deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jul 10, 2012 2:01:09 GMT -5
Okay, thinking of my future 12 saw- (I get my paycheck for my extra job this week, and then I"ll get to order it!)
I have the Varicite rough from Tony, and a bunch of Chyrsocolla from Jamie that I'd love to slab first. Can I slab them in oil? Of should I get some Gem Lube and slab all of these first, then move over to oil?
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Post by deb193redux on Jul 10, 2012 8:33:41 GMT -5
I did find Varisite got a darker emerald green if left sitting with oil on it, but the slabs I cut and promptly threw into the detergent water did not show this so much. You can also cook mineral oils out at with less then 300 deg heat, so the heat does not affect the stone.
But if you wanted to be real cautious, I think for just a few rocks, you could use a litttle low-suds detergent in water. No need to buy gem lube. Dry saw promptly and move on to oil before anything rusts.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jul 10, 2012 9:03:23 GMT -5
Thank you Daniel! You have no idea how excited I am...
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Post by deb193redux on Jul 10, 2012 11:22:26 GMT -5
I can imagine. Will you use a 303c blade in the saw?
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,636
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Post by QuailRiver on Jul 10, 2012 14:10:21 GMT -5
Oil will definitely stain Variscite and will stain most Chrysocolla. Variscite is soft enough you should be okay slabbing it with water as long as you take your time and don't rush it. Most Chrysocolla I have worked with has a mixture of minerals and hardness's. A lot of it has quartz in it, and Gem grade Chryscolla (also called Gem Sillica) is nearly as hard as agate. So if yours has a lot of silica in it, or hematite, or any other hard mineral, you should probably use an additive like Gem Cool or Raycool. If you do use an additive, you can minimize how much of the water/additive mix your rock absorbs by soaking your rocks in a bucket of clean water for a day or two before you slab them. This way the porous areas are already saturated with water before contact with the coolant.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jul 10, 2012 14:44:25 GMT -5
Daniel, I asked for them to put a 303C blade like you suggested and he said he could~~
Quail, most of the Chrysocolla I have has a lot of quartz in it. I think I"ll try what Daniel suggested, and put it right away in detergent and water, as well as soaking it in water before I slab it. And I have a little toaster oven I used when I dabbled in sculpey clay beads to cook out the oil, if I feel I need to.
I guess since this is my first real slab saw, I'm VERY nervous about putting water in it...I'm sure later on, when I"m a pro like you guys, I'll have no problems with cleaning, cutting with water, then oil like I read Tony doing on some thread here, although I can't find it now.
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