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Post by Starguy on Feb 17, 2014 16:21:16 GMT -5
Thanks to a three day weekend, I was able to start a batch of new star garnet cabs. They don't look like much yet, but every one of them has a star. I polished them to 600 grit belt in order to be able to orient the star. The photos show them after orienting, rough grind on 120 grit wheel and final shaping on a 600 grit wheel. I have about 8 hours into them so far, (not including digging them). This is one of the biggest batches I have ever attempted. It should end up being about 1 - 1.5 hours per cab, once they're all done. I'll post more pictures when the start to look pretty.
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Post by pghram on Feb 17, 2014 16:48:47 GMT -5
Looking forward to the finish, you'll have an entire constellation when you get finished.
Rich
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bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
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Post by bsky4463 on Feb 17, 2014 17:42:49 GMT -5
Grab a handful! Nice Starguy....if you can shoot some work in progress photos it would be cool to see them develop. At the very least I look forward to the grand finale! Cheers
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Post by Starguy on Feb 17, 2014 19:01:45 GMT -5
They're ready for polishing. I'll post pictures as some of the better ones start to stand out.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,158
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Post by jamesp on Feb 17, 2014 19:12:07 GMT -5
Those garnets of yours are fine. Can't wait to see what you can do w/them. There is a hill about 30 miles from Atlanta that has big garnets to 4 inches. They were heavily mined to make sand paper. Brownish purple and full of iron. Perfect for sand paper. Some of the gravel roads from Atlanta west to Alabama are covered in iron garnets. My neighbor came home with a pick up truck full of soft white granite from N. Georgia. It was full of 3/8-5/8 inch perfect light purple garnet crystals. I was a kid and remember helping them carefully chiseling those garnets. They all had sharp edges on their perfect crystal structure and hardly a fracture.
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Post by Pat on Feb 17, 2014 19:25:22 GMT -5
Will be interesting to watch your work in progress, and to watch it on that machine. I like star anything, and agree with Rich that you will have an entire constellation when done.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,663
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Post by Tommy on Feb 17, 2014 20:45:49 GMT -5
Thank you for an awesome post starguy. I'm as intrigued by your polishing method as well. Please do keep us updated as you go.
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dbrealityrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2010
Posts: 1,084
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Post by dbrealityrocks on Feb 17, 2014 21:25:47 GMT -5
Looks like these will be the star of the show! Always wanted to try polishing some of those. I'll be looking forward to the galaxy...beam me up Scotty.
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Post by roy on Feb 18, 2014 0:21:25 GMT -5
i would like to learn more on the finding the star and how you position it to finish i have some of those star garnets that came from the 281 mine back in the early 70S i have them stashed them away till i was ready to work with them!
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Post by Tonyterner on Feb 18, 2014 19:18:53 GMT -5
I haven't done a lot of garnets but I have done quite a few sapphires. Looking forward to seeing the finished cabs. Haven't seen one of those polishing machines in a while. I forget what they are called but I turned several of those spindles for members here. I still have the one I made for myself somewhere. Guess I'll find it when I finally unpack the shops.
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europast
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 118
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Post by europast on Feb 19, 2014 18:45:43 GMT -5
The machine shown is a version of Graves Diamond Spool Polisher. Nice and quiet. Also not very messy.
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miander
spending too much on rocks
Searching for the shop of my dreams...
Member since November 2013
Posts: 407
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Post by miander on Feb 20, 2014 0:01:56 GMT -5
So incredible - there is something so unique and special about making a rock that you dug from the ground shine...Even though the cabs aren't polished, they are truly beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
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Post by orrum on Feb 20, 2014 8:18:12 GMT -5
Yes please tell us how you find the star? I have some rose quartz that stars from tge Hogg Mine in Ga. I cant find the star.
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Post by Starguy on Mar 2, 2014 11:20:57 GMT -5
I got the flu last week and wasn't able to work on the garnets much. I finally got around to working on polish again yesterday. So far I have taken them to 1200 grit. The stars are beginning to show nicely. It's looking like about 25% will show six rays. That's a little lower than the typical ratio of six rays to four rays. I think it's because a lot of them were stones I had started previously and rejected for one reason or another. Hopefully I'll have some time to work on them a little more today. Once I get them finished, I'll post pictures of some of the better ones. Later Brent
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 2, 2014 11:37:51 GMT -5
Glad you nipped the flu in the bud, starguy! Those are gonna be gorgeous when you finish them. Cannot wait to see 'em completed, and will wear a bib. Is your spool wooden or phenolic?
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Post by Starguy on Mar 2, 2014 11:44:26 GMT -5
I have one of the old maple wood spools. I've had the machine for about 25 years. The only things I've had to replace were the belt and the rubber grommets that attach the wheel to the steel frame. I think diamond extender is a little hard on rubber parts.
I've tried one of the phenolics, but I have been really happy with this machine, especially for smaller cabs like star garnet and star sapphire.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Mar 3, 2014 11:18:45 GMT -5
Wow! looking forward to watching these progress. Thanks for the postings!
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Post by pghram on Mar 3, 2014 15:25:41 GMT -5
Looking good! Thanks for sharing your process.
Rich
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Post by gingerkid on Mar 3, 2014 16:07:59 GMT -5
Looking forward to seeing all them finished, but the 6-ray star garnet in the bottom right of the cup has a perfect 6-ray star, distinct "arms," and color. Major drool!
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Post by 150FromFundy on Mar 3, 2014 17:05:51 GMT -5
Curious to see those off the dop sticks. Most look dark on the stick, but I'm sure we will see some translucent reds soon.
Darryl.
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