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Post by snowmom on Jan 8, 2015 5:04:03 GMT -5
Santa brought me an adjustable speed Dremel with a flex shaft for Christmas. I have been busily polishing windows in many of my mystery rocks. Even put a halfway decent face on one. I have very rapidly learned the limitations of the attachments I have here, and am looking for specific information about the bits and attachments "you who work rocks with Dremels " use. I have been told anything but corundum or diamond faces are probably a waste of time and money. I had lots of silica bands with the mini expanding drums and now I have only a couple left, they disintegrate in a hurry when used with water. Looking for hints, tips, techniques, setups, etc related to using motorized shaft tools. I am finding that rock polishing had better teach me more patience. I can be endlessly patient with animals and some people so why am I getting so frustrated with my new toy. I want results NOW... LOL Here's what I have done so far. Stop me and help me get going right if you spot things out of sync with best performance and products used.
I have a corner in my basement very well lit, mixed spectrum light using both cool and daylight bulbs close to the work surface. The area is well ventilated and I have a fan which can also help if I need it. I have set up a small booth using a translucent plastic storage box, set on its side with the open end toward me, to contain splashing. I have a shallow dish which I fill with water to keep the rock moist as I work it. I also have a sponge and a sprayer which I use almost continuously. No dry work if I can help it. I sit to work, and the dish with the water rests on a wash cloth which soaks up most spills and is easily replaced. The cloth also soaks up excess vibration and keeps the dish from skidding around the booth as I work the victim rock. I have rubber gloves and masks, probably need safety goggles too, though my glasses are hardened and treated to be tough and resist scratches.
The tool came with some reinforced fiber cutting disks and a little steel wheel type saw bit. They are useless against the rocks I am trying to work with. The rocks will take a little score from the fiber wheel and then they just laugh... Those wheels send out sparks and get red hot at the bottom and don't do much else. I could probably plate a rock with steel scrapings using the little saw bur and the wire brush... they leave themselves behind as layers of silver color metal tracks and don't otherwise mark the rock. So that's the story. You'd figure that since one of the tests for mohs hardness is to see if steel leaves a mark. Anybody got advice for me? RTH to the rescue yet again. I count on you all! Thanks! |
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Post by connrock on Jan 8, 2015 9:23:53 GMT -5
I'm not the best person to help as I've only done a few carvings with a flex shaft but you have to use diamond burrs and water to work hard rocks with a flex shaft.
I'm sure that others here who have more experience in this will help you much more then I.
Good luck,,,
connrock
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718 
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 8, 2015 11:18:20 GMT -5
I use the diamond blades and drums,but never use water on mine...Haven't had to replace them like you have..
I also use mine outside so the dust goes away a lot faster from my projects..
I just do a few cuts and polishes with mine,it gets to be a lot of dust from working fossils and its not good for a person..
Many people on here use the tools you speak of too,so information should be pouring in shortly...........
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jan 8, 2015 13:53:15 GMT -5
I use my Dremel in a drill press to drill holes in cabs or beads. I use the cheap 1mm bits from Kingsley North. They cost about a buck a piece. I submerge the rock in a tupperware type container and drill under water.
I've been doing a bunch of pudding stone beads for a friend and I've had good success drilling from both sides to prevent blow out. I epoxied a broken drill bit in a piece of wood so it sticks out about 1/8 inch or maybe less. I first drill part way from one side, then I line up my drill bit with the broken one in the wood. I flip the bead over so the broken drill bit goes in the hole, then I can drill through from the other side and not miss. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's easy to do.
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Post by snowmom on Jan 8, 2015 14:53:54 GMT -5
thanks Rob, I can picture that!
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 8, 2015 15:03:19 GMT -5
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Post by johnjsgems on Jan 8, 2015 15:32:02 GMT -5
For carving you need diamond burs. Best to buy assorted shapes and sets of different grits. You can generally find them in 120, 220, 400, and 600 grit. Must be used with water. Sintered burs are much better, last much longer and ultimately less expensive though they are high cost up front. You can also buy diamond mini-wheels and cutting discs. The kits that come with Dremels are for wood and metal working. One thing I found handy is a bench top Dremel holder that holds Dremel stationary. Lets me move the rock instead of holding the Dremel or flex shaft in my arthritic fingers. I'm used to grinding cabs on diamond wheels so less awkward for removing material for me. For detail carving the flex shaft is good with small cylinder and ball burs. Lopaki has a good reputation for imported burs. You can find cheap sets of diamond burs at Harbor Freight too. They may be good enough to get you started and at least decide what shape burs work for you.
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 8, 2015 15:45:34 GMT -5
but to be clear, carving and facing/polishing rock are two different things. I think you have expectations for your Dremel that it is just not going to deliver.
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Post by snowmom on Jan 8, 2015 16:49:49 GMT -5
hmm, I really have no expectations or plans for the Dremel. It was an unexpected gift from my spouse, who would be disappointed if I didn't use it. I have been feeling around blindly trying to figure out what I can use it for. I have no idea what its capabilities are since I have never used one for rocks before, but only on plastic and woods for rough sculpting. That is really why I asked for information as to how they are used by forum members and what attachments and the like are used/ what is done with them. I appreciate all the input, I will search the forum threads for more information, and any little input is valuable to me because I truly have not the least idea what to expect of it or how to put it to its best use! Thank you.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2015 21:04:44 GMT -5
You can do just about anything with rock and dremel that you want to as long as you think "small". KK does all of his carving "and cabbing" with a dremel and he turns out some amazing pieces.
Jim
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 8, 2015 22:06:14 GMT -5
carving is more in Dremel wheelhouse. assuming good burrs.
you can use some small diamond discs like a mini flat-lap to make domes - but best on softer stuff like obsidian. also kind of slow. you may also have to clamp the Dremel in a vise and dop the stone.
sanding a face on a rock and polishing a face is less suitable. the tools will wear out fast, even diamond ones. it would also be very slow.
drilling holes is a great use.
all of this works better with a flex-shaft attachment.
I think it is a good specialty tool but not a mainline lapidary tool, except for carving and drilling.
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Post by pauls on Jan 9, 2015 1:06:55 GMT -5
Dremels are just the handiest of machines.
If you want to have a go at carving, start with something a bit softer, Talc, Serpentine, Marble or Travertine. I have seen people with big ideas start on really hard rocks and get fed up with how slow it goes and never finish and never go back to it. Always start with something you are able to finish.
If you are into metal working they are indispensable for sanding and polishing your settings.
For polishing stones, its possible and people do it, but there are better ways.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2015 3:17:29 GMT -5
Dremels are just the handiest of machines. If you want to have a go at carving, start with something a bit softer, Talc, Serpentine, Marble or Travertine. I have seen people with big ideas start on really hard rocks and get fed up with how slow it goes and never finish and never go back to it. Always start with something you are able to finish. If you are into metal working they are indispensable for sanding and polishing your settings. For polishing stones, its possible and people do it, but there are better ways. I totally agree with one addition. When it is all you have and you are saving for something better you can learn a lot about working with stone. Not everyone can go out and buy a bunch of fancy machines and there are a lot of people that do have the money but all the money in the world will not make them a good cabber etc. etc. I also think that people starting out like you are with the bare minimum learn a lot more about working stone and the patience it takes to do it right. I will add that I have a wheel machine with trim saw and a home made machine driven with a drill press. I almost never use the wheel machine. With the velcro diamond pads I can polish from an ear ring stone with a concave side up to a ten inch slab and change them out in less time than it takes for the machine to come to a stop. It amazes me how much knowledge you have gained in the short time you have been seriously rocking. I have no doubt that you will figure it out. You go girl Jim |
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Post by snowmom on Jan 9, 2015 7:22:45 GMT -5
Dremels are just the handiest of machines. If you want to have a go at carving, start with something a bit softer, Talc, Serpentine, Marble or Travertine. I have seen people with big ideas start on really hard rocks and get fed up with how slow it goes and never finish and never go back to it. Always start with something you are able to finish. If you are into metal working they are indispensable for sanding and polishing your settings. For polishing stones, its possible and people do it, but there are better ways. I totally agree with one addition. When it is all you have and you are saving for something better you can learn a lot about working with stone. Not everyone can go out and buy a bunch of fancy machines and there are a lot of people that do have the money but all the money in the world will not make them a good cabber etc. etc. I also think that people starting out like you are with the bare minimum learn a lot more about working stone and the patience it takes to do it right. I will add that I have a wheel machine with trim saw and a home made machine driven with a drill press. I almost never use the wheel machine. With the velcro diamond pads I can polish from an ear ring stone with a concave side up to a ten inch slab and change them out in less time than it takes for the machine to come to a stop. It amazes me how much knowledge you have gained in the short time you have been seriously rocking. I have no doubt that you will figure it out. You go girl Jim |
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Post by snowmom on Jan 9, 2015 7:24:18 GMT -5
Thank you Jim! You hit it right on the head. your encouragement means a lot! Keeping on keeping on.  |
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Post by snowmom on Jan 9, 2015 7:30:49 GMT -5
I liked the idea that I could use this on metals, too. Last night it also came to me that now I can carve rims and bottoms on the bases (dais) for my Sueseki stones. Beginning to see some possibilities here, thanks to you all! Getting there... any progress is good progress.
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Post by connrock on Jan 9, 2015 9:21:14 GMT -5
A Dremel is definitely not a good tool for cabbing but it can be done.
Sand is not a good abrasive for rock tumbling but it too can be done.
I've gone through my life using tools,equipment and media that were never meant to do what I've done with them but they are all that I have.
I gas weld with steel coat hangers and braze with common copper electrical wire and they surely were not made to do that!
I've put a chrome like shine on stainless steel knife blades with home made tools and equipment made from other things that were not made to do that!
I now have a Foredom Flex Shaft/Drill Press attachment,,,, but years ago I started out with a regular hand held Dremel and later bought the flex shaft attachment!I have an almost complete lapidary shop now (minus a faceting machine)but I started out with nothing years ago! I did what I wanted to do with what I had at hand!
I don't do much with rocks or jewelery anymore but I have found a passion for working with copper,brass,steel,tin cans and even a little sterling silver.Again I'm plagued with having to work without what I really need to do my pieces but I do what I have to do to create what I have in mind!
You WILL have a terrible time trying to make cabs with your Dremel but it's all you have,,,,, and if the passion is there,,,,you WILL do it!
Good luck and have fun,,,
connrock
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