Made some mirrors today.

[Comrade627]

Made a couple picks from bristles picked up from Squelchtone.
The absolute coolest ruler on the planet seen here is from MNPCTECH.com. It's got all sorts of fancy features, recommended product.

Blahblahblah, eyecandy.

[femurat]

Mmmh I see some matte areas in the center of the picks... you need to buff them properly if you want to call them mirrors

Just kidding, nice job

[Comrade627]

Mmmh I see some matte areas in the center of the picks... you need to buff them properly if you want to call them mirrors

Just kidding, nice job

Y'know there IS a line that runs down them a good bit. It's deep in there too, hard to sand out. I feel like if I DO sand that far, I'll make them too thin. I'll have to try it sometime anyway.

[smokingman]

Nice work!

[Squelchtone]

Mmmh I see some matte areas in the center of the picks... you need to buff them properly if you want to call them mirrors

Just kidding, nice job

Y'know there IS a line that runs down them a good bit. It's deep in there too, hard to sand out. I feel like if I DO sand that far, I'll make them too thin. I'll have to try it sometime anyway.

yeah I noticed that while making mine, is that a thing with all bristles out there? those picks look great though, nice angles!

[nick08037]

Very nice work Comrade627. Have you had a chance to use them yet, how do they feel? -Nick

[Comrade627]

Squelchtone- it's a thing with the bristles. I've gotten some from Fox that do the same thing, but I'm not sure why. Maybe Raimundo knows something about it? I eyeballed the angle while referencing a Southord half diamond, worked well enough.

Nick- of course I've used them, and they work great for me. You haven't picked until you've used a bristle!

[YouLuckyFox]

Nice job, man!

[femurat]

I've collected a bristle from the side of the road and sanded its tip. I'm going to post this to show my theory about the dark line in the center.
When you just start to sand, there is one line of patina that doesn't come off from the center of the bristle. That's due to how sanding works: it removes more material from the edges and creates this darker line in the center.
Start with 320 grit sandpaper. A stripe used like a rag is a good start. You can go any direction, but for better results try to work perpendicular to the pick. Or you may bend a piece in half between your thumb and index finger and work around the pick for a few minutes. Be careful not to modify the pick size too much, 320 grit sandpaper eats metal very quickly.
Then go on with 500 or 600 grit, bend the sandpaper in half, spit inside it, put it on the table and slide the pick back and forth, turning it upside down from time to time. You eventually get a very good finish.
If you work on the table or on a flat and hard surface, the dark line disappears easily. If you work it in your hands or on a soft surface, the borders are sanded a lot more than the center, and this line never disappears.

If you want something really like a mirror, a buffing wheel is all you need. Wear eye protection!

Cheers

[Syl]

If you want something really like a mirror, a buffing wheel is all you need.

I've seen some posts warning not to use Dremels to buff due to the heat, which might cause the metal to lose it's temper. At what point does this become a concern? Or, could some of those posts be overstating that concern?

[Comrade627]

If you want something really like a mirror, a buffing wheel is all you need.

I've seen some posts warning not to use Dremels to buff due to the heat, which might cause the metal to lose it's temper. At what point does this become a concern? Or, could some of those posts be overstating that concern?

It's a legit concern, and part of a stress test I'm planning to conduct soon.

[KPick]

I've found that using rubber wheels on a dremel did the job a bit faster.

[GWiens2001]

I've found that using rubber wheels on a dremel did the job a bit faster.

What about just holding them up to a tire on a car? Recommend using a lift to get the vehicle off the ground, first.

Gordon

[Comrade627]

I've found that using rubber wheels on a dremel did the job a bit faster.

What about just holding them up to a tire on a car? Recommend using a lift to get the vehicle off the ground, first.

Gordon

Hmm. It would have to be a worn down tire.
I'll keep a look out on the BST thread.

[KPick]

I've found that using rubber wheels on a dremel did the job a bit faster.

What about just holding them up to a tire on a car? Recommend using a lift to get the vehicle off the ground, first.

Gordon

LoL, Gwiens, you should make a video of you or a friend trying this out. Maybe we could give it a sticky if it works. I'm sure you got a jack or two around with a couple of jack stands.