Lapidary/Polished Stones

[Mrs.Oroblanco]

The heart was actually the most time consuming and hardest - for me anyway.

I ran the one side of the stone on the lap to grind it down flat, then ran it on several different grits, to polish it (though not to a shiny finish, because I had ideas to mount it, when it was done, as a necklace, so I wanted the back flat.

Then I went back and shaped the heart on the laps. That took forever, and, it was actually bigger when I started, because once I got the basic "egg-shape", then I started on making the top (m part) of the heart, and ended up with it uneven several times, so I ended up getting that done with my dremel. Then I was able to get the rest even on the faceting machine, then I worked on the faceting the heart shaped "chunk". (I did do some polishing on the edges after I did the faceting - which was also quite an ordeal).

I love hearts - I just couldn't see (still can't) how to make it all in one piece without LOTS of work, and I don't think doing half a heart, if you want to facet it, like I did, would work.

I wish I had taken pictures of that one when I was working on it, because it was quite a big piece when I started out, and I would have liked to have been able to show someone the steps I used and have them tell me a better way to do it. It took weeks, and I think there had to be a better way. Also, there was no way (that I could figure out) to use the indexing head on the facets, so it was all by hand.

Beth (Mrs.O)

[Jim Hatt]

Ed and Beth,

I bought one of the wet saws from Home Depot and got my "special" rock cut the way I wanted it. That $79.00 saw with the extra thin diamond blade I also bought for another $39.00 worked great!

I got a real nice smooth cut with almost no saw blade marks in it. Now what to I need to polish the flat surface?

Jim




con't at Rock Cutting & Polishing: http://www.desertusa.com/mb3/viewtopic. ... 673#p16673

[cubfan64]

Beautiful rock Jim!!

[Mrs.Oroblanco]

NICE!!!!!!

Beth (Mrs.O)

[roc2rol]

The heart was actually the most time consuming and hardest - for me anyway.

Wow thanks for the excellent reply
I read and re-read contemplated on your conundrum!
or as we rock hounds would say corundum He he

Hand shaping a heart what a task!!!! Excellently performed!

1. Hearts are the most difficult form to create in stone.
That what everyone as told me.
2. You set yourself quite a task starting off with quartz. Its hard.
What? A 7 on the mohs scale?
Of course that what you need in faceting. Gem quality hardness.

So that why I commend you! Using the dremel was brilliance!
(I’m going to post some pics later of my upright dremel fixture.
It called a Glasstar. It used in stain glass. You may have heard of it).

Wow free form hand faceting!! O the evil of the double grind!
Once you take that stone off the wheel it very difficult to duplicate
that compound angle. Like trying to free hand grind a knife edge.

How do they index a heart shape? I have no idea.
But I’m going to look into it.

I have only observed people faceting for a short time.
Seems like they used only enough water to keep
the disc wet with a thin film of water. The guys were real finicky
that the water supply was pure and not contaminated from the rock shop
dust he was working in. Can’t blame him. A piece inerrant grit
could scratch a facet. He also mentioned that to much water could create
a hydroplaning effect. Experience and feel is key!

Most of my hearts are of opaque stones.
That probably wouldn’t look to great faceted.
But it amazing how powerful the epoxy holds the ½'s together.
So I think they could be faceted with a light touch.

Well I got lots more to say
you have no idea of what you started !

Ed

[Mrs.Oroblanco]

My faceting machine did have a little cup and "dripper" with a control, so that you could control how much water was dripping on the lap. And, of course, the speed of the lap also intertwines with how fast you want your water to drip.
(too fast, it just flies off the wheel, too slow, you don't have the right grinding or polishing).

I had, with my faceter, a book (which I wish I had kept), that had about 90 different faceting patterns. On the heart, the one half is supposed to match the other half. (yea, that was a trip - you notice I only did one heart in two years!)

I would like to see (and hear more) about that dremel tool you are talking about. For me, using a dremel was a "last ditch" effort, which worked pretty well - but very time consuming also.

Remember I told you I skinned off my fingerprints? (I think I told you) - well - that was the piece, and it went flying once or twice, too.

I don't know if I'd ever try it again - at least not that way. I would imagine that, if you did it in two parts and epoxied it together, you would have to make absolutely sure that the two halves would both have to have to be perfectly flat and true, yes? (so that the seam looks almost invisible?)

If you look at it straight on, you can tell it is not really even (like it should be), but its as close as I could get it.

I am going to get another faceter. There is going to be a room in the basement for me - combination "stone" room and photo room. (my two biggest home hobbies).

Beth (Mrs.O)

[roc2rol]

not sure this will be helpful
some definitions
& cool pics

Faceting machine / faceted stone:
A faceting machine is broadly defined as any device that allows the user to place
and polish facets small plane surfaces onto a mineral specimen.








Flat Lap Machine





http://johnwease.site.aplus.net/cgi-bin ... _Code=JGLE

[oroblanco]

Very cool amigo - now for a dumb question.

How did they polish stone in ancient times? Thank you in advance,
Roy

[roc2rol]

I don't know if I'd ever try it again - at least not that way. I would imagine that, if you did it in two parts and epoxied it together, you would have to make absolutely sure that the two halves would both have to have to be perfectly flat and true, yes? (so that the seam looks almost invisible?)

Very true and that’s a art I have not perfected! I grind the parallel flats of the two ½’s free hand! Impossible to get it exact that way. I would need to set-up some sort of fixture. Hmmm… I imagine the index head on the faceter would be a much better method! But I think the seam is always going be some what noticeable.

Picking out 2 stones that compliment one another is a trick. I was only starting to get good at that. And right again!! The m’s need to be spot on ! I would free hand the A.W on the cabbing machine. That works fine for roughing them but the process got easier and more precise when I got this machine! Its called a Gryphette.




You can see a very crude angel wing up against the diamond bit. They make 4 different size diamond bits. You fill the bottom tray with water and a sponge then keep the bit wet and cool. Keeps the dust down also. Its a great lapidary tool.

I just banged out the hearts the best I could and learned as I went. I know other people have made this style. But as far as I know I’m the only person who had a passion for it. It progressed from a very very crude method and got much more refined as I bought more machinery and new ideas kept formulating.

I see a perfect roc’n heart in my mind but am far from producing it, yet!
I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

[roc2rol]

Very cool amigo - now for a dumb question.

How did they polish stone in ancient times? Thank you in advance,
Roy

Ya know Roy I've thought on that & it amazes me.
But I think slurry is the key! The ancient certainly knew their rocks, stones, minerals ect...
I'm sure that it started with just
rubbing 2 rocks together. Who knows?
To make a spark? To smooth out a rough edge? To make it sharper?

But the aesthetic also kicks in! Wow look at that shine polish! That's also valuable! It wouldn't have been a big leap
from there to add bit of water to the grit & get even a more refine finish. From there the possibilities are endless.


Have you ever seen the PBS special of how the Roman Coliseum
was built and how their restoring it?

Welll they showed a method of how a flat was ground on the large marble column barrels.
I do believe slurry was part of the process. The fit was so tight that after some 2500 years
the wooden dow that was used as center post
still smelled of the orginal wood.
Excellent show -highly reccomenE !