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Post by stardiamond on Apr 16, 2020 10:11:12 GMT -5
I sent the person who I bought the Mescalero from a message that showed a picture of the cab I created and the slabs that I cut with all the fractures marked. I didn't write it as a complaint. The response was to seal the cracks and the best parts of a slab is where the cracks are.
I have never stabilized material. I bought some Tiffany Stone years ago that had been stabilized. My plan for the Mescalero was the same I have any material with issues like Morgan Hill which is design around the fractures, redesign if possible when a cab breaks and disclose remaining defects.
I've been making cabs for over 15 years but have been selling for less than 1. I don't go out of my way to buy organic foods but like my cabs untreated. I've made some cabs recently from Blue Tide and that is a material that deserves stabilization but I worked the material gently without backing or stabilizing.
Two questions:
1. Do you stabilize material for cabs that you sell?
2. Do customers care if a cab has been stabilized?
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,991
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Post by Tommy on Apr 16, 2020 10:21:01 GMT -5
I sent the person who I bought the Mescalero from a message that showed a picture of the cab I created and the slabs that I cut with all the fractures marked. I didn't write it as a complaint. The response was to seal the cracks and the best parts of a slab is where the cracks are. I have never stabilized material. I bought some Tiffany Stone years ago that had been stabilized. My plan for the Mescalero was the same I have any material with issues like Morgan Hill which is design around the fractures, redesign if possible when a cab breaks and disclose remaining defects. I've been making cabs for over 15 years but have been selling for less than 1. I don't go out of my way to buy organic foods but like my cabs untreated. I've made some cabs recently from Blue Tide and that is a material that deserves stabilization but I worked the material gently without backing or stabilizing. Two questions: 1. Do you stabilize material for cabs that you sell? 2. Do customers care if a cab has been stabilized? For me personally I would almost never stabilize a brecciated jasper (or agate). It either stays together or it doesn't - in other words I work around it. The only notable exception to this was some Tahoma agate/jasper that I took on as a project to use on my new vacuum stabilizer chamber I built a couple of years ago. The only material that seems to be 'normal' to sell as stabilized is turquoise but most of it seems to be stabilized already when slabs are purchased. As a side note from personal experience of collecting up there a half a dozen times, MOST of the material coming from the Dead Camel mountains is full of fractures and should come with disclaimers or indicator lines. I see a lot of it being sold without it and just shake my head. |
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Post by knave on Apr 16, 2020 10:34:55 GMT -5
Cabbing for 15 years! Doesn’t seem like you should need to change your game now, BUT if you are a person in search of interesting material, it is probably worth looking into. -newb
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 16, 2020 11:00:58 GMT -5
I sent the person who I bought the Mescalero from a message that showed a picture of the cab I created and the slabs that I cut with all the fractures marked. I didn't write it as a complaint. The response was to seal the cracks and the best parts of a slab is where the cracks are. I have never stabilized material. I bought some Tiffany Stone years ago that had been stabilized. My plan for the Mescalero was the same I have any material with issues like Morgan Hill which is design around the fractures, redesign if possible when a cab breaks and disclose remaining defects. I've been making cabs for over 15 years but have been selling for less than 1. I don't go out of my way to buy organic foods but like my cabs untreated. I've made some cabs recently from Blue Tide and that is a material that deserves stabilization but I worked the material gently without backing or stabilizing. Two questions: 1. Do you stabilize material for cabs that you sell? 2. Do customers care if a cab has been stabilized? For me personally I would almost never stabilize a brecciated jasper (or agate). It either stays together or it doesn't - in other words I work around it. The only notable exception to this was some Tahoma agate/jasper that I took on as a project to use on my new vacuum stabilizer chamber I built a couple of years ago. The only material that seems to be 'normal' to sell as stabilized is turquoise but most of it seems to be stabilized already when slabs are purchased. As a side note from personal experience of collecting up there a half a dozen times, MOST of the material coming from the Dead Camel mountains is full of fractures and should come with disclaimers or indicator lines. I see a lot of it being sold without it and just shake my head. Thank you Tommy. We are in complete agreement about stabilization and disclosure. Right now, I buy all material from pictures and recommendations. I thank sellers for good pictures because I an have a very good idea what I can get from a piece. I messaged the seller about all the lines I saw on the face of the rough piece and he said brecciated except for a particular area. Except for some Horse Canyon, I have been disappointed with fractures on rough. Since I am doing this as a hobby, my yield from a piece doesn't have to be that good. |
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 16, 2020 11:13:37 GMT -5
Cabbing for 15 years! Doesn’t seem like you should need to change your game now, BUT if you are a person in search of interesting material, it is probably worth looking into. -newb My game has changed because I started selling. Before, I asked myself two questions; is it worth my time to work on a cab and did I do a satisfactory job making it. Now, I ask is this a cab someone would buy and is my workmanship good enough to please the buyer. When I made a cab before I considered whether someone would buy it, but that was without knowledge of the market. I have more than a 1000 cabs that are nice but will never list because I understand the market better. The available material has changed over the years. Rocks that I bought a long time ago are not available with decent quality and an affordable price. I really like Willow Creek but a cab made from it needs to be very interesting and I can't find any affordable decent slabs. The Mescalero is very interesting and affordable. I'll see how it sells. |
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wpotterw
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2016
Posts: 446 
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Post by wpotterw on Apr 16, 2020 12:30:13 GMT -5
I sent the person who I bought the Mescalero from a message that showed a picture of the cab I created and the slabs that I cut with all the fractures marked. I didn't write it as a complaint. The response was to seal the cracks and the best parts of a slab is where the cracks are. I have never stabilized material. I bought some Tiffany Stone years ago that had been stabilized. My plan for the Mescalero was the same I have any material with issues like Morgan Hill which is design around the fractures, redesign if possible when a cab breaks and disclose remaining defects. I've been making cabs for over 15 years but have been selling for less than 1. I don't go out of my way to buy organic foods but like my cabs untreated. I've made some cabs recently from Blue Tide and that is a material that deserves stabilization but I worked the material gently without backing or stabilizing. Two questions: 1. Do you stabilize material for cabs that you sell? 2. Do customers care if a cab has been stabilized? For me personally I would almost never stabilize a brecciated jasper (or agate). It either stays together or it doesn't - in other words I work around it. The only notable exception to this was some Tahoma agate/jasper that I took on as a project to use on my new vacuum stabilizer chamber I built a couple of years ago. The only material that seems to be 'normal' to sell as stabilized is turquoise but most of it seems to be stabilized already when slabs are purchased. As a side note from personal experience of collecting up there a half a dozen times, MOST of the material coming from the Dead Camel mountains is full of fractures and should come with disclaimers or indicator lines. I see a lot of it being sold without it and just shake my head. The website I buy a lot of slabs from usually posts 3-4 pics of each piece, one with bright white lines over all identifiable cracks/pits. Helps a lot and cuts down on bad surprises.  |
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 16, 2020 12:34:44 GMT -5
For me personally I would almost never stabilize a brecciated jasper (or agate). It either stays together or it doesn't - in other words I work around it. The only notable exception to this was some Tahoma agate/jasper that I took on as a project to use on my new vacuum stabilizer chamber I built a couple of years ago. The only material that seems to be 'normal' to sell as stabilized is turquoise but most of it seems to be stabilized already when slabs are purchased. As a side note from personal experience of collecting up there a half a dozen times, MOST of the material coming from the Dead Camel mountains is full of fractures and should come with disclaimers or indicator lines. I see a lot of it being sold without it and just shake my head. The website I buy a lot of slabs from usually posts 3-4 pics of each piece, one with bright white lines over all identifiable cracks/pits. Helps a lot and cuts down on bad surprises.
I buy from him on his site and on eBay. Good guy.
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 16, 2020 12:54:58 GMT -5
I like the mescalero and the blue dream from the same area. I would only buy it in person though, I expect fractures and weak spots on anything brecciated. I sometimes cut the rough thin, quartz cap it, and use it in shadow box intarsia.
On the general topic of stabilizing, with petrified wood, and large display slabs I use glue when needed. If I sell it I will disclose it, but I really don't consider it as inferior.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,064
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Post by gemfeller on Apr 16, 2020 15:23:32 GMT -5
I prefer not to sell treated cabs but there are occasional exceptions. Due to the Zachery Process I assume all turquoise to be treated except cabs I personally know the history on. Now and then I'll use HXTAL on porous dino bone which greatly improves its beauty and makes it cuttable. I'm scrupulous about noting any treatment when I sell stones. I never -- intentionally -- cut cabs with fractures and either re-cut or discard any that show hidden fractures after cutting.
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