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Post by joe on Aug 19, 2006 9:00:55 GMT -5
Here are some cabs I did a few weeks ago. Some are ok, some have crummy bevels. Ed's trying to teach me how to do this right but I'm a slow learner! My first small ones:  An unknown stone:  A Travertine cab:  |
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Post by Tweetiepy on Aug 19, 2006 10:30:09 GMT -5
Sorry Joe, I'm looking for the crummy bevels and I can't find any - great job - looks like Ed's a fantastic teacher and he's got a very good student -
Love the sodalite, the top three and the centre row right green one
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Shelbeeray
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 688
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Post by Shelbeeray on Aug 19, 2006 21:37:17 GMT -5
Those look great! Is there a way they're "supposed" to be? Everyone's are so unique. I think these are quite pretty.
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 19, 2006 22:49:43 GMT -5
i think there commin out just fine man keep goin and they will get easyer and you will pickup your own style and short cuts----- your doin great
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fatrichie
has rocks in the head
Member since July 2004
Posts: 651
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Post by fatrichie on Aug 19, 2006 22:51:09 GMT -5
Cab-like??
Looks like cabs to me!
Keep 'em comin'!
Rich
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Post by joe on Aug 20, 2006 16:42:45 GMT -5
Thanx gang! I really appreciate the kind words. The bevels on the small cabs are lousy which is why I photographed them from straight above. It hides the flaws. I decided to work on larger pieces for awhile, the small ones are too hard to see!
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Post by stoner on Aug 20, 2006 21:35:46 GMT -5
Those look great Joe. It's hard to tell from your pics, but the ovals look like they have a nice even bevel. It just takes practice to get the bevels right. When I do mine, after I get the oval shaped, I start the bevel process by grinding at about a 45 degree angle all the way around the piece. I grind down until there is a 1/8" flat area left on the edge of the stone. After I get to that point, I decrease the angle to maybe 30 degrees and go around the stone grinding down to the flat. Then decrease the angle and repeat. I keep doing that until there is no flat area left on the face of the stone. At that point, you should have a dome shape that just needs to be cleaned up on the 220 wheel and refined on the 280 Nova wheel. It takes a little practice before you get it right, and you'll probably have some flat spots in your domes, but just keep at it and it will get better.
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Post by rockyraccoon on Aug 20, 2006 23:56:16 GMT -5
joe those are definitely cab-like alright lol. do i see blue swirlstone in there? all are very nice!
kim
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Post by gemkoi on Aug 21, 2006 14:13:38 GMT -5
Very nice Joe. are the three on the top from thunderegg? Ya, i would agree with others as well. They look like cabs to me no dout. ONe thing with bezels, they can vary stone to stone, so long as they dont vary on a single stone. As long as your keeping the bezel, per cab, consistant. Your doing a good job. If the bezel is high and low, in and out on a single cab. Then i would question it. Keep em coming.
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Post by joe on Aug 21, 2006 21:20:11 GMT -5
Thanks! I gotta start applying Ed's advice to me about drawing a line around the rough cab to use as a guide to cut down to. Then my bevels will stay even all around the cab. Right now they have high and low spots on the same cab. These were my first attempts at calibrated cabs so I feel pretty good about them. I will improve with practice.
Yes Kim, I still have a little of your swirlstone left. I love working that stuff!
I don't know what the top three are. All I can call them is Edgates, agates that Ed sent me! They are really pretty stones. All my attempts to photograph them individually failed. That's why I took that crummy picture from above, it's the only pic that came out decent.
Thanx again for all the comments!
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Aug 23, 2006 11:41:08 GMT -5
JOE!!! Man you have progressed! They look great- I have trouble with the Bezels too- I draw the line around the can and it does help ALOT!!!! My biggest problem now is finding (ok cutting) even slabs- I grt too many variable thickness slabs - oh how you coming with the diamond paste?
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Post by joe on Aug 24, 2006 12:59:16 GMT -5
The diamond paste is excellent! I think a person should break in the leather belt for an hour or so before applying the diamond paste to it. A brand new belt just doesn't work right. After a few hours of use, when you wear off a lot of excess leather, then the diamond paste works like a charm!
I hear ya about those variable slabs, I make a lot of them. When I get Bill's old saw (my new saw!) set up I hope to make better slabs,
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