I'm making my first box and want to make the knob on top of the lid a ruby (cast from acrylic or epoxy). It'll be a birthday (July's birthstone is a ruby) gift so I wanted the ruby top. I've never tried casting acrylic. I was thinking of using a diamond mold but I'm not sure ow to attach it. If I use a screw from the underside of the lid the threads will be seen. I thought maybe I could cut a hole in the bottom of the mold and put an acrylic rod into the hole so I could make a mortise in the lid and use the rod as a tenon. Any thoughts? Also which product is easier to use? Should I stick with acrylic or would something like liquid diamonds be easier for my first attempt?
My second question is I don't have a swan neck tool. I do have both the hunter osprey carbide tool and a clone with the same style of carbide but mounted flat. Now that I've got some time using them (you don't use them like a scraper) I like them. Looking at the hunter swan neck tools they come in two different styles. The top one has the cutter mounted at an angle so get at the hard to reach area. To use this style cutter you rotate it to adjust how much it removes. The tool tool has the carbide close to how you would use it. The second tool down I'm thinking that as you rotate it you would defeat the swan neck bend. Does anyone else have a hunter swan neck tool? The second pick down is where I'm at with the box. It's ready to dry before it's final turning. But I'm going to need to get under the side of the box.
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