luv2hound
freely admits to licking rocks
I try & I try, but dang it! Those rocks just keep ending up in my pockets
Member since June 2007
Posts: 890
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Post by luv2hound on Oct 21, 2007 13:01:37 GMT -5
As you guys know the cabbing machine Shawn built is up and running. I have finished 5 cabs and a flat surface. Yay! ;D ;D
Here is my problem. The dop pot we ordered is on back order, so I have been using crazy glue. Love it!! Dont know if I want to go back to wax. Anyway, how do you get the stick to release from the stone? I though I read somebody say something about putting it in the freezer. Did that, no go. We do have acetone and I use a little sponge and squeezed copious amounts onto the glued part, nothing. HELP!! WHAT DO I DO NOW!!?
Thanks for any info.
~~Mitzi~~
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Post by akansan on Oct 21, 2007 13:09:08 GMT -5
The freezer works for the wax, not the superglue. I thought you soaked them in the nail polish remover (acetone), but that's just from memory rather than actual experience. I'm too afraid of doing a Tweety with the superglue to try it. Superglue and I don't get along too well.   |
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Post by stoner on Oct 21, 2007 13:10:37 GMT -5
Cancel the order for the dop pot! Pour some acetone in a tin can or some container that won't melt by coming in contact with acetone, place the cab and dop in the acetone and let it soak for maybe an hour or so and it should pop off. If not, use a box knife to help break the hold.
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luv2hound
freely admits to licking rocks
I try & I try, but dang it! Those rocks just keep ending up in my pockets
Member since June 2007
Posts: 890
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Post by luv2hound on Oct 21, 2007 13:20:27 GMT -5
Thanks for the info stoner. You're a lifesaver. I'll try that. The acetone won't dull my shine will it?
~~Mitzi~~
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Zoran
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since September 2005
Posts: 880
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Post by Zoran on Oct 21, 2007 14:08:51 GMT -5
I use super glue also and manage to take cabs off the dop sticks by putting them in hot water, for a 15min or so. If they don't came off I repeat the procedure (I let water to cool down). I hope you don't use too much glue - as I did. ;D
What types of dop sticks you use - wooden or metal? I find that wooden ones release stones easier then metal ones. Although I use both types.
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luv2hound
freely admits to licking rocks
I try & I try, but dang it! Those rocks just keep ending up in my pockets
Member since June 2007
Posts: 890
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Post by luv2hound on Oct 21, 2007 15:28:23 GMT -5
Ok I soaked them in a small mason jar with acetone in it for about an hour. (looks like something my grandpa used to make in the woods LOL) They did come off with a little help.
Unfortunately one broke while trying to get it off. It must have had a weak spot or a fracture I didnt see. Oh well, I'll just rework it and make it work.
Zotika: I think I may have used to much glue. I didnt want that sucker coming off while working it. I use wood dop sticks. We already had some dowels that would work so that was just one more thing we didnt have to buy.
Akansan: Do you and Tweetie glue yourselves to things? Or to your own self? I'm really lovin working with the glue. I know I wont go back to wax.
Thanks for all the help guys. I'll be posting pics later tonight, I hope.
~~Mitzi~~
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stonesnbones
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2007
Posts: 255
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Post by stonesnbones on Oct 21, 2007 15:45:55 GMT -5
I am old school,stay with wax! I tried the super glue route once and hated it for a number of reason.Why fight the glue to get the cab off?I do not like the idea of acetone being in the house let alone getting whiffs of it.What more can I say why break a cab,just because it is easier/quicker to dop with glue. That being said,the fellow who talked me into using glue took his off in a rather unorthodox manner.He had cotton matting in a large coffee can.He would apply acetone,then rap the edge of the coffee can with the dop stick,the cab would fall unharmed on the matting.apparently super glues cannot take the sideways pressure and the stone comes off. Brad |
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Post by johnjsgems on Oct 21, 2007 18:02:18 GMT -5
I agree with Brad. I'm either old school too or just plain old. The CA glues are quite popular for fracture sealing, stabilizing and dopping but don't have anywhere near the shear strength of epoxy.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2007 18:09:02 GMT -5
This is one thing you and I disagree on stonesnbones. ;D
I love using glue and have never had to fight to get the cabs off. If its not a heat sensitive stone I soak it in hot water for awhile. I use it on opals as well and just soak the stone/dop stick in cool water. So far (crossing fingers) they've all come off ok. I think the main thing is learning to not use to much glue. I use wood dop sticks and nails.
I have had a couple come off the dop stick (ones that had been glued on and left to sit a long time or ones that had gotten wet many times. On my machine they just fly off and plop into the sludge in the bottom of my machine. I purposely leave the sludge there to give them cushion if they do come off (how is that for an excuse to not have to clean the pan?)
To each their own. ;D Someday I may come crying to you guys when that beautiful precious opal got ruined from the gosh darn glue. I sure hope not.
Shannon
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Post by stoner on Oct 21, 2007 18:49:51 GMT -5
I use acryllic plastic tube stock for my dops. This way, the only part that is actually glued to the stone is the thickness of the tube wall, which is about 1/16". I buy it in 10' lengths for $1.69, then cut into 3" or 4" pieces. They last for about 10 cabs before I have to cut a little off the end to get a level end again. I found that the solvent wasn't penetrating to the center of the dowel end when I was using wooden dowels, so that's why I tried the hollow tubes.
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Oct 22, 2007 10:35:56 GMT -5
This is why I quit doping- to much hassle
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Post by Tweetiepy on Oct 22, 2007 12:18:59 GMT -5
super glue is NOT my friend - I'm loving the dopping - I had no problem getting my sticks to come off the dop with the glue - they never held in the first place and I put lots (dollar store crap is not good superglue) - my problem was getting the glue off my fingers without gluing myself to everydarnthing
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Post by Tonyterner on Oct 23, 2007 13:15:44 GMT -5
Mitzi, I'm just starting out cabbing and began with superglue because I had it. I am not using it anymore because about 1/3 of the stones would fall off sometime during the process. I think the problem is the moisture that the wood soaks up. The freezer worked great for the ones I finished, if you want to keep using CA glue try soaking the stone end of the stick in water before freezing.
I am now using dop wax and and waaaaaay happier. Haven't had one fall off yet. By the way, I use an old toaster oven as a dop pot. I put the wax in a can in the oven and have lots of room on top to warm the cabs.
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Post by akansan on Oct 23, 2007 15:04:51 GMT -5
Mitzi - I do both: glue myself to things AND myself to myself. I'm talented that way. Seriously if I have to glue something together, I manage to attach myself to the piece I'm glueing together. Once I've broken free, I glue myself to myself with the leftover goo. I've started epoxying things where I once could have superglued simply because I'm better at it. And don't ask me about the time I tried E6000. ;D |
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Post by sbreed on Oct 23, 2007 21:16:20 GMT -5
I just glue the stone to my finger (cause I am gonna do that anyway) and then cab! LOL
I love using the glue but I get it everywhere and I am stuck to everything!!
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Post by parfive on Oct 24, 2007 0:12:51 GMT -5
RockHobbit: "I just glue the stone to my finger . . . and then cab!" ;D ;D ;D Good one, Sheri. I've come across a lot of dipsticks, but you're the first dopstick. Rich |
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darrad
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2006
Posts: 1,636
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Post by darrad on Oct 24, 2007 8:34:51 GMT -5
Sheri, that is too funny! Please tell me you do not really do that. Oh, the mental picture that brings.  ;D ;D |
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;D ;D
