Fat milli help..

[LRG]

I always have done the stick and snap method but got some milli that looks real good big so I don't want to pull it down.Any tips on using fat milli?Thinking have to chip it but never really had much luck using chips they always scuzz up on me.Any tips on how you use bigger milli would be awesome!

[hashmasta-kut]

maybe if you use way bigger handles it will still snap? instead of snapping off on the piece, take two larger diameter rods and attach to each end of your large millie, and snap iN between them? Thats how i do it for most millie i use anyway but havent tried really large images.

[LRG]

Ill give it a try tomorrow,thanks for the input,the milli I have is about the size of a pencil bit bigger but not super huge,way bigger handle might do the trick.Today after I could not get it to break today just nipped it off,it worked but end up using longer piece of milli than usual,trying to keep cost as low as possible and not sure where to get more of this milli I been working with when is gone so trying to make it last. Thanks again!

[hashmasta-kut]

pencil size will snap easily. what i do is add a handle on each side larger than the millie, attach them nicely, then use a sharp flame just beside one to heat it just there, before the 4 direction bend to snap trick.

[LooseSeal Baller]

before the 4 direction bend to snap trick

can you elaborate on that? i haven't done much milli, but i remember when i tried, it was hard to get a even chip.

[Aymie]

So HMK, you are snapping the chip off on a handle and then attaching it to the piece? I have always snapped on the piece and then added a lens. This sounds better.

[hashmasta-kut]

i just am chickenshit to snap on a piece, so i snap chips just off the rod onto one lens side, then lens the other and choose the one i want or is proper for orientation.

the four way bend is often described as north south east west too i think. you heat the spot beside one handle to get a chip the thickness you desire(right next to it with a laser flame gets you a thin chip, further from the rod handle the bigger the chip you will get). four way bend you just heat it to hot, then as it cools and is getting hard, start bending back and forth so it creates a nice stress point. after some practice you know just how tacky it should be for when you do your super sharp snap, break or pull whatever you call it. i put one side, the mille section resting on the marver i think, then push down sharply with the handle and snap off my chip. i should go do one to make sure that is what i do you can do it in the air too i am sure.

[Captain Glass]

So The way I was taught was to take a piece of cane for example the length of your thumb and attatch that to a solid clear handle mine are normally around 12mm solid rod so I don't have to worry about it snapping in my hands. Then I take another piece of clear rod and after lightly flame polishing the image I cover the image in a father of clear and let it cool for a second and snap off. Then back it how ever I need to for that piece. I've always been a lil nervous about sticking the image straight on the piece and then doing the wiggle and snap thing.

[The Goat]

I stick and snap up to about 12m after that it's best to slice coins on a saw then cold polish them to use.

[Kevin Bumble]

Goats got it

[hashmasta-kut]

12mm is pretty big, sounds like a good limit.

[LRG]

Great tips!!!Went with the bigger handle and went great!Never even thought about going right to the piece...have to give that a shot..

[Witzglass]

Goats got it

Bumble is the man

[kage]

I agree with the goat and bumble. I prefer to cold work 10-12mm and bigger

[Captain Glass]

You use a wet saw for this kage ?

[Simian]

The best results you will get is by saw cutting larger diameter cane and then having it polished to 600 grit. There are too many things that can go wrong with a larger cane, like say over 10mm. Trying to stick and snap over that diameter and you really are risking your investment.

[Simian]

I stick and snap up to about 12m after that it's best to slice coins on a saw then cold polish them to use.

Spot on man, only my limit is about 10mm.

[Simian]

So The way I was taught was to take a piece of cane for example the length of your thumb and attatch that to a solid clear handle mine are normally around 12mm solid rod so I don't have to worry about it snapping in my hands. Then I take another piece of clear rod and after lightly flame polishing the image I cover the image in a father of clear and let it cool for a second and snap off. Then back it how ever I need to for that piece. I've always been a lil nervous about sticking the image straight on the piece and then doing the wiggle and snap thing.

You are not flame polishing the image. You are trying to heat the amount you want to remove. The reason it is difficult to snap larger diameter is because you need to sink heat to the core without distorting or boiling the image on the face. Here is my stick and snap tech.

Heat up the face and side of the cane gently, only the part you want to remove. Not ripping hot but even. Heat up a gather ripping hot. Stick the cane into the center of the gather. Tug very gently. Marver the clear up the side of the cane gently to get air out. Then cool in front of the clear where you want the cane to snap by rolling it on your L marver. Let it cool and gently tap the whole thing on your L marvel until it snaps. Takes no force. There is NO wiggling in my process as that is just another motion that may cause the image to distort. Even the smallest distortion is obvious once you have a lens magnifying the milli.

[LRG]

+1 hell yea, was thinking about best way to use milli when I was trying to sleep last night lol

[kage]

You use a wet saw for this kage ?

Yes, wet saw and flat lap to 600 then flame polish before using it. Or polish to cerium for larger coins etc.