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Q&A With Ceramic Raku Jewelry Artist Marianne Kasparian

By Abby Robey on April 23, 2017 in , , ,

Marianne Kasparian, known to most as Mak, is a ceramic raku artist and the visionary behind MakuStudio.

Marianne Kasparian Ceramic Raku Jewelry Artist

What inspired you to begin creating?

In second grade, I wrote a little book about myself and the about me section said, “My favorite subject is art”. I have always loved art…it’s just a part of me. Unfortunately, life got in the way. I finally hit a low point and decided to do some soul searching. I was reading the book, The Artist’s Way, and one of the things it said to do was look around your home and see what it is that you love. I loved my ceramic pieces that I made in high school and decided to take a class…and then another…and then another. For those of you also looking for that spark of inspiration inside you, I highly recommend taking a class in something that you love.​​​​​​​

 

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Building A Model Trolley Pantograph

By Tom Piccirillo on January 28, 2017 in

Tom Piccirillo Author and Master Model Railroader

Tom’s Corner

Tips, techniques and commentary from Master Model Railroader Tom Piccirillo

Back in the 1960’s, when I was a teenager, I used to ride my bike several miles to view the annual model railroad show at the Central Jersey Model Railroad Club in Westfield, NJ. Although I liked watching the huge O scale steam and diesel locomotives hauling their heavy trains down the main line, I found myself highly fascinated by the operation of the model trolley cars that plied their way from one town to another on the layout . . . over, under, and around the main line tracks. I was hooked. Modeling O scale traction was to become my life-long passion. Collecting electric current from the wire suspended over the tracks in order to power the cars was the ultimate in realism, and I had to prove this could work in reliable fashion, even in model form.

 

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Glues, Cement and Solvents for Scale Model Building

By Gerald Voigt on January 20, 2017 in

Glues, Cement and Solvents for Scale Model Building.Once upon a time … or as we say now … “back in the day,” when you purchased a model kit you also picked up a tube of model cement for the assembly process. If your parents were like mine they knew when you were scale model building instead of doing your homework. Model cement had a strong distinctive odor that permeated the air throughout the house. It was the mainstay product to stick those pieces and parts together, and it all too often bore our fingerprints if we weren’t careful with how we applied the cement.

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FAQ: What Is the Warranty on Xuron® Tools?

By Abby Robey on December 29, 2016 in , , ,

How to manage a warranty claim for a Xuron® tool

Xuron Corporation guarantees its products to be free of defects in materials and/or workmanship for the life of the tool providing the tool has been used as recommended by Xuron Corporation. Unless specified otherwise, Xuron® Cutters are not intended for use on any type of hardened wire.

At Xuron Corporation, we are exceptionally conscious of the fact that you have spent your hard-earned money to purchase our products and we want you to feel you have received what you’ve paid for (in quality and value). Our internal quality control process is comprised of multiple steps from incoming inspection of raw material to testing each tool before it leaves our factory. We are, however, human and mistakes can be made or flaws missed. This is why all products manufactured and sold by Xuron Corporation come with our warranty.

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Chainmaille Pliers: Three Xuron® Brand Essentials

By Abby Robey on October 10, 2016 in , ,

The Xuron Model 475 Short Nose Pliers for chainmaille work

Every chainmaille artist owns at least two different pliers and each has his/her own preference for brand and style. Having had the opportunity to meet with many different artists and designers, we’ve isolated three essential Xuron® brand pliers for chainmaille work.

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Putting The Finishing Touches on Ol’ Number 36

By Tom Piccirillo on September 19, 2016 in

Tom’s Corner: Tips, techniques and commentary from Master Model Railroader Tom Piccirillo

Author Tom Piccirillo.Somerset County Traction System’s huge interurban combine had been in the shop for two months. “Ol’ number 36” (as she is affectionately called by the shop crews) was being rebuilt from the rail up. She got new trucks, new motors, new underbody equipment, new seats, new lights and a new paint job in brilliant Traction Orange. Finishing touches involved installing the handrails . . . now that the paintwork and lettering were complete.

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Xuron® XBow Series Cutter and Pliers

By Abby Robey on August 16, 2016 in , , ,

Xuron® XBow Series Flat Nose Pliers

We are pleased to introduce you to our new, XBow Series, line of precision cutters and pliers for jewelers.  

  • Swiss-Made
  • Multiple configurations of pliers styles, including an ultra precise round nose and short chain nose
  • Cutters with three head sizes and three types of cuts (flush, full-flush and semi-flush)
  • Ergonomic hand grips

 

XBow Series Q&A

When will these be available?

We are officially debuting this new line at BeadFest/Philadelphia.  

What does XBow mean?

XBow is short for crossbow, the crossbow being a symbol of Switzerland representing strength, precision and innovation.

How is the XBow series different from Xuron’s made in the USA cutters and pliers?

The major difference is in the type of steel and the method by which they are manufactured.  The fine details of this are limited because the information is propriety, however there are also differences in the aesthetic, the hand grip, the spring style and the applications.

The cutters are further differentiated by the type of cut they offer.  XBow series cutters are compression cutters and Xuron’s USA made cutters are Micro-Shear® Flush Cutters, meaning they cut by shearing as opposed to compression.

Why offer another line of cutters and pliers?

Because jewelers like options!  

Can the XBow Series cutters be resharpened?  

Yes, they can.  We have made arrangements with a qualified re-sharpening service and can provide details as necessary.

A Brief Overview

Cutters  – Oval Head, Tapered Head, Tapered and Relieved Head and Tip Cutters

Xuron® XBow Series Cutters featuring small, large and extra large head shapes

Pliers – Short Chain Nose, Long Chain Nose, Stout Chain Nose, Needle Nose, Short Flat Nose, Long Flat Nose, Bent Chain Nose and Round Nose

Xuron® XBow Series Pliers featuring long flat nose, short chain nose and round nose configurations

Xuron® XBow Series Short Flat Nose Pliers

Xuron® XBow Series Round Nose PliersXuron® XBow Series Short Chain Nose Pliers

 

In the coming weeks we will be providing more in-depth information about this new tool series and reactions from BeadFest.

Questions?  Don’t hesitate to ask!

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Precision Pliers for Electronics and Wire Work

By Abby Robey on July 11, 2016 in ,

Every electronics assembler, engineer, repair technician and home hobbyist has a pair of pliers in his or her tool box.  There are as many different pliers types and styles available as there are applications for them.  

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Light ’em Up!

By Gerald Voigt on June 1, 2016 in , ,

Imagine drawing on the wall of a cave or trying to paint the ceiling of a 16th Century Chapel using nothing but a couple of candles to illuminate what you’re working on. Today’s hobbyist, craftsmen and artists don’t have to rely on the light emitted by a few candles. We can have ample lighting to see what we are doing with just the flip of a switch. This is accomplished through the use of overhead lights, task lights, and key lights. As an added bonus, in the 21st century we have access to full spectrum lighting and magnification lamps!

One of the last things we need when working on a project is to add undue stress to our eyes. For this reason, lighting is one of the key elements I look to improve upon with each rendition of my scale modeling cave, garage workshop or my wife’s craft room. Proper lighting makes any project easier to accomplish by reducing eye strain.

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Gate Cutters: Essential for Injection Molders

By Abby Robey on April 5, 2016 in ,
XURON® Model 2175A Plastic Gate Cutters

XURON® Model 2175A Plastic Cutter

Gate cutters are essential hand tools for injection molders for trimming molded parts free from the gate.

While there are many types of gate cutters available, Xuron Corporation’s Model 2175A Plastic Cutter is a cost effective, high quality option for injection molders.

An important element to gate cutting is being able to cut flush to the molded part and cut cleanly in order to remove the part without damage. Then there’s the human element. The cutter needs to be comfortable and easy for the operator to use for an extended amount of time.

Xuron Corporation’s Model 2175A Plastic Cutter offers precision cutting and a user-friendly design.  The handles are ergonomically shaped to fit most hand sizes.  Our handle grips are made from a soft, non-slip material and a built-in return spring brings the tool back to the open position after each cut.

Gate Cutters as demonstrated by an operator trimming injectiion molded parts free from the gate

Xuron® Model 2175A Plastic Cutter cleanly trims injection molded parts from the gate

Photo credit to Advantage Plastic Products.

When selecting a gate cutter, keep in mind that with a XURON® brand cutter you get Micro-Shear® blade bypass cutting technology – invented by Xuron Corporation.  This means a smooth cut on the finished parts because Xuron’s cutters cut by shearing as opposed to compression. 

All XURON® brand cutters are made in the USA and available through our worldwide network of Authorized Distributors.

Contact us for an in-house demonstration or to be referred to an authorized distributor in your area

 

 

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