NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Mar 20, 2018 23:24:42 GMT -5
Here is a Brazilian agate I have been cutting on in class for a few weeks now. I've been zooming in on that vug to incorporate it into a sphere (or two!?!?!). So I show it to leaders in class and some are saying "making a sphere will ruin it, leave it like that, just polish it up..." What say you? IMG 20180320 210621985:  IMG 20180320 210642112:  IMG 20180320 210657844:   IMG 20180320 210706901:  IMG 20180320 210631326:  |
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Post by Pat on Mar 20, 2018 23:27:45 GMT -5
Leave it.
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Mar 20, 2018 23:49:35 GMT -5
Here is a Brazilian agate I have been cutting on in class for a few weeks now. I've been zooming in on that vug to incorporate it into a sphere (or two!?!?!). So I show it to leaders in class and some are saying "making a sphere will ruin it, leave it like that, just polish it up..." What say you? I'm a big fan of spheres with vugs included - the more crystals the better. That being said it's hard to get a proper perspective on where the sphere would come from (bottom half) in relation to the vug. If the entire vug as shown in the next-to-last picture fit in a single sphere I would say go for it in a heart beat. |
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Brazilian
Mar 20, 2018 23:54:18 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by NRG on Mar 20, 2018 23:54:18 GMT -5
Here is a Brazilian agate I have been cutting on in class for a few weeks now. I've been zooming in on that vug to incorporate it into a sphere (or two!?!?!). So I show it to leaders in class and some are saying "making a sphere will ruin it, leave it like that, just polish it up..." What say you? I'm a big fan of spheres with vugs included - the more crystals the better. That being said it's hard to get a proper perspective on where the sphere would come from (bottom half) in relation to the vug. If the entire vug as shown in the next-to-last picture fit in a single sphere I would say go for it in a heart beat. When standing on the flat end, the obvious ball is at the top. And that MAY leave enough meat for a second on at the bottom. Both with vugs. The top one's cavity would be ~1/2 the volume. The bottom one maybe more. The bottom one may be too open to spherify. |
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Mar 21, 2018 0:02:10 GMT -5
When standing on the flat end, the obvious ball is at the top. And that MAY leave enough meat for a second on at the bottom. Both with vugs. The top one's cavity would be ~1/2 the volume. The bottom one maybe more. The bottom one may be too open to spherify. If it were me I would pick the absolute sweet spot for a single sphere and go for it as opposed to attempting two and ending up with a decent and a maybe. In other words, cut an inch off the bottom and make the cube proportional etc. and make a bad ass sphere with crystal teeth. Some might consider it waste but my tendency is to go for the most single killer cabochon in every slab and if I get more decent cabs from the slab then it was a good day. It's not like you'd be wasting material - you could always give the off cuts to the cabbers in your life   |
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Post by Garage Rocker on Mar 21, 2018 0:03:20 GMT -5
Spherify it! It's what you do. I'd sure like to see it.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723 
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 21, 2018 10:09:54 GMT -5
Going to be a killer cool sphere............
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Post by MsAli on Mar 21, 2018 10:19:31 GMT -5
Whatever will make you happy is what you should do.
Either way it's a cool piece
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zekesman
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2016
Posts: 637
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Post by zekesman on Mar 21, 2018 10:42:41 GMT -5
Leaders? It is your rock. You are the leader sir! Sphere away. Vic
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Post by fantastic5 on Mar 21, 2018 11:58:54 GMT -5
sphere sphere sphere sphere sphere sphere sphere
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Mar 21, 2018 12:20:18 GMT -5
When standing on the flat end, the obvious ball is at the top. And that MAY leave enough meat for a second on at the bottom. Both with vugs. The top one's cavity would be ~1/2 the volume. The bottom one maybe more. The bottom one may be too open to spherify. If it were me I would pick the absolute sweet spot for a single sphere and go for it as opposed to attempting two and ending up with a decent and a maybe. In other words, cut an inch off the bottom and make the cube proportional etc. and make a bad ass sphere with crystal teeth. Some might consider it waste but my tendency is to go for the most single killer cabochon in every slab and if I get more decent cabs from the slab then it was a good day. It's not like you'd be wasting material - you could always give the off cuts to the cabbers in your life View AttachmentThanks everyone!! Great encouragement! I "slept" on it. I'm going to take Tommy's advice. In that I will sort out the best most "bravo'worthy" single sphere and have a cutoff. During said "sleep" process I realized I am left with a geode in a rectangular prism shape. I'll polish that off as is and have that object as well, whatever that is when it's finished. Gratitude to all! |
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sphereguy
having dreams about rocks
Hello all I've been lurking for months now
Member since March 2017
Posts: 73
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Post by sphereguy on Mar 23, 2018 10:06:11 GMT -5
I do a lot of spheres and Brazil’s ar in my opinion the biggest pain to do. If you do decide to sphere it I can appreciate your doing so, there tough to cur tough to grind and tough to shine up. However when there done there very beautiful.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Mar 23, 2018 13:49:02 GMT -5
I do a lot of spheres and Brazil’s ar in my opinion the biggest pain to do. If you do decide to sphere it I can appreciate your doing so, there tough to cur tough to grind and tough to shine up. However when there done there very beautiful. I wont be using grit for rough grind. I will be using diamond core bits with oil for lubricant. The ball will only be 2.5” so should only take an hour or less from rough hand ground sphere. As for polish. We use Tin Oxide on denim for spheres. Will prepolish to 1200 and then polish for 30 minutes with a dense slurry of SnO. I expect to get a wet looking polish, as others have in the same workshop. im curious why you find them hard to polish? |
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Mar 23, 2018 13:51:07 GMT -5
TommyI cant use your lines! I wanted to! That would only leave a very small area of agate to hold the two halves together. It might could work, but I don’t have the huevos. 
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,989
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Post by Tommy on Mar 23, 2018 14:43:18 GMT -5
I cant use your lines! I wanted to! That would only leave a very small area of agate to hold the two halves together. It might could work, but I don’t have the huevos. You can doooo eeeet!  I'm just kidding - merely suggestions on my part. I left off the disclaimer about how many 'chances' I take and how many gorgeous rocks I destroy  |
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Post by 1dave on Oct 26, 2018 9:34:10 GMT -5
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 26, 2018 9:48:36 GMT -5
No guts, no glory. Try it! If it doesn't work, you still have awesome druzy pieces for cabbing. Crystals in spheres are so awesome!
P.S. Pay absolutely no attention to me. I'm a druzy fanatic.  |
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Post by MsAli on Oct 26, 2018 9:51:26 GMT -5
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Post by 1dave on Oct 26, 2018 10:05:09 GMT -5
Ideas marinating, . . . or put aside for another life?
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Oct 26, 2018 10:20:36 GMT -5
It's in my truck and will be the next thing I work on at class the next time I go. |
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