aksockeye
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2017
Posts: 14
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Post by aksockeye on Jan 17, 2018 23:42:32 GMT -5
I have a tough time figuring out how I want to cut a cab. Some members are so great at composition. Are there any guides for dummies?
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Post by Pat on Jan 17, 2018 23:56:53 GMT -5
Find what you consider the most interesting elements in the slab. Draw free form lines that include all those elements into one grouping, or include as many as you can, or just one to showcase.
Need to eliminate the areas with fractures or other bad spots.
Good luck!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 18, 2018 21:14:13 GMT -5
I agree with Pat. Find the sweet spot or spots and go from there. The slab will probably have some features that you will want to leave out.
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Post by gmitch067 on Jan 18, 2018 21:42:16 GMT -5
I agree.
Take it a step further... break-up the remaining slab (the unwanted parts) and throw them into the tumbler or vibe for polishing. You might find some interesting pieces!
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Post by Pat on Jan 18, 2018 22:00:35 GMT -5
... and/or you can save those too-small- for -cabs pieces for intarsia, and tumble the rest.
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Post by pauls on Jan 19, 2018 2:48:50 GMT -5
Look at your slab, figure which parts you would like to keep and start grinding, you will probably come across cracks and flaws while grinding, grind them out. When you have a nice solid piece of stone then have another look and see how best to keep the nice patterns and colours while having a nice shape, this will probably mean you are going to have a freeform finished cab rather than a standard oval but thats really good. Have a look at rockjunquies cabs, they are nearly all freeforms and are stunning.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2018 3:20:00 GMT -5
Look at your slab, figure which parts you would like to keep and start grinding, you will probably come across cracks and flaws while grinding, grind them out. When you have a nice solid piece of stone then have another look and see how best to keep the nice patterns and colours while having a nice shape, this will probably mean you are going to have a freeform finished cab rather than a standard oval but thats really good. Have a look at rockjunquies cabs, they are nearly all freeforms and are stunning. Thank you, but I use a template abt 50% of the time. Granted some of them are my own making. Because I buy slabs and not rough, I want to maximize my yield using templates. Stuff left over or broken pieces gets freeformed.
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Post by fantastic5 on Jan 19, 2018 7:32:14 GMT -5
Thank you, but I use a template abt 50% of the time. Granted some of them are my own making. I would love to know how you made your own templates. I tried once and it was an utter failure.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2018 9:01:56 GMT -5
I would love to know how you made your own templates. I tried once and it was an utter failure. Have you seen the cheap flexible cutting sheets at the dollar store? They are clear, thick vinyl-y type plastic. I mark out my template out on that and cut it out with an exacto. When I do a freeform I like, I'll trace it out and do a template. It's a little hard on my hands to do too many at a time, though.
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Post by Pat on Jan 19, 2018 10:53:37 GMT -5
I bought these templates: www.slabstocabs.comThese are on the website of John Heusler. They are made of clear-enough flexible plastic. All freeform in various sizes. Glad I have them.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2018 12:58:53 GMT -5
I bought these templates: www.slabstocabs.comThese are on the website of John Heusler. They are made of clear-enough flexible plastic. All freeform in various sizes. Glad I have them. I keep meaning to get those and keep forgetting.
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Post by Pat on Jan 19, 2018 14:16:33 GMT -5
Tela, some of your cabs look just like the Heusler templates!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2018 14:45:38 GMT -5
Tela, some of your cabs look just like the Heusler templates! Accidental, I assure you. I emailed him and asked for the price, but it kept slipping my mind. I remember they were somewhat expensive, but now I can't find the email.
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Post by Pat on Jan 19, 2018 15:05:28 GMT -5
I think it was around $78. For the complete set.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jan 19, 2018 15:09:18 GMT -5
Tela, some of your cabs look just like the Heusler templates! Accidental, I assure you. I emailed him and asked for the price, but it kept slipping my mind. I remember they were somewhat expensive, but now I can't find the email. $8 each or save and get all 12 for $76.80. Shipping $8 www.slabstocabs.com/templates_for_designer_gemstonesChuck
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Post by rmf on Jan 19, 2018 15:48:32 GMT -5
I have made templates (functional not pretty) from the side of a 1 gal milk jug and from a sheet of Aluminum from ace hardware
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 19, 2018 17:35:28 GMT -5
Plastic lids work, too.
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Post by Rockoonz on Jan 20, 2018 12:32:27 GMT -5
Tela, some of your cabs look just like the Heusler templates! Some of those templates look just like the ones Tony (the one back east with Amber) was offering as pc files 12 years ago, for free. I believe I still have them on a thumb drive somewhere. If not I could find the email possibly.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 20, 2018 12:36:21 GMT -5
Tela, some of your cabs look just like the Heusler templates! Some of those templates look just like the ones Tony (the one back east with Amber) was offering as pc files 12 years ago, for free. I believe I still have them on a thumb drive somewhere. If not I could find the email possibly. Those are really great templates. I got them, too. A member mailed them to me on paper. I was able to use the printouts to make hand cut ones. They weren't so great. But, then the other member- I forget who it was, decided to make them from acrylic in his shop. I ended up buying those.
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aksockeye
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2017
Posts: 14
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Post by aksockeye on Jan 21, 2018 2:18:01 GMT -5
What do the templates look like? I can’t see them.
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