mc2
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,147
|
Post by mc2 on Jul 25, 2012 20:48:11 GMT -5
I have been asked if I could make some repairs to several small carved pieces, many are amethyst, some are rutilated quartz, and many are some softer stones. The repairs consist of smoothing out, reshaping chipped places on the extremities. Like a fin, or an ear, or on the base. I am not a carver(yet), so I am little in the dark as to what tools would be useful. I have a flex shaft tool, and a variety of green grinding tips, silicon carbide, I think. Seem to be about 100 grit. They are very good at removing material. But, they are nowhere near fine enough to finish the work, to get a good smooth shine. I though about making some sanding sticks, but that method would be too time consuming. I am hoping some of you here can tell me what I need to look for in the way of flex shaft bits that would work for being able to finish out the places on the stone where I reshape the damaged areas. Thank you for any info!! Ok, as requested, here is a pic that is representative of the bunch. The bunny, quartz, has the right ear partially broken off. The amethyst frog has a piece of the lily pad base broken off. I have been looking at some bits on the Foredom site that are rated at 400 grit. www.foredom.net/ak160.aspx I'm thinking these may be what I need to get a smooth finish where I make repairs on these figurines. But, before spending any money, I am hoping to get some feedback from anyone who knows carving techniques, as I really am in the dark!  Thanks again: Mike |
|
|
|
Post by kk on Jul 26, 2012 5:46:32 GMT -5
Any pics as examples?
|
|
mc2
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,147
|
Post by mc2 on Jul 26, 2012 6:15:17 GMT -5
Oops,sorry about that! Will get a pic or two posted later today
Mike
|
|
peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
|
Post by peachfront on Jul 28, 2012 14:01:44 GMT -5
I practiced on glass first and actually went no further with many similar projects as a result. The rabbit will never look right, since damage to the ears destroys the entire idea of rabbit. I would return that piece and not work on it, as you will never be happy with the result. (Not that I had a rabbit, but any sculpture that gets its "ooohs and ahhhhs" from long pieces, such as fingers or hummingbird beaks, both of which I tried to repair, will never look good shorter.)
The amethyst lilypad is an easy fix since real lilypads are not all perfectly shaped either, just some smoothing and polishing. I'd concentrate my efforts there. I won't give further advice here, since what I did in a similar situation would be reckless with someone else's sculpture -- I actually (very carefully) smoothed the piece using the grinding wheel. But the chance of making a mistake is too big to use that technique for someone else's request.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2012 20:45:30 GMT -5
A friend of mine in China glued a new nose on a tiny nude pendant for me and I could not tell the difference. he had probably done it many times before so he was practiced at it. You might get away with it if you can find some quartz the same as the bunny. I might have some semi clear quartz about the same if you want to try doing that repair. You won't make it any worse.
On the frog base I do not see why you couldn't use a 220 wheel or pad to grind it down a little and polish the same as you would any other stone.
Jim
|
|
|
|
Post by kk on Jul 28, 2012 21:47:58 GMT -5
Completely agree with both in general.
But your question is primarily about the burrs and 160 should be fine enough to need little sanding before re-polish.
The Lilly is easy to fix.
The bunny is not. I think you got 3 options
1.) return it
2.) create a new ear
3.) its not too apparent how much material you got from the picture, but there might be the possibility to redo the head overall and have the second ear laying down (hence redo the whole head)
|
|
mc2
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2009
Posts: 1,147
|
Post by mc2 on Jul 28, 2012 22:32:22 GMT -5
Thanks!! Some very good ideas there. Yea, I had pondered the idea of glueing a piece on the bunny, as an experiment. I have some quartz pieces that should work. Worth a try, won't really make it worse. A little 330 epoxy and a bit of shaping.. I had also thought about just taking the frog to my cabbing wheels, I should be able to work it and the others like it pretty easily on the wheels. I decided to go ahead and order the 400 grit burrs I saw on Foredom's site. I'll let everyone know how they work out. I'm thinking they should do fine. I'll find out, I really do like experimenting sometimes!!
Thank you all again!! I'll post the results soon!
Mike
|
|
