Sorry to hear of the loss, Jim. Your uncle had great skills to set-up the lathe and perform the circular feat. I can see it in my mind’s eye. I’ve talked with lots of fellow rock grinders and haven’t heard of anyone mentioning using a lathe. Although, I’m sure it is of some common practice.
This is a specimen of what I believe to be a thunder egg agate. I can’t verify where it was found. A person left it on my doorstep, with many other specimen, and only knew they were hounded somewhere in Arizona. I cut this particular one in half and it was a marvel.
Unfortunately my tile saw blew the circuit breaker in the middle of the cut. When I re-started the cut I didn’t align the blade very well resulting in less than a smooth cut surface.
My idea is to chuck the rock into a vice on surface grinder
& swipe the table back & forth across the wheel smoothing
& polishing the flat surface.
So perhaps someone out there as a machine shop & would be interested in trying this? But the necklace is really wonderful piece of art. Those rocks are really pretty and certainly gems! Amazing what nature produces!
Ed
I’ve never made an arrowhead. I’ve seen video’s of knappers who basically use a antler horn and chip away at a piece of obsidian to make arrowheads. Marvelous art what they produce with deadly effect. 