blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 4, 2011 19:30:58 GMT -5
Hopefully, in a week or so my hubby can start slabbing some of the first batch. What's a good thickness for a slab to cab it? 1/8"? 1/16"?
Thanks.
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Post by deb193redux on Mar 4, 2011 20:08:20 GMT -5
1/4, 5/16
do you want low dome or high?
do you want to make flat back for metal setting, or double sided for focal pendant?
depends ...
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Post by gr on Mar 4, 2011 20:15:19 GMT -5
When you cut (slab) the rock, do you have a plan for what you are going to do with it? No, then cut 1/4" or 5/16" like deb193redux says. You can always grind them a little smaller gary
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Mar 4, 2011 20:48:59 GMT -5
1/8 is the thinnest I like to work with. 1/4 is a real good thickness as you can cut high or low.
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 4, 2011 21:08:07 GMT -5
Thank you for the input!! I'm going to send out the slabs to someone to cab (flat back, low dome ) for me and I am going to wire wrap them as pendants. So I'm thinking 1/4" ?
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Post by johnjsgems on Mar 4, 2011 21:11:27 GMT -5
1/4"s most common size. If you sell slabs it is pretty much the only thickness that will sell.
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brent
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2008
Posts: 1,316
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Post by brent on Mar 4, 2011 22:01:36 GMT -5
I cut my general slabs at 5/16. If I know before hand what I am making, I will adjust the thickness.... 30X40 cab from a 5/16 slab, 8X10 cab from a 1/4 or less slab.
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 4, 2011 22:28:52 GMT -5
Lots of good stuff here!!! Thank you so much. You all are the best.
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Post by tandl on Mar 5, 2011 10:51:32 GMT -5
I like 5/16 , even 3/8 for softer stuff , 1/4 for hard stuff . agate ,jasper,flint. definetly depends on what you are doing with them .
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 5, 2011 10:55:37 GMT -5
Right now the batch is mostly jasper and agate. The other rocks are small enough that I can free form wrap them.
Do you tumble then slab, or the other way around?
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Post by tandl on Mar 5, 2011 11:00:29 GMT -5
tumble then slab, or tumble then cab - did you mean?
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 5, 2011 11:03:38 GMT -5
After I thought about what I wrote I had a moment. In the grand scheme of things, I'm sure it's Tumble>Slab>Cab.
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Post by tandl on Mar 5, 2011 11:22:57 GMT -5
I you are going to use a tumbler to polish cabs . slab-cab-tumble
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 5, 2011 14:21:57 GMT -5
I you are going to use a tumbler to polish cabs . slab-cab-tumble Thank you, Ted. I had it wrong. If you tumble last, on what step do you start? Step 1 with coarse?
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Post by tandl on Mar 5, 2011 16:34:35 GMT -5
I don`t do this , so i will let those that do tell you how .
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Post by gr on Mar 5, 2011 20:40:37 GMT -5
Barbara, I'm like Ted, I have not done this either but am going to take a shot at it from a purely logic standpoint. Please, anyone jump in here if I'm steering Barbara in a wrong direction. Here goes - like Ted said, slab, cab, then tumble. But before you throw it in the tumbler, you can give the tumbeling process a jump start by doing a little pre-shaping to your desired outcome. example: high dome, lowdome, no dome, faceted look. If the piece is worked fairly smooth, you should be able to start your tumbling in 120/220 grit and save your 80grit. Barbara, you can do to that rock whatever your equiptment will allow and your imagination can conceive. Have fun.........gary
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Post by BuiltonRock on Mar 5, 2011 21:39:25 GMT -5
I like to use 1/4 to 5/16 as most have suggested. I cab, but also like to tumble certain shapes that are impossible to do on a cabber. Here is some I just got done with. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=trtphoto&action=display&thread=43563I cut these on a WF and shaped them up on a 100 grit diamond wheel. I throw them in 60 grit for a couple weeks (hard rock) to get all wheel and saw marks off. Then 220 for a few weeks, 600 for a week or so, tripoli for a week and then AO for a week.
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 5, 2011 22:39:53 GMT -5
Barbara, you can do to that rock whatever your equiptment will allow and your imagination can conceive. Have fun.........gary Thank you, Gary. I have a wet tile saw and a new Dremel so I can try doing some pre-shaping. After all, if they don't look good I can always toss them in the tumbler. I had been thinking of doing this.
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Post by deb193redux on Mar 5, 2011 22:50:16 GMT -5
Sounds like you are talking tile saw slabbetts and not slabs. Also sounds like you plan to polish flats in a tumbler. Size and type of tumbler matters. You need to explain more what size rock you have, and what you want to end up with.
All of the advice you got initially assumed regular slabs on a slab saw. It may not apply.
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blr2449
has rocks in the head
Can I retire now?
Member since January 2011
Posts: 554
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Post by blr2449 on Mar 5, 2011 22:52:06 GMT -5
I like to use 1/4 to 5/16 as most have suggested. I cab, but also like to tumble certain shapes that are impossible to do on a cabber. Here is some I just got done with. forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?board=trtphoto&action=display&thread=43563I cut these on a WF and shaped them up on a 100 grit diamond wheel. I throw them in 60 grit for a couple weeks (hard rock) to get all wheel and saw marks off. Then 220 for a few weeks, 600 for a week or so, tripoli for a week and then AO for a week. I saw these earlier! They are beautiful. The information you have given me and that given by other generous folks here have given me a lot to learn and practice. I'll share my progress and results with everyone.
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