the dremel
or die grinder is a cheap alternative.

A diamond abrasive is something you just have to use to believe.  It cuts
brass, steel, tempered steel, ceramic and glass with equal ease.  "Ease"
being defined as cutting several inches per minute through, say, 1/4"
glass.  The key to making diamond work well is to keep it wet.  I
use either running water in the sink or a machine tool-type water mister.

My wife has a stained glass studio which is where I discovered diamond.
I had traditionally used tungsten carbide tools.  Diamond, as it
turns out, is less expensive than carbide.  My favorite cutoff tool, a
diamond wheel about 1" in diameter mounted on a 1/8" spindle, costs
about $12.  "Diamond drills", straight shanked burrs to us machinists,
are available in a wide variety of sizes, generally under $15.

My favorite source for these is an outfit called "Truebite Inc."
2590 Glenwood Road, Vestal, NY 13850   (800) 356 8059.

John