drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Apr 12, 2010 20:24:10 GMT -5
Do you have the blanks cut out yet?
If not, perhaps a local counter top installer could polish the top & bottom to your specs out of the material and then cut the circles so all you would need is the edges rounded and sides polished.
Just a thought.
Keep us posted, it's an interesting project. I'm still curious about the tolerances, usually people like a little distinction to the pieces.
Dr Joe
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noqlue
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2010
Posts: 17
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Post by noqlue on Apr 13, 2010 19:22:15 GMT -5
Joe, I have the rounds cut out already, but I have plenty more marble to cut and I'm still searching for the easiest route. The marble scraps I'm cutting from already have 1 polished side. I suppose I could get the shop to polish the other side for me as well. However the scraps are 1 1/4" thick and I need them to be 5/16". Instead of having them turn the 1 1/4" in to 5/16" at the shop, I cut out the rounds, and then I cut them to thickness (this way I'm getting 3 out of each round). Even if I polished the backside, at the end of the day only 2 out of 9 surfaces (out of every 3 chips) would be polished. I would still be left with a whole lot of polishing that needs to be done, not to mention the polished surfaces may get scratched during the cutting stages. As far as the tolerances go, in this situation I don't want any "distinction" amongst the chips, rather I need uniformity. They need to stack on top of each other, as well as side by side and not notice any difference in size. I figure 1/64" you would never notice and 1/32" is forgivable. Anyway, I'm still looking for a polisher. Wizard, that was a good idea about the mineral & gem show, it's too bad the only one that comes to Victoria once a year already happened in March  |
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Post by NatureNut on Apr 13, 2010 20:02:55 GMT -5
Okay, this thread is now one of many with holes where Wizard's posts one were. So, in an effort to clear up any remaining mud...
Would anyone with a flat lap be willing to try one or two of Nathan's marble checkers for him so he can see if it is a viable way to polish them please?
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Post by rockmanken on Apr 13, 2010 20:41:15 GMT -5
Way ahead of you. Sent him a PM. No reply yet.
Ken
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 13, 2010 21:15:34 GMT -5
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but it is kind of like a wizard to make things disappear and leave people guessing what happened...
Chuck
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noqlue
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2010
Posts: 17
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Post by noqlue on Apr 14, 2010 0:51:14 GMT -5
Sorry guys I didn't realize I had PMs!
Thanks for clearing that up NatureNut, sometimes I just need to keep things simple, lol.
Ken, thanks for the help!
Nathan
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Post by NatureNut on Apr 14, 2010 7:55:00 GMT -5
Awesome! Thanks Ken! You da best!
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Post by rockmanken on Apr 14, 2010 11:29:19 GMT -5
Chuck, I offered to do 3-4 for him. Will let him know what it would cost and the time to do them. Of course, there will be no charge for these.
BUT, I will NOT do 34. Not enough money in the world to do them in MARBLE. NOT WORTH IT.
Ken
P.S. You can get them in onyx for next to nothing out of Mexico.
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noqlue
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2010
Posts: 17
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Post by noqlue on Apr 16, 2010 12:35:22 GMT -5
Can you post a link to those onyx chips from Mexico?
I only found a "rustic" set, chipped and uneven.
Ken, I haven't sent those checkers yet, they are still with my cutter, will send them next week.
Thanks again,
Nathan
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2007
Posts: 1,852
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Post by Saskrock on Apr 19, 2010 0:14:52 GMT -5
NatureNut sent me a link to this one Nathan. I do have a flat lap but the consistancy you are looking for is a bit out of my skill range. I think getting them perfectly round with the edges rounded over consistantly is going to be really hard to do. If anyone can do it it is probably Ken though. I think to make money at it and get those tolerances you might have to build something automatic to do the work for you, or at least some kind of jig to hold them consistantly. I think I would be tempted to try one batch in a vibe though as bushman suggested. It might turn out close enough to what you want without being a huge time/$$ investment. Worst case you have some polished rocks that don't make good checkers. Never bad to have some polished rocks around. Of course I have never tried anything as soft as marble in a vibe so maybe it just won't work too.
Anyhow hope you get something going, it would make a nice set of checkers.
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