rockbrain
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 7, 2023 8:49:16 GMT -5
Just wondering what everyone uses for drawing their cabs on a slab and marking the girdle on the side. I've tried a few different things like a sharpened aluminum rod and ballpoint pen. I had been mostly using a ballpoint pin and tried a pencil the other day. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the pencil works. The pen sometimes doesn't want to mark and other times washes off with the water from the saw and grinder. The pencil shows up pretty well, seems to stay in place but comes off easily enough when I want it to. I can sharpen it to a fine point and get a really precise line. I feel like I've made a great discovery that I'm sure has been used by a lot of people for years. I just don't recall seeing it mentioned. I've wanted to try a brass rod too, but I keep misplacing it, which is another plus for the pencil. I can usually find one! For a 1/4" thick slab it seems to work out pretty well for girdle size if I just lay the pencil down and flip the preform on it's face. If it doesn't or I'm working with an uneven slab I place the pencil or preform on a cab template or templates as shims to adjust the height. Most of my templates are fairly thick plastic but I have 2 thin ones when needed. Is there a better way that I'm not aware of?
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,495
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Post by realrockhound on Jul 7, 2023 8:53:44 GMT -5
I use a sharpened pencil. Sharpies points just aren’t sharp enough to follow my stencils
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 7, 2023 9:10:25 GMT -5
I never liked Sharpies for this. On a side note, as I'm gaining accuracy I'm realizing a lot of my templates are off. They're not symmetrical. I'm having to draw them then flip them over to redraw one side. I thought they would be made a bit better for what they cost.
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aGates
has rocks in the head
Building a silver studio
Member since January 2021
Posts: 518
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Post by aGates on Jul 7, 2023 11:17:56 GMT -5
Ultra fine point sharpie has been a nice discovery for me. Comes in black red and green and the durability is preferred as it has a metal side to it's tip that holds up well to the stencil. rockbrain |
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Post by Starguy on Jul 7, 2023 12:35:04 GMT -5
I use a sharpened aluminum rod. It has always worked for me but a pencil would be my second choice.
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gunsil
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2023
Posts: 345
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Post by gunsil on Jul 7, 2023 13:36:15 GMT -5
I am not making any calibrated cabs since I make all my settings and I use a marker pen. I also seldom make a true girdle, just a sharp curved taper down from the edge. Sets as easy or easier than a girdle. I have made a few calibrated stones and still use the marker pen (not even a fine point) and just grind to the outside of the mark.
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Post by stardiamond on Jul 7, 2023 15:23:26 GMT -5
Fine point sharpie for the trim saw. Extra fine point for drawing shape on the bottom using a template, pencil for girdle. I previously drew the shape using a pencil but the lines washed off frequently.
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Post by chris1956 on Jul 7, 2023 15:51:29 GMT -5
What do people use when you have a dark green or black slab? I have tried the aluminum and brass rods but they don't seem to show up well enough on the trim saw because I use oil and it tends to get dirty fast. I tried the white correction fluid type markers but it seems like you have to press hard and I always seem to end up with correction fluid going under the template and making a mess. What I have done lately is to draw the pattern on the slab with sharpie (even if you can barely see it) or rod. Then I take the white correction type marker and put dots around the pattern. I find the dots easier to do than trying to draw a line with the correction marker.
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Post by stardiamond on Jul 7, 2023 17:54:07 GMT -5
My aim isn't great with a trim saw, so I like to leave room outside the lines and then finish the shape grinding. A fine tip sharpie line is not likely to go away.
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Post by liveoak on Jul 8, 2023 5:52:39 GMT -5
I tend to use a new fine sharpie, and on some stones it washes off when trimming. I guess the coolant does that. I've used a pencil & told myself it's not dark enough - but then if it stayed on, it would be less annoying.
Good reminder!
Patty
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 8, 2023 9:23:26 GMT -5
I normally use an ultra fine point Sharpie, but I've also used pencil and aluminum or brass sharpened rods. What I'm going to get (I forgot all about these) are extra fine point paint pens. I used to use them on glass when I was doing stained glass. The white or metallic ones would be awesome for dark stones. They also come in all different colors now.  |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 8, 2023 22:11:27 GMT -5
I normally use an ultra fine point Sharpie, but I've also used pencil and aluminum or brass sharpened rods. What I'm going to get (I forgot all about these) are extra fine point paint pens. I used to use them on glass when I was doing stained glass. The white or metallic ones would be awesome for dark stones. They also come in all different colors now. I never thought of those and my wife has loads of them! |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 8, 2023 22:12:12 GMT -5
A nice thing I noticed with pencil is I can use it when the stone is still wet.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jul 8, 2023 22:27:25 GMT -5
I have a fine tipped Sharpie, aluminum point, and brass point available at my cabbing station. I use whichever one is showing best on the color of my stone. The other day I took some slabs inside and traced cab templates while watching tv. Too lazy to go to the garage to get my normal tools, I used a pencil from the kitchen. I found that this actually ended up wearing off during the trim saw process. I use an oil cooled saw. I had to re-trace before grinding my pre-forms. So I’ll probably stick with my original three but I like the idea of the paint markers. I didn’t realize those came in super fine tip.
I’m curious about the side of the slab that most people mark. I just can’t bring myself to mark the back. I’m too particular about the exact placement of my template on what will be my front. But then when I grind my tapered edge, I have to grind with the front facing down. The way I deal with this is I grind a perpendicular edge first. It’s an extra step but then I have the shape basically transferred to the back.
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Post by jasoninsd on Jul 8, 2023 22:30:06 GMT -5
rockbrain: So...normally I use a fine (extra fine) tipped Sharpie for marking my girdle, as well as my shapes on my preforms. I've also noticed the stencils aren't symmetrical! I will use a mechanical pencil if the material is porous to the point I know it will absorb a Sharpie... chris1956For my DARK stones, where a black Sharpie or pencil won't show, I color the entire sides of the cab with a "metallic" colored Sharpie. I use a silver one. Once I've colored the entire edge silver, I'll go back with my fine tipped Sharpie and draw the girdle line. It's the only way I've figured out how not to lose visual sight of the girdle line on dark stones.
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 9, 2023 9:06:12 GMT -5
For my DARK stones, where a black Sharpie or pencil won't show, I color the entire sides of the cab with a "metallic" colored Sharpie. I use a silver one. Once I've colored the entire edge silver, I'll go back with my fine tipped Sharpie and draw the girdle line. It's the only way I've figured out how not to lose visual sight of the girdle line on dark stones. Brilliant! |
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