? how do you get a smooth surface without a dop?

It's kind of weird Tweetie, but before I started using dop sticks, it was easy for me to get nice smooth domes on my cabs. But now that I've been dopping for a couple of months, I can't seem to be able to do it by hand anymore. It's just a matter of getting a feel for it. If your belts are slipping off the expanding drum it may be that they aren't spinning fast enough. Does your machine have a multi pulley setup where you can change speeds?

Ed is right- I was doping for a while and then when I went back to doing it by hand it seems like my fingers forgot how to work the stone! just keep at it and it'll come back to you

Spikeict I did tighten it - loose, tight, half-half, they've always slipped off, only how fast they slip off has varied - Anyone got a 6" expando drum they're willing to sell cheap?

There could be a couple factors as to why, the drum would be the biggest for certain. Some lapidary companies that sell belts, dont realize there are a few sizes, even when it just a 6 or 8inch drum. If the drum is new, then your getting slighter larger belts{were an expando really helps becasue it will fill allot of that space when it expands, but if you buy one, buy it new, dont pay for a used expando drum, it worth buying it new if you enjoy cabbing and want to make a go at it.} If you able to apply light pressure to the belt and it slips, harder pressure will make it slip off faster. And becasure rubber drums are meant to have pressure agaist the cutting service, old or used drums can strink. OR the rubber gets slightly warped from this pressure deflect.

The second factor may have to do with the ease of cutting when you got a dop. YOur hand and wrist naturally have less stress and movement in them when your holded a dop, and sanding a cabochon with it. Vers a hand held piece in which you really got to dig in to the wheel, and always keep it moving. This, as others point out, will come back with time. Or will develope over time. Odd shaped pieces have even more, "dig in" factor bcasue of curves that are not easy to get into sometimes.

Basically to sum it up, you either need a new drum, or need to spend more time with what you got to make it work. I cut for over a year on a drum were the belt would slip. And it was a pain, took more time per cabochon becasue i had to regulate my pressure, and make sure i get the full smooth sand, and not rush the peice. IM not saying your rushing, but this is a common problem when you start out cabbing. You can do it, i have faith ;D

Shain, I'm liking the part about me spending more time cabbing - unfortunately my boss won't like that!! but I could try I'm not even applying ANY pressure at all and it just scoots over half way - I have to stop the machine, right it, and try again and it slips again - I hardly have tons of time to cab, if I have to spend it starting & stopping my cabber, I might as well just throw in the towel

Jamie, I'm open for that - please let me know - Akansan has an 8" that she's trying to trade for a 6" for me - I'm not sure how that's going just yet...

Hey Tweet, in essence, yes more time spent will result in better finished pieces over a given period of time. What I meant, is make sure you spend the right amount of time per stone. If that means it takes longer to finish one cab, then so be it. Im not talking running a marathon, just make sure you don’t move on until the stone is ready. If your inspecting the cabs between your sanding stages by wiping them dry, you still should be able to see low spots. These low spots will show an un-even surface when any light is reflected off the surface at any stage of the sanding process.

Before going that step, I would say get a new drum or double check your belts. Because if the belt slips with little pressure, the belts are to big, or the drum is too old. Measure the outer radius of your drum, and compare it to the belt. Expand belts and expando drum belts say they are the same size, but a expand belt would be to big for an exact span drum. And a exact span belt may be to small for an expando drum.

Kingsley North sells exact span drums for under $30, new. They also sell the rubber replacement for under $10. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/search_results2.php?catID=115

The only thing I recommend buying used would be large equipment like a saw. Supplies to me, from years of experience, are more than worth buying new. But that doesn’t mean free supplies are no good, but I wouldn’t pay any money for a used drum. If I hadn’t given away my old drums, I would give them to you. But I don’t have any left.

Don’t throw in the towel, just understand cutting rocks well doesn’t happen over night. Ive been doing it for over 10 years, and I still run into my own impatience were I have to recut a cab because I hurried it. Regardless of machine problems. Also when I had a bum drum from a year and used it. I would wear a heavy glove on my left hand and when doing allot of cabs. I would hold the belt to the wheel so it didn’t move. It still took more time to sand, but it was possible.