juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on May 7, 2012 0:25:24 GMT -5
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on May 15, 2012 22:55:57 GMT -5
I finally had a chance to make a sphere from some India Sunstone. I haven't polished it yet. It has some nice copper colored flecks that aren't captured in the picture but I hope will show up once it is polished. The machine has been grinding away at an agate sphere but it is taking forever to get the flat spots out. The diamond core drills I'm using have a very coarse grit and seems to glaze over fairly easily with hard material. I'm getting some Blue G and sheen obsidian soon so I think I'll dress the cups on the obsidian before trying to finish the agate sphere. I even tried sprinkling 60/90 grit on to the agate sphere but it didn't seem to work for very long. I did get some leather from the ebay dealer so I'll work on some leather polish pads.
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on Jul 2, 2012 21:49:22 GMT -5
I've been working on the agate sphere but it is taking forever. I finally decided to take a break on the grinding and polish the India Sunstone.
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Tex
starting to shine!
Member since December 2011
Posts: 27
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Post by Tex on Oct 28, 2012 22:43:58 GMT -5
Does anyone know of a source for the sphere machine motors? The surplus store doesn't seem to have them anymore. I am thinking of building one if I can come up with the motors.
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Post by jakesrocks on Oct 28, 2012 22:50:24 GMT -5
Do a google search for the motors. You may find a few. While the surplus center still had them, I ordered a couple of spares just in case I fry one on my machine.
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Steve
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2005
Posts: 506
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Post by Steve on Oct 31, 2012 11:19:31 GMT -5
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juzwuz
has rocks in the head
Member since April 2010
Posts: 526
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Post by juzwuz on Oct 31, 2012 23:18:18 GMT -5
Does anyone know of a source for the sphere machine motors? The surplus store doesn't seem to have them anymore. I am thinking of building one if I can come up with the motors. I've noticed that Surplus Center will run out of the motors but a couple weeks later, they get some more so you might take a look in a week or so. They also sell on ebay as well for about the same price.
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Tex
starting to shine!
Member since December 2011
Posts: 27
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Post by Tex on Oct 31, 2012 23:52:48 GMT -5
Great news I'll keep checking Surplus Center to see if more come in Thanks for the heads up
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 1, 2012 0:29:39 GMT -5
Still haven't found the time to finish my big machine, so thought I'd throw my little machine in here. It's an old Victor 2 head with cups that will turn spheres from 1/4" up to just over 1". And some of the spheres I've cut with it. The first 2 are marble from a location near Cadiz, Riverside Co., California. The next is Antigorite from Gila Co., Arizona. I couldn't get this material to take a good polish. And the last is silver sheen obsidian from Northern California.
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2005
Posts: 1,775
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Post by Roger on Dec 1, 2012 12:01:47 GMT -5
nice polish on that obsidian.
Roger
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 1, 2012 12:17:09 GMT -5
Wish I'd had better light. The silver sheen really pops out.
I wire small pieces of suede leather over my cups and use a cerium paste for final polish.
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 2, 2012 11:23:39 GMT -5
Lets throw another one in here. This is the smallest I've ever made on my little machine. .362" Dia. Amethyst bead. It's a pain in the butt grinding preforms for something this small. Lost of finger skin loss involved.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2012 20:42:50 GMT -5
Nice Don! I have a 1" cube of rhodocrosite I cut last week. What did you use for cups?
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 2, 2012 22:22:38 GMT -5
Hey Scott, the little machine on page 18 has several sets of brass cups with it. I used the smallest cups for this one.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2012 11:10:39 GMT -5
Thanks don/ This thread has so many pages I missed that one. The class I take has a three head tiny machine for sale. Maybe I'll grab it. They dont all have to be large! Sapphire and CZ are cheap in small sizes. Could makes some wonderful marble sized "single faceted gems".
I love your tiny widdle amethyst!
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Post by jakesrocks on Dec 3, 2012 13:59:08 GMT -5
The small machines would be great for star stones. Grind a sphere, orient the stars in both ends and cut in the middle. You end up with 2 star stones for jewelry.
I have a star ruby that was given to me a few years ago. Once I can find new belts for my machine I'll give it a try.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2012 14:35:19 GMT -5
The small machines would be great for star stones. Grind a sphere, orient the stars in both ends and cut in the middle. You end up with 2 star stones for jewelry. I have a star ruby that was given to me a few years ago. Once I can find new belts for my machine I'll give it a try. awesome idea!
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cherdarock
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2012
Posts: 140
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Post by cherdarock on Jan 9, 2013 2:54:22 GMT -5
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Post by jakesrocks on Jan 9, 2013 9:23:20 GMT -5
I've seen the Tomaszewski method used. It works quite well, but it's all hands on. Works best with a vertical arbor and low speed of around 60 to 80 RPM. When the weather warms up, I'm going to build a single cup machine just for demonstration purposes. I'll post pics.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2013 12:07:58 GMT -5
huh.. I was visualizing a giant one for making 8" + spheres. Now I see it here for smaller ones. Thanks!
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