RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
|
Post by RedwoodRocks on May 15, 2006 22:18:39 GMT -5
I finally got my grinders set up with water feed, grinding wheels, expanding wheels, diamond belts etc. My setup is probably marginally cheaper than a new genie LOL. Please don't laugh too hard. I missed a couple of spots that I will need to go back to the 120 wheel and work forward, but overall, I am pretty happy with the results. They are all "custom cabs" by Mother Nature as I don't have a trim saw, yet. Most of the pieces are poppy jasper with one piece of Lavic Jasper, which was an end cut. I let the poppy jasper break along the fractures and tumbled for a week to let the pieces finish breaking. Cal   |
|
offbeat
no posts
Member since May 2010
Posts: 0
|
Post by offbeat on May 15, 2006 22:25:46 GMT -5
Those look great, Cal! I like the way they are shaped and it is a plus that there are not a lot of fracture lines showing. Your off to a heck of a start!! Keep em coming. Bill
|
|
|
|
Post by rockds on May 15, 2006 22:57:08 GMT -5
Hummm, I think you did a very good job, like your shapes and love the stones. Now watch out for the fingernails and keep up the good work.
robert
|
|
|
|
Post by stoner on May 15, 2006 23:17:32 GMT -5
Nice looking cabs Cal. So you got everything all setup now? You did a great job on those. I take it you haven't gotten that workforce saw from your friend yet. Oh well, soon enough. Freeform cabs are fun to work up too, they allow you to let the rock dictate the shape.
Great job and I look forward to seeing more.
|
|
|
|
Post by sandsman1 on May 15, 2006 23:38:17 GMT -5
lookin good cal those poppys came out with a great shine nice job
|
|
|
|
Post by Tweetiepy on May 16, 2006 11:31:15 GMT -5
beautiful job - wouldn't have known they were your first if you hadn't said!
|
|
181lizard
Cave Dweller 
Still lurking :)
Member since December 2005
Posts: 2,171
|
Post by 181lizard on May 16, 2006 11:45:13 GMT -5
I should be so lucky as to have my first turn out that good!
|
|
stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
|
Post by stefan on May 16, 2006 12:01:20 GMT -5
Awesome cal!!!!! You really captured the best in those stones- It only gets better from here!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by gemkoi on May 16, 2006 12:34:58 GMT -5
very nice RedwoodRocks! I really like the two longer freeforms with top patterns. Very cool! and good job.
|
|
pagstones
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since October 2005
Posts: 87
|
Post by pagstones on May 16, 2006 15:53:09 GMT -5
I'm impressed Cal - that is a nice batch of rocks! Isn't it fun to have that much control over the rocks. Look forward to seeing your next batch.
Sandy
|
|
|
|
Post by driftwood on May 16, 2006 23:03:38 GMT -5
Those are nice Cal, I think your a natural ! How many thousands of cabs do you think you can make of that poppy jasper boulder  |
|
|
|
Post by rockyraccoon on May 17, 2006 0:14:04 GMT -5
cal do you love it? you really did a great job. ok what's next?
kim
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on May 17, 2006 7:34:12 GMT -5
Great job Cal, those have some really nice "poppies" on them. That's a pretty good idea tumbling them first, nice shapes too. I like the boomerang and the tear drop.
|
|
|
|
Post by joe on May 17, 2006 10:56:36 GMT -5
Way to go Cal! Ain't it fun to work rocks?! Yours are looking good.
|
|
WyckedWyre
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2007
Posts: 1,391
|
Post by WyckedWyre on May 17, 2006 12:43:20 GMT -5
Nice first cabs, Cal - Bill's right. It's nice to see the Poppy with no fractures. Damn, I'm gonna have to order that Pixie...  S |
|
RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
|
Post by RedwoodRocks on May 18, 2006 0:18:19 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind words. I did have a lot of fun shaping and polishing cabs. My nails only took a small beating from the grinder LOL. Compared to tumbling stones, cutting cabs is quite fast! Of course, the tumbling of stones is just the beginning of the slippery slope. Let's see....all barrels have been changed out, now what do I do until next weekend. First it was cutting slabs on a 10" saw, then on a 24" saw, gather the stuff to start cutting cabs, etc.
Yep, Stoner, I am still waiting on my buddy for his Workforce saw. Although, I did win an award at work this week, that had some prize money, so I may run down to Home Depot and pickup a Work Force!
I was only kidding about almost spending as much on my cabbing setup compared to a Genie. I am using a cheapie grinder from Home Depot hooked up to a router speed control, which is plugged into a GFCI outlet (got to play it safe around water and electricity). A couple of grinding wheels from JadeCutter, an expanding drum and some sanding belts. I am using a plastic tray from an ice chest to hold the water. I did splurge and buy a small aquarium water pump, which is in a five gallon bucket and some drip tubing for the water feed.
Without the water pump, the cost is about $200 plus your choice of sanding belts. I splurged and got diamond belts, but the silicon carbide ones are much cheaper.
Nephrite, I think I could cut an awful lot of cabs from that big chunk of poppy jasper, but, after awhile, I think I would need to change the type of rock for a change of pace. Luckily, I have drawers and drawers of other slabs that are waiting for a trim saw!
Kim, perfecting the process of cutting and polishing cabs will keep me busy for awhile, but, who knows, what next, maybe a sphere making machine? I think I will wait until Ed designs one in his garage, then steal, I mean borrow, his design LOL.
Cal
|
|
|
|
Post by stoner on May 18, 2006 12:46:03 GMT -5
Maybe not a sphere machine yet cal, but I did find a Marble Mill on ebay that looked pretty simple to build. I think I'll start with that and make some mini spheres first.
|
|
S
