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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 18, 2021 16:14:50 GMT -5
This is some Silver Ore from Canada which I got from greig . Thank you again so much Greig!  This material is wicked hard to photograph! This is the first time I've posted a video of a cabochon. I see some pitting, but I googled Silver Ore Cabochons and I didn't see any examples where there wasn't some pitting. I got lucky this cab held together. I didn't see it until I was done, but there's a hairline fracture toward the top of the cab. I still have some more cabs to work and I'll post them here as they get finished. As always, comments and critiques are welcomed. Thanks for taking a gander.   |
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Post by greig on Feb 18, 2021 16:21:36 GMT -5
Nicely done! The shape is beautiful. Silver in calcite. Gotta love it.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 18, 2021 16:24:12 GMT -5
Nicely done! The shape is beautiful. Silver in calcite. Gotta love it. Thank you so much Greig...both for the comment AND the material! I knew silver was a soft metal, but this stuff cut like butter on the 180 grit wheel. That was a bit of a surprise. And definitely messy! LOL |
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 18, 2021 16:37:07 GMT -5
I love your cab! I don't think the pits are an issue. They are so shiny that not much shows up anyway.
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Post by rmf on Feb 18, 2021 16:48:29 GMT -5
I guess that cab is worth about $27/troy oz today.
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NDK
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Feb 18, 2021 16:53:10 GMT -5
Beautiful cab Jason!
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Post by miket on Feb 18, 2021 16:53:33 GMT -5
Great work, Jason!
The video really shows the cab off...
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 18, 2021 19:23:30 GMT -5
I love your cab! I don't think the pits are an issue. They are so shiny that not much shows up anyway. Thanks Tela! This really was a booger to get good pics of it! LOL I guess that cab is worth about $27/troy oz today. So if I go to sell it, that'll be my "zero" point and go up from there! No...I'm not really selling it. Thanks Nate! My heart really went out to you on your contest cab this month...I'm sorry that one broke on you. Great work, Jason! The video really shows the cab off... Thanks Mike! I was going to sing a song while I was recording the video, but I decided I better not put everyone through that! LOL |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 18, 2021 19:42:16 GMT -5
That's a beauty, jasoninsd! Really nice shape and dome. I liked the video, too. You really can't see that many pits when you look at it with just your eyes. Excellent job! |
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 18, 2021 19:44:14 GMT -5
That's a beauty, jasoninsd ! Really nice shape and dome. I liked the video, too. You really can't see that many pits when you look at it with just your eyes. Excellent job! Thanks Robin! I tried this, so I know it works...if you CLOSE your eyes while looking at it, you don't see any of the pits!  |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 18, 2021 19:51:58 GMT -5
That's a beauty, jasoninsd ! Really nice shape and dome. I liked the video, too. You really can't see that many pits when you look at it with just your eyes. Excellent job! Thanks Robin! I tried this, so I know it works...if you CLOSE your eyes while looking at it, you don't see any of the pits!  |
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 18, 2021 21:12:59 GMT -5
That is great looking! I love how it looks all nice and shiny, but I bet it will pick up some very cool colors once that silver starts to oxidize.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 18, 2021 21:16:05 GMT -5
That is great looking! I love how it looks all nice and shiny, but I bet it will pick up some very cool colors once that silver starts to oxidize. Thanks Brian! You know, I never even thought about it oxidizing... |
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 19, 2021 1:52:56 GMT -5
Here's the second cab I finished tonight. Boy did this thing want to orange peel! Darn it! I really need to get this figured out... This slab had a lot less silver running through the piece compared to the other slab. I like it though. I got some leather from Robin and Vince, but it's been too cold to cut out the disk I need for it. Plus I'm trying to figure out how to properly prepare the polishing compound to use with it. Maybe that's the answer to the orange peeling. I still can't wrap my head around the final polishing causing the peeling though...    |
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Post by orrum on Feb 19, 2021 7:43:44 GMT -5
Way way cool.
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Post by orrum on Feb 19, 2021 7:44:36 GMT -5
Way way cool.
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 19, 2021 7:48:12 GMT -5
Call me crazy, but I actually like the texture of the orange peel on that second one. It just seems to fit the material for me. Together the two compliment each other.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 19, 2021 9:09:25 GMT -5
Thank you! And thank you again.  Call me crazy, but I actually like the texture of the orange peel on that second one. It just seems to fit the material for me. Together the two compliment each other. You're crazy! Thanks Brian! If I hadn't complained about it, I would've told you, "That was what I was going for!" LOL (Not really! ) |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 19, 2021 21:46:43 GMT -5
Here's the second cab I finished tonight. Boy did this thing want to orange peel! Darn it! I really need to get this figured out... This slab had a lot less silver running through the piece compared to the other slab. I like it though. I got some leather from Robin and Vince, but it's been too cold to cut out the disk I need for it. Plus I'm trying to figure out how to properly prepare the polishing compound to use with it. Maybe that's the answer to the orange peeling. I still can't wrap my head around the final polishing causing the peeling though... The way I use cerium (I use the white, not brown stuff) is to put 2 teaspoons in a 20 oz. spray bottle. Shake it really well before use - the cerium settles to the bottom. I first wet the leather with another spray bottle of just water and then spray the cerium on the lap.
You could also make a slurry out of the powder (consistency of runny pancake batter) and then use a narrow paint brush to put it on the lap. You will need to spray it with water to keep it moist while polishing. You want the lap moist but not soaking wet. Hold the stone to the lap and as soon as you feel "dragging" that is when the polishing is actually happening. Make sure to not get the stone too hot from the friction. When the lap is pulling the stone too much (it's too dry), spray a little more water on the lap and continue on. When you think you need more cerium, spray or brush on a little more. You'll get the feel for it quickly.
The same technique should work for any oxide polish.
If you are going to use diamond on any of them. A few dots of diamond paste dotted around the lap and spread around with your finger with some extender oil is all you need. Add more diamond paste when you need it. Eventually the lap will be charged with enough diamond that you don't need to recharge as often or with as much.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 19, 2021 22:09:53 GMT -5
Here's the second cab I finished tonight. Boy did this thing want to orange peel! Darn it! I really need to get this figured out... This slab had a lot less silver running through the piece compared to the other slab. I like it though. I got some leather from Robin and Vince, but it's been too cold to cut out the disk I need for it. Plus I'm trying to figure out how to properly prepare the polishing compound to use with it. Maybe that's the answer to the orange peeling. I still can't wrap my head around the final polishing causing the peeling though... The way I use cerium (I use the white, not brown stuff) is to put 2 teaspoons in a 20 oz. spray bottle. Shake it really well before use - the cerium settles to the bottom. I first wet the leather with another spray bottle of just water and then spray the cerium on the lap.
You could also make a slurry out of the powder (consistency of runny pancake batter) and then use a narrow paint brush to put it on the lap. You will need to spray it with water to keep it moist while polishing. You want the lap moist but not soaking wet. Hold the stone to the lap and as soon as you feel "dragging" that is when the polishing is actually happening. Make sure to not get the stone too hot from the friction. When the lap is pulling the stone too much (it's too dry), spray a little more water on the lap and continue on. When you think you need more cerium, spray or brush on a little more. You'll get the feel for it quickly.
The same technique should work for any oxide polish.
If you are going to use diamond on any of them. A few dots of diamond paste dotted around the lap and spread around with your finger with some extender oil is all you need. Add more diamond paste when you need it. Eventually the lap will be charged with enough diamond that you don't need to recharge as often or with as much.
Robin, thank you so much for posting this! I was going to ask you guys about it, but was putting it off since I didn't have the leather ready to go just yet. I've been waiting for it to warm up to do anything in the garage...and cutting some poop took top priority today! LOL I've got the Gemstone and Mineral Data Book by John Sinkankas (the one you recommended), and while it says "which" compound to use, it doesn't give any ratios from what I've been able to find. If you get a minute, would you let me know the mixing ratios you use for the following compounds? Cerium Oxide - (You already gave me this one above...) Aluminum Oxide (Linde A) *Is this the same as the AO polish used for tumbling from The Rock Shed? Tin Oxide Oxalic Acid (I think this is an "additive" to go with the others above...maybe?) |
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