Guild of Book Workers – Standards Seminar 2011

Last week I attended the Guild of Book Workers‘ Seminar on Standards of Excellence in Hand Bookbinding.

It was both inspiring and intimidating.

Don’t get me wrong – I had a wonderful time. I did, however, often wonder how exactly I ended up at the grown ups table.

Conference presenters included Dan Essig, Katherine Beaty, John DeMerritt, and Todd Pattison. I’ll talk about their presentations in future blog posts.

For now, I’ll just focus on the goodies. Oh yes, there was lots of shopping going on.

The first stop was Akkra. In a nutshell, these nice folks specialize in tools that don’t stick. I started off by purchasing two teflon burnishers – I’m looking forward to trying out these new shapes.

Then I picked up a teflon-coated spatula set. I’m not a big fan of picking glue boogers off of my tools.

The last purchase was a tweezer set. I’m really digging the soldering tweezers (the pair at the bottom of the image).

Next was a purchase from Colophon Book Arts Supply. I am now the proud owner of an 18″ Incra Precision T-Rule – I’ve been dying to get one of these since I attended the Focus on Book Arts conference earlier this year.

I bought two bookcloth sample books from Hiromi Paper. These books include samples that aren’t available from Talas. One book is for World Cloth (a.k.a. Asahi)…

…and the other is for Text Libris and Text Lifil.

The last thing I bought from Hiromi was some awesome apple papyrus from Germany. It’s a lot thinner and lighter than you’d expect. I have no idea what I’m going to do with it.

I bought the most amazing book from Bookbinders Workshop – The Exquisite Notes by Sylvia Ramos Alotta. I was told that this book was just released within the past few weeks.

The book is an instruction manual on bookbinding, presented in a sketchbook format – the sketches are so lovely! Techniques range from pamphlet stitch to the Armenian binding.

Last, but certainly not least, was the wonderful marbled paper from Chena River Marblers. I’ll be using these on a series of coptic journals, making their debut (hopefully) at my next craft show.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my tour of what emptied my wallet. Anyone want to help me put it away?

Worktable Wednesday

I can’t say that much happened in the studio today because I still haven’t finished unpacking from my recent trip to the Focus on Book Arts conference.

Since I have to unpack, I figured that now would be a good time to show you the awesome goodies I bought while I was away. Almost everything I bought was from Colophon Book Arts Supply.

Nancy Morains, Colophon’s owner, had a basket of hand painted linen thread by Kinglet Cottage Designs. This stuff is so beautiful! I must have studied those skeins for at least 10 minutes before finally settling on 8 different varieties.

I bought two Anza glue brushes, which are great because each has a built-in brush rest/cup hanger thingie. No more rolling brushes! A friend of mine has some of these and in the past I’ve experienced brush covet – I covet no more!

I got a 1/4″ steel rule, even though I already have a 1/4″ brass rule. Apparently the steel is more durable. The microspatula is different from the one I already have – this one has a squared-off end, which has already proven useful for scraping PVA out of tight spots.

The bone folder was a total impulse purchase (sorry for the glare). I wasn’t in the market for one, but I picked it up because I liked the shape. It felt as though it had been shaped for my hand and no one else’s. Unfortunately, I don’t know what kind of bone it’s made from.

I seriously, super-love Duo bookcloth. I bought 1/2 yard pieces of 8 different colors. I just want to eat them.

Top row, left to right: Chili, Laguna, Sunshine, Nile
Bottom row, left to right: Barley, Henna, Berry, Cinnamon

I have a Duo sample book that I got from Bamberger Kaliko and I like their color names better, so I’m going to do that again:

Top row, left to right: Peperoni, Libelle, Sonnengelb, Fango
Bottom row, left to right: Herbstlaub, Klinker, Traube, Abendrot

I bought 2 packages of black photo turn mounts at the Accidental BookMaker (a.k.a. Green Heron Book Arts). I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with them, but they seem like a good thing to have around.

Last, but not least, is the book that I won in the scholarship raffle.

I haven’t read it yet and I know a whole lot of nothing about it. All I can say is that it was an old book in a raffle and I wanted it. Intriguing-sounding chapters include The American Conchology: A Venture in Backwoods Book Printing and The Pursuit of a First Folio.

If you’re interesting in getting your own copy, there are several available on Amazon.

Sunday bookbinding

My friend Elizabeth is super-awesome nice.

She came over this past Sunday and offered to share some of her North Bennet Street School (NBSS) awesomeness.

I told her that I wanted instruction in case binding. Everything I know, which isn’t much, has been self-taught through book instruction. I haven’t felt confident in my abilities in this area and I usually learn things better when taught by a person.

Since Elizabeth is a person, I figured that it would work.

As you can see at right, I got to use a lying press for the first time. Now I want one. Specifically, I want this one, made by Keith B. Uram. Coincidentally, he also graduated from NBSS. Clearly, I’m meant to have the press.

Right?

[Just nod your head yes]

Not only did I get to use the lying press, but I also got to play with some of Elizabeth’s other tools – a Starrett Pin Vise and an OLFA Silver knife:

Pointy. Shiny. Want.

She explained that everyone in her class at NBSS has the same tools. I guess they’re like the bookbinding program’s mascots?

I learned how to make headbands, which wasn’t on the agenda. This made my day. Even though I have two books on the topic, I’ve never given them a try. Luckily, I had some silk thread that I bought from Colophon Book Arts at a conference (I’m a stash girl).

I learned a really great tip – glue the tail end of your thread to the main thread so you don’t have to knot it. Brilliant! Why didn’t I ever think of that one myself?

I think that it will take me a while to get the hang of the sewing technique, especially where to put my fingers – hold this down, pull taut, wind this around here – they just didn’t want to listen to me.

Sadly, we ran out of time and couldn’t get to the actual casing in part of the process. I was told that everything we had done that day was called “forwarding”.

I’m looking forward to finishing the book!

 

Dremel sample books

As promised, here’s a look at the sample books I made during my adventures in The Amazing Dremel workshop with Jill Timm. I decided to name the books d1 and d2 for a simple reason – I now have two sample books. As I create new samples, my sequel book will be named d3.

Jill gave us raw bookboard for the covers, but I took it further by carving them and covering them in Lokta paper. And yes, I used my Dremel to do it (I knew you were going to ask me that).

I started by creating outlines with an X-Acto knife, then peeled away a few layers of the board by hand. I used the Dremel with a pink aluminum oxide grinding stone to even out the surface of the removed board. Lastly, I used a bone folder to burnish the surfaces.

It took some work to get the Lokta into all of the recessed areas. The surfaces of these areas weren’t completely smooth and the Lokta showed every bump, but I decided that I was okay with it and I’m now referring to it as “intentional texture”.

The pages are made of paper CD envelopes.

I love this idea and think it’s a great storage solution for flat items. I used alphabet stamps to identify the sample enclosed in each envelope. I had considered embellishing the envelopes more, but I think I’m going to leave them as they are.

We used a Zutter Bind-it-All to put everything together. After playing with this tool, I realized that I had to have one for myself. Yes, it is now mine.

More images of the book:

The last page holds a book we used for recording tips learned in class. The pages are currently unbound, but I plan to bind them using a pamphlet stitch.

 

Yes, I have a Dremel…what else can I work on?

As mentioned in my last Dremel post, this post focuses on tips for using a Dremel with specific materials. When I attended The Amazing Dremel with Jill Timm last year, I documented what I learned in my post So now I have a Dremel…what can I work on?

This time I took 4 ½ pages of notes during the workshop. Most of my notes duplicated what I learned last year, but some of the tips were new to me. In addition, I worked on two new materials – bookboard and brass – those notes are new.

New materials:

Bookboard:

• It’s easy to drill holes in bookboard. For better control, use a workstation to stabilize your Dremel.
• Use carving bits to do deep work.
• Bookboard tends to “barf” when you work on it, meaning that material comes off in fluffy chunks. In addition, you’ll be left with fluffy, chunky burrs on the board.
• To get more control when carving out areas, cut out borders with an X-Acto knife, then work within those lines. You’ll get a cleaner edge.
• Aluminum oxide grinding stones (brown, orange, pink, or grey bit) can be used to clean up burrs and soften edges.
• Bookboard will erode grinding stones, so move the Dremel while working to even out the wear.
• You can get a smoother finish on the surfaces of worked areas by burnishing down with a bonefolder.

Brass:

• Because brass is softer metal, it’s easy to create depth with layers of work.
• Diamond bits can be harder to control.
• Pay attention to the direction of your work and stay consistent – it shows!
• For polishing, use felt pads with polishing compound.
• For polishing, use emery-impregnated bits without polishing compound.
• Polish brass before doing other work (such as engraving) or you’ll risk getting polishing compound into groves/texture and you’ll have to work hard to get it out.

Previously-covered materials:

Some general tips:

• When putting a sanding band on the drum mandrel, tighten the screw on top of the mandrel to snug up the drum.
• If your bit turns red, it’s overheating. Once it burns, it will turn black and you won’t be able to use it again.
• A Dremel has two motor brushes, one on each side of the motor.
• Motor brushes will wear down and get shorter over time.
• Always replace both motor brushes at the same time.

Glass/Mirror:

• Use light pressure – you don’t need to go deep.
• Put a drop of oil on glass prior to drilling to both increase speed and keep the bit from overheating.
• Be careful when drilling too close to the edge of glass because it can shatter apart.
• For safety, tape glass edges before drilling.

Linoleum:

• Start at medium speed.
• This is a soft material and won’t allow fine lines or detail like harder materials.

Plexiglass:

• If your bits get gummed up, put them in the freezer for easy removal of the offending material.
• You can also squeeze gummed up bits with pliers and the material will pop off.

Steel:

• Sanding bits can be used to create a satin texture and remove rust.
• It is easier to work in one direction.
• Use titanium bits to drill holes – these are gold in color.

Wood:

• Take short passes because wood can scorch.
• Use sanding bits to remove burrs from the surface of wood.
• An aluminum oxide grinding stone acts as really fine sandpaper.

In my next post, I’ll share the Dremel sample books that were created in class. Jill came up with a great solution for housing our material samples – stay tuned!

The Amazing Dremel – new (to me) accessories

As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently assisted Jill Timm with her Amazing Dremel workshop for the Book Arts Guild of Vermont. In this post, I’ll talk about some of the new bits I used.

Before I start, I’d like to make it clear that in no way am I paid for endorsing Dremel products – I am merely talking about the products I used in the workshop. I’m sure that there are alternatives to the items listed below. Of course, being the tool junkie that I am, I sooo want one of everything!

In reviewing my What do those Dremel bits do? Well I’ll tell ya! post from last year, I discovered that I left out some information about another option for cleaning & polishing (I blame information overload) – emery impregnated bits.

These bits look like grinding bits, but they’re much softer. Unlike the felt polishing bits, you don’t use these bits with polishing compound. These bits are good for use on rougher surfaces, including scratches and burrs. If scratches still remain after using these bits, you would move to the felt polishing bits for finer work.

The polishing point is good for detail work, as you can get better control with the tip.

The emery impregnated disc is better for general use and for work on larger areas. As is the case with cutting wheels, you have to attach the disc to a mandrel. You can see how to attach the disc to a mandrel in this post (scroll down to the cutting section).

In addition to using the polishing bits on metal, they’re also great for use on mirror. If you use one of these bits on the backside of a mirror, it will remove the paint and silver without affecting the glass – you’ll get a clear glass effect, not frosted (the diamond bit creates the frosted effect).

Something else I did at this workshop that I didn’t get to do last time was drill glass. To help with stability, I put my Dremel into a workstation, which essentially turns your Dremel into a drill press.

I so have to get one of these. It makes drilling sooo much easier. I can totally see using it in my studio for drilling sewing holes.

I started with making a small hole with a diamond bit. Once I got through to the other side of the glass, it climbed up my bit and started spinning. The tip of the bit glowed a really scary red before I was able to turn off the Dremel.

While I was successful at achieving a hole, the edges of the hole were chipped. I would need to sand down those edges to get a neat hole.

Next, I used what I’m pretty sure was a tungsten carbide cylinder cutter. The bit is hollow in the middle and allows you to drill larger holes.

I didn’t make it all the way through the glass before it shattered. Luckily, the bit didn’t burn out. Oh, and no one was hurt by the flying glass shards.

Here’s what I learned about drilling glass:

• Make short passes with the Dremel – let the bit cool off.
• Put a drop of oil on the glass prior to drilling to both increase speed and keep the bit from overheating.
• If your bit turns red, it’s overheating. Once it burns, it will turn black and you won’t be able to use it again.
• Be careful when drilling too close to the edge of the glass because it can shatter apart.
• For safety, tape the edges of glass before drilling.

Jill told me that the bits we were using to drill glass weren’t really recommended for that use. She added that as of now, there are no “official” Dremel bits intended for drilling glass.

There is hope – in October 2010, Dremel will release two new glass drill bits.

From the Dremel website:

This diamond-impregnated core-style bit features superior long life and is ideal for drilling in both flat and contoured surfaces. Diamond grit a full 360-degrees around the circumference of the bit allows it to be used in a rasping action to enlarge a hole if needed. Holes on the side of the bit allow the removal of glass dust from inside the bit. Each bit is packaged with Dremel cutting oil to increase the speed of cut and prevent damage to the bit from overheating.

For use on glass, ceramic wall tile, glass block, glass bottles, jewelry.

The new drill bits come in two sizes – 1/8″ and 1/4″. These seem like good sizes for use in bookbinding and I look forward to trying them out.

As promised, my next post will focus on new tips for using a Dremel on specific materials, both new and old (includes materials covered last year).

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* Many thanks to Dremel for allowing me to use product photos from their website.

The Amazing Dremel with Jill Timm – The Sequel

Two weeks ago, the Book Arts Guild of Vermont hosted Jill Timm‘s fabulous workshop, The Amazing Dremel. I was fortunate enough to work as Jill’s assistant during those two days and I picked up lots of tips that I didn’t catch when I took the class last year.

If you’re new to my blog and haven’t read my Dremel posts from last year, this should get you up to speed (or multi-speed, depending on your Dremel):

• The Amazing Dremel with Jill Timm – Day 1
• The Amazing Dremel with Jill Timm – Day 2
• What do those Dremel bits do? Well I’ll tell ya!
• So now I have a Dremel…what can I work on?
• Dremel resources for artists
• One more Dremel post…

And if you’re scratching your head, thinking “What the hell is a Dremel?” – you have lots more reading to do: Dremel website

The class worked on two materials that I didn’t get to play with last year – brass and bookboard. I continued work on my “E Series” that I started last year:

I really enjoyed working with the brass. It’s a softer metal than steel and it’s easy to get layers of depth. It’s hard to see in the image, but you can get a really nice shine by using a polishing bit – I’ll talk about more that in my next post.

I was eager to work on the bookboard, because it’s what I’d use most frequently. Unfortunately, it was not a compliant material.

In general, using the Dremel caused something I call “board barf” – board material came off chunkily and fluffily. I know those aren’t words, but that’s what happened. After removing material, I’d have to burnish the surface down to bring it back into submission. I was much happier with the bookboard once I glued paper over it – the results were much smoother than I had anticipated. Gotta love Lokta.

This is just the first in a series of blog posts where I’ll be focusing on the new things I learned. Here’s the rundown of what I plan to cover:

• New Dremel bits and what they do
• Dremel tips for specific materials – new and old (last year’s materials)
• Dremel class sample books
• A printable guide for everything learned in both classes (this will take some time)
• Jill Timm’s discussion of her work in artist books

Stay tuned!

Where do bone folders come from?

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently returned from my summer vacation to the Midwest. One of the stops during our National Park loop included Mount Rushmore (in case you didn’t know, it’s ginormous). I’m thankful that I didn’t have any big head nightmares on my trip. Nightmares in tents are no fun.

When I visit a National Park, I am a faithful exhibit reader. I will read every little sign and look at every piece of history I can. I consider myself a knowledge sponge. So I’m going through the exhibits at Mount Rushmore and I come across the piece below.

I immediately turn to my husband and ask, “What does that look like to you?” He replies, “A bone folder.”

Of course he knows if I’m asking him a question like this, then the answer on the accompanying signage can’t possibly provide the answer I want.

If I remember correctly, the piece was in an exhibit including Native American artifacts. This really got my brain churning – where did the bone folder come from? I can see how using the tool as an awl could evolve into something more bone folder-y.

I engaged in a bit of the Google and found this on www.netbib.de (it seems to be the only page in English):

Library lore (which often means it’s really not true) states that the original bone folders were taken from the corset stays of early pupils of Melville Dewey at Columbia U. Hence, they are “bone folders” because they were made from baleen, a cheap bone-like substance taken from the mouths of whales and used for corset stays, rulers and other functions, very prevalent during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

While I like this story, I’d rather get more solid information. Does anyone know where bone folders originated? It’s almost as big a mystery as babies!

So now I have a Dremel…what can I work on?

Welcome to part two of my series of blog posts based on information collected from Jill Timm‘s class, The Amazing Dremel at the 2009 Focus on Book Arts conference.

As mentioned in my last Dremel post, this post focuses on tips for using a Dremel with specific materials. I took six pages of notes during the workshop. As I reviewed them, I realized just how much I’d forgotten since I took the workshop. I’m glad I’m such a prolific (a.k.a. anal) note taker.

Once again, I’d like to mention that this post is in no way meant to replace the total awesomeness of taking Jill Timm’s class. I benefited so much from hearing Jill’s experiences and seeing her work in person. If I had bought a Dremel and experimented with it on my own, most likely I would have never tried it on the range of materials that we did in class.

Jill recently announced that she’s taking her Dremel class on the road and would love to be scheduled by your group. I highly recommend the class if you have a chance to attend.

And away we go! Please note that this post only focuses on materials I used in the workshop.

Some general tips:

• Always always always wear eye protection and a dust mask. Things fly in the air. Really. It happened to me.
• The Dremel should make a purring noise when you turn it on.
• If the Dremel makes a grinding noise, check your motor brushes. Note: You should check motor brushes after every 50-60 hours of use.
• Don’t force it – let the bits do the work for you.
• You can get different results from different bits when you move your Dremel in either direction.
• When holding a Dremel, be sure to not put your hands over the air vents.
• If the Dremel gets hot, turn it off and let it cool.
• Did I mention that you should always wear eye protection and a dust mask?

Wood:

• Grain affects working with wood. Work with the grain when possible or the tip of your Dremel will skip.
• The harder the wood, the more detail you can get.
• Use wide strokes to get an even, smooth finish.
• Use a saw attachment for any substantial removal of material.
• With high speed cutters, use bits with smaller heads for thinner lines and/or smaller spaces.
• Using the Dremel at higher speeds will cut more smoothly.
• You will get more drawing control if you work at a shallow depth.
• Use a ball tip to carve out a space for inserting beads.
• The edge of sandpaper bands can be used to carve out fine lines.

Glass:

• Smooth out the edges of your glass first to remove sharp edges.
• Work on glass on a dark surface so you can see your work better.
• Use a low speed with diamond bits or your glass will chip.
• Move the Dremel in the direction of the rotation to reduce chipping.
• To see exactly what your image will look like through the glass, you need to get on top of it and look down. Looking at glass from an angle will cause distortion in viewing the image.
• Keep the Dremel moving on the glass and don’t keep the tip in one spot or that spot will overheat – give it time to cool off.
• You can work on both sides of glass to create dimension.
• The thicker the piece of glass, the greater the depth achieved.
• Images on the back of glass need to be done in reverse.
• If the tip of your bit is skipping on the glass, then your speed is too slow.

Mirror:

• All tips for glass can be applied for use with mirror.
• The rubber grey disk (looks like stone) takes away the paint and silver from mirror but doesn’t grind the glass

Linoleum:

• You can cut levels into linoleum because it’s the same material all the way through.
• Don’t stay in one spot for too long – linoleum will melt and clog up your bits – work for short periods of time.
• You can cut all the way through linoleum with a Dremel.
• You can use the Dremel to carve linoleum for printmaking.

Plexiglass:

• You can use brushes to create a soft frosted finish.
• Use the bits lightly – only use the tips. Don’t push down.
• Plexiglass has a low melting point, so work on an area for a short period of time and then let it cool.
• Pieces of plexiglass that fly off while you’re working can burn your skin – wear protective clothing.
• You can work through plexiglass if it’s thin enough.
• You can work on both sides of plexiglass for depth.
• Be careful while working, the surface of plexiglass can scratch easily.
• Use low speeds when working with sanders.

Ceramic Tile:

• Ceramic tile is composed of a glass surface on a clay base. You can take off the glassy surface or work through to the ceramic base, which is softer.
• Tiles that are made for floors have been fired at a higher temperature and are harder to work with.
• Tiles made for walls and countertops are softer and easier to work with.
• Seal any exposed ceramic areas or it could stain.

Aluminum:

• Because aluminum is a soft metal, you can cut all the way through it.
• You can work the surface to create reflective values.
• Metal brushes can be used to clean up burrs.
• Use a metal circular saw bit for cutting out slots.
• Alcohol inks can be used on the surface of aluminum.
• Sand down sharp edges.
• Before polishing, make sure all burrs have been removed.
• Polish aluminum by moving in one direction.
• If you want to keep the surface shiny, you’ll have to seal it or it will oxidize over time.
• Be aware that aluminum will heat up the longer you work with it.

Polymer Clay:

• Don’t stay in one spot for too long – polymer clay will melt and clog up your bits. Work for short periods of time.
• Don’t use diamond bits.
• You can polish polymer clay to a small degree.
• You can cut recessed areas in polymer clay, then fill the recesses with a new color of clay and re-bake it to create inlays.
• Carving polymer clay is messy! Keep this in mind when choosing your workspace.

Steel:

• Grind down the edges and corners first – it’s sharp!
• If you apply a layer of rust to the steel (either naturally or by using product), you can carve away the rusted layer to reveal the shiny layer underneath.
• Steel will spark when you work on it.
• Use high speeds.

What do those Dremel bits do? Well I’ll tell ya!

Yeah, I’m an overachiever.

I originally thought I could fit all of my notes from Jill Timm‘s class, The Amazing Dremel, into one blog post.

Bwahahahahahahah!!!

I did not take into account how many notes I took during the workshop. In fact, my table neighbor at the workshop teased me for two days on how many notes I took.

My plan is to split the information into three blog posts:

• Dremel bits and what they do (hey – that’s what you’re reading now!)
• Tips for using a Dremel with specific materials
• Dremel resources for artists

Please note that this post only focuses on what the bits look like and what they do. Oh, and the bits mentioned are the only ones that we used in the workshop – we didn’t use any routing bits. Sorry.

That said, let’s talk Dremel bits.

I think that one of the things that both attracted me and freaked me out about the Dremel was its huge buffet of accessories. The packages are labeled by use, but it still seemed like gibberish to me. Jill created the perfect environment for overcoming my Dremel fear.

You can read about my class in the following blog posts:

• The Amazing Dremel with Jill Timm – Day 1
• The Amazing Dremel with Jill Timm – Day 2

This post is in no way meant to replace the total awesomeness of taking Jill Timm’s class. I benefited so much from hearing Jill’s experiences and seeing her work in person. If I had bought a Dremel and experimented with it on my own, most likely I would have never tried it on the range of materials that we did in class.

Jill recently announced that she’s taking her Dremel class on the road and would love to be scheduled by your group. I highly recommend the class if you have a chance to attend.

The main categories of bits, according to Dremel, include the following:

1. Carving & Engraving
2. Sanding
3. Cutting
4. Grinding & Sharpening
5. Cleaning & Polishing

These categories are pretty consistent among other manufacturers of rotary tool accessories, so you can often find alternatives if you shop around. Carving & Engraving I used two different types of bits that fall into the carving & engraving category – diamond bits and high speed cutters.

Diamond bits can be used with the following materials:

• Aluminum
• Bookboard
• Ceramic tile
• Glass
• Mirror
• Steel

High speed cutters can be used with the following materials:

• Bookboard
• Linoleum
• Wood

Sanding

Sanding involves two different parts – the drum and the sanding band. Sanding bands come in different grits, just like sheets of sandpaper.

To use the sanding band, you simply slide it over the drum. Replace it when it wears out. Easy peasy.

Sanding bits can be used with the following materials:

• Aluminum
• Bookboard
• Plexiglass
• Polymer clay
• Wood

Cutting

There are different types of cutting wheels for different materials.

Abrasive cutting wheels can be used with the following materials:

• Bookboard
• Plexiglass
• Wood

Fiberglass cutting wheels can be used with the following materials:

• Aluminum
• Ceramic tile

To use a cutting wheel, you have to attach it a mandrel.

Unscrew the tiny screw on top of the mandrel and remove one of the washers.

Slide the wheel onto the screw, then add the second washer. Attach the screw to the mandrel base and tighten.

Replace the wheel it when it wears out.

Grinding & Sharpening

Grinding and sharpening stones are made of two basic materials: silicon carbide (green bits) and aluminum oxide (brown, orange, pink, or grey bits). You may have noticed that some of my grinding stones are oddly-shaped. This is because the stones wear out with use. You can reshape your grinding stones using a dressing stone.

Orange stones can be used with the following materials:

• Ceramic tile
• Glass
• Mirror
• Steel

Blue/green and pink stones can be used with the following materials:

• Aluminum
• Ceramic tile
• Glass
• Mirror

Cleaning & Polishing

Felt polishing wheels and cones are used in combination with polishing compound.

To use a polishing felt, you have to attach it a mandrel (different from the cutting wheel mandrel). The felt has a tiny hole in the center of it – you screw the mandrel into the hole to attach it.

Felt polishing wheels and cones can be used with the following materials:

• Aluminum
• Ceramic tile
• Glass
• Mirror

For further reference, you can check out Dremel’s website for information on all of their attachments. Even better though, is this very sexy poster: Dremel Accessories Guide Poster. We got one of these posters from Jill in our workshop packet.

I can’t decide if I want to hang it in my studio…