Here's a few pics of a floormetal that I couldn't stop using my new moldmaker stones on. Wish I could take better pictures. Looks much better in person!

GM

"Everybody MUST get Stoned." nice work.

Rich

Very nice.

Rich
Thanks. You must have a small pile of old vinyl.

gunmaker

with regard to taking better photos, when you are taking photos of shiny things they take on the reflections of what is around them, so it helps to set up some white cards around that are just out of camera range so that the thing doesn't go dark on you. You could even build a 4 sided box out of white foamboard with no front or back in it and put your item in it on some sort of nice piece of cloth and then let the top and the sides reflect onto the piece you are photographing. works very well.

okay.. WOW!!

great work

nice looking bottom metal.

What stones did you use? Could you tell us where you got them and part number (or grit and dimensions) by any chance?

Don't know what type of camera you are using, but if you have a digital SLR, do everything on a tripod. I hav ealways done landscapes and am just starting to do still lifes indoors. I don't have a set of lights, so for now I put the piece on a solid color background (usually go with green felt, mainly because I like the color contrast with most of what I do, and more importantly happen to have a large piece of green felt!!!) and adjust all lights to be thrown away from the subject. I always shoot off a tripod and usually shoot in the mid range of my lens, then adjust shutter speed to a -2/3 stop from my meter reading. I then trip it with a release and always use mirror lock-up.

If you are getting strong light throwing unwanted shadows or glares, then go with some reflector as per 22 wrf.

Not the greatest set-up, but will get me by until I cna set up a studio this summer and really learn to shoot still lifes.

gunmaker-

Very well done, indeed!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Marc_Stokeld:
nice looking bottom metal.

What stones did you use? Could you tell us where you got them and part number (or grit and dimensions) by any chance?

Marc
Here's a link to polishing stones I used. The 220 grit seems to be the fastest cutting. It breaks down very fast and doesn't load up so bad. I use a little WD40 in a cup for some oil while polishing. I final polished the outside surfaces with 320 cloth. It loads up real fast and gives the burnished look. Here's a better pic using outside light.

gunmaker

Very nice work indeed.
All work that I have seen you post is excellent.
I very much like the fact that on this guard that every part is polished to the same degree. A lot makers including some well known don't bother with what can't be seen. That type of workmanship really turns me off regardless who does it.
Keep up the good work.

James

Here is a source that sets the standard for mold polishing equipment.

Gesswein - Stones for mold polishing professionals

Gunmaker

did you make a run of buttons for those 1909 argentines?

wow, that really looks good against the blue background

How much of the WD40 do you keep on the stones?

Do they load up very badly with the WD?

Do you store them soaking in WD40 when you are not using the stones?

thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Marc_Stokeld:
wow, that really looks good against the blue background

How much of the WD40 do you keep on the stones?

Do they load up very badly with the ED?

Do you store them soaking in WD40 when you are not using the stones?

thanks!

Marc
I use very little oil. Probably should use more. Just a little squirt here and there. G96 smells better! I don't soak them in oil. These stones break down so fast they don't have time to load. Some of the harder stones would need much more oil. You mentioned something about ED in your post before I replied. You must have edited it out. ED isn't a problem, especially while polishing unless I've been hitting the dark liquor really really hard. In the rare event that happens then I'm probably not polishing a gun part.

My Digital camera is a Canon PowerShot A75. Not a top shelf SLR. I've got a Canon A1, but in this day of instant gratification nobody has time to wait for 35mm to be developed and scan them later. I wish I could put a CCD in my A1 and make it digital. There's a marketable idea. SDH posted something a while back about a circular polarizer to reduce the glare. Don't think I could find one for my little A75. I'm sure they have them for the A1 but never found one.

Gesswein makes some fantastic polishing stuff as ireload posted above. I would recommend them highly

thanks fo rth einfo.

"ED" was supposed to be "WD" and I saw it as soon as it posted. It never registered until just now what "ED" looked like to everyone else!

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Gunmaker

did you make a run of buttons for those 1909 argentines?

Sorry I made a run of one. I know you're wrangling a small herd of 09 floormetals looking for some bells & whistles. I'll post some when I've got them. Not till later this year. As I used to say working for Super Shops when customers would ask for a special order item, "couple days to a week, maybe longer"

Guys that didn't buy your Mini Mauser bottom metal can eat their heart out!
Butch

Hey 22wrf, If you are looking for 09 release levers I still have a small stash that I had edm'd. They are oversized and ready to fit up. I think I am down to my last 50 or so units.

For those of you that PM'd wanting pics of these levers. I finally got it uploaded and M1Tanker kindly offered to post it. Sorry its so late but I blue every tues and thurs and today was a huge run, I didn't walk out of the shop until 9 oclock.

quote:

Originally posted by gunmaker:

My Digital camera is a Canon PowerShot A75. Not a top shelf SLR. I've got a Canon A1, but in this day of instant gratification nobody has time to wait for 35mm to be developed and scan them later. I wish I could put a CCD in my A1 and make it digital.

One thing you can do is take your film to Wal-Mart and ask them to put it on a disc instead of developing. You still get negatives if you want prints later. Costs $5