Ric Fallu
9th December 2003, 10:14 AM
The speargun I was building got to the stage where it was ready to insert the pearl inlays. I took the plunge and took my pearl shell to the scroll saw. In the absence of anything better, I used the standard wood blade.
The experience was satisfactory in the sense that I ended up with some nice pearl blanks, ready for grinding flat then inlay, and I also learned something (I think). The speed of cutting was low, but variable. I think the variability was due to two things: 1. the underside the shell is not flat and it can snag on the edges of the saw hole. 2. the big impediment to sawing is the hard (some might say 'stony') outer shell - where it was thick, the cut moved slowly.
Its difficult to determine how it all impacted on the sharpness of the blade, as it broke at the last moment.
I speculate that a better way to tackle the job may be to grind off the outer shell before attempting to cut the inner nacreous shell on the scroll saw.
Ric
Gunner of the North
The experience was satisfactory in the sense that I ended up with some nice pearl blanks, ready for grinding flat then inlay, and I also learned something (I think). The speed of cutting was low, but variable. I think the variability was due to two things: 1. the underside the shell is not flat and it can snag on the edges of the saw hole. 2. the big impediment to sawing is the hard (some might say 'stony') outer shell - where it was thick, the cut moved slowly.
Its difficult to determine how it all impacted on the sharpness of the blade, as it broke at the last moment.
I speculate that a better way to tackle the job may be to grind off the outer shell before attempting to cut the inner nacreous shell on the scroll saw.
Ric
Gunner of the North