agatewhisperer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2020
Posts: 836
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Post by agatewhisperer on Aug 18, 2020 21:55:42 GMT -5
Question on a Brazilian agate I cut some slabs from and am starting to cab. It was kind of a bland agate but had a quartz center. Is there anything wrong with cabbing the quartz crystals in to the cab or will those fall apart later or cause more trouble than their worth? Here's one in the works to show what I'm talking about. The green is from the dop wax... Might look cool with a colored backer?  |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Aug 18, 2020 22:14:44 GMT -5
Very cool cab! I don't see anything wrong with cabbing the crystals. If they hold together while cabbing they should be just fine.
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Post by pauls on Aug 18, 2020 23:53:07 GMT -5
Very cool cab! I don't see anything wrong with cabbing the crystals. If they hold together while cabbing they should be just fine. I agree. The Quartz crystals may undercut a bit, Agate and Quartz are the same mineral so the same hardness but Agate has a different crystal structure and is usually tougher, more resistant to grinding. Ease up on the pressure when sanding the Quartz side and you should be fine. Polish the back of the cab too, those translucent cabs really look nicer if the back has a good polish that reflects light back at you. |
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agatewhisperer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2020
Posts: 836
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Post by agatewhisperer on Aug 19, 2020 9:09:01 GMT -5
Very cool cab! I don't see anything wrong with cabbing the crystals. If they hold together while cabbing they should be just fine. I agree. The Quartz crystals may undercut a bit, Agate and Quartz are the same mineral so the same hardness but Agate has a different crystal structure and is usually tougher, more resistant to grinding. Ease up on the pressure when sanding the Quartz side and you should be fine. Polish the back of the cab too, those translucent cabs really look nicer if the back has a good polish that reflects light back at you. Ok - good deal. Would this work at all in a lot-o tumbler or is it best to do by hand? |
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herb
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 476
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Post by herb on Aug 19, 2020 12:36:19 GMT -5
I've made a few cabs that incorporate the crystal part of an agate and generally haven't had any issues. I have had a tiny crystal fall out while cabbing though. I just left it be. Think of it as a really tiny druzzy pocket.
Tumbling would probably be ok, but I think I would hand grind it just to be safe.
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Post by pauls on Aug 19, 2020 16:34:42 GMT -5
I agree. The Quartz crystals may undercut a bit, Agate and Quartz are the same mineral so the same hardness but Agate has a different crystal structure and is usually tougher, more resistant to grinding. Ease up on the pressure when sanding the Quartz side and you should be fine. Polish the back of the cab too, those translucent cabs really look nicer if the back has a good polish that reflects light back at you. Ok - good deal. Would this work at all in a lot-o tumbler or is it best to do by hand? I would try and do it by hand, so much more control over what's happening, also, Quartz edges can get bruised in the tumbler. |
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