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Post by radio on Jan 15, 2014 18:24:38 GMT -5
I have a customer who will be bringing me a bunch of unknown quality Fire Agate rough to possibly barter for some Sterling work. I have a Foredom and a small selection of burrs, so can at least get started and would hope to make some cabs for bezel setting in rings and pendants. I have seen some cabs contour carved before to bring out the maximum fire and would like to explore that technique.
In the past I have played with a couple of pieces on a cabbing machine and had not so good results. Some I could only bring out the fire closest to the surface and other nice areas were still too deep to be really pretty. The worst was cutting too deep and destroying the fire, so I gave up using a cabbing machine. Now that I have a Foredom I am willing to tackle a few pieces and see what I can accomplish. Probably will use the dip 'n dunk method as I don't have a dripper set up
The cabs will mostly be freeform as I don't do very many pieces that are calibrated.
Any advice appreciated
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Mattatya
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2012
Posts: 452
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Post by Mattatya on Jan 15, 2014 19:48:28 GMT -5
Hi Radio, A while back I was general search about the same subject and found that most websites (not RTH) regarding fire agate were pretty tight lipped about the technique. I did come across a really cool PDF that I downloaded on the subject and have linked the PDF to my dropbox account. You don't need an account to download. Once you go to the link below you should see a download button on the upper right of the dropbox file page linked. If you have issues downloading it, I can try another upload. I haven't been able to find the website that the PDF came from though so I don't have a www for ya, just the PDF. Its really informative  www.dropbox.com/s/u8gbeybxx7v208o/How-To-Finish-Fire-Agate-Gems.pdfEnjoy, Matt |
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Post by radio on Jan 15, 2014 20:44:14 GMT -5
Thanks for the link. There was some great info in there! I also had no idea that lots of the Agate was finished by tumbling!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,059 
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Post by gemfeller on Jan 15, 2014 22:01:51 GMT -5
You might take a look at the article on my website I wrote some years back. It doesn't go into detail about actual carving but may offer a few helpful hints about using cabbing machines. I've cut many very nice fire agates using the methods described. I keep intending to update it with images and a new section on glyptic techniques but lately other things seem to demand my attention and I haven't gotten around to it. If you like check out: www.artcutgems.com/content.php?content_id=1019 |
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Post by radio on Jan 15, 2014 23:34:06 GMT -5
You might take a look at the article on my website I wrote some years back. It doesn't go into detail about actual carving but may offer a few helpful hints about using cabbing machines. I've cut many very nice fire agates using the methods described. I keep intending to update it with images and a new section on glyptic techniques but lately other things seem to demand my attention and I haven't gotten around to it. If you like check out: www.artcutgems.com/content.php?content_id=1019Thanks for sharing the info! There is some great info in the article and I will try to remember at least 25% of it when I start working on a piece  The remaining 75% will likely be absorbed after a slow realization that I skipped something along the way and made me utter a choice word or three  It will be interesting to see what shows up in the bucket he lugs in one of these days. At least I have a better idea of how to assess the material from the redaing I have done this evening. Thanks to you and Mattatya  |
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Post by Pat on Jan 16, 2014 0:31:14 GMT -5
Wow! Thanks for sharing. I have a box of fire agate awaiting attention.
... And thanks for asking the question
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Post by kk on Jan 16, 2014 1:17:39 GMT -5
Lets see some beauties. There aren't enough people working this wonderful material.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Jan 16, 2014 7:58:05 GMT -5
Great link Matt, got to love dropbox:)
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Post by radio on Jan 16, 2014 10:11:42 GMT -5
When he brings in the material I will post a pic. It's supposed to be old stuff that was dug in the 60's and 70's, but I will likely window a few pieces to get an idea of it's potential before agreeing to anything
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Post by roy on Jan 16, 2014 10:34:42 GMT -5
i have about 600 lbs of the deer creek from the 70's it is some killer fir agate i bought it from a miner friend he had got from the claim owner and stored it away in a 55 gal drum for his retirment then he got alsimers !i have been teaching my self how to cut this stuff my self! the only tip i can really offer is this go really slow and plot you course carfully! sometimes you find the fire and want to take it a little further and it gets better and brighter and other times you guess wrong and it is junk but after a bit you will get the hang of it and away you go !i do a lot of rock stuff but chasing fire is the most addictive thing there is lol
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Post by radio on Jan 17, 2014 10:06:44 GMT -5
i have about 600 lbs of the deer creek from the 70's it is some killer fir agate i bought it from a miner friend he had got from the claim owner and stored it away in a 55 gal drum for his retirment then he got alsimers !i have been teaching my self how to cut this stuff my self! the only tip i can really offer is this go really slow and plot you course carfully! sometimes you find the fire and want to take it a little further and it gets better and brighter and other times you guess wrong and it is junk but after a bit you will get the hang of it and away you go !i do a lot of rock stuff but chasing fire is the most addictive thing there is lol Wanna sell or trade a few? I have no idea what to expect from the person who has some he wants to trade. I don't have very high hopes for it though as he seems to know very little about rocks in general |
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The remaining 75% will likely be absorbed after a slow realization that I skipped something along the way and made me utter a choice word or three 
