unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Apr 29, 2012 11:40:09 GMT -5
Way to go Helen!! Up here in NJ they never have these type of things become available and I would think in Fl it would not be that much more prevalent either. However both you and Donnie scored with your purchases of rocks and equipment. I like that gizmo it came with the preformer thing. I wonder if it would work with my Kingsley North cab machine. Best of happiness with your new toy and new saw also Stu
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,787
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Post by adrian65 on Apr 29, 2012 12:55:24 GMT -5
Nice little cabbing machine! Now get those beautiful laqued slabs out of the boxes and get them cabbed ;D
Adrian
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Post by helens on Apr 29, 2012 16:54:49 GMT -5
Thanks everyone!!! I'm going to show you some of what I've made so far today:). First, I have to thank Krystee, TNTMOM, who sent me a whole bunch of cab sized pieces!!! I don't yet have a saw, so without her pieces, I'd have very little to cut:)!! (((HUGS KRYSTEE))) Look at the awsome pieces (these are shaped, but not polished yet, I figure if I have to change wheels, I'd do the shaping first, and then do them all as I change wheels:). WOW... even a used 100 grit grinder is FAST compared to the ones at the club, I managed to shape 18 rough cabs, cut down 2 rings, cut the nubs off of 20 small slabs for polishing, in less than 2 hours:). I LOVE this thing!! NOTHING is finished or polished... this is I guess 'preform' stage:). I decided to explore some shapes. Since I have no templates, and are too lazy to draw shapes, these are all freehand: Quote! Shark tooth! Teardrop Natural Quarter oval 90 degree angle Leaf shape: Oval following the outlines in the rock (this one is a piece of Sue's Ohio Flint Ridge Flint): Jim's pink ring cut down, ready to carve with dremel All the cabs/preform shapes, the bottom 2 rows, still deciding on shapes And finally an experiment. I ground down a piece of my damaged glasswork, and stuck it on agate, will epoxy it down and see the final effect:). I drew the outlines of the glass cab in the agate or I couldn't tell where the edges were.
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Post by tntmom on Apr 29, 2012 17:24:58 GMT -5
HOT DANG!
First off gotta say "HUGS BACK AT YA SWEETIE!!!!!!!"
All of these preforms look absolutely stunning! Your' artistic eye captures the best and most beautiful shape out of every piece you work! I had NO doubt!!!
Even more, I AM SO EXCITED to see you combine your glasswork with agate! That's new, unique, refreshing and adds a whole new dimension to Lapidary! YIPPEE!!!! We get to see it first!
You rock girl!
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ulstergeki
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2012
Posts: 111
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Post by ulstergeki on Apr 29, 2012 19:14:33 GMT -5
Cant wait to see how you use it!
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Post by mohs on Apr 29, 2012 22:35:47 GMT -5
Thatsa nice set-up Helen That blue attachment looks like interesting complicated fun! rocks&glass ? who'd have thunk it Ed
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,352
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Post by quartz on Apr 29, 2012 22:45:44 GMT -5
Glass on agate, a nifty idea with lots of possibilities. We will be looking forward to see what comes of it. You said you have no templates for formal cabs, don't worry too much about that, unless you really want to, freeforms are great. Thanks for the show.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2012 23:22:52 GMT -5
Wow, you are going to blow by my abilities in a couple of days. Your shapes are awesome X 10 and those stones are beautiful. Can't wait to see the glass and stone finished. It makes my mirror and stone look old hat. hahahaha Jim
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Post by helens on Apr 30, 2012 2:15:19 GMT -5
Thanks Krystee, Ulstergeki, Quartz, Ed, and Jim:).
It's 2 am... I started playing with the grinder at 2pm (after running all the way down to Petsmart to get the fish hose - THANKS Krystee, that was awsome advice! It took me about 20 minutes of jamming to get that teeny hose onto the huge spigot. It works GREAT!!).
12 hours later, I am still not finished with polishes tho.
I found out that the 14,000 flex wheel was worn out. I found out AFTER I hit every single thing I had taken through 100, 220, 600, 1200 wheels. And that 14,000 scratched EVERY LAST PIECE. I didn't realize it til I got 1/2 through 50,000, and could see humongous deep scratches through the shine.
I had to go back to 600. Just got done with 1200. Everything is smaller... but scratch free. Good grief. I'm going to skip 14,000 (since it's ruined - you know, you just cannot tell ruined wheel from looking at it!) and go to the 50,000.
Oh.. I'm not buying another Eastwind Diamond Flexwheel ever. It left HUGE scratches, and I mean as bad as saw cuts, on everything... and it 'skips' when doing it, so you can't even tell because it leaves 1/2 a shine, and your rocks are wet. I always thought that if a wheel was bald, it would just not do anything... not gouge deep lines in your rock.
But in 12 hours, I learned a lot about the cabmate. But MOSTLY, I learned what a dull wheel does to your finish. Gaaah!! I think my arms are going to fall off... plus, I can't sit in a chair to do this because the wheel sprays in my face.
It's all downhill from here, I hope. I'm going to finish the 50,000 tomorrow, I can barely move my arms anymore! LOL! but the cabs look fantastic so far:)!
Edited to add... the stones dried, and I have to go back to 600 again, I see some more scratches I didn't get out:(. I guess I got too impatient. I should let the stones fully dry between wheels to make sure it's ready for the next step first. I think sintered wheels are way easier than jumping from Sintered to Nova to Flexwheel, to Nova again. I wish the cab machine came with just one type, it's confusing to have so many different types to swap out.
I read that a dressing stick might fix a flexwheel... does anyone have a flex wheel? It doesn't really LOOK that bald... I can feel grit on it... it just tears up the stones badly.
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Post by talkingstones on Apr 30, 2012 5:34:54 GMT -5
Helen, you're going to have fun with that one! Congratulations!!!!! Fish tubing... At my pet store we can buy it by the foot. If you are unsure of the size, I would go get like a foot of a couple of different sizes and try. My machine, a Lortone, uses 1/2" tubing for the drain, so they do vary by maker. Also, if you don't want to go that route, looking up the maker online might help.
Have fun with it!!!! :-)
Cathy
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Post by talkingstones on Apr 30, 2012 5:37:48 GMT -5
WOW! There's no stopping you now! Those are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was looking at your tubing post with the above response, but WOW!!!!! those are great! YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!
Cathy
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Post by gingerkid on May 1, 2012 0:21:07 GMT -5
Your cabs look awesome, Helen! Looking forward to seeing them finished. Love the idea of your glass work and agate!
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