Update, again

Ah, me.  Nothing to show.  Been trying to get something put together but success is elusive.  I have so many unfinished pieces lying around patiently waiting for me to get moving.  Gah! It's pitiful!

A terrific jewelry artist, Ann Cahoon writes in Ganoskin about sawing myths, and it's worth a read.  One myth she didn't write about is whether you should or should not relieve the tension on the saw blade when you have finished sawing for the day.  Some say yes, others no. So who is right?  Some say you should always fit the size of the blade to the thickness of the metal, other's disagree, saying using a finer blade will mean less filing afterwards.

Another thing.  There's a myth about sawing thin metal.  She doesn't touch on this, but there is a way to saw out intricate designs in thin gauge metal.  I have not tried this, and it isn't original with me.  It involves making a sandwich.

You need two pieces of thin wood, like doll furniture wood, your thin metal, 28, 30 gauge, wax paper, and a printed design.  It goes like this, bottom wood, then wax paper. then metal, then wood, with your design glued on top of the top piece of wood.  Tape the sandwich together so it won't move, drill access holes for the saw blade.  Saw out all the interior spaces, then the outside.  I repeat for emphasis:  I have not tried this method!

Also, Charles Lewton-Brain discusses the use of "duct tape" at the bench.  Confess, never thought of that as I thought it might leave residue behind.  Tested using it to hold a pice of metal on bench block.  Hah! No residue! And, it holds better than the ubiquitous painter's tape.  One possible drawback, not every brand may be equal.  Another, rolls are usually huge when new and take up space, something virtually non-existent in my cubby hole.  Since it does work, I will find space somewhere.

DynastyLab continues with his torch series.  Mentions a torch currently unavailable in the U.S.  A "Bullfinch" brand.  If you are interested, Google "bullfinch torch" and find it's available in Great Britain.  I would bet you can find a company that would be glad to sell you one.  Me, not interested.  I am interested in the blowpipe torch sold by Fischer.  I might be opening a can of worms for myself!