rocknrob
has rocks in the head
If Costco only sold slabs in bulk...
Member since May 2024
Posts: 620
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Post by rocknrob on Jun 16, 2024 21:36:42 GMT -5
Double test! Father's Day Chrysocolla and Lapis grind with full size camera picture. It's as macro as I can get with a standard lens on the old Canon but it's lightyears beyond the quality I was getting on the cell phone on my earlier pictures. This is just an old DSLR with a 18-55 kit lens. Wish I had an actual macro lens. This softer material works quick but that's a double edged sword when trying to learn how to remove facets in the grind.  |
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Post by tribeunited on Jun 16, 2024 21:47:42 GMT -5
Gorgeous colors! Seems like a Father's Day well spent. The chrysocolla is my favorite, so bright and shiny!
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rocknrob
has rocks in the head
If Costco only sold slabs in bulk...
Member since May 2024
Posts: 620
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Post by rocknrob on Jun 16, 2024 22:10:03 GMT -5
Gorgeous colors! Seems like a Father's Day well spent. The chrysocolla is my favorite, so bright and shiny! Thank you! Lapis is always one of my more favorite minerals and if I can use the grey and pyrite to pop some contrast into a cabochon I'll do it in a heartbeat. I seem to have developed a pretty strong admiration for those copper based minerals too. The chrysocolla has been so much more forgiving than the malachite or azurite for me so I've been working with it more. It's soft and tricky especially in the earlier stages. There still are facets on it that I really should smooth out but it's so easy to remove too much material from it. I might have to try a different plate on the flat lap to shape with. It was a 180 grit. |
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Post by liveoak on Jun 17, 2024 6:25:41 GMT -5
You are much braver than me ! When I first started out, I was afraid to try and cab any of my "good stuff". Soft stones can definitely be tricky, but it looks like you got a nice polish. Best of all, sounds like you're having fun.
Patty
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Post by liveoak on Jun 17, 2024 12:24:51 GMT -5
Those are NICE specimens ! (too bad you removed the photos)
Patty
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rocknrob
has rocks in the head
If Costco only sold slabs in bulk...
Member since May 2024
Posts: 620
|
Post by rocknrob on Jun 17, 2024 20:04:08 GMT -5
Holy smokes! Kingsley North is selling Lapis rough at 3.25 a gram. Is that price for real?
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 18, 2024 6:32:28 GMT -5
Beautiful, bright colors and nice cutting! What more can you ask for?
I thought I saw somewhere where you posted some lapis chunks. Was that a different thread? Anyway- I bought some chunks to cut for cabs, too and was very happy. The color bar's are nice and thick. I have bought some lapis slabs where the color bar was so thin it was almost impossible to get a good cab.
BUT, I'm a sucker for pretty chrysocolla. That's my fave.
I prefer to cab soft stones. They work up quicker, so it's almost immediate satisfaction for my ADD self. LOL!
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rocknrob
has rocks in the head
If Costco only sold slabs in bulk...
Member since May 2024
Posts: 620
|
Post by rocknrob on Jun 18, 2024 10:52:14 GMT -5
Beautiful, bright colors and nice cutting! What more can you ask for?
I thought I saw somewhere where you posted some lapis chunks. Was that a different thread? Anyway- I bought some chunks to cut for cabs, too and was very happy. The color bar's are nice and thick. I have bought some lapis slabs where the color bar was so thin it was almost impossible to get a good cab.
BUT, I'm a sucker for pretty chrysocolla. That's my fave.
I prefer to cab soft stones. They work up quicker, so it's almost immediate satisfaction for my ADD self. LOL!
I did take the photos down, just because I thought it really didn't apply to a cabochon thread. Call it self-editing  . That being said, I'll look around for a specimen thread and post it there. I'm a sphere junkie so there's always an opportunity to show some of those beauties off. I'm tackling the ADD side of myself as well. I'll work on a super hard jasper one time and need a break so that's when the chrysocolla and sodalite come out. I'll keep an eye out for more lapis rough (that isn't 3.25 a gram) Kingsley North is charging too much I think unless it's ultra high-grade stuff. - Rob |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 18, 2024 13:25:47 GMT -5
Ok, I didn't think I was going nuts... but ya never know. LOL!
I thought it was on topic and it is YOUR thread, after all. Don't be TOO concerned about being off topic. Lord knows some threads go to some strange places.  |
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Post by jasoninsd on Jun 19, 2024 22:05:38 GMT -5
One would think softer material is easier to work when someone's starting out...but harder material is far easier to learn techniques. There's a ton of room for error when working harder material...
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rocknrob
has rocks in the head
If Costco only sold slabs in bulk...
Member since May 2024
Posts: 620
|
Post by rocknrob on Jun 20, 2024 18:56:45 GMT -5
One would think softer material is easier to work when someone's starting out...but harder material is far easier to learn techniques. There's a ton of room for error when working harder material... Hehe, softer material is quicker to find out how badly I borked the grind  |
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. That being said, I'll look around for a specimen thread and post it there. I'm a sphere junkie so there's always an opportunity to show some of those beauties off.
