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How to Engrave a Bakelite Bangle

After WWII and the rise of more durable plastics, Bakelite fell out of use and now can be quite hard to find. Because of its rarity, even simple Bakelite jewelry pieces like bangles can command prices in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. When engraving Bakelite, you must take into consideration its special chemical properties that cause it to emit gas, crack and break if not properly handled. With the right tools and technique, you can engrave a Bakelite bangle.

Things You'll Need

Workbench
Table vice
Soft cloth
Bakelite bangle
Safety glasses
Respirator
Rotary tool
Rotary tool engraving bit
Water glass

Instructions

- 1
  Open a table vice attached to a workbench and lay a soft cloth across its jaws. The cloth will prevent the vice from scraping the Bakelite during engraving.
- 2
  Insert a Bakelite bangle into the jaws of the vice and tighten it in place. Do not over-tighten, as this may cause the Bakelite to crack or break.
- 3
  Put on safety glasses and a respirator with working seals and fresh filters.
- 4
  Insert an engraving bit into a rotary tool and tighten down the chuck to secure the bit in place.
- 5
  Plug the rotary tool's power cord into a power outlet.
- 6
  Turn on the rotary tool and press the side of the bit tip, not the top of the tip, into the bangle. Use a very slow speed when working with plastic. Draw the tip across the surface of the bangle until you have created the desired engraving. Work slowly and stop frequently to check your work.

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