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Note: The equipment and methods for making your own tools are not suitable for young children. Dremel tools, propane torches and other items can be dangerous, so exercise appropriate caution and observe all safety precautions when using these items. Epoxy putty and glues can be hazardous if ingested or misused--please keep these materials away from young children. Propane torches can cause fires and severe burns if used improperly. Follow all safety precautions stringently. The brass nozzle of the torch remains hot after the torch is extinguished, so allow it ample time to cool before disconnection. Use a propane torch in a well-ventilated area as they can give off carbon monoxide. When working with any kind of power tool, even with a Dremel, always wear eye protection (safety goggles). Finally, note that some of the tools created in this tutorial can have very sharp edges and points, so exercise caution when handling them.
Now let's get on with the tutorial. Tools and materials needed To paraphrase an old saying, it takes tools to make tools. Your first step will be to gather the tools and materials for making sculpting tools. These include: Dremel
motor tool (preferably with Flexi-shaft attachment)
Tools (from left): Electrical crimper, propane torch and striker, ball peen hammer and anvil, pliers and visegrips, Dremel tool with flexi-shaft attachment You will also need various raw materials from which to constuct your sculpting tools. These include: Hardened
steel music wire
Materials (clockwise from left): Steel wire brush, hardened steel music wire, small gauge brass wire, epoxy putty and Sharpie pen, Superglue and five minute epoxy glue. Not shown: emery boards, sanding sponges, metal files
Handle materials (clockwise from left): Chopsticks, old toothbrush, wooden dowel, epoxy putty and resin handle blanks Note:
choosing materials for handles is a personal choice and there are
lots of choices. I now make my own resin handles after molding some paintbrush
handles I really liked. My second favorite handle material would be toothbrushes.
You can save up your old toothbrushes, or buy really cheap new ones (the
one in the pic came from Wal-Mart and was only 88 cents). In the course
of the tutorial I will show how to use some different materials for handles. Getting started "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." If you have any experience sculpting, you will have probably bought a number of tools already, and have begun to figure out which ones serve you best. I like a big selection of tools on hand, because while I may only use a certain tool every once in a while, I want it there when I do need it. Additionally, you probably have a small set of tools you could not live without, and I am no exception to that. But what if you need a smaller version of one of your most-used tools? Or what if you want to make a duplicate set of tools so you can sculpt during your lunch hour at work or whatever? The way I've structured this tutorial is to show you how to make a few homemade tools, and once you've done those, you will have the skills to make other custom tools as you need them. Updates will add more tools to the series. Okay, let's make some tools! Micro spatula and spoon tool I've made tools for friends for a while now, and this is the tool that always proves most popular. One end features a tiny little spatula that is great for very fine detailing and the other end is a miniature version of the standard smooth spoon tool.
The handle for this particular tool is made from a chopstick. This tool is great for fine detailing like eyes and noses on a 1:6 scale figure.
First, you will need two lengths of fine music wire (the actual gauge is up to you, and you may want to make a couple of different sizes of this tool with different gauges of music wire). In any case, I used wire for this tool that is about the diameter of a mechanical pencil lead. The two lengths should be 1 inch long. You can find music wire at hardware stores--it's usually sold in two- or three-foot lengths. I call it music wire, but you might need to ask for thin steel rod stock or hardened steel rod stock. Buy some different diameters so you can make a variety of tools. Some sculptors use softer metals to make tools, like copper and brass, which is fine for larger tools, but you really need the strength and stiffness of steel for the really small tools. You will also need a handle. A handle should be comfortable to hold for however long you will be sculpting with that tool. Some people like thinner handles and some like thicker handles. Think about the handles of some of your favorite tools and choose similar handles for your homemade tools. An handle should be long enough to rest on the bridge of your index finger knuckle as you hold it, and still project enough you can hold it with your fingertips. This particular tool has a handle that is 4.5 inches long. My hands are medium sized, so you may want to adjust your length if you have smaller or larger hands. Cut a section of handle material and hold it like a pencil. If it feels good in your hand, that's a good length. Step 1: Before cutting
your music wire, round off the end of Step 2: (see illustration
below) Once the tip is rounded, cut off a one inch length of wire. You
can grip it in a pair of vise grips or a pin vise (see step 16 below to
see what a pin vise is--they sell these in the hobby knife section of
most craft stores) to hold it securely while you work the metal.
Step 3: Ignite the propane torch (see safety note at top of
article) and heat the rounded tip until it glows. Step 4: Quickly
place the glowing tip on the anvil and hammer it flat (note: the metal
cools quickly, so you will need to heat it repeatedly between hammer blows.
Also flip the tip so you are flattening it from both sides.) You should
end up with a flattened, slightly flared tip. Now it's time to begin shaping
your spatula. Step 5: Hold the tip as shown and rotate it as you
grind (gently--you only want to round the edge, not grind it down) so
you can create a rounded, flattened shape. You will see sparks flying
off as you grind. These are harmless, but keep them away from inflammable
liquids. Step 6:
The hammering you did above will only get the spatula
so flat. Now you are going to hold the flat sides of the spatula to the
spinning cut off wheel to flatten the spatula even more. See the pretty
sparks! Apply even pressure so you don't end up with a beveled shape instead
of a spatula. (see inset for spatula after final grinding). Step
7: Now you will be refining and finishing the spatula. I use a medium
sanding sponge from the beauty supply store. Sand the sharp edge of the
spatula to get it symmetrical and round (in the illustration, the sanding
sponge would be moving toward the camera and away). Step 8: Now
press the flat side of the spatula against the sponge and quickly draw
the sponge away (see inset), sanding the flat of the spatula smooth. Do
this several times (and on both sides) until it is nice and smooth. Step
9: Finish the tip by holding it at a 45 degree angle and sweeping
it off the sponge (see inset) to blend the flat and the edge together
smoothly. Note that the red arrows indicate the movement of the tip as
it slides off the sponge. Repeat with the other side of the spatula. At
this poiint the tip is basically finished, but you might want to do a
bit more sanding/polishing with a very fine grade of sandpaper. Here is what the finished spatula tip looks like:
Note that the tip of this spatula is almost razor-sharp now. Take care when handling it. Now we're going to make the spoon tool tip. Begin by repeating Steps 1- 5 above. Now we will change direction and jump to Step 10 (see illustration below). Reheat the tip and then place it on the horn of the anvil. Step 11 Tap gently with the hammer to put a slight curve in the softened tip (see inset). Step 12 Now polish the convex (rounded) side of the tip on the flat plane of the cut off wheel, using a gentle, back and forth motion. Step 13 Follow up with polishing the convex side of the tip on medium and then fine sandpaper (see inset for finished tip)
Now you've got two tips, so it's time to mount them on a handle. You can use any material you like, but I am going to use one of my pre-made resin handle blanks. The techniques are the same. In Step 14 below I am sanding down the resin handle (I mold them to hold one tip, so I need to grind down the round end to hold two tools) with the sanding drum on the Dremel. Step 15 I've selected a micro drill bit that is the same diameter as the music wire tip (see arrow). Step 16 I have inserted the drill bit into a pin vise and am hand-drilling the hole into the handle. Step 17 Now I am measuring two part epoxy glue (I prefer the 5-minute setup time). Notice I have a toothpic handy for mixing the epoxy components together.
Step 18 Mixing the epoxy. Step 19 Get a bead of epoxy on the unfinished end of the tip and push it into the hole in the handle. Step 20 & 21 Add a little more epoxy to the joint with a toothpick. Let the epoxy harden. Repeat steps 17 through 21 with the other tip.
Here is the finished tool!
Now that you know how to make a micro spatula and spoon tool, you can make some in different sizes. Just use different diameters of music wire. That's it for this installment! In Part II, we will make a dogleg spatula and point tool. Go to Make Your Own Sculpting Tools Part II |
culpting
tools can be expensive to buy and hard to find (especially if you work
in smaller scales). One solution is to make your own sculpting tools.
This does take some initial investment, but the tools you use to make
homemade sculpting tools may already be part of your arsenal (I can't
imagine any sculptor getting along without a Dremel tool, for instance).
But it's worth it because when you are sculpting along and find you suddenly
need a specialized tool, you can just whip one up yourself. I've done
this any number of times.
As
you read, watch for my site mascot Slimer. He will guide to some special
tips and tricks.
the
long piece of wire on the flat side of the spinning cut off wheel, using
it like a miniature grinding table. This is an important technique that
I use for a variety of things in both sculpting and modeling, but it's
indispensible for making tools. This rounded-off tip will become the tip
of your tool.
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