minerken
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2013
Posts: 466
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Post by minerken on Aug 27, 2013 21:29:26 GMT -5
Hi my name is Ken I'm new to the forum but have done lapidary for quite some time, I'm interested in doing some cabbing for a friend that is starting to wire wrap and possibly for some other locals that do it. Sooo my question is do you guys or gals have a preference on the height of the girdle of the cab and do you want it polished and how about the back of the cab do you prefer it unfinished or polished. The reason I asked is because polishing does make the cab slicker and harder to manage but does give it a nice finished look?
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amyk
fully equipped rock polisher
I'm a slabber, I'm a cabber, I'm a midnight wrapper.
Member since January 2010
Posts: 1,331
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Post by amyk on Aug 27, 2013 22:06:41 GMT -5
I always polish my cabs on all sides. When I sell a wrap, sometimes people will turn the wrap over to see if it is shiny on the back. However, since the back is flat it is harder to get a good polish on it with my grinding wheels. So if the stone is opaque, I don't try so hard to get every scratch off the back, just so it looks shiny. If it is clear or translucent, it looks much better if the back is as good as the front. The sides need to be polished as well because you don't know what the wrapper is going to do to it. They don't want any dull spots showing. I like my sides not too tall. I usually dome the top all the way to the edge, then I take a couple swipes around the outside edge to give it a little thickness to the edge, taking off the sharpness of the edge. This also corrects any deviations to the shape caused by doming it.
I hope this helps. This is how I do mine. It may not be how everyone does it.
Amy
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minerken
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2013
Posts: 466
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Post by minerken on Aug 27, 2013 22:18:11 GMT -5
Thanks I was thinking that way but you confirmed it. If anyone else has an opinion I would entertain that too.
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plumberinaz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2013
Posts: 186
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Post by plumberinaz on Aug 27, 2013 22:25:17 GMT -5
Yes.. You want all sides polished.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Aug 30, 2013 16:43:20 GMT -5
I grind so that the girdle is about the thickness of a nickle. Too thick and the wrapper will go through too much wire to make up the thickness with the framing of it.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Aug 30, 2013 17:14:40 GMT -5
likewise, a sharp, thin edge is difficult to frame as well. If the standard wrap uses 4 wires, 2 will go to making the basket around the front and back of the stone, and two will frame the stone on the girdle. so a stone cut with a girdle of about 2 22ga stacked wires thick would be about perfect, assuming the artist is using 22ga square wire. the girdle should be cut perfectly vertical in this case as well.
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barclay
has rocks in the head
Lowly Padawan of rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 510
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Post by barclay on Aug 31, 2013 13:36:04 GMT -5
I would definitely polish the back unless I had a setting that totally covered the back. Typically I measure out a 2 mm girdle unless the material is soft then I will go 3 mm. One of the beauties of wire wrapping is its flexibility in dealing with stones that are not a calibrated size.
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minerken
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2013
Posts: 466
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Post by minerken on Sept 4, 2013 22:57:39 GMT -5
You guys must be reading my mind I was going to ask about girdle width and angle . I know the smithies like a little bevel to the girdle for their bezel and I have seen three wire wraps but don't think they look as good as the four wire where two are the prongs just looks more finished IMHO, maybe good for earrings.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Sept 7, 2013 23:07:37 GMT -5
Ah, I'm the odd one. I like the back rough, because it shows what the natural rock looks like. I love seeing the difference and having that dichotomy. It also helps 'grip' the wire better and feels more secure to work and in the wrap. It's still a smooth surface, just not polished.
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Post by wireholic on Sept 27, 2013 18:46:43 GMT -5
I like a 2-3 mm girdle if I'm wrapping with a frame but If I'm sculpting the wire I like the dome to go all the way to the edge. Either way I like to see the natural unpolished rock on the back unless it's translucent - then it needs to be polished or the front looks dull
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2013 20:09:02 GMT -5
I am with you Dee. I leave the back totally flat and unpolished. If the slab is cut in my saw the back is almost like it has been polished. Jim
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Post by drocknut on Sept 28, 2013 21:39:35 GMT -5
I like both polished and unpolished backs depending on the stone. I prefer to have an edge like what Don talks about since I generally use 22gauge or 21guage for my wraps. Having an edge helps me. You might consider asking the person who is doing the wire wrapping what they would prefer since each wrapper seems to have certain preferences.
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