zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116 
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Post by zapins on Oct 4, 2018 18:06:29 GMT -5
Anyone got any especially effective ways of cutting tiny stones for inlaying? I want to cut a few 1-3 mm of unusual shape for a project I'm working on and am having a hell of a time holding onto the tiny stones! They keep slipping out of my fingers and getting lost as I grind them!
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Post by Pat on Oct 4, 2018 18:19:34 GMT -5
Could you dop the stone onto a flat nail head to use as a dop stick? That's pretty small!
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goatgrinder
spending too much on rocks
Make mine a man cave
Member since January 2017
Posts: 368
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Post by goatgrinder on Oct 4, 2018 18:22:52 GMT -5
A broken toothpick for dopping is even smaller. Really at that size your fingers should not be touching the stone.
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 4, 2018 19:40:25 GMT -5
Are you talking about flat pieces? Maybe you can glue your piece to a bigger piece and then release it to do the same for more sides. You could grind the sides on a flat lap or cut with a small saw.
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Oct 6, 2018 20:50:11 GMT -5
I want to inlay these little cut outs with lapis and malachite. I cast this ring for my little cousin. Then I'll polish it after inlaying.  2018-10-06_09-48-50 by Zapins, on Flickr |
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 7, 2018 6:02:43 GMT -5
That is small. Have you thought about using some crushed pieces to glue in?
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Oct 7, 2018 9:47:26 GMT -5
Yes but it wouldn't be as nice as one solid piece.
I might just try the toothpick idea and doping wax.
Is there a difference between the different colors of doping wax? I have black colored wax.
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 7, 2018 11:38:57 GMT -5
Yes but it wouldn't be as nice as one solid piece. I might just try the toothpick idea and doping wax. Is there a difference between the different colors of doping wax? I have black colored wax. melting temps, I think |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Oct 7, 2018 14:32:24 GMT -5
Here is an article that a friend of mine wrote for Rock and Gem magazine quite a while ago on channel inlay. Hopefully it can help you out!
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Oct 7, 2018 14:46:53 GMT -5
Dop waxes can also have different shellac content too. Some more sticky than others in addition to differences in melt temps.
Have dopped small opals using a finishing nail and super glue. Best trick for that is to drill a hole into the end of a dop stick and then insert the nail into that new wood "handle". Heckuva lot easier to hold on to - especially when wet.
Hope that helps. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 7, 2018 15:04:05 GMT -5
I would definitely dop to metal with super glue or epoxy, so it can easily be released with heat or acetone if you insist on solid stones.
Making an epoxy/resin slurry makes more sense to me though.
You definitely need to go over your cut outs with a tiny setting burr to make an undercut either way, if you intend for the stones to stay in place, especially for a child.
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Oct 7, 2018 17:10:55 GMT -5
An undercut in the walls of the setting for the E6000 to bind to?
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 7, 2018 19:30:24 GMT -5
An undercut would help with glue, but I would be also creating a setting that I could bend over to create a true setting with the metal holding in the stone. I don't know how young your cousin is, but for any child I would think a very durable setting is important
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zapins
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2016
Posts: 116
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Post by zapins on Oct 7, 2018 23:52:10 GMT -5
She's about 15. I don't think the walls are thin enough to bend. They are 1-2 mm thick. It would be very hard to bend all the walls to pinch it in. I'll give it a go with the epoxy and see how it goes, I can probably add the undercut to give the glue more purchase.
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