small jig sprues

[Outlaw4]

How are you guys getting them off? Have started making some small jigs and having some trouble getting sprues off cleanly. Using slightly hard lead. Around 5%.

Its hard to hold them and break sprues off, and so far anything i cut them with leaves a flat spot.

[Jig Man]

I use gate shears.

[Outlaw4]

31 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

I use gate shears.

do you have a link (or name) of ones you use?

[Jig Man]

These will work just fine.

https://www.harborfreight.com/micro-flush-cutter-90708.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12169054043&campaignid=12169054043&utm_content=125548919708&adsetid=125548919708&product=90708&store=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw--2aBhD5ARIsALiRlwA6untSSZhmQCA7QcLN8r2QikPlirVsMtuE3oNXa0w-j5a_mPI-tSUaAmldEALw_wcB

Edited October 28, 2022 by Jig Man

[Bentrod425]

Diagonal cutters and then a light file to touch up the flat spot. 

 

[mark poulson]

21 hours ago, Bentrod425 said:

Diagonal cutters and then a light file to touch up the flat spot. 

 

You can grind the face of diagonal cutters flush to the jaw edge, so they are flush cutters.

[Kasilofchrisn]

I use flush cut nippers.

And if needed hit them with a little file.

I bought a hobby file set from The hobby and Craft store that has four different files and a handle.

Works great even on the small jigs.

[m.t.pockets]

11 hours ago, Kasilofchrisn said:

I use flush cut nippers.

Are they like the ones used to cut tiles, if so  where did you get them

[Kasilofchrisn]

2 hours ago, m.t.pockets said:

Are they like the ones used to cut tiles, if so  where did you get them

I certainly wouldn't use my flush cut nippers for tiles.

Not sure what you're referring to there.

I have a pair of flush cutters that I bought from Barlow's they call them gate cutters.

https://barlowstackle.com/gate-cutter-575-p2681/

But I also bought a pair of these from my local hardware store.

They're similar to a pair of regular wire cutters except they cut flush to whatever you're cutting such as a jig head.

Any halfway decent hardware store should have a pair of one brand or another.

https://channellock.com/product/758/

Edited November 2, 2022 by Kasilofchrisn

[mark poulson]

3 hours ago, m.t.pockets said:

Are they like the ones used to cut tiles, if so  where did you get them

I'm pretty sure they would work, but they are larger than diagonal cutters, so they may be more awkward/clunky to use.

Google tile nippers, and you'll see lots of choices.

[Apdriver]

Take a look at flush cutters made by Xuron. Amazon search will show some different ones and if you want to see all their cutters Xuron has its own web page. A word of caution on any flush cutter or sprue cutter you get. It’s a single purpose tool meant to cut your sprue flush and save you time and make a nice clean cut without adding steps like filing and sanding. Do not use them to cut off any extra lead that flashed around the hook eye by grabbing the hook just below the eye and twisting. Use some other cutter for that. Touching the hard steel of that hook with your cutters will mess them up over time. Treat them nice and they’ll last a long time. 

[cadman]

I use small gate shears that cut close to the bottom of the sprue. I believe mine are Xcelite. I have never been able to get a perfect flush cut, where you don't need to touch it up with a file. The smaller the jig the easier it is to touch up the remainder of the sprue. However if you don't care about the sprue remains showing, than just cut and paint. 

[Jig Man]

I don’t use a file.  I have a dull pocket knife on the work bench.  I can drag it across the cut and it flattens down.  It is then ready for paint.

[21xdc]

These work excellent... >>>   https://www.ebay.com/itm/143980291548?hash=item2185e4e5dc:g:jCkAAOSwEZNhCL2w&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAABILYPyPX%2FPMbAZWiE6XLpcnqcKRSuZh6JV%2BTJ1iigwqHPA7McRiEXjalDpI5Hd7S6ZZZ%2FrBpHNHkgZcj%2F3IDe6ihjnepkjEqbg9x1JUiXrG30GJpKfVe%2Fu70l1SgzpC5kiPfB4kofiI24pMEBIjjZ4qEJNPnvOL%2BaLqL10Yf18cbElRt1clnSc5eI8RQJmCSWzbzW2p72qBwVlTXP5RiJ6FlrmKCVSD3zQMAjeDR7cTkQjKRO1MDaq2II%2BSb5RVIhWlpZE0dbuM6WBQk7Q98DzItGr24ZGDvaE5A4FZJFqXHQoeTwBV3e2O%2Bz5bcW0vjrScUZkD1Fz903n5HZKA%2FM8aWh%2BhBITVd40A0t5sbyYoCwgF6DAWsXoVcCeRLS%2FG3Miw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5LIqquHYQ

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by 21xdc

[Munkin]

On 11/2/2022 at 7:40 PM, 21xdc said:

These work excellent... >>>   https://www.ebay.com/itm/143980291548?hash=item2185e4e5dc:g:jCkAAOSwEZNhCL2w&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAABILYPyPX%2FPMbAZWiE6XLpcnqcKRSuZh6JV%2BTJ1iigwqHPA7McRiEXjalDpI5Hd7S6ZZZ%2FrBpHNHkgZcj%2F3IDe6ihjnepkjEqbg9x1JUiXrG30GJpKfVe%2Fu70l1SgzpC5kiPfB4kofiI24pMEBIjjZ4qEJNPnvOL%2BaLqL10Yf18cbElRt1clnSc5eI8RQJmCSWzbzW2p72qBwVlTXP5RiJ6FlrmKCVSD3zQMAjeDR7cTkQjKRO1MDaq2II%2BSb5RVIhWlpZE0dbuM6WBQk7Q98DzItGr24ZGDvaE5A4FZJFqXHQoeTwBV3e2O%2Bz5bcW0vjrScUZkD1Fz903n5HZKA%2FM8aWh%2BhBITVd40A0t5sbyYoCwgF6DAWsXoVcCeRLS%2FG3Miw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5LIqquHYQ

 

You always know where to get the stuff I need.

Allen

 

[Ogajiga]

Altho there might be bargains out there, I've found you get what you pay for after finding some used but refurbishable made in USA Swanstrom cutters on eBay.  They have an adjustable screw closure stop to prevent edge dulling clash and are harder steel than cheapies.

With larger sprues its possible to make several point nips to create a more curved cut rather than a single straight edge cut.  Then the ruff spots of the sprue scar can be smoothed out by squeeze-drag shaving with a flush cutter.  I use a diamond hone to sharpen the cutter edges as needed.

I actually use three types - big and small bevel edge cutters for sprue & removal and a flush cutter for smooth contouring sprue scars.  A single flush cutter could work for all tasks including flash removal, but multi tasking might wear the cutting edges quicker.

The shavings are collected with slag skim for remelting & flame fluxing to extract any usable metal.