|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 8, 2013 20:13:52 GMT -5
So I went to the club shop to try using wheels, which are a LOT different from my flat lap! Boy. Wanted to try a concave curve, since I can't do that easily on the flat lap. This is a piece of "Dugout Jasper". No idea where it comes from, other than the magical land of ebay. It seems like probably some sort of rhyolite. Soft, kind of porcelainish, fine grained. It was quite soft - I was having problems because the finest grit wheel the shop has is 600 - then straight to polish. This was so soft that I was still shaping on the 600 expando. Huh. Don't y'all normally have a 1200 at least? I'm used to using 1200, 3000 and 8000 before polish, which would have helped this rock. Luckily none of the particular flaws THAT caused are toooo visible in the pic! ;-) Oh, and the white thing on the right is my blob of modeling clay sticking out, sorry. What I learned after looking at the pictures: 1. Be more careful with the layout. I should have scooted it to the left about 1/8". Oh well. I could have changed the shape as I was cabbing it, but I decided not to because the eyes were lining up nicely. 2. Look at the layers of the rock in 3 dimensions (and pay attention). Seems obvious, right? haha. In this case, by happy accident, the way the layers tipped resulted in the eye lined up nicely with the shape of the cab. Could have been the opposite though. (There was some reason I put the cab smack in the middle of the slabette - something on the other side, can't remember now.)
|
|
Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
|
Post by Tom on Sept 8, 2013 20:23:38 GMT -5
That turned out really nice Susan, your first concave came out great. Ya I would think they should have had 1200 and 3k for sure.
Tom
|
|
|
Post by pghram on Sept 9, 2013 13:35:57 GMT -5
It looks to have a very good polish in the photo. I really like the red & white stripes. I like the shape too.
Rich
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 9, 2013 13:37:28 GMT -5
Thanks guys!
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Sept 9, 2013 13:40:18 GMT -5
Looks really great! I've never seen anything like it. I love my genie and now can't get used to using a flat lap- much, much different than the wheels.
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 9, 2013 13:51:18 GMT -5
I now love the wheels for doming -- so much easier, and I think faster, since you can see the angle on which you're cutting when you do those shallow angles at the top of the dome. Some angles seem blind on the wheels that you can see on the flat lap though (can't remember which at the moment).
I might have the general routine to be to shape the rough dome at the club on the wheels, and then do the rest at home on the flat lap. Dunno. It's also pretty great to do the loud stages at the club; the guy in my neighboring condo likes to take naps Saturday afternoons, and that 80 grit disc is LOUD with the hard jaspers and agates.
How do you work on your Genie without spraying water everywhere? I seem to recall you have it in the house?
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Sept 9, 2013 14:52:48 GMT -5
I don't have a problem, really, with it spraying much. I put a towel across the front of me for some mess at the first tray, but the second isn't so bad. I use it on the kitchen table. Nothing gets wet, except for my front, a little, when I forget the towel or it drops. The 2 galaxy wheels pick up more water to throw than do the novas. Randy put a little acrylic barrier up on his bench, but it is set up permanent, where as mine isn't.
Yes! It is NOT seeing the angles that gets me with the flat lap. Exactly. I feel like I am flying blind.
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 9, 2013 15:24:30 GMT -5
Hmmmm. If yours works on YOUR kitchen table . . . this could be dangerous! Thanks for the info.
|
|
Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,487
|
Post by Roger on Sept 9, 2013 16:06:00 GMT -5
Nice work! Concave curves are a bugger. I have done a few and it has always been touch or go with what I end up with.
|
|
|
Post by Tonyterner on Sept 10, 2013 10:28:35 GMT -5
Really nice cab. I like the layout of the cab on the pattern and wouldn't have changed what you did.
|
|
|
Post by Tony W on Sept 10, 2013 13:13:07 GMT -5
Cool choice for a shape. Nice work! T
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 10, 2013 14:50:36 GMT -5
Thanks! What's the general word for that shape - a "Sail?" I think I heard somebody call it that once.
|
|
|
Post by Tony W on Sept 10, 2013 20:01:26 GMT -5
I was thinking Horn of Plenty...a Cornucopia With the way the rings move down. But you could go with the sail on a felucca. Tony
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Sept 11, 2013 15:20:25 GMT -5
I always call it a sail, but cornucopia sounds good, too.
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 11, 2013 15:43:11 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by NM Stone Supply on Sept 11, 2013 22:23:41 GMT -5
Susan, Very nice cab, I too like how the stripes come into the tip. I have a bit of this stone, they called it banded dolomite but someone told me it was Candy Cane Jasper and right, it is about a 4 in hardness. This stone is very hard to find. It looks like a Kona Dolomite but still different. Here is my rough
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 11, 2013 22:56:04 GMT -5
Yup, that's it all right! Do know where it comes from? Mexico?
|
|
|
Post by NM Stone Supply on Sept 11, 2013 23:02:12 GMT -5
I think it is from Mexico. I can't ever seem to find any more.
|
|
|
Post by vegasjames on Sept 12, 2013 2:58:32 GMT -5
Great job. Unique.
|
|
|
Post by Bluesky78987 on Sept 12, 2013 9:36:33 GMT -5
Thanks James!
I'm going to keep my eye out for it then.
|
|