Jon
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 43
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Post by Jon on Jan 11, 2005 18:38:11 GMT -5
Besides docone31 and me, how many faceters out there?
Tell us who you are, which machine you use, what you facet.
If enough of us, maybe we can get our own Forum here?
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Post by docone31 on Jan 11, 2005 22:46:52 GMT -5
Jon, we are it. Faceting is a dying art. People can get a "faceted" stone from overseas at a fraction of the cost we would have to charge. Most folks don't know, and don't care about ISO, meet point, and plane axial alignment. I have a 30yr old Facetron. It isn't made anymore. That is too bad. A lot of the features make it very desireable. I am getting a supercharged Ultratec. All digital. It isn't a Facette, but it is a Bently compared to a Rolls. I cannot wait. You were asking about facet rough. Ebay! I have gotten more prime facet rough from the mine run batches of Rubies, Emeralds. I mean prime! I have tumbled the batches and the tumbling has broken down the matrix and wow! Another great place to find facet rough is driveway tag sales, fleamarkets, and talking to fuddy duddies. A lot of them were lapidariasts. All they have to know is you are serious about lapidary. They have had no one to talk to for years. They reward your listening to them, and asking informed questions with bags of prime rough. Welcome aboard Jon. We know things, and the folks here on the forum are hungry to learn.
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jan 12, 2005 2:30:49 GMT -5
Hey wait a minute! I may be a newbie, but I'm giving it a shot. I'd love to get set up to do quality work, but right now I an just learning the ropes. These were done on a 'Lap-Lap". My friggin marble- Apache tear, but it was cut to thick. None the less my daughter loves it So please take me with you!
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Post by sandsman1 on Jan 12, 2005 5:36:05 GMT -5
dam banjo lookin good man --i realy like that tear
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HarryB41
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2004
Posts: 605
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Post by HarryB41 on Jan 12, 2005 7:56:47 GMT -5
My hat is off and I am deeply humbled to those of you with the gift to turn simple items into such beautiful treasures. I wish I had the gift and the patience. I love them all.
Harry
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Post by docone31 on Jan 12, 2005 9:35:49 GMT -5
And there were three...... Soon we will no longer be a minority! Soon we will have majority power! We will take the streets! We will force the "others" to have their children take lapidary in schools, we will instill jewelery repair and manufacture classes in school, We will recquire everybody to know the difference between plating, and electroforming! We will rule! We will recquire everybody, we will force everybody to like stones of their own free will! We will make ISO, R/I, an household term. We will make the broadcasting networks show specials on tumbling, cabbing, faceting, stone setting, soldering/brazing. We will recquire everybody to have refractory plaster available for casting. We will force everybody to be equal! Of course some people are more equal than others. Banjo, great job! I like the setting. The prongs are well done. I have to make a setting for an Apache Tear. It is 21mm across at the girdle. It is cut in a brilliant cut. The culette is so deep the pendant is going to sit way out. You did a good job. The polish is great around the prongs. I like it.
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Post by creativeminded on Jan 12, 2005 10:27:19 GMT -5
Banjocreek, you did a great job on both of those. Tami
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jan 12, 2005 11:58:00 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments. And after Doc's exhortation... I am wondering if I am one of those who is more equal. Or if on the other hand I might be one who is less equal. But I suppose when all is said and done, and there is more said than done I am more or less equal!
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Exotica
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 39
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Post by Exotica on Jan 12, 2005 12:44:41 GMT -5
I want to learn faceting! I am going to start reading up on it soon, once I am done with the current projects I am doing. Probably the end of the year! I buy facet rough to use the way it comes in jewelry. I get mine on eBay and have a wonderful seller who sends me pictures of all the unusual stuff he gets his hands on - which I asked him to do. His user name on eBay is gemronny, and his store is Absolute Gemstones. I am partial to him because he takes excellent care of me and has had handled special requests excellently.
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Jon
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 43
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Post by Jon on Jan 12, 2005 13:04:33 GMT -5
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Jon
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 43
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Post by Jon on Jan 12, 2005 13:18:18 GMT -5
Here are the various faceting machines available today, brand NEW, in order of price: Graves (Mark I - $1,395, Mark IV - $1,195) Good starting machine, but not as accurate as others www.gravescompany.com/faceting.htmFacetron ($1,995) Recommended www.facetron.com/facetron.htmlUltra Tec ($2,950) Highly recommended www.ultratec-facet.com/V2Main.htmFac-Ette ($4,495) Recommended, but expensive www.facetingmachines.com/fac-ette_gemmaster.shtml
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RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Post by RedwoodRocks on Jan 12, 2005 13:51:50 GMT -5
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Exotica
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 39
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Post by Exotica on Jan 12, 2005 13:57:33 GMT -5
Sounds good! Thanks for the links. I found a guy on eBay that sells tutorials and e-books on different aspects of jewelry and lapidary. I am working my way through is wire wrap course and gemology course right now. He has a bunch of them on faceting, cabbing, and making homemade machines for both. I plan on doing his gemstone setting course next following by his how to course on all types of gem cutting. Then I will probably move on to faceting. I have been very happy with the wire wrap course - it is full of narrations and videos in addition to good illustrations and very detailed text. So is the gemology course. If the others are this good, I will keep going!
I am going to save those links so I can look around. The am especially bookmarking those classified!
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Jon
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 43
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Post by Jon on Jan 12, 2005 15:34:35 GMT -5
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Jon
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 43
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Post by Jon on Jan 12, 2005 15:51:08 GMT -5
Of course we can not compete with the overseas gem faceting "artisans" who can facet some rough using a jamb peg system, and sell the cut gem for less than what we in the USA would pay just for the uncut rough.
And you would be surprised - most jewelers do not have a clue, or just do not care, regarding the stones from overseas suppliers that they mount and sell , even some GIA certified jewelers. They are out to make a profit, they will buy and mount and sell any gem, poorly cut or not, to the unsuspecting public.
But the real joy is producing a sparkling gem from a piece of raw "rock" that mother nature has bequeathed to us. Who needs to sell the finished product for mere profit under those circumstances? Cut them and add them to your collection to enjoy forever, or to hand down to your children, or give them as presents, or even bury them in a field somewhere and give them back to our mother earth!
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Jon
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 43
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Post by Jon on Jan 12, 2005 15:55:40 GMT -5
Banjo - what faceting machine do you use?
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Exotica
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 39
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Post by Exotica on Jan 12, 2005 17:04:42 GMT -5
I was contemplating using a jamp peg. It looks like fun. I just think it would be satisfying to create a piece of jewelry from start to finish - not just creating the setting but faceting the stone, too. I already know I can't compete with what the overseas people produce, but their jewelry isn't the same quality as mine. Mine doesn't fall apart when you put it on and will last for years. I specialize in custom jewelry, so you aren't going to come to me if you want a 99 cent bracelet anyway. Which reminds me that I am supposed to be updating my site with new pictures and prices and reorganizing it instead of hanging out here.
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jan 12, 2005 17:09:00 GMT -5
I did those on a 'Lap-Lap' which is sort of like a tripod and different copper plates with diamond paste applied for the different stages. Then you just use elbow grease for long periods of time, did I mention Looong periods of time? Right now I have a flat lap that I am trying to get to work for me. It has a lip to catch the spinning water that needs to be removed or something because I cannot cut a girdle with it in the way.And I mounted the head wrong and need to reposition it to utilize it correctly. But I put it together myself and was not sure of much when I built it. You can see the head does not go down far enough to do a girdle, and the Lap lip (kinda cute) is in the way.
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Exotica
starting to shine!
Member since January 2005
Posts: 39
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Post by Exotica on Jan 12, 2005 17:18:07 GMT -5
That's a pretty setup you got. I also like where it is situated!
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Jan 12, 2005 17:41:13 GMT -5
Well it has since been moved from in front of the Rosemary into the day room, where I am starting to get things situated. Yeah, like that ever really happens!
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