chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Jan 28, 2012 16:27:56 GMT -5
When you finish a cabuchon, do you reuse the dopping wax?
Charlie
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Post by bobby1 on Jan 28, 2012 17:02:12 GMT -5
Yes, I definitely reuse the dop wax, but I make sure that it isn't contaminated with polish. I always dip the dop stick in my ultrasonic cleaner for a few seconds to make sure it is very clean. I get many years on the same dop stick and wax. I also clean the cab and the end of the dop surface with a little denatured alcohol to ensure a better hold. Bob
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shermlock
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2011
Posts: 612
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Post by shermlock on Jan 28, 2012 20:26:57 GMT -5
I do! Scott
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Jan 28, 2012 20:33:28 GMT -5
me too!
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Jan 28, 2012 21:08:38 GMT -5
You bet, Charlie.
When it starts getting old and hard to work you can add a little beeswax.
Chuck
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Jan 29, 2012 8:20:58 GMT -5
Thanks...I read somewhere that you should always start "clean".
I wondered if that meant throwing out the old wax every time.
I guess it means cleaning up as much as possible
Charlie
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Post by johnjsgems on Jan 29, 2012 9:01:32 GMT -5
Unless it is overheated it will continue to work. It loses a little bit of strength every time it is heated. This is usually compensated for by the small amounts of new wax added as needed to the pot.
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cabjunky
has rocks in the head
Regency Rose Plume
Member since November 2008
Posts: 683
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Post by cabjunky on Jan 29, 2012 9:53:58 GMT -5
Someone once told me that as you heat and cool dop wax it will loose it's adhesiveness. They said to take an eye dropper and add a few drops of mineral oil while your dop pot is still heated and stir it up, to make it like it like new again. I have never tried it, since I very seldom dop anything. Robert
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Peter
having dreams about rocks
Member since May 2009
Posts: 51
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Post by Peter on Jan 30, 2012 19:44:33 GMT -5
I use a glue gun and cheep down rods, see no downside to the method, never fall off, when done 30 sec in the micorwave and then they do fall off.
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rocpup
spending too much on rocks
Pink Limb Iris
Member since March 2011
Posts: 465
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Post by rocpup on Jan 31, 2012 9:35:25 GMT -5
I do not dop any more but when I was trying to mass produce I have about 50 dowels loaded with dop wax. I heated the preforms on an inverted clothes iron. I placed the prepared dop stick on the preform and quickly places it on a thick agate slab for a heat sink to cool it off. After it cooled a bit it was reshaped for the grinder. The finished cabs were removed and were ready for the next preform. My dop wax is brown from mixing red and green and has been reused many times. Don
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Feb 2, 2012 13:16:05 GMT -5
Interesting responses. Dont think I'll use the inverted ron but it sounds like a great method. I guess the glue gun is hot glue...no exploding rocks in the microwave? Mineral oil sounds great but I'll probably never try it. When I was doing opals I was using superglue with drying accelerant and that holds quite well. the shelf life is relatively short for superglue (I probably dont seal it well enough) I have lots of dopping wax from swaps for rocks
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rocpup
spending too much on rocks
Pink Limb Iris
Member since March 2011
Posts: 465
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Post by rocpup on Feb 3, 2012 11:03:32 GMT -5
If you can find an old non-steam iron, they work best, they have a thermostat built in that can be set at the required temp. They have a large and quick heating element and will get you going in just a couple of minutes. The dop wax is melted in a tin can and when hot enough the dowel is placed in and a gob scooped up and placed on the thick agate slab. After it cools a bit it is shaped to a nice round shape for latter heated preform. I used to do forty to fifty at time. On the grinder they seldom if ever popped off and I would use a lot pressure on them because I was doing forty to fifty at a time and I wanted to get them done. I averaged about ten minutes per 30x40 cab. Not bragging just saying what can be done. Most of time when you have trouble with the stone popping off the stone was not hot enough to melt the dop wax for a good bond. When looking at the edge where the the wax and the preform meet you will see the wax melt onto the stone all the around it. Good luck on that Genie whatever you decide. Don
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