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Post by gingerkid on Oct 10, 2014 19:02:27 GMT -5
Jugglerguy, found this on sphere machines that had wooden cups used in sphere making. "...Adams Lapidary makes four machines; all are three head machines. The standard machine will cut up to a 3-1/2 inch sphere. Rough grinds are done with metal cups and polishing stage with wooden cups. The machine comes with one set (3) of hubs, one set (3) of grinding cups and one set (3) of polishing heads. These machines have automatic grit feed and water drip feed. Cost is $285 plus freight and handling. Shipping weight is 55 pounds. The next larger machine will cut up to 5" sphere ($385.00) and the Jumbo machine will cut up to a 7" sphere ($485.00) They also make a three head Marble machine for $225.00. Contact Joe Adams at 2903 S. Meade Street, Denver CO 80236; (303-936-6600)." www.gemcutters.org/LDA/Archive/html%20files/LD155.htmFrom Bob's Rockshop website, I read that the machines are not made any longer. rockhounds.com/rockshop/reviews/adams_marble_maker/index.shtml
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 10, 2014 19:17:28 GMT -5
Jan, I ran across Bob's rockshop earlier today while doing some searching. The sphere making idea still doesn't make complete sense to me because there should be at least two of each cup. However, the diameter and depth of the cups was definitely important for whatever these were used for.
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Post by Starguy on Oct 10, 2014 21:32:06 GMT -5
Jan, I ran across Bob's rockshop earlier today while doing some searching. The sphere making idea still doesn't make complete sense to me because there should be at least two of each cup. However, the diameter and depth of the cups was definitely important for whatever these were used for. Jugglerguyi think your bowls were probably made about the time cheap diamond abrasive became available. Sphere machines usually had two or three abrasive cups to form the spheres on rough grind. They more or less automatically made the sphere shape without polishing them. I'm guessing those bowls are at least 30 years old. Things have changed a lot since then. They would still make excellent sphere polishers or for anything that diamond abrasive makes a good sanding/polishing medium.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 11, 2014 18:33:03 GMT -5
I just noticed that on the side of each of the coffee cans there was a piece of masking tape with "cab-a-cup" written on it. I did a Google search, but no luck. On the plastic lids of the coffee cans "Cable cups" is written.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 11, 2014 18:38:04 GMT -5
I still haven't had any luck removing the wooden cup from the aluminum holder. I put it in the freezer over night in an attempt to shrink the aluminum. gemfeller, you suggested heating the metal, but cooling seemed better, but maybe heating is the way to go. Any ideas on how to heat it without ruining it? The other option is to wait until mid winter when the house will be really dry and the wood may shrink up a bit.
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gemfeller
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Member since June 2011
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 11, 2014 19:40:10 GMT -5
I still haven't had any luck removing the wooden cup from the aluminum holder. I put it in the freezer over night in an attempt to shrink the aluminum. gemfeller, you suggested heating the metal, but cooling seemed better, but maybe heating is the way to go. Any ideas on how to heat it without ruining it? The other option is to wait until mid winter when the house will be really dry and the wood may shrink up a bit. My idea is to expand the aluminum a little with some gentle heat. Here's what I'd do. First I'd get someone to help. Second attach the cup to a machine shaft to keep it stationary. I'd use a propane torch to heat the aluminum just a little, certainly not enough to burn the wood. I'd have someone hold the edge of the cup, ready to pull it upward if it loosens, while someone taps on the lowest part of the cup gently with something like a rawhide mallet or rubber hammer as heat is applied. It would be important to heat the entire circumference of the metal, so choose an assistant who trusts your handling of the torch. The cup could be jammed into the aluminum part so tightly this method won't work, of course, so don't get carried away with the heat. I've figured from the outset the cups were probably used for cabbing. With a dopped cab one could choose an area of the cup with the right radius to sand or polish any part of most cabs except flat bottoms. The cups seem to be large enough to allow fairly easy dop manipulation. One thing puzzles me: what keeps the wooden cups tight enough inside the aluminum so they don't travel when downward pressure is applied? The fit must be very precise. Are the other cups easy to remove from the metal holders? I'm very curious about the things, especially since you found the "cab-a-cup" label. Any idea of the time period these things were used? I have an LJ collection that goes back quite a few years and with some idea of "when" to look I might be able to locate an advertisement if the things were commercially made and sold.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 11, 2014 20:18:37 GMT -5
The Cab-a-Cup label was hand written on masking tape, so there's no guarantee that it's the actual name. I haven't tried putting any other cups into the holders, but they are labeled on the bottom as to which holder they went with.
I'm going to my friend's house tomorrow morning to help move a couple couches. I'm not sure if he knows when this stuff ws used, but I'll ask. I'm wondering if the wooden cups were homemade. There are paper templates of the inside of each cup inside the coffee can that they were stored in. They can be seen in the last picture of my original post. The original owner was a high school shop teacher, so he may have had the ability to make them on a lathe.
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gemfeller
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 11, 2014 23:07:35 GMT -5
Interesting. I'd wondered if they were home-made and the fact he was a shop teacher suggests both the aluminum holders and wooden cups may have been. I thumbed through a 1982 LJ while sorting slabs tonight and saw nothing anywhere near that description. I wonder if your benefactor was thinking of marketing them himself? They're beautifully made and a great prize for you to own no matter their provenance. I think I'd dop up a couple of cabs and try them out.
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jerrys
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 263
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Post by jerrys on Oct 13, 2014 11:06:41 GMT -5
The aluminum cups and wooden cups in this post are for working cabochons, not spheres. The wood is charged with different grits. Whitey's CAB-O-CUPS was one of the manufactures of the cup setups like this post. I have a Lapidary Journal with more information if needed. Maybe you can find more searching online.
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gemfeller
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Member since June 2011
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Post by gemfeller on Oct 13, 2014 11:43:48 GMT -5
That name sounds familiar Jerrys. What's the date of the LJ you mention? I'd like to do a little research in my own LJ collection.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 13, 2014 13:16:15 GMT -5
Thanks Jerry. I can't find anything on the web about them. I'd love to see the article from Lapidary Journal. Could you scan it and post it here?
Rick, I helped my friend move a couple couches yesterday, but I forgot to ask when the original owner might have been doing lapidary work. I really did't think the aluminum part of these things was homemade because it's very professional looking with knurling around the bottom. My friend has a trim saw that this guy made and it looks very homemade. My flat lap may be homemade by him too, I've never quite decided if it was or wasn't.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Oct 13, 2014 13:19:29 GMT -5
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