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Post by stardiamond on Apr 13, 2019 13:33:24 GMT -5
The biggest issue when cutting my cabs is girdles. Particularly flat spots. They were better when I didn't use dop sticks. The sticks get in the way of getting the cab square to the wheel. The other issues are not paying attention to detail and fatigue since the girdles is the last thing I do on the 220 soft.. I cut 7 cabs today through 220 soft and made it a point to make sure that the girdles were even and smooth on the 220 soft wheel. On softer material they can be improved on the 600 and 1200. Hard material like Montana will keep the defects. 6 of the cabs have girdles that are satisfactory the Montana wasn't. I spent about 1/2 hour trying to get a good girdle on the 220 soft. I even went back to the 220 hard. I finally figure out that I needed to jam the cab into the wheel when rotating the cab. Not perfect but way better. I'll sand and polish tomorrow and that is always quick and easy.
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Post by pauls on Apr 13, 2019 16:21:04 GMT -5
So if I am reading this right you put your rough stone on a dop stick and then cut it to shape, is that right?
I always cut my stones to shape first, it's too much trouble trying to get things right with the stone on a stick.
Getting the shape and pattern right is far easier freehand.
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 13, 2019 16:30:02 GMT -5
I cut my stones to shape through 220 soft free hand. Dop and mark girdle and center line. Before I was doing everything freehand.
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Apr 13, 2019 22:57:23 GMT -5
Grrrr...dop sticks. Most of mine never see a stick. Only use them for cutting certain profiles or for really small stones. Do have to use sticks more often on the flat lap. Not as easy to keep the fingers out of the way on there.
Try cutting in a couple of girdles on the 220 hard wheel. Might be easier to get a more precise cut, then just clean it up on the 220 soft. Then sharpen those sticks and get some marshmallows. |
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Post by bobby1 on Apr 13, 2019 23:27:27 GMT -5
Anything under 2" goes on a dop stick. 2" up to my largest (6"+) are hand held until I go to polish then they go on a dop stick.
Bob
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Apr 14, 2019 9:41:30 GMT -5
Yeah, bobby1 once again brings up good points. Really need a stick for most polishing.
Second thing is that the size of cabs too small to hold without a stick has gotten larger for me over recent years. |
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 14, 2019 10:13:49 GMT -5
I shape and do everything on a dop. I cut my girdle line on the 80.
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Apr 14, 2019 22:36:20 GMT -5
Yeah, Tela, the girdle is there on my rough grind too. After all, it is basically the outline of the stone, right? I just wait 'till the 220 to refine it to try to avoid chipping.
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Apr 15, 2019 0:16:20 GMT -5
I cut mostly for setting in a bezel so my girdles are tapered.
It's easy to hold the dop stick a little off of 90 degrees to get that angle.
It's pretty easy to maintain that angle as I turn the dop & cab.
BTW, I use both hands when grinding the girdle, but not always on the stick.
Sometimes I help balance & roll the cab with my left hand.
I usually don't cut the girdle until the 220 hard wheel.
My first wheel - a 60 grit sintered cuts too fast & chips a bit.
I wish you success learning these finer points of cabbing.
I hope you can enjoy the excitement that brought you to cabbing in the first place, despite the hurdles of learning.
Lynn
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Post by stardiamond on May 2, 2019 14:43:24 GMT -5
I spent a few hours working on some cabs that I cut in the past where the girdles weren't acceptable. The height is general even, but they aren't flat enough and have dips and flat spots. Part of he problem is physical; keeping my hands steady and rotating with square, even pressure. I'm also going to look at the light line instead of the pencil mark to get a better flow. I have cabs that I want to list on etsy that were fine except for the girdles so I'm going alternate cutting new cans with fixing cabs. This is what I worked on today. I haven't mastered photographing girdles. I have a lot of cabs to fix.  |
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Post by rockjunquie on May 2, 2019 15:04:34 GMT -5
I spent a few hours working on some cabs that I cut in the past where the girdles weren't acceptable. The height is general even, but they aren't flat enough and have dips and flat spots. Part of he problem is physical; keeping my hands steady and rotating with square, even pressure. I'm also going to look at the light line instead of the pencil mark to get a better flow. I have cabs that I want to list on etsy that were fine except for the girdles so I'm going alternate cutting new cans with fixing cabs. This is what I worked on today. I haven't mastered photographing girdles. I have a lot of cabs to fix. BEAUTIFUL cabs! |
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Post by stardiamond on May 2, 2019 15:24:22 GMT -5
Thanks. I've cut a lot of cabs since starting in 2000. Only around 20% or less I would try to sell. They were cut for me, but when I try to sell them a standard needs to be met. A good dome and polish was good enough. It takes a lot less time to fix a cab starting at 325 than starting from the beginning. I look closely enough and see flat spots near the edges and polished over scratches.
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julieooly
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2018
Posts: 721 
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Post by julieooly on May 2, 2019 17:52:12 GMT -5
Grrrr...dop sticks. Most of mine never see a stick. Only use them for cutting certain profiles or for really small stones. Do have to use sticks more often on the flat lap. Not as easy to keep the fingers out of the way on there.
Try cutting in a couple of girdles on the 220 hard wheel. Might be easier to get a more precise cut, then just clean it up on the 220 soft. Then sharpen those sticks and get some marshmallows. marshmallows? |
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on May 3, 2019 0:21:35 GMT -5
Yeah, Julie - for roasting.
Hey there stardiamond - those are great looking cabs. I like what you said about looking at the light line instead of the pencil mark. Sounds like the kind of thing a pro would say. |
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julieooly
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2018
Posts: 721
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Post by julieooly on May 3, 2019 8:33:55 GMT -5
Yeah, Julie - for roasting.
Hey there stardiamond - those are great looking cabs. I like what you said about looking at the light line instead of the pencil mark. Sounds like the kind of thing a pro would say. oh! LOL, ya'll have so many words for things out here I thought it was a technical term  |
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