What is the difference between concrete nails and regular nails. Is is just heat treating or is it the type of steel used? I want to make some Repousse (metal shaping) tools this summer. I have learned how to cast jewelry at school and wish to learn some more metal techniques this summer. My wife really liked the ring I cast and set with a stone for Mother’s Day. She want me to fill up the jewelry boxes I have given her.
I know this isn’t exactly the topic for this site, but putting handmade items in and onto jewelry boxes is related. Learning metalwork is neat. I am thinking of designs of hinges and handles to cast in Sterling Silver this fall. Carving things in wax and then casting them is not hard if you have the access to the tools. I have a part time job as the lab assistant in the Jewelry and Ceramics lab. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to use the shop tools in the metals lab to make a hand plane before I finish my studies.
Edited 5/23/2004 1:28 pm ET by Chuck
Replies
I'm no metalurgist, but I think the simple answer is the concrete nails are made from hardened steel, whereas regular nails are made from a softer, more malleable steel.
If you are looking to make tools for working soft metals for jewelry, concrete nails would be the best choice. For the same reason (i.e. hardness), I have used old files and hacksaw blades to make scrapers, etc.
If you find any good sources of information to guide you into simple metalworking, I hope you will post them here.
Good luck.
Thanks for the info. I never considered working metal before except for brass hinges and such. My job as lab assistant in the jewelry/ceramics lab has opened up a new area to consider. Casting a ring, finishing/polishing, and setting a stone in a day or two is really neat. I have been interested in rings and such because I saw them a lot as a restuarant manager. I don't wear jewelry but enjoy making it. I am almost 50 and have done several jobs and have decided that I enjoy working in the lab is the best and most enjoyable even thought it is minimum wage. I would almost work for free just to get to use the equipment.
If I find anything interesting I will post it. One of my many projects planned for the summer (20% me, 80% wife) is to use some crotch walnut to build some sort of box. I haven't decided exactly what it will be yet. I can carve hinges and handles out of wax this summer and cast them in the fall in silver. If it turns out well I will post It here. I haven't quite mastered posting photos yet.
An experiment you could do is heat the the last inch or so of a regular nail to bright cherry red and quench it in water. If you can still cut it with a file, then you know it doesn't have enough carbon in it to be hardenable.
Just a guess, but my guess is that concrete nails are heat treated high carbon steel with few or no alloying elements.
I would have to believe that you are right. Nails designed for wood are really just wire that is cut to length then smacked on the end to produce the head. Even stainless steel nails bend fairly easy. Sincerely;
The Tool Guy
I've been doing metal work more over the last few years. You should check out the dedicated metal sites like http://www.artmetal.com
http://www.metalwebnews.com http://www.metalshapers.org Also http://www.cambiumbooks.com and http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/ have some great books on repousse.
http://www.mcmaster.com sells different alloys of steel suitable for making repousse tools. I'm sure you know about Rio Grande and Gesswein for jewelry making supplies and tools. See also http://www.snagmetalsmith.org/metalsmith/default.asp
I did a lot of sheet metal fabrication an casting in College. Brass is nice it the sense you can use a lot of common woodworking tools such as a table saw and beltsander to work it. It cuts like butter with a negative hook non-ferrous blade. A $200 horizontal/vertical bandsaw and some silver brazing equipment and you can do a lot.
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