Easy steps in repairing your HSS (High Speed Steel) bur => 7 photos

  This 'often' seen topic has been covered many times in past essays. It is so very important that it will save money.

Once the bur has been darkened by using dark ink on the offending areas. As this will make it easier to distinguish the good and much-needed to be repaired sections of the bur.

 

  You can see how the rounded and the badly worn teeth look. 

   Using my Separating Disk, I'm repairing EACH BADLY WORN TOOTH, one at a time.

    You can easily see now how the repaired tooth looks against the coloured background. There is no reason to grind the full length of the tooth. 

 This particular photo displays the badly worn teeth on this bur.

   If this bur wasn't repaired, there wouldn't be any chance of cutting into any Tube Setting anymore.

 It is essential, that the 'Upper Facets' of this bur be repaired also.    

 I've covered 3 essays in explaining this delicate process. I hope that it was helpful to you and everyone. 

HOW CAN YOU Repair ("High Speed Steel") HSS burs => 20 DETAILED photos

 Let's just start with a recently seen photo, the bur in question is a sharp-toothed HSS bur. You want loads of instructions with details? Here they are!

  What is seen here is a row of well-worn teeth; they need immediate repair, but how is this to be done?

 It appears that there have been some alterations done to this bur, but how?

 

  There are still some chances of metal cutting remaining to this HSS bur, but not much!

 These teeth have seen 'better days', but now they are just not suitable for extensive & advanced stone setting.

 

 Assessment of this particular bur shows me that every bur tooth needs to be 'totally recut or reshaped'.

 

  This photo displays the end result of individual reshaping of EVERY tooth. I will show you the exact process needed, one step at a time.

Every tooth in these burs in this bur-box requires a few 'touch-ups', but not extensive recutting.

 Every bur that needs recutting should be 'darkened' as this will give you a chance at deciding which tooth has been 'touched'.

 

                            HOW IS THE REPAIRING ATTEMPTED?

 This whole process starts with 3/4inch diameter "Separating Cutting" Disk. Then the wheel is affixed on to mandrel.

 There is no need whatsoever to repair the whole bur tooth, only where the cutting contact is needed.

 Blacken the teeth on the bur; if you don't do this, then the repairing will be difficult to ascertain which tooth was even touched.

  Now comes the easy part: when the Separating Disk is rotating (at a slow speed), make contact with that one tooth.

 Starting at the 'mid-point' on the tooth, and running it towards the end of the bur. 

 I could suggest digging a bit deep on the cutting. Why is this? You MUST CUT DEEP INTO THE METAL, AS THIS WAY THE WORN TOOTH IS REPAIRED. 

 This is just where the 'repairing is starting'. The 'contact area' is the middle of the tooth, nowhere else! 

 If the 'underneath' section of the bur requires similar repairing, then you may do it at this point.

 Don't forget to paint that underneath section as well. This will greatly assist you in finding which tooth needs to be 'touched'.

 In repairing the bur, there will be a slight difference in the overall diameter of the bur. This is a normal occurrence and don't be overly alarmed, this will happen all the time, trust me on this!

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Views of a damaged "High-Speed-Steel" bur =>7 photos

 In this essay, I will show only damaged HSS burs. In the next essay I will write how they can be repaired with some degree of skill & knowledge.

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 The edge of the teeth has been damaged beyond in being used again successfully. The corners have been totally worn away but can be repaired with little effort.

 

 The bur corners have been in contact with a metal that changes the shape of the cutting edges.

  Constant wearing of the edges of the teeth renders the cutting action to be unsafe & unusable. In this case, please select another same size of bur from your inventory.

  Your selected bur will cut into the metal with little effort, why is this? The teeth have been kept sharp and constantly ready for advanced gemstone setting.

  If the bur teeth have been chipped or worn, the results could be catastrophic.

 THIS IS THE EPITOME OF A TERRIBLY DAMAGED BUR. Observe the damaged teeth, sometimes a bur like this can't be successfully repaired.

                                            -----------------------------------------------

 In the next following tutorial essay, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO REPAIR THIS BUR, BUT IT CAN BE SAVED ONLY BY REDUCING THE OVERALL MILLIMETER SIZE (anything is possible with certain limitations).

 

Why is a "Stone Shaped, Setting Bur" needed?" =>18 photos.

 This photo is the epitome of a 4-claw engagement ring. The claws are thick and have good strength to hold a diamond securely (under normal conditions) for many decades. 

  This "156C"shaped cutting bur has teeth that are sharp but have one major problem.

 The teeth are too close together they just don't cut deep into the metal as the HSS (High Steel Steel) bur will do.

 This HSS bur was meant for two things and that is to 'CUT & CARVE' A SEAT DEEP INTO THE METAL.

 I used a 'bud shaped' bur to prepare an indentation into the top 30% of the claw before the HSS cutting has started.

   The teeth of this HSS are spaced well apart and justify the main reason why they are great in preparing to set this gemstone. 

While the bur is rotating, it is allowing the metal granules to be quickly ejected. With other closely knit bur teeth, this option does not work well.

  Many times, during preliminary stone setting very soft stones, such as an Emerald or Amethyst these stones need to be finished with a 'Cup Bur' (77B). 

 

 In this photo, you can see the bur teeth at the correct angle. The correct name for this bur is a "156C" The letter "C" signifies that this bur is made with Carbide Steel, the "life of this bur" depends upon how this bur is making contact with the metal of the claw.  

 

 These (Carbide, #77B burs) will round off the tips of the claws evenly. We are looking for perfection at all times.

   The angles of the gemstone MUST ALWAYS MATCH THE ANGLES OF THE BUR.

 There are no shortcuts to be used in this type of stone setting.

  For any (experienced) Diamond Setter) a full inventory of burs is imperative. My own inventory well exceeds 150 HSS burs of all sizes. This total does not include my "156C" burs.

 Here are 10 of my HSS burs; as you can see, these burs are constantly well-maintained and not touching other burs.

 The angles of the metal cutting bur must align with the stone at all times. If the interior claw angles do not meet the stone, then gem-setting problems will surely begin.

 In this photo, I used a bud shaped bur, as I just explained to prevent the rotating bur from ruining the claw.

 The bur MUST PREPARE A 'STONE SEAT' WITH THE CORRECT DIMENSIONS. 

  Here are just a few of my 156C burs that will be needed in setting these very small rubies.

 

 I always spread out the 4 claws, as I need to have greater access for my handpiece and bur.

 These HSS burs tend to be rather aggressive for some delicate claw settings. You need to decide which kind of bur is best for you.

  I ALWAYS KEEP MY 'UNUSED BURS' IN THEIR OWN PLASTIC CONTAINER AND WELL OILED. RUST IS THE CONSTANT ENEMY OF STEEL BURS.

 There are two sizes of bur angles. The first is the 45degree angle, and here is the most common 90degree angle.

 As all of us are working with the 90degree shaped stone, there is little need for the shallower size.

 Some setters will use the 'shallow shaped' bur to make a bearing cut. I personally shy away from this size, that is my preference.