Post by rocklicker on Jan 20, 2009 16:27:25 GMT -5
This set was a challenge to me. It came out nicely in the end but what a road to get there it was.
First, I decided to alter my 2 wheel machine into a 4 wheel machine to celebrate a new jadecarver
80 grit wheel. The arbor conversion went fine after some help from the folks at Lortone. Away I
went. First obsticle: I did these when it was getting really cold at night so rocks kept flying
off sticks. You know ehen you put dopped stones in the fridge to get the dop wax to release? Well,
my garage was doing just that. I must have had to redop about half of these! Finally I figured out
to keep them on a warming plate as I went along. OK Problem #2 was a water issue. I had to reroute
the irrigation on the machine to accomodate 4 wheels and wouldn't you know it, it leaked. My feet
were in a puddle in no time. OK, fixed that after a trip to the hardware store and back down the
road I went. Then a little while later the machine started making an awful racket. One of the
bearings gave out! These were the original bearings and I know the day would come, but really...
of all times. So I went down to pick up new bearings and installed them. I also added some plastic
flanges to keep water out. My arbor is old and the flanges Lortone sent me were from an updated
design. I also got some grease to smear in there. Now a day later I was cabbing once more. Finally I
made it into the clear with a shiney finished batch! Here's the results. Thanks for looking.
Steve
Local jasper with interesting blobs:
Lavic jasper from Mel:
Idontknowite. I think this came from Woodward ranch.
Cathedral agete from Ed:
Morgan Hill poppy jasper:
More poppies... unusual one:
Mariposa poppy jasper from Mel:
Arizona agates from the pile:
Pipeline Canyon agate from Jamie:
Three little blue chalcedony guys:
Little agates:
Chrysocolla:
First, I decided to alter my 2 wheel machine into a 4 wheel machine to celebrate a new jadecarver
80 grit wheel. The arbor conversion went fine after some help from the folks at Lortone. Away I
went. First obsticle: I did these when it was getting really cold at night so rocks kept flying
off sticks. You know ehen you put dopped stones in the fridge to get the dop wax to release? Well,
my garage was doing just that. I must have had to redop about half of these! Finally I figured out
to keep them on a warming plate as I went along. OK Problem #2 was a water issue. I had to reroute
the irrigation on the machine to accomodate 4 wheels and wouldn't you know it, it leaked. My feet
were in a puddle in no time. OK, fixed that after a trip to the hardware store and back down the
road I went. Then a little while later the machine started making an awful racket. One of the
bearings gave out! These were the original bearings and I know the day would come, but really...
of all times. So I went down to pick up new bearings and installed them. I also added some plastic
flanges to keep water out. My arbor is old and the flanges Lortone sent me were from an updated
design. I also got some grease to smear in there. Now a day later I was cabbing once more. Finally I
made it into the clear with a shiney finished batch! Here's the results. Thanks for looking.
Steve
Local jasper with interesting blobs:
Lavic jasper from Mel:
Idontknowite. I think this came from Woodward ranch.
Cathedral agete from Ed:
Morgan Hill poppy jasper:
More poppies... unusual one:
Mariposa poppy jasper from Mel:
Arizona agates from the pile:
Pipeline Canyon agate from Jamie:
Three little blue chalcedony guys:
Little agates:
Chrysocolla: