Polishing Paua Shells
Wellygoggles
Could someone please tell me how to clean the hard outer crust (calcium?)
off paua shells to make them beautiful & shiney like the inside? Cheers
RK
"Wellygoggles" <wellyg...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:HtoJa.6621$Jq3.1...@news02.tsnz.net...
>
> Could someone please tell me how to clean the hard outer crust (calcium?)
> off paua shells to make them beautiful & shiney like the inside? Cheers
>
A quick search of google found this URL:
http://meme.essortment.com/pauashelljewel_ravb.htm
(Extract from site above)
The processes for the working of the raw shell into a product for jewellery
or inlay work starts by cleaning the exterior lime encrusting the shell. To
achieve this the paua shell is immersed into Spirit of Salts (a weakish
solution of hydrochloric acid used for cleaning concrete) for approximately
30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the lime. Be careful, as too long
in the acid can reduce the shell to a point where it too thin to work. The
shell is then thoroughly scrubbed in a bath of water. The remaining residue
can then be removed by using a paint-stripping wheel (commonly a hard web of
plastic) attached to an electric hand drill. Stubborn encrustations will
have to be ground off using a medium grit carborundum wheel on a bench
grinder. The shell at this point will now show the colour of the finished
item; this can range from deep iridescent blue through to pearly pink. Next
buff the shell on a cloth buffing wheel mounted in a bench grinder (in
professional terms - an unstitched buffing mop) using a medium polishing
stick (the equivalent of a fine cutting compound used on dull car paint).
The result is an attractive shell with truly fascinating colours.
MorrisTheCat
respiratory cancer.... the shell dust generated during sanding/polishing is
Carcinogenic.
"RK" <us...@the.net> wrote in message
news:X0qJa.6644$Jq3.1...@news02.tsnz.net...
MorrisTheCat
the sort a spray painter uses). You can always buy a new filter but new
lungs are a bit hard to come by!!!
"MorrisTheCat" <MorrisTheCat@MorrisTheCat> wrote in message
news:3ef6...@clear.net.nz...
Phelan
> Could someone please tell me how to clean the hard outer crust (calcium?)
> off paua shells to make them beautiful & shiney like the inside? Cheers
>
>
>
use a grinder and plenty of water - and for gods
sake use a decent protective breathing mask - the
coating is toxic and will screw up your lungs very
quickly. The best sort of grinder is a lapidary
type, which has a pump and sprayer giving a
constant stream of water to cool the surface and
aid cutting. Depends how serious you are, you
should be able to pick one up through the Trade
and Exchange. Once you have ground the outer
layer off, then work it down with finer belts or
wet and dry emery paper down to 1000 grit, then
finish on a buff with tin oxide. Use large thick
shells, best from the colder waters of the South
Island which gives best colour and thickness -
But watch your lungs !
--
When the looters' state collapses, deprived of the
best of its slaves, when it falls to a level of
impotent chaos, and dissolves into starving robber
gangs fighting to rob one another - when the
advocates of morality of sacrifice perish with
their final ideal - then and on that day we will
return.
John Galt, Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
