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It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft
It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft
It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft
It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft
It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft

It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft

If sold out, contact dana@danacadesign.com to be added to the waitlist.

It Ain’t Just a Drill HANDS-ON: Getting the Most Out of Your Flex Shaft
Instructor: Andy Cooperman
February 8 and 9, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 - 5:00
Class Fee: $420 | $35 Materials Kit Fee

Class format: In Studio

Prerequisites: All levels

So, you're a jeweler or metalsmith about to be stranded on a desert island (for some inexplicable reason this island has, along with coconuts, electricity).  You can bring only one tool. What tool do you bring?
If you were Andy Cooperman you’d most likely bring your Flexible Shaft Machine.  Maybe the most versatile tool at the bench this champion of rotary tools is, for many, underutilized and poorly understood.
Here’s your chance to gain a deeper understanding of this marvelous tool and expand your vocabulary of flexible shaft techniques and applications.  This two-day version of the demo-only workshop will cover the basic machine itself--from the motor, down the shaft to the speed control and handpiece-- and will discuss and demonstrate the use of burrs, bits, grinding, shaping, finishing and polishing aids: the stuff they didn’t teach you in school.
It Ain’t Just A Drill HANDS-ON  is a mix of demonstration and real-time experience, so expect to get your hands dirty exploring some of the techniques and tools addressed --and some eye-opening innovative tricks as well.
Please note: This is a sample-style class. While students will try many of the tools and techniques discussed, we will not be making a complete project. 

Students MAY Bring:

•Although we will have plenty of Flex Shafts on hand, feel free to bring your own if you are curious about something particular to your machine.
•This is a great opportunity for students to bring any attachments or
  “extensions” (my term) that they are in some way mystified or 
  confounded by or are unsure of how to use. These might be:
     -bits  -burs  -grinders 
     -sanders, polishers, wheels, etc.
     -hand pieces, foot pedals, etc.
•couple of drill bits--1mm or .8mm #58 or 67--sz. not critical.
•Mandrels: 3/32” shank is best:
     -SCREW Mandrels 2 or 3 nothing fancy, something like RIO #333.108
     -SPLIT Mandrel-tapered or straight like  RIO #333.130 or #333.132
•TAPERED punch a like centerpunch (round x section) 
•1/2” coil of UNCUT jumprings, 18-22ga any metal.
•Magnifiers
•Lubricant for drills, etc. like Bur-life/Bur-lube/bee’s wax
•Round- nose pliers (non-serated)
•Curved or straight burnisher
•Sharpie pen : fine or medium
•flat or ½ round file
•Small flat blade (standard) screw driver.
•Any item, project or sample that they are having trouble with that they feel the flex 
  shaft might help with.
•Safety glasses.
•Dust mask.
•Also, please prepare a simple “T” seam from copper or brass sheet, any thickness that you have from 22-18ga. The base could be say 1” x 3” and the perpendicular element could be a strip of maybe ½” X the length of the bottom. Please don’t clean it up!  Pickle is fine. And do NOT worry about how good the seam is…!

Material KITS Include:

  • Steel washers
  • Brass sample squares
  • Brass sample squares with offset holes
  • Brass dome
  • Copper band (from pipe)
  • Tubes: copper/brass
  • Spin-set supply (tube & corundum)
  • Screw mandrel
  • Cylinder bur
  • .4mm round bur
  • Separating discs (6 or whatever)
  • Eeye screw for burnisher
  • Steel washers
  • Brass sample squares
  • Brass sample squares with offset holes
  • Brass dome
  • Copper band (from pipe)
  • Tubes: copper/brass
  • Spin-set supply (tube & corundum)
  • Screw mandrel
  • Cylinder bur
  • .4mm round bur
  • Separating discs (6 or whatever)
  • Eye screw for burnisher
  • T-seam sample

Instructor Bio:

Andy Cooperman makes all sorts of things from all sorts of things and is known for applying the ethos and discipline of High Craft Metalsmithing to a wide variety of often disparate materials. He has been a jeweler and metalsmith for over thirty years and a writer and educator for close to that.

Andy’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and can be found in public and private collections as well as books and publications that include Art Jewelry Today (I, II & III), The Penland Book of Jewelry, Humor in Craft and many more.

Andy teaches and lectures nationally and has spoken at the Society of North American Goldsmiths conference, the annual CoMA (Colorado Metalsmithing Association) conference and as keynote speaker for both the International Society of Glass Bead Makers and the Eastern Carolina University Materials Topics Symposium

Tools are available to purchase through Danaca Design Studio with 15% student discount code. Shop tools HERE. If you don’t see what you need please email us, dana@danacadesign.com.

Review our class cancellation policy HERE.

All students must fill out and electronically submit the Danaca Design COVID-19 Studio Safety Protocol and Waiver form before attending class.