|
|
Post by Pat on Nov 21, 2020 19:06:46 GMT -5
jasoninsd. You mentioned trouble with seeing the surface with your new slant cabber. . I’ve never used one, but maybe if you color the entire top, you could tell where you’ve been and where you haven’t been. If there is still your added color on the surface, you haven’t been there. I hope this helps. I use magic markers. Good luck!
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 19:28:49 GMT -5
Its is fer sure a learning curve and very different than a regular cabbing machine The angles took me forever to learn and now its pretty much only used for polishing Wait till a cab goes flying Still can't find an opal I was working on If it's really a learning curve, then I'm on the bottom section of that bell curve! LOL The prairie agate I was working on slipped from my hands...probably because I'd lost all my fingernails by that point and had no extra "grip"...it got caught between the splash guard and the edge of the wheel. Put a massive (it was to me!) gauge in the top of the dome. I didn't add that to the story of my woes from yesterday! In retrospect, it truly was a comedy of errors all day long! Hmmm...lost opal you say...sounds like the beginning of a treasure hunt story to me! (I was imagining I was hearing that cartoon bullet ricochet sound when I was reading that!)  I'm going to take you up on your offer to ask questions: - Where on the wheel are you working the cab? 12:00, 3:00, or 6:00? I'm assuming not 9:00 as that's where the drip line goes... I know to "move" it around the radius of the wheel to keep the "heat" down and even out the wear on the disk... - How are you "seeing" what you're working on? Do you do it blindly by "feel" or are you able to get a good angle to see the cab on the wheel? Thanks for any kind of a life-preserver you can toss at me! |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 19:35:26 GMT -5
jasoninsd . You mentioned trouble with seeing the surface with your new slant cabber. . I’ve never used one, but maybe if you color the entire top, you could tell where you’ve been and where you haven’t been. If there is still your added color on the surface, you haven’t been there. I hope this helps. I use magic markers. Good luck! That's a good idea Pat. It's not really where I've "been" on the surface, but rather I can't figure out a position to get a good view of the "contact" of the cab on the surface. I felt like I was poking and hoping with seeing how much material was coming off. I can see why working the cab on a Genie or Cabking enables a person to actually see the portion of the cab being worked on the wheels. With this slant cabber, the angle doesn't seem right to stand directly in front of the machine...it almost seems like working from the side of the machine might be better... |
|
EricD
Cave Dweller 
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
|
Post by EricD on Nov 21, 2020 19:35:40 GMT -5
Can you not work the cab from behind the upward face of the wheel (12:00-3:00), and view the edge of cab as well?
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 19:41:39 GMT -5
Can you not work the cab from behind the upward face of the wheel (12:00-3:00), and view the edge of cab as well? You were posting this as I was replying to Pat. I hadn't considered going "behind" the machine rather than face-on. I was working on it with it on my workbench, so it was about waist high. If I turned the machine around, I'd have to lower it, but it should give me a direct view on the work surface. Huge DUH for me!!! Wow, sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees! I should try making one that way! Thanks for the brain storm!  |
|
EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
|
Post by EricD on Nov 21, 2020 19:46:41 GMT -5
I couldn't think of any other way I could use it back when I was looking at buying machines
|
|
SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 790
|
Post by SirRoxalot on Nov 21, 2020 19:51:37 GMT -5
We’ve all been there! Keep at it, and before long you’ll be knocking out perfect cabs in your sleep.
Here’s a tip that will reveal those hard-see-cracks: get your slab wet, wipe off most of the water, and watch it dry. The cracks will leap out at you. Then get rid of all the cracks with tile nippers, or a trim saw. Highlight them with a sharpie as needed. Some fantastic-looking slabs will be revealed as rubbish, pronto.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 19:52:40 GMT -5
I couldn't think of any other way I could use it back when I was looking at buying machines I usually pride myself on figuring things out myself...I feel like a bonehead for not seeing the solution. LOL Thanks for the "assist"! It's probably the game winning three-pointer! |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 19:58:31 GMT -5
We’ve all been there! Keep at it, and before long you’ll be knocking out perfect cabs in your sleep. Here’s a tip that will reveal those hard-see-cracks: get your slab wet, wipe off most of the water, and watch it dry. The cracks will leap out at you. Then get rid of all the cracks with tile nippers, or a trim saw. Highlight them with a sharpie as needed. Some fantastic-looking slabs will be revealed as rubbish, pronto. Thanks for the vote of confidence! Fantastic suggestion on locating the cracks! Thank you so much for that! |
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Nov 21, 2020 21:58:19 GMT -5
Geez this is really turning into cautionary tale
As mention I never used one of these machine
and never seen one used.
are there no you tube dem videos’?
anyway its sound like only its polishing machine.
not sure Jase you might be wise to return it
Reinvest in a proper cabbing machine
Hope not- if there angle solution- but that sounds funky...
|
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Nov 21, 2020 22:20:44 GMT -5
Although I shouldn’t be surprised
I got into a deep discussion with master cabber
who only used a flat lap
I never could understand how he produced such excellent cabs with that method?
Totally working in the blind.
He claimed it was easy
So I guess the slant idea was to make that process even easier ?
Money being what it is - guess its much less expensive alternative.
We all have to grind with the resources we have
I knew one guy who polished on concrete.
When you want to grind- nothing will stop you
Look at what the ancients accomplished...
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 22:25:46 GMT -5
Geez this is really turning into cautionary tale As mention I never used one of these machine and never seen one used. are there no you tube dem videos’? anyway its sound like only its polishing machine. not sure Jase you might be wise to return it Reinvest in a proper cabbing machine Hope not- if there angle solution- but that sounds funky... Although I shouldn’t be surprised I got into a deep discussion with master cabber who only used a flat lap I never could understand how he produced such excellent cabs with that method? Totally working in the blind. He claimed it was easy So I guess the slant idea was to make that process even easier ? Money being what it is - guess its much less expensive alternative. We all have to grind with the resources we have I knew one guy who polished on concrete. When you want to grind- nothing will stop you Look at what the ancients accomplished... Hey Ed. There are demo videos that I've watched, but from what I saw, they were experienced cabbers using the machine for the first time. I'm am "inexperienced" cabber stabbing in the dark! It's not the banana...it's that THIS monkey can't figure out how to peel it just yet. LOL It's essentially a flat lap that sits at an angle. I'm trying to have to reverse my thought process. I started out and figured out how to make a cab with a dremel, which is taking the tool to the stone - and both were moveable. With the slant cabber, I'm taking the moveable stone to the immoveable tool... basically handicapping half my thought process thus far. It's a learning curve. I just had a speed bump in my brain that I think EricD helped me get over. I'll know later this weekend when I try to peel another banana! I've been sitting here tonight picturing doing the cab like Eric suggested...and I can clearly picture it working. Now I'll just to to transfer that from intangible to tangible! |
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Nov 21, 2020 23:09:00 GMT -5
Right on  Jase your on the rock journey I take a lot for granted. I had good idea of what I was getting into with the hobby. Having been in sharpening shops as a trade. So my initial machines were bought at rock bottom & slowly built up Lots of people see pretty stones and want to jump in. These new diamond products, of the last 30 years, make it so enticing. Many people probably into it the hobby with unrealistic expectations. Even if the grinding is so much cleaner and efficient. Its still grinding. Lots of effort. It reminds of the Foley Belsaw ads of the sixties & the seventies. Make 15 dollar an hour sharpening tools. They sold good machinery. But they were somewhat complicated. The ads made it look so easy. Lots of retirement folks would invest thousand. Get a garage full of machinery. Many of those poor guys found out real quick that sharpening is dirty, hard grind, cut throat biz. 5 years later you could pick that machinery up at estate sales for pennies on the dollar. Hardly used. Anyway there is a curve. Start with less hard stones. Serpentines, marbles ect… or maybe not. I ruined a lot of rock in my beginning. still have my disasters. You have the passion. That a good machine, I think. It will produce good polish stones. You'll figure it out and, will be the go to pro , soon… |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Nov 21, 2020 23:31:48 GMT -5
Right on Jase your on the rock journey I take a lot for granted. I had good idea of what I was getting into with the hobby. Having been in sharpening shops as a trade. So my initial machines were bought at rock bottom & slowly built up Lots of people see pretty stones and want to jump in. These new diamond products, of the last 30 years, make it so enticing. Many people probably into it the hobby with unrealistic expectations. Even if the grinding is so much cleaner and efficient. Its still grinding. Lots of effort. It reminds of the Foley Belsaw ads of the sixties & the seventies. Make 15 dollar an hour sharpening tools. They sold good machinery. But they were somewhat complicated. The ads made it look so easy. Lots of retirement folks would invest thousand. Get a garage full of machinery. Many of those poor guys found out real quick that sharpening is dirty, hard grind, cut throat biz. 5 years later you could pick that machinery up at estate sales for pennies on the dollar. Hardly used. Anyway there is a curve. Start with less hard stones. Serpentines, marbles ect… or maybe not. I ruined a lot of rock in my beginning. still have my disasters. You have the passion. That a good machine, I think. It will produce good polish stones. You'll figure it out and, will be the go to pro , soon… Thank you so much for the words of encouragement! To quote Kennedy: "We Do These Things Not Because They Are Easy But Because They Are Hard" I truly didn't think any of this would be a walk in the park...well, the hounding part, it kinda is! LOL I knew the tumbling part of this journey would be more or less figuring things out on paper and applying that learned knowledge. I'm just starting out with this and look forward to the ups and downs in this as well. With cabbing, it's a "physical" skill which needs to be learned (versus tumbling which is like I said, simply the application of that knowledge). I was intrigued with playing golf. I studied it, learned it, and excelled at it. I was intrigued with playing pool. I studied it, learned it, and excelled at it. I was intrigued with throwing darts. I studied it, learned it, and excelled at it. With cabbing, I'm well into the intrigued part and am now in the studying stage and trying to apply that from cranium to hands. It will be like golf, pool, or darts...a physical skill that can/will be learned. I love getting my hands dirty - both literally and figuratively. I absolutely live for challenges...and overcoming them. This too shall be vanquished...someday! I was talking with my wife the other day and telling her I have no idea what the heck I'm going to do with all the tumbled stones or the cabs just yet. I'll figure that out eventually. For now, I'm having a blast trying to learn a few new skills, from "finding" my own rocks, to polishing them, and now shaping them. If I ever come across the Philosophers' Stone while I'm out hounding, I could even be CREATING my own stones! Wouldn't that be something! |
|
kyoti
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2020
Posts: 542
|
Post by kyoti on Nov 22, 2020 8:48:16 GMT -5
I have the same question Jason. So far I've been putting my good tumbles into cleaned out jam jars. Eat the marmalade..clean jar...fill with tumbled orange carnelians..gaze at all the shiny goodness. Recycling at its finest. The larger or troublesome tumbles join my zen patio. It's a win win. |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Nov 22, 2020 9:27:20 GMT -5
jasoninsd - when your fingertips start to feel warm the water begins to turn red soon after. I've never forgotten that feeling...!
Good job on that last cab. That's the only way to get a feel for it - after a while it will seem easy.
Using dop sticks was one of the most difficult things for me to get used to. That tip about holding on to the stone and stick both is real handy sometimes.
Have never used a slant cabber, but on the flat lap I try to pay attention to the angle of the back of the stone relative to the surface of the lap. It's the only thing I can see without leaning forward to get my eye level with the lap. If I can keep that imaginary angle consistent I know the girdle line will at least be close.
So just keep on having fun. I used to cut all night sometimes when I was learning - without even realizing it until the sky got light. Sounds like you are at least as "persistent" as I was.
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Nov 22, 2020 9:53:00 GMT -5
You've gotten a lot of feedback and great advice- as RTH is good for. I never could get the hang of the flat lap, but my son took right to it. He uses it more than I do. I don't even know where it is. But, I started with a genie. Making the transition was just too hard for me. You're doing a good job. Remember: Practice makes perfect. |
|
|
|
Post by mohs on Nov 22, 2020 10:52:20 GMT -5
 One thing I never could never under stand is how you dome on a flat lap? O… I mean… I know it can be done... but not practicality easy. Not like angling the stone off the radii of grinding wheel The difficulty of blind grinding on the flat lap never really entered my thoughts. Altho in fine grinding having proper light illuminate the surface is almost magic. One of favorite joys is seeing the reflection of the polishing surface in thin water cascading of grinding wheel. That really does me justice Wish I could be of more assistance, Jason. The JFK quote indicates you’re on right rock path. Rocky as it may be,,, keep on
|
|
|
|
Post by 1dave on Nov 22, 2020 11:24:30 GMT -5
You've gotten a lot of feedback and great advice- as RTH is good for. I never could get the hang of the flat lap, but my son took right to it. He uses it more than I do. I don't even know where it is. But, I started with a genie. Making the transition was just too hard for me. You're doing a good job. Remember: Practice makes perfect. Practice makes perfect, and perfect? Yeah, perfect is good enough. I like having a single tube fluorescent light over my workplace. Watch its reflection on the stone face for lumps and bumps. When all is smooth all is SWELL! |
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on Nov 22, 2020 11:44:43 GMT -5
Its is fer sure a learning curve and very different than a regular cabbing machine The angles took me forever to learn and now its pretty much only used for polishing Wait till a cab goes flying Still can't find an opal I was working on If it's really a learning curve, then I'm on the bottom section of that bell curve! LOL The prairie agate I was working on slipped from my hands...probably because I'd lost all my fingernails by that point and had no extra "grip"...it got caught between the splash guard and the edge of the wheel. Put a massive (it was to me!) gauge in the top of the dome. I didn't add that to the story of my woes from yesterday! In retrospect, it truly was a comedy of errors all day long! Hmmm...lost opal you say...sounds like the beginning of a treasure hunt story to me! (I was imagining I was hearing that cartoon bullet ricochet sound when I was reading that!) I'm going to take you up on your offer to ask questions: - Where on the wheel are you working the cab? 12:00, 3:00, or 6:00? I'm assuming not 9:00 as that's where the drip line goes... I know to "move" it around the radius of the wheel to keep the "heat" down and even out the wear on the disk... - How are you "seeing" what you're working on? Do you do it blindly by "feel" or are you able to get a good angle to see the cab on the wheel? Thanks for any kind of a life-preserver you can toss at me! Work the bottom of the wheel. You're not going to go above 3 and 9. I position my drip line above 3. Once you get a good flow you shouldn't need to move it around at all You can't really see what you're doing so it's more by feel. Using dop stick helps a lot! Also I don't recommend large cabs. I'll try to do a video later if you'd like. |
|
Jase 
