MAGNETIZED TWEEZERS: -- - Demagnetizing is also called degaussing. Heating, hitting, and a few other techniques are sometimes used but the easiest is to put your tweezers inside an "alternating current field" for a brief time. Take an unwanted or unattractive lamp with cord that looks kind of like it could be split in half lengthwise. UNPLUG the lamp. Use your X-Acto to carefully split about 20 to 30 inches somewhere near the lamp but not up against it. Inspect your wire to make absolutely sure that you have not exposed the bare wire anywhere. If you have, insulate it well with electrician's tape. Take one side of your split and coil it tightly (winding in one direction only) around a hollow poster board tube about 4 inches long and a half to three-quarter of an inch in diameter. Take the other side of your split cord and wind it in the opposite direction. Tape well to hold in place. Plug your lamp into a standard AC outlet and turn it on with a 75 to 100 watt bulb installed. Pass your tweezers, screw drivers, drill bits, sewing needles, and any other unintentionally magnetized tools through the tube. Most of the magnetism should be eliminated. If you really need ZERO residual, drop by an automotive machine shop and ask them to do it for you on their "magnetic chuck degausser". Preventive medicine. As you replace tweezers, try to find ones that are a stainless steel alloy not attracted by a magnet. Always store vertically, do not hit or strike, keep well away from magnetized tools, batteries, and electric motors.

Mel K.

Files, Rasps and Rifflers: Rifflers are the long thin files that have a fine cut just on their curved ends. They also have delicate cross sections. Rifflers are used mostly by die and mold makers for detailing. I have a few of these, acquired in a former life, and only use them to clean up very detailed carving.

Needle files come in various cross sections like round, rectangular, oval and triangular. They also come in various sizes and cuts. We carry a variety of needle files. I use them all the time for wood, metal and plastic. They are also indispensable for lathe turning work, especially for cleaning up after turning on a duplicator.

Rasps have individual teeth and are course. I never use them for miniatures because they cut too rough.

Larger files are also very useful in miniature work. I have found my favorites in flea markets and second hand tool stores. Many files have no teeth on one or more edges. This is called a safe edge and allows you to file up to a perpendicular without damaging it.

Handles make filing safer, less tiring and easier. We carry graver handles which work well for needle files. To get the sawdust out of files use a file card which is a special kind of wire brush

Pete Boorum

Files, Rasps and Rifflers: Mel in Ma asks about the difference among needle files, rasps and riffler files. Needle files (sometimes called Swiss files) are small files usually sold in sets with several shapes, flat with cutting on sides too, flat with smooth sides, triangular, wedge with cutting on wide side or smooth on wide side, round and so on. They cut only on the "push" so there is not use in both pushing and pulling with force. The ones with smooth edges are used when filing a flat surface that is against another surface that does not need filing. Rasps are coarse and may look like files but are for removing very hard wood quickly, then finish with files or sandpaper. Riffler files have curved ends and are very useful for filing grooves in carving on curved wood such as a cabriole leg.

June

Faux Wrought Iron: I made faux wrought iron from square profile brass tube stock, bent with pliers over a pattern and then soldered in place in a brass frame. I then painted it with a black patina finish and sponged copper colored paint on it to simulate rust. Worked really well. You need a big soldering iron - mine is 80watts - I use it for everything even dollhouse wiring (I'm very quick!) but if it's much smaller you won't get the brass tubing warm enough to take the solder properly.

Trace

Faux Wrought Iron: They can be made using the twist ties that come in packages of garbage bags. If you want to repeat a shape (like a heart) use something to bend the pieces around and glue the hearts between straight pieces of twist ties, perhaps twirling some. Glue them together and spray with flat black paint!

Alice Zinn

Wheels: I have something to share for the people looking for great wheels. I find Midwest Carriage has wonderful wooden wagon wheels. Someone wanted to doauthentic covered wagons. His e-mail is mcarriage@aol.com

April Locker, Cleveland, OH

Taps and Faucets: try http://www.jojays.co.uk they have a lovely selection of taps, etc.

Micki

Taps and Faucets: I am able to get first rate modern taps/faucets. Mixer type. Swivel mixer type. Separate hot and cold. Shower handset etc. Contact me privately for more info and prices but be warned these things are rare and wellmade so do not come cheap. http://www.littlebylittle.co.uk

Karon

African Art: And to the person looking for African Art (missed that one), I specialize in masks from all over, including Japan, Black Forest, Africa and New Guinea. I also do busts that are reproductions of museum pieces from Africa. All of my pieces are researched and authentic. maji13@dreamscape.com

Dave Pierce

Leather Books:
1. Get hold of a phone book [people in Australia if Australia post don't get rid of all of theirs they throw them down the tip at the end of each year race in and grab them before they do]
2. tear off a few pages with glue intact
3. if you wish place little strips of crochet thread across binding to represent ridging glue in place
4. take a strip of leather or fabric and glue down the entire length of page or as fabric allows
5. cut out books to desired size
great for when you need to make a lot in one go

Carol Downunder