rockbrain
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,172
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Post by rockbrain on Sept 21, 2023 17:49:48 GMT -5
I was kind of surprised when I saw folks here posting that it takes them a day to make a cab. There's nothing at all wrong with that but I was surprised by it. I think I make quite a few cabs that take about 15 minutes or so from when they are on the dop stick to final polish. Of course, it took me a bit longer when I was using an expando and changing belts. I have had some materials that have taken longer. Obsidian and Montana Agate are 2 that I can think of right now. I've probably spent a couple of hours on a few of them. And of course I've had to go back and regrind a few but that is happening less and less. So, no judgement here but just curious, how long does it take you to make an average cab? Also, are you doing it on a 6 wheel machine or something else?
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Post by stardiamond on Sept 21, 2023 18:45:05 GMT -5
From design to polish, I average less than an hour. The harder material like Montana Moss, Morrisonite and Blue Mountain more and softer material like Morgan Hill less. I don't cut perfect cabs but I am satisfied with the results along with my customers. I am more interested in the design than the cutting. I start with a very aggressive 80 grit and like to cut fast. I mark the bottom with a extra fine sharpie and stay outside the lines. I see demos that what I call rock ticklers, grind, check against the template, grind some more, etc. I won't attempt calibrated circles and ovals. The slowest work for me is earrings because I want them to match as best as I can which means shape and dome. For a pendant, I don't have to match anything. The only reason I make earrings is I have a silversmith who wants pendant, earring sets and a little custom work.
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Post by chris1956 on Sept 21, 2023 21:16:27 GMT -5
I don't have a lot of experience but it probably takes me about an hour on average. Providing my dop doesn't fail along the way.
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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 Sept 21, 2023 22:17:21 GMT -5
Depending on the size and material. Between 30 min to 1 hour. Every time I cut a cab, I try to make it as perfect as possible (sometimes the stone has plans of its own). If I’m going to put time into producing something, I’m going to do my best to make it look as nice as possible. Even if that means taking extra time.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Sept 22, 2023 4:13:03 GMT -5
I feel like I’m still pretty slow because I just don’t have a lot of time and am still figuring out my own process. Many months I only get one cab made for the contest which is a nice incentive to at least get that one done. I’ve gotten into a system though where I do kind of assembly line. One night I’ll spend a few hours starting several, usually 5 or 6 to the dop point including lay-out and trim sawing. Then a second night I’ll spend another few hours doing the doming and trying to get some finished. If I manage to get all 6 done in about 6 hours I guess that’s an hour each but usually there are a couple that don’t turn out or I have to go back and fix so probably more than an hour each. I’m very finicky though so usually spend more time on things than may be needed. I use a 6 wheel machine.
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fencejumper
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2021
Posts: 441
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Post by fencejumper on Sept 22, 2023 5:59:38 GMT -5
Sometimes its an easy go… others? Not so much.
Rounds take me longer
As i ALWAYS go back a few wheels.
In a perfect world…i can make a piece i am happy with in 47.34 minutes.🤣
Plus or minus a week!
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rocknewb101
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2022
Posts: 1,368
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Post by rocknewb101 on Sept 22, 2023 8:36:35 GMT -5
I'm relatively new to cabbing, especially on the CabKing. I tried the slant lap with dissatisfactory results. I usually get several preforms ready, then I'll shape them on the 80 or 220 (material depending) and take the girdle side to the 280 soft to remove scratches, then I dop, mark my girdle line and then I start doming. I struggle right now with deep scratches on a new machine so it takes me quite a while until I'm happy to move on. I do normally take longer than an hour, but I have managed to completed a couple in about that time..
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Sept 22, 2023 8:43:54 GMT -5
I've never timed it but I'd say cutting a cab takes me somewhere around an hour.
I'm working on a 6 wheel machine and the wheels are VERY worn. That reminds me I really need to do something about that 🤣
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Post by broseph82 on Sept 22, 2023 15:17:31 GMT -5
Sometimes its an easy go… others? Not so much. Rounds take me longer As i ALWAYS go back a few wheels. In a perfect world…i can make a piece i am happy with in 47.34 minutes.🤣 Plus or minus a week! If you're doing a lot of work switch out those soft 280/600 every 6-8mo. Makes a huge difference and may not have to go back down any. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Sept 22, 2023 15:43:25 GMT -5
I tend to cab in lots. I will start by finding a small stack of slabs, trace out and cut 5-10, sometimes more preforms. They then go to the freshwater cabmate to be shaped most of the way without being domed, and I mix up enough epoxy and aluminum dops to dop them. Some get a T shaped dop and double stick tape. I think with the assembly line it works out to about 10 minutes per cab, less in some cases. Those will set overnight at least usually, if in a hurry that's where the tape is used,
Next session is shaping the domes on all the ones that I don't lose interest in or otherwise destroy, also on the cabmate unless it's too soft for 80 grit textured. Survivors go to the Genie, the rest go to the tumble bucket with saw scraps. I usually run all through the left side of the genie, inspect with optivisor, redo those that need it, then on the right I inspect after each wheel. Some go on to a cerium wheel. Then off the dops and the more clear ones or obsidian get's a trip down the wheels on the back of the cab, also dependent on how they will be set.
I haven't ever really tracked them, but guessing average is around 30 minutes each for most.
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Post by jasoninsd on Sept 23, 2023 9:45:48 GMT -5
Depending on how hard the material is, makes a difference as to time...for me. Softer materials can take potentially 20 minutes. Harder materials tend to be more like 40-45. "Difficult" materials may take an hour. What takes me the longest is when I don't get the dome shaped right coming off the 220. If I'm chasing a flat spot, that's what eats up the time. If I've got it right coming off the 220, then it's fairly quick with the subsequent wheels. I'm cabbing on a 6-wheel 6" machine...
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Post by rockjunquie on Sept 26, 2023 14:21:38 GMT -5
I'm guessing it takes me between 15 and 45 minutes to finish a cab, but I don't typically polish the backs. jasoninsd and others, I'm sure, mentioned the soft materials working faster. It takes me longer to do soft stones. Because soft stuff is so easy to mess up, I slow way down. With hard stones, I can cab really fast with few mistakes. I have been known to miss scratches, though. Seriously, my eye sight just gets worse and worse. |
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Post by MsAli on Sept 26, 2023 17:42:04 GMT -5
I'm gonna say there is a difference between making cabs and making good cabs.
Average is about 30-45 minutes
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Post by stardiamond on Sept 26, 2023 19:58:13 GMT -5
I'm guessing it takes me between 15 and 45 minutes to finish a cab, but I don't typically polish the backs. jasoninsd and others, I'm sure, mentioned the soft materials working faster. It takes me longer to do soft stones. Because soft stuff is so easy to mess up, I slow way down. With hard stones, I can cab really fast with few mistakes. I have been known to miss scratches, though. Seriously, my eye sight just gets worse and worse. I was afraid to cut soft stones. The first one I tried was Indian Paint and I made a potato chip. My wife bought a Clay Canyon variscite cab with the purpose of having it recut. I cut the preform and then waited 10 years to dome it. I am no longer afraid of softer materials and start with a higher grit wheel and don't rush it. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Sept 26, 2023 20:36:59 GMT -5
I'm guessing it takes me between 15 and 45 minutes to finish a cab, but I don't typically polish the backs. jasoninsd and others, I'm sure, mentioned the soft materials working faster. It takes me longer to do soft stones. Because soft stuff is so easy to mess up, I slow way down. With hard stones, I can cab really fast with few mistakes. I have been known to miss scratches, though. Seriously, my eye sight just gets worse and worse. I was afraid to cut soft stones. The first one I tried was Indian Paint and I made a potato chip. My wife bought a Clay Canyon variscite cab with the purpose of having it recut. I cut the preform and then waited 10 years to dome it. I am no longer afraid of softer materials and start with a higher grit wheel and don't rush it. I'm not afraid of cabbing softer soft, at all, I rather like cabbing it. |
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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 Sept 26, 2023 20:50:59 GMT -5
I’ll cut a crayon if I think it’ll look cool
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Post by stardiamond on Sept 26, 2023 20:55:32 GMT -5
I was afraid to cut soft stones. The first one I tried was Indian Paint and I made a potato chip. My wife bought a Clay Canyon variscite cab with the purpose of having it recut. I cut the preform and then waited 10 years to dome it. I am no longer afraid of softer materials and start with a higher grit wheel and don't rush it. I'm not afraid of cabbing softer soft, at all, I rather like cabbing it. I said I was afraid of soft material. |
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dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,158
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Post by dshanpnw on Sept 27, 2023 7:43:00 GMT -5
One of my favorite stones to cab is Owyhee jasper because it shapes well, and it isn't super hard, and is easy to work with, but it still takes me about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours for those. I'm pretty surprised at how fast some people can make a cab form the responses above. I can make one with Death Valley Indian Blanket rhyolite/jasper in about 20 minutes, super soft. A Montana agate can take me at least 2 hours, probably more, and sometimes when I can't get rid of the scratches I'll wait until the next day and try again. So for the in between on the Mohs scale, 6, it usually takes me at least 1 hour, and that's after it has been dopped. I use a 6" 6 wheel machine. I have taken lots of preforms off the dop and put them in a tumbler too if I think they are mediocre or might not cab right. I do that with a lot of heart shaped ones.
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Post by tims on Sept 28, 2023 22:11:02 GMT -5
At least an hour, probably closer to 2. That's just time with the rock touching the wheels. 2 wheel arbor and mix of drum and wheels in assorted widths and from 6 to 10" diameter.
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brotherbill
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 388
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Post by brotherbill on Sept 29, 2023 6:50:54 GMT -5
Most cabs I cut are small ring or earring size and are finished in under 1/2 an hour. That is on on 4 inch wheels, it might be marginally faster on 6 inchers.
The exception to the time is when making round stones. I cut the profile on a flat lap and am anal about the roundness. That alone can take an additional 15-30 minutes.
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