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Post by lpl on Jan 4, 2019 22:35:55 GMT -5
Great job!! I don't like doing circles, either. You're braver than I am to take on so many! Thanks! And I'm off of circles for a while!
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Post by lpl on Jan 4, 2019 22:33:13 GMT -5
They certainly are difficult, I needed to make some circular 1 inch cabs for a niece who has a pendant thing that she can clip in a new cab whenever the mood takes her. After lots of mucking around with various ways to do it I came up with a dop stick with the head turned in the lathe to be just under an inch, then just cut the stone to very close to the dop, very accurate and easy, very repeatable too. I agree with @rockjunkie...that is a great idea! I will definitely be trying that in the future.
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Post by lpl on Jan 4, 2019 19:47:28 GMT -5
I did a few circle cuts today, it was nice to take a day off and play in the shop! But I need to ask, why are circles so hard to do or is it just me? Seems like every one of these needed a ton of fiddling to make them round...most looked like a toddler drew the pre forms with a crayon or something! In the end, I was pretty happy with them. John
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Post by lpl on Jan 4, 2019 19:33:11 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for your input. I feel like I'm cheating if I don't mix it up all the time, but based on some great feedback here, I'll try to temper that feeling a bit, make some tweaks and additions here and there and run with it!
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Post by lpl on Jan 4, 2019 10:02:18 GMT -5
This is one of those designs that you could make a whole line out of by just altering it a little bit each time and keep the basic design intact. It's very simple and clean, so as opalpyrexia suggested, extending the base plate, texturing, twisting the wire, etc. would do it. Thanks Robin. I think I'll give some of that a go moving forward!
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 23:46:17 GMT -5
opalpyrexia I do that sometimes, with varying degrees of success...sometimes I'll add some texture to it, or decorative embellishments, which after I do them I usually don't love. That being said, I really like and appreciate your suggestion and will likely try something like that on the next piece I make like this. I really like the piece you posted and the texture is awesome!
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 22:50:02 GMT -5
That's not a rut you're in — you're flying down the highway with work like that! Thanks! I appreciate that! I do want to mix it up a bit but inspiration is difficult at times...
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 22:15:16 GMT -5
Oh I know and appreciate the compliment! I edited my reply a bit since I wasn't clear. I hope to someday do some work in gold, but it's so daunting that it's 100x the price of silver and I trash a lot of silver!
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 22:09:55 GMT -5
Great work! The only improvement I can think of would be to change the silver into gold. Nice cut on the fire agate. Thanks gemfeller. Sadly gold is out of my budget ☹️ But maybe someday!
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 21:57:15 GMT -5
Duh, earbuds under safety headphone, how do I listen to my books? Audible while cabbing is awesome. Except I don't believe that is particularly safe as you can then only hear the music, not any background sounds like the sound of the machine, or your spouse or kids yelling at you that the house is on fire or something. I'm definitely not a fan of earbuds but that is just me 😜
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 19:46:27 GMT -5
Well I subscribe to the old adage that 'the dose makes the poison'. If I did this daily, every day, like to make a living, I'd certainly be more concerned than I am when I only get to cut or smith a few hours a week. I sometimes wear an apron since I don't love soggy clothes. Never gloves. Respirator when I'm polishing silver. Eye protection always. Ear protection? How could I hear my music!! John
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 17:29:08 GMT -5
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 17:10:18 GMT -5
Fandiddlytastic! I think you did it justice. And then some. LOL! I may use that descriptor in the future! Thank you.
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 16:45:32 GMT -5
Like those Cabtopia templates also, I have many... I don't go by measurements or girths, etc... I just cab what I see and leave it at that... Having fun and enjoying the hobby is what I enjoy.. Good luck... So much truth here Fossil!
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 16:20:24 GMT -5
I love your designs and that's a beautiful stone! Thanks Ali...I got lucky with that stone
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 16:09:19 GMT -5
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 16:02:21 GMT -5
Julie I would agree with what everyone has said here...your cabs look great! I look forward to seeing pictures once you get your light box set up! I'm pretty much self taught, but one time at a show, a vendor was killing time making cabochons and I was pretty new at the time and he asked me if I'd like to give it a go, which I of course said yes! He showed me how he keeps the girdle even through pointed spots and it seems to work well for me. As we worked around the stone, when we got close to the point, he would tell me to keep rotating the stone, but pick it up off of the wheel, then when I got around the point to lower the stone to the wheel again. After some time, it all came together and it really works for me. I really appreciate him taking the time to show and teach me. Good job on these!
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Post by lpl on Jan 3, 2019 15:48:03 GMT -5
I think I'm stuck in a rut with my smithing lately, and I have posted several pendants of this style, but I thought it would be the perfect, simple setting for a nice fire agate cab I have been working on for a while. I hope I did it justice! John
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Post by lpl on Jan 1, 2019 19:15:52 GMT -5
Those really are stellar!
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Post by lpl on Dec 24, 2018 16:33:58 GMT -5
Beautiful! And I'm really impressed you didn't use a dop! Well done! She will love it.
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