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Post by Jack ( Yorkshire) on Aug 31, 2009 3:17:01 GMT -5
Shannon
This is a excelent article, Well put together Brilliant
I Used Rock crystal on some opals comes out well also
Jack
Yorkshire UK
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Post by rockchalk on Sept 1, 2009 16:16:28 GMT -5
If you warm the 330 under a light bulb as you mix it very very slowly--- not so many bubbles in it.
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Post by MyNewHobby on Sept 3, 2009 14:46:36 GMT -5
OMG!!! Those are great!!!
Now I understand why those take so long.
The end result is awesome!!!
ps .... and now I truly understand what a flat lap is ... :blush:
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bouldergal
freely admits to licking rocks
Glacier Meadow
Member since July 2007
Posts: 783
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Post by bouldergal on Sept 3, 2009 21:25:54 GMT -5
Really a great tutorial and the cabs are beautiful. Pardon the dumb question, but what is, and where do you get the optical quartz?
Susan
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jimrbto
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since April 2007
Posts: 94
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Post by jimrbto on Sept 4, 2009 18:38:00 GMT -5
For trouble free, bubble free gluing- you might want to try an UV curing adhesive. One of the best I have tried is "Norland NOA 60". Just place a drop on the "bottom" piece, place the top piece on, set it in the sun for a little bit and you are done. Of course you can use any other source of UV light.
For black backing material I have had success with basalt, jade and even very opaque obsidian.
The choice depends on the eventual for the stone.
Jim
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2009 23:14:15 GMT -5
Susan,
Optical quartz is just crystal quartz.......but its a certain grade, free from bubbles and inclusions. Very clear material.
Shannon
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Post by bobby1 on Sept 5, 2009 0:01:45 GMT -5
Susan,
PM me and I can get you a contact for Synthetic (Optical) Quartz.
Bob
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Post by Bejewelme on Sept 5, 2009 7:01:59 GMT -5
Shannon:
Duh took me a while to find this, LOL, it was only at the top of the page!
What a wonderful tute, you put a lot of time and thought into making this a great reference tool, thank you!!! You answered a lot of questions, and this was awesome!!!
Amber
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aunuts
fully equipped rock polisher
Some days are gold, some are rocks. Either is cool.
Member since March 2006
Posts: 1,110
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Post by aunuts on Sept 18, 2009 14:24:20 GMT -5
This is exactly what I needed. I haven't done one of these before & had some questions I needed answered. You did it all. Absolutely perfect tut. Thanks so much!!
Loved the finished cabs. Beautiful.
Jo
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bambooprincess
spending too much on rocks
I call him Foo Foo...
Member since April 2009
Posts: 318
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Post by bambooprincess on Sept 19, 2009 22:36:52 GMT -5
Fantastic tutorial Shannon! I'll be referring to this one many times in the future I'm sure.
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Post by Tonyterner on Oct 1, 2009 10:30:56 GMT -5
Nice one Shannon. I've been doing a bunch of doublets lately and they've turned out pretty good although I got a few bubbles. That's what I get for being a stubborn cuss and not following your directions to the tee.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2009 10:44:11 GMT -5
Good to hear Tony. Yes, the bubbles are the biggest issue but you can eliminate most, if not all of them if you are careful, you stubborn a$$. LOL  Shan |
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chromenut
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2009
Posts: 1,971
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Post by chromenut on Dec 28, 2009 17:04:49 GMT -5
This is simply brilliant and answered so many of my questions. Bob, I'll likely be contacting you for a source on the optical quartz when I've got my shop set up. I have a lot of raw material and this is one way that I had not thought of using some of it. Very precise and detailed tute, heck even I can follow this...lol.
Questions though - I'm new at this game and enjoying the heck out of it so far. I'm doing both cabs and tumbling, and purchased in advance about 20 pounds of raw materials to start me. Some of it is very fine Brazilian Emeralds, a bunch of opals, turquoise, etc. Bunch of this just came from my wandering in the woods and the Smokey Mountains, stuff I picked up along the way that I've kept for years knowing one day I wanted to do this.
I noticed you free-hand your lap. Do you turn down the speed to keep from losing control of the piece? I've been told using dop wax and dop sticks helps stabilize your piece, but since I've never done this before was just curious if I should go through the expense of a small dop station. Obviously you've done this for a while and are an expert on this.
Also, personal question to Shannon - this is such a great tutorial that I'd like to convert it to an mp4 video format so I can have it on my iPod while working, to refer back to it. I'd take your stills and narrate your tutorial over those stills. Would be great refernce while working. If you're okay with that can you provide me with photos so that I can work them into the video format? I would make this available to your or to the entire site here if you so wish. I'm trying to do this with as many tutorials as I can so as to save me printing paper and having that at my side while working. I would understand if you say no, so if you don't wish your tutorial published in that manner don't sweat it. Just curious if you'd be willing to allow me to do that.
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Post by mohs on May 30, 2010 23:57:13 GMT -5
Wow Shannon I see you got the tutorial together and did a rock'n job!  ed |
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leadhead
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2011
Posts: 1
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Post by leadhead on May 16, 2011 23:13:01 GMT -5
Newbe here! Thank you I now know what a Doublet and Triplet is your tutorial was like turning a light on for me.you do great work.
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glasser
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2011
Posts: 1
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Post by glasser on Feb 3, 2012 9:21:22 GMT -5
This is a really good tut Shannon. I feel like I can do this. Which is a good thing because I was given a lovely small slice of Larimar. The lady wants is cabbed and set in a SS ring. The SS ring part is no problem, however, not sure about this little piece. I know that Larimar is hard to cab, so I am wondering if I could do a doublet? That way it would be stabilized and I could get a nice dome on this flat piece. My questions are what would I use on the bottom, can I use regular 5 min epoxy to glue together? Thanks in advance for your input. Pam Attachments:
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Post by helens on Feb 10, 2012 14:01:58 GMT -5
Thank you so much for posting the photos of the step by step!! Especially with what the top and bottom materials started out looking like! Your finished cabs are wonderful!!
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TByrd
fully equipped rock polisher
Have you performed your random act of kindness?
Member since December 2010
Posts: 1,350
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Post by TByrd on Feb 11, 2012 22:54:48 GMT -5
Glasser,
With Larimar being so soft I would not leave it exposed in a ring. Rings take a beating. I would make it a triplet if I were making it a ring. I would use Optical Quartz on the top to stabilize the top. And I would use Black Jasper as a backing. Using this method, your Larimar will go farther as well.
Hope this helps.
Tammy
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mc2
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,147
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Post by mc2 on Mar 22, 2012 20:18:01 GMT -5
Good Job! Thank you very much, well done!
Mike
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jspencer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2011
Posts: 929
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Post by jspencer on Apr 5, 2012 23:57:33 GMT -5
I was given these small thin pieces of lab created opal by a friend. It is in very thin sheets Some as thin as paper to 1/8" for the thickest piece. Would you suggest using the optical quartz for a back and front on a triplet? I want to try an experiment for my daughter. Attachments:
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