Tutorial Request - How To Use a Burnisher

[lancer525]

Now that I've read some of these descriptions of what you guys are doing, I discovered that I've been doing that all along! Except, I use old dental tools. My dentist is a very good friend, we've worked on some carpentry projects together (this guy has the single best wood shop I have ever seen!) and he's very interested in the Georgia I'm doing. So much so that he came in one day, with a little bag full of old dental tools, asking if I could use them on the model! So I've got all these neat little tools that I can apply glue in a seam, smooth out wrinkles, make edges fit together, score fold lines, and all sorts of things...

I ought to post some pics of them in use, but...

On second thought, go look at my design test thread HERE and you'll see the most recent photos that show the end result of me using these dental tools as "burnishers"... Look for the last photo in post # 187 that shows the side view, and then look at the bottom of the torpedo bow structure. Burnished with a dental tool!!

[rbeach84]

Lancer, go ahead and post some pix of your tools. I have a few myself but most are shaped for 'scraping' though now I'll have to give them a second look.

I'll need to dig around, but there is a fellow (Billy Carr) who goes by "The Tool Man" and carries a bewildering array of items for the modeler. He shows up at many of our IPMS/USA events as a vendor, but he also has a website.:
Tool Man at Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market & Trade Show Dates
where he details his schedule - recommended if you see him!

[Ron0909]

If anyone's interested I can do a mini tutorial of a WW1 era cowling? I use a couple of burnishing tools to round out the segments prior to edge gluing them all. Jim, Is this what you meant by how to round out the parts?

[cotlet]

Originally Posted by Ron0909

If anyone's interested I can do a mini tutorial of a WW1 era cowling?

I would love to see your techniques Ron. I'm sure I'm not the only one who admire your work. Please post some turtorial. There will be plenty to learn

[rmks2000]

Ron

I second Tomek's request!

Bob

[bagpiper]

Originally Posted by Ron0909

If anyone's interested I can do a mini tutorial of a WW1 era cowling? I use a couple of burnishing tools to round out the segments prior to edge gluing them all. Jim, Is this what you meant by how to round out the parts?

OH YES PLEASE MATE. :D

OK maybe a bit to enthusiastic there but that's exactly what I was talking about. This is one of the smoothest cowlings I have seen. A tutorial on how you did that would be fantastic. While my skills are improving this is one area where I need a bit of direction.

Many thanks for the offer Ron and look forward to it indeed. As I am sure many who are reading this thread are too

cheers
Jim

[bagpiper]

Originally Posted by lancer525

...On second thought, go look at my design test thread HERE and you'll see the most recent photos that show the end result of me using these dental tools as "burnishers"... Look for the last photo in post # 187 that shows the side view, and then look at the bottom of the torpedo bow structure. Burnished with a dental tool!!

Lancer! That is a very splendid model you have under way. I have used a burnisher/tool for one purpose up to now and that is to press joints together. From your description, it looks like I need to think outside the box and look to how to use these tools more often. Wonderful stuff. This is becoming a very interesting and interactive thread.

Thanks again Lancer for your constructive input.

Cheers
Jim

[Dave Friesen]

Lancer, in post #14 you made a statement that in my view was stated very well, and if the advice was taken by everyone, then some of the threads would never show up. I think it reveals you are a kind hearted considerate person as are the majority of the folks on this forum. My humble opinion. Thanks. Dave

[eTraxx]

I was at my local Walmart the other day and looking around the section where the ladies take care of their nails and makeup. There are all sorts of little scissors, files and .. things ..

I ran across this .. something to do with cuticles ..



Here are some close-ups of the ends. One is cupped and should work as a burnisher

[John Wagenseil]

I don't know if this is on topic, or even helpful or welcome on this thread but here goes :

Try googling(tm) the words "domeing tools, dapping blocks, domeing punches, dapping punches".

Hopefully you will get directed to "how to" sites for jewelers. The methods used to curve metal foils and sheets carry over to paper. A dapping punch can be used to rub curves onto gently damped paper from the backside (or front side if you are careful and lucky not to ruin the ink). Dapping blocks have graduated indendations or troughs which paper can be pushed into to give it a shape.

If you want to build a really exotic mini tool for paper curving, polishing, burnishing, look up "English wheel". They are used for full sized car and airplane sheet metal work but I bet one could be scaled down and used for paper modeling and working with thin metal sheets and foils.

For those of you in the USA, Harbor Freight Tools has a decent dapping set, that is a great bargain when it on sale, also their transfer punch set is good for rolling cylinders, and also is good for rubbing/rolling out, smoothing out/burnishing papers. They have a heavy duty leather punch that is good for small circles.

Don't have the bucks to spring for a commercial dapping set ( the price ranges from about 25 to several hundreds of dollars)? Then find some metal rods and file and polish the ends round or even make a set out of hardwood dowels or hard plastic.