|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 16, 2022 16:29:47 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Sept 16, 2022 19:21:12 GMT -5
Not likely to be garnet based on info found on Mindat. Eudialyte is more commonly associated with astrophyllite.
We have pieces of 2-3 types here. None exactly like yours. Careful when you cut it - the blades tend to pop out pretty easily.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 16, 2022 19:36:55 GMT -5
Not likely to be garnet based on info found on Mindat. Eudialyte is more commonly associated with astrophyllite.
We have pieces of 2-3 types here. None exactly like yours. Careful when you cut it - the blades tend to pop out pretty easily.
Thanks Vince!!  I almost sent you a PM the other day asking about this stuff! Thanks for chiming in! That last link looks almost like a spitting image! Thanks for the tip on cutting it. I looked closer and have to take back what I said about the "undercutting"...it IS there a little bit on the polished surface. This'll be interesting to work!! |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 16, 2022 21:24:04 GMT -5
Those are awesome! I would have bought them if I'd seen them.  Astrophyllite is so cool. If it is Eudialyte, that's some cool stuff. Both of those stones separate are on the expensive and pretty rare side. Can't wait to see some cabs from those. Be gentle, don't use your 80. This type of material is probably something I'd use the Eastwind flat laps on.  |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 16, 2022 21:47:10 GMT -5
Those are awesome! I would have bought them if I'd seen them. Astrophyllite is so cool. If it is Eudialyte, that's some cool stuff. Both of those stones separate are on the expensive and pretty rare side. Can't wait to see some cabs from those. Be gentle, don't use your 80. This type of material is probably something I'd use the Eastwind flat laps on. Thanks Robin! I'm SO stoked you DIDN'T see them! You would have outbid me for sure! LOL - The seller had several different listings...one for 10 pounds, another for 5 (I think), then this one for the 3 pounds showed up a bit afterward. They ended up being around $12 a pound...which I'm okay paying $12 for a slab of this stuff... Thanks for the reminder on the 80. I have gotten into the habit of starting the grind on the 220 with any material I've never worked before. I think it was Sodalite that started that trend! LOL - Starting on the 220 saves a lot of heartache. I can always bump up to the 80 if needed (for other material). I was going to take a break from cabbing and switch to wrapping...but I may end up doing a few of these first. LOL |
|
quartzilla
Cave Dweller 
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,240
|
Post by quartzilla on Sept 19, 2022 22:33:50 GMT -5
Interesting material. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 19, 2022 22:59:01 GMT -5
Interesting material. Can’t wait to see what you do with it! Yeah...me too! I mean I can't wait until I can figure out HOW to work it properly! I worked a couple pieces the other day...and sure as heck, they undercut like CRAZY...like ridiculously bad! So...I'm pondering getting a set of flat lap hard disks and seeing if I can't work them like that. In theory, it should be possible to prevent undercutting...but I don't know if I can control the cab while I'm working it to avoid flat spots. This stuff is definitely worth giving it a shot... |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 20, 2022 10:23:28 GMT -5
Interesting material. Can’t wait to see what you do with it! Yeah...me too! I mean I can't wait until I can figure out HOW to work it properly! I worked a couple pieces the other day...and sure as heck, they undercut like CRAZY...like ridiculously bad! So...I'm pondering getting a set of flat lap hard disks and seeing if I can't work them like that. In theory, it should be possible to prevent undercutting...but I don't know if I can control the cab while I'm working it to avoid flat spots. This stuff is definitely worth giving it a shot... Astrophyllite is tricky. Having Eudialyte in there with it makes it doubly tricky. You will have to go slow on it with a very light touch to avoid pulling out the Astrophyllite sprays. Another idea would be to stabilize the piece you're going to cut which might prevent the undercutting. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 20, 2022 10:32:33 GMT -5
Yeah...me too! I mean I can't wait until I can figure out HOW to work it properly! I worked a couple pieces the other day...and sure as heck, they undercut like CRAZY...like ridiculously bad! So...I'm pondering getting a set of flat lap hard disks and seeing if I can't work them like that. In theory, it should be possible to prevent undercutting...but I don't know if I can control the cab while I'm working it to avoid flat spots. This stuff is definitely worth giving it a shot... Astrophyllite is tricky. Having Eudialyte in there with it makes it doubly tricky. You will have to go slow on it with a very light touch to avoid pulling out the Astrophyllite sprays. Another idea would be to stabilize the piece you're going to cut which might prevent the undercutting. Thanks Robin. I almost tagged you on the comment you quoted! LOL So...I really did try slow, steady, with light pressure...and still ended up with crappy results. When I say light pressure...I mean I was trying everything I could not to depress the wheel at all...and about fell asleep with how long I was taking! (Not really! LOL) I thought about stabilizing it after the initial grind...which I'm sure would work...but I have yet to stabilize anything. I know I'm going to have to eventually plunge down that rabbit hole...and this stuff might make it sooner rather than later! LOL Do you think I'm wrong about trying to work these on a set of hard disks...or is it a bit of a folly to think it's even possible? |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 20, 2022 14:00:05 GMT -5
Astrophyllite is tricky. Having Eudialyte in there with it makes it doubly tricky. You will have to go slow on it with a very light touch to avoid pulling out the Astrophyllite sprays. Another idea would be to stabilize the piece you're going to cut which might prevent the undercutting. Thanks Robin. I almost tagged you on the comment you quoted! LOL So...I really did try slow, steady, with light pressure...and still ended up with crappy results. When I say light pressure...I mean I was trying everything I could not to depress the wheel at all...and about fell asleep with how long I was taking! (Not really! LOL) I thought about stabilizing it after the initial grind...which I'm sure would work...but I have yet to stabilize anything. I know I'm going to have to eventually plunge down that rabbit hole...and this stuff might make it sooner rather than later! LOL Do you think I'm wrong about trying to work these on a set of hard disks...or is it a bit of a folly to think it's even possible? I'm sure it can be done somehow. I think when Vince was cutting a piece of Eudialyte he used a flat hard disc for the initial shaping (I'm not sure what grit but I know it wasn't an 80) and then switched to the Eastwind flat laps because they are so smooth they don't undercut like the other resin discs. Do you still have your Eastwinds? It will take a lot longer to cut this stuff because you have to be so gentle with it. It's like cutting opal or fire obsidian. Cut a little, look a lot. Try it on the hard flat laps and see if it works. That's the only way to know for sure. If it doesn't work, then I'd go the fencejumper stabilizing route. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 20, 2022 15:39:33 GMT -5
Thanks Robin. I almost tagged you on the comment you quoted! LOL So...I really did try slow, steady, with light pressure...and still ended up with crappy results. When I say light pressure...I mean I was trying everything I could not to depress the wheel at all...and about fell asleep with how long I was taking! (Not really! LOL) I thought about stabilizing it after the initial grind...which I'm sure would work...but I have yet to stabilize anything. I know I'm going to have to eventually plunge down that rabbit hole...and this stuff might make it sooner rather than later! LOL Do you think I'm wrong about trying to work these on a set of hard disks...or is it a bit of a folly to think it's even possible? I'm sure it can be done somehow. I think when Vince was cutting a piece of Eudialyte he used a flat hard disc for the initial shaping (I'm not sure what grit but I know it wasn't an 80) and then switched to the Eastwind flat laps because they are so smooth they don't undercut like the other resin discs. Do you still have your Eastwinds? It will take a lot longer to cut this stuff because you have to be so gentle with it. It's like cutting opal or fire obsidian. Cut a little, look a lot. Try it on the hard flat laps and see if it works. That's the only way to know for sure. If it doesn't work, then I'd go the fencejumper stabilizing route. Now I get what you're saying about the "smooth" surface on the Eastwinds! That makes sense. Unfortunately, the only disks of theirs that I have are the 8k and 14k disks...and by the time I got to those, the damage would already be done... I may try them on the hard flat laps...but I need to get some first. If that fails...then I'll go the stabilizing route. Thank you my friend! |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 20, 2022 18:15:31 GMT -5
I'm sure it can be done somehow. I think when Vince was cutting a piece of Eudialyte he used a flat hard disc for the initial shaping (I'm not sure what grit but I know it wasn't an 80) and then switched to the Eastwind flat laps because they are so smooth they don't undercut like the other resin discs. Do you still have your Eastwinds? It will take a lot longer to cut this stuff because you have to be so gentle with it. It's like cutting opal or fire obsidian. Cut a little, look a lot. Try it on the hard flat laps and see if it works. That's the only way to know for sure. If it doesn't work, then I'd go the fencejumper stabilizing route. Now I get what you're saying about the "smooth" surface on the Eastwinds! That makes sense. Unfortunately, the only disks of theirs that I have are the 8k and 14k disks...and by the time I got to those, the damage would already be done... I may try them on the hard flat laps...but I need to get some first. If that fails...then I'll go the stabilizing route. Thank you my friend! Get some cheap toppers. That's what I use on the backs alot. No sense in spending tons on full blown laps.  If you get like a 180 and up, make sure you at least knock the tops off the coarser grits with an agate or something first. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 20, 2022 18:25:38 GMT -5
Now I get what you're saying about the "smooth" surface on the Eastwinds! That makes sense. Unfortunately, the only disks of theirs that I have are the 8k and 14k disks...and by the time I got to those, the damage would already be done... I may try them on the hard flat laps...but I need to get some first. If that fails...then I'll go the stabilizing route. Thank you my friend! Get some cheap toppers. That's what I use on the backs alot. No sense in spending tons on full blown laps. If you get like a 180 and up, make sure you at least knock the tops off the coarser grits with an agate or something first. I was thinking about getting these and seeing if they'd swap out the grits for 240/500/1000/1800/3000 disks. I already have the 80 and 180 hard disks. I'd start work on these cabs with my "worn in" 180 disk... www.ebay.com/itm/172171467133I'll definitely knock the edges off...I might have an agate or two sitting around that'll do the trick! LOL |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 20, 2022 18:31:53 GMT -5
Get some cheap toppers. That's what I use on the backs alot. No sense in spending tons on full blown laps. If you get like a 180 and up, make sure you at least knock the tops off the coarser grits with an agate or something first. I was thinking about getting these and seeing if they'd swap out the grits for 240/500/1000/1800/3000 disks. I already have the 80 and 180 hard disks. I'd start work on these cabs with my "worn in" 180 disk... www.ebay.com/itm/172171467133I'll definitely knock the edges off...I might have an agate or two sitting around that'll do the trick! LOL Go for it! |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Sept 20, 2022 18:55:31 GMT -5
I was thinking about getting these and seeing if they'd swap out the grits for 240/500/1000/1800/3000 disks. I already have the 80 and 180 hard disks. I'd start work on these cabs with my "worn in" 180 disk... www.ebay.com/itm/172171467133I'll definitely knock the edges off...I might have an agate or two sitting around that'll do the trick! LOL Go for it! Oh yeah!! What's the worse that could happen?? LOL  |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Sept 20, 2022 18:59:40 GMT -5
Oh yeah!! What's the worse that could happen?? LOL Use a small piece first to test it out. At least if it blows up, you won't miss it as much!  |
|
If you get like a 180 and up, make sure you at least knock the tops off the coarser grits with an agate or something first.
