rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 8:38:58 GMT -5
Hi all! Through my interactions with Dan at Kinesava Rocks (and because he's sent me some pretty amazing rocks!!) I've decided to try my hand at carving with a Dremel. I think it will help with my (lack of) patience while waiting on my tumbles to try something similar, but different. My dremel and diamond bits have arrived, I've ordered sanding discs from 60 - 10000 grit and have some polishing pads too. I have looked and looked through the forum and google for a solid set of instructions (what pad/attachment, etc to use) and am not finding anything that helps me step-by-step. I know I need to use water while carving. Do I need to use a polish agent? The dremel comes with a polishing agent - or does the pad do the job alone? Hubby also has a very cool flexible extension tool that'll make using the dremel much easier. Yesterday hubby and I spent time cutting some of these rocks into slabs with his tile saw (berber agate, marvy agate, some kind of blue agate (which looks amazing btw!), petrified wood and agatized barite - which I need to cut down somehow first) and am ready to start, but not really sure where to start. Thinking I'd like to try polishing both slabs (keep one side rough and the cut face polished) and also try simple carvings to start - heart, button, etc. If anyone has any tips, pointers or can point me in the right direction on the forum I would be forever grateful  Thank you!! |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 24, 2022 9:06:51 GMT -5
I've learned that it takes a much coarser git of diamond burs to carve anything on a harder stone (without it taking FOREVER).
Look at the 36 grit burs I found them a good place to start Jade Carver
Good Luck - Have Patience,
Patty
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 9:24:30 GMT -5
I've learned that it takes a much coarser git of diamond burs to carve anything on a harder stone (without it taking FOREVER).
Look at the 36 grit burs I found them a good place to start Jade Carver
Good Luck - Have Patience,
Patty
Thank you Patty! I did get a separate set of diamond burs, but I'm not sure on the grit. I'll have to look closer and see if I can find it anywhere. Set didn't even include a list of what it included, which maybe is my first clue. More patience hahaha! Will do - thank you |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 24, 2022 10:44:14 GMT -5
Henry Hunt's books Lapidary Carving for Creative Jewelry and American Lapidary: Designing the Carved Gemstone are the best books for a complete overview on carving. Unfortunately they are out of print and extremely expensive if you want to buy them. You can check with your library to see if they have them or if they can get them from another library via the library network on loan. Everybody carves stone using different tools and different techniques. It is kind of a fly by your pants art. You can make your own tools, buy them or use a tool designed for something else that will work. If you are carving hard stones, I would do what Patty liveoak suggested and get some lower grit burs or you will be grinding forever to shape your stone. I am unclear what exactly you want to carve. Is is a shape out of a stone or just outlined onto a stone? What you will need is different for both of those scenarios. Diamond will make faster work of the stone than small SIC discs. You will need a polishing agent other than the red rouge that comes with a Dremel. Rouge is intended for metal and can get into small cracks, pits or vugs in your stone and it stain it. It's made out of iron oxide. 3,000 - 14,000 grit diamond paste is what you most likely will need. Be aware that when you carve, you need to go through the grits to achieve a polish just as if you were cabbing. That means you need to have different grits of the burs you will be using in order to achieve a polish. Here is a thread I did while carving an opal that has some information in it that you might find helpful (or not).  |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 24, 2022 10:57:40 GMT -5
At that price, I think you could pay someone else to carve it for you 
Having JUST finished my first fully carved cab, I can testify to that.
Robin is 1000% correct rocknewb101don't skimp on the grits.
Patty
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 24, 2022 11:30:59 GMT -5
rocknewb101 good that you have a flex shaft, they make things so much easier and keep the water away from the electrical stuff. Starting with a burr assortment and figuring out what works best for you is a good start. Once you decide look for those shapes in bulk. When it comes to shaping, I really like the 1" to 1 1/2" SiC cut off wheels on mandrels, the ones without the mesh in them. I usually stack a couple or 3. Ball end burrs are my other primary tool, I think 4mm are my biggest. If you don't have one and your dremel will support it, a foot pedal speed control really helps the process as well so your hands are free and you can quickly stop when needed. I dip stone and burr in water, use a double bowl dog dish to extend the time before I change water, and I wear a mask and safety glass bifocals with an optivisor nearby. For polishing I mostly use diamond paste on nylon brush bits, for the 220 paste where I might still be cleaning up flat spots I like felt bobs and I have chucked up toothpicks for the inside of the holes in pendants before as well. Since I have a cab grinder and lap, most flat and convex surfaces are done there, leaving only the concave surfaces for the carving.
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 24, 2022 11:34:53 GMT -5
liveoak that was your first? Dang, you kinda got in ahead of me... You'll see... Maybe tonight or tomorrow...
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 12:40:32 GMT -5
Henry Hunt's books Lapidary Carving for Creative Jewelry and American Lapidary: Designing the Carved Gemstone are the best books for a complete overview on carving. Unfortunately they are out of print and extremely expensive if you want to buy them. You can check with your library to see if they have them or if they can get them from another library via the library network on loan. Everybody carves stone using different tools and different techniques. It is kind of a fly by your pants art. You can make your own tools, buy them or use a tool designed for something else that will work. If you are carving hard stones, I would do what Patty liveoak suggested and get some lower grit burs or you will be grinding forever to shape your stone. I am unclear what exactly you want to carve. Is is a shape out of a stone or just outlined onto a stone? What you will need is different for both of those scenarios. Diamond will make faster work of the stone than small SIC discs. You will need a polishing agent other than the red rouge that comes with a Dremel. Rouge is intended for metal and can get into small cracks, pits or vugs in your stone and it stain it. It's made out of iron oxide. 3,000 - 14,000 grit diamond paste is what you most likely will need. Be aware that when you carve, you need to go through the grits to achieve a polish just as if you were cabbing. That means you need to have different grits of the burs you will be using in order to achieve a polish. Here is a thread I did while carving an opal that has some information in it that you might find helpful (or not). Thank you thank you! I'm not really sure what I want to do. For now very simple things like a heart, or just learning the carving/polishing process. Sounds like i just need to pull up my bootstraps and get to work. Thanks for the tip on the rouge - I wondered about the staining - i'll not use that and instead look for diamond paste. Thanks for the link to your thread. I think I looked over it already, but will revisit. Appreciate the tips for sure! |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 24, 2022 12:44:10 GMT -5
Henry Hunt's books Lapidary Carving for Creative Jewelry and American Lapidary: Designing the Carved Gemstone are the best books for a complete overview on carving. Unfortunately they are out of print and extremely expensive if you want to buy them. You can check with your library to see if they have them or if they can get them from another library via the library network on loan. Everybody carves stone using different tools and different techniques. It is kind of a fly by your pants art. You can make your own tools, buy them or use a tool designed for something else that will work. If you are carving hard stones, I would do what Patty liveoak suggested and get some lower grit burs or you will be grinding forever to shape your stone. I am unclear what exactly you want to carve. Is is a shape out of a stone or just outlined onto a stone? What you will need is different for both of those scenarios. Diamond will make faster work of the stone than small SIC discs. You will need a polishing agent other than the red rouge that comes with a Dremel. Rouge is intended for metal and can get into small cracks, pits or vugs in your stone and it stain it. It's made out of iron oxide. 3,000 - 14,000 grit diamond paste is what you most likely will need. Be aware that when you carve, you need to go through the grits to achieve a polish just as if you were cabbing. That means you need to have different grits of the burs you will be using in order to achieve a polish. Here is a thread I did while carving an opal that has some information in it that you might find helpful (or not). Thank you thank you! I'm not really sure what I want to do. For now very simple things like a heart, or just learning the carving/polishing process. Sounds like i just need to pull up my bootstraps and get to work. Thanks for the tip on the rouge - I wondered about the staining - i'll not use that and instead look for diamond paste. Thanks for the link to your thread. I think I looked over it already, but will revisit. Appreciate the tips for sure! Shout out if you get stuck and I'll try to help. |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 12:45:48 GMT -5
rocknewb101 good that you have a flex shaft, they make things so much easier and keep the water away from the electrical stuff. Starting with a burr assortment and figuring out what works best for you is a good start. Once you decide look for those shapes in bulk. When it comes to shaping, I really like the 1" to 1 1/2" SiC cut off wheels on mandrels, the ones without the mesh in them. I usually stack a couple or 3. Ball end burrs are my other primary tool, I think 4mm are my biggest. If you don't have one and your dremel will support it, a foot pedal speed control really helps the process as well so your hands are free and you can quickly stop when needed. I dip stone and burr in water, use a double bowl dog dish to extend the time before I change water, and I wear a mask and safety glass bifocals with an optivisor nearby. For polishing I mostly use diamond paste on nylon brush bits, for the 220 paste where I might still be cleaning up flat spots I like felt bobs and I have chucked up toothpicks for the inside of the holes in pendants before as well. Since I have a cab grinder and lap, most flat and convex surfaces are done there, leaving only the concave surfaces for the carving. - thank you for this info - I'm excited for the flex shaft and if he didn't already have one, i would have bought one. Mask and goggles will be a must, I do not want to inhale the dust for sure - love the idea for the double dog bowl! Appreciate your suggestions for what you are using with regard to the wheels and burrs. That's helpful. |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 12:46:20 GMT -5
Thank you thank you! I'm not really sure what I want to do. For now very simple things like a heart, or just learning the carving/polishing process. Sounds like i just need to pull up my bootstraps and get to work. Thanks for the tip on the rouge - I wondered about the staining - i'll not use that and instead look for diamond paste. Thanks for the link to your thread. I think I looked over it already, but will revisit. Appreciate the tips for sure! Shout out if you get stuck and I'll try to help. THANK YOU! |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 12:47:47 GMT -5
At that price, I think you could pay someone else to carve it for you 
Having JUST finished my first fully carved cab, I can testify to that.
Robin is 1000% correct rocknewb101 don't skimp on the grits.
Patty
Thanks! I'll make sure not to do that! |
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 24, 2022 15:24:53 GMT -5
I've learned that it takes a much coarser git of diamond burs to carve anything on a harder stone (without it taking FOREVER).
Look at the 36 grit burs I found them a good place to start Jade Carver
Good Luck - Have Patience,
Patty
Patty - thank you for this suggestion - I looked at what I ordered and 60 grit was lowest. I ordered the 36 grit burs as suggested. |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 24, 2022 16:06:50 GMT -5
Here's the set up that I use.
I found it nice to make the bur (Dremel or flex shaft) stationary and hand hold the rock.
I'm sure dipping the rock in water works, as that's what other people do,
but I took it a step further & purchased this Flex Cooler so I didn't have to think about it & just have water misting (with added mister head).
You'll be glad of the 36 grit & if I learned anything this month, choose a softer stone for your first try.
Patty
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 24, 2022 19:25:41 GMT -5
Here's the set up that I use.
I found it nice to make the bur (Dremel or flex shaft) stationary and hand hold the rock.
I'm sure dipping the rock in water works, as that's what other people do,
but I took it a step further & purchased this Flex Cooler so I didn't have to think about it & just have water misting (with added mister head).
You'll be glad of the 36 grit & if I learned anything this month, choose a softer stone for your first try.
Patty
Oooh, Patty, where did you get the mister head? I have a fixed system now to with a drip, but the mister sounds better to me. |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 24, 2022 19:37:15 GMT -5
There's lots of these things on Amazon.
You just might have to adapt it to your system.
Patty
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 24, 2022 19:41:20 GMT -5
There's lots of these things on Amazon.
You just might have to adapt it to your system.
Patty
Thanks, Patty! |
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 24, 2022 21:33:30 GMT -5
liveoak I haven't tried carving with a fixed burr yet, but I do have the pieces to make it in my accumulation of equipment parts. It would really help with the current project for sure. I also have one of those budget patio mister kits that didn't work for that at all but would be super for this. Really like your setup, and using the tray of the cabber to catch the water instead of making one just for it is very nice.
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Oct 25, 2022 7:17:08 GMT -5
Here's the set up that I use.
I found it nice to make the bur (Dremel or flex shaft) stationary and hand hold the rock.
I'm sure dipping the rock in water works, as that's what other people do,
but I took it a step further & purchased this Flex Cooler so I didn't have to think about it & just have water misting (with added mister head).
You'll be glad of the 36 grit & if I learned anything this month, choose a softer stone for your first try.
Patty
I would love love love a set up like this. It's just not in my budget. might look up that mister though. That would be much easier than constant dipping |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 25, 2022 10:38:41 GMT -5
Here's the set up that I use.
I found it nice to make the bur (Dremel or flex shaft) stationary and hand hold the rock.
I'm sure dipping the rock in water works, as that's what other people do,
but I took it a step further & purchased this Flex Cooler so I didn't have to think about it & just have water misting (with added mister head).
You'll be glad of the 36 grit & if I learned anything this month, choose a softer stone for your first try.
Patty
I would love love love a set up like this. It's just not in my budget. might look up that mister though. That would be much easier than constant dipping You can make one. Ignore Patty's shiny cabber there in the picture. All you need to do is make a fixed stand out of wood for your flex shaft. Clamp the base on your work table. Use a shallow pan of some sort under it to catch water. Add some type of splash shield at the back of it (I use one of these because I already had it) and you're ready to go. It doesn't have to be pretty; it just needs to work.  liveoak, did you do a post on how you made your carving station? I think you may have, but I'm not sure. |
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