Unlimited Run ENTERPRISE Jumpsuit Zipper Pulls on Shapeways

[sapper36]

I was going to wait to post this but it kinda popped up on the YUKU 1701st board - so here goes...

I designed a plate of 16 zipper pulls in Shapeways over Thanksgiving:

https://www.shapeway...tionId=40457305

Here are a few pics of how it came out.

Resized to 99% (was 1024 x 763) - Click image to enlarge

The plate on the left is polished & like the one I've set up to order. You'd need to cut out the individual rectangles & sand down the edges - Next pic is after 5 minutes with scissors & an emery board.

Resized to 99% (was 1024 x 882) - Click image to enlarge

That's a Martin Netter Zipper pull next to it for an example.

Next step will be to solder the square ring on & drop in brass black solution. I'll post more pics once I finish up some pulls & install them on this:

 

[sapper36]

OK - Short explanation on how these get finished up - Here is a pic of my work station - Supplies needed:

Torch (My Radio Shack one was on the fritz so used the baking torch from my Creme Bruleau kit!)
Brick - To torch on
Flux
Flat Jewelry pliers
Silver Solder
Wire Cutters or scissors

First Lay out the pulls face down - then dip the ring in the flux & get a bit everywhere the ring should be attached to the pull - Should almost work like paste to hold it in place.

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Here is everything laid out ready to be torched - YOu want to place a short cutting of solder against the bottom edge of the ring as shown. The torch should be used to head the metal not so much the solder directly - Torch the metal until the solder melts & flows where the flux was - One key to this is to make sure your rings & pull are as clean as you can get them - I washed them then rinsed in alchohol.

Here are the freshly soldered pulls - You can see how the solder flows where the flux was. Notice how I used pulls waiting to be soldered to brace up the ring so it would lay flat on the back of the pull.

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Finally - Here is the finished product - After soldering give them a really good scrubbing with dawn again - Then another good rinse in rubbing alchohol. After they air dried I sprayed them lightly with a few coats of Tamiya Flat Black Lacquer & Clear Matt & let them dry for a few days.

And here they are installed on my new Archer Jumper!

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