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Post by sandsman1 on Sept 12, 2005 13:14:31 GMT -5
nice job tweet keep it up it is easyer to get a nice flat face with a flat lap i have one but i do most of my cabs on the wheels try this never touch the face or back till your on like the 400 grit wheel or belt this way it dont eat too fast and make your flats uneven ,, because when you get a slab its around a 220 surface allready so i dont mess with the face till i get the shape done and by then im around 400 grit i go easy and keep the cab movin on the wheel thats important if you stop for too long it makes it uneven
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 12, 2005 14:32:38 GMT -5
BEEP BEEP BEEP back up the cabbing machine- Sands- you mean to tell me you don't start working the flat face till the 400?  So like on a free form- you grind your edges and put on the angles- then work those up to 400 then you grind the flat face? |
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 12, 2005 21:01:08 GMT -5
Stefan I would say this is correct as it shapes up too quickly on the 100 and 220 - I was doing the flats on a wheel and it's hard to do when the wheel is not as straight as I would like (but it,s not mine so I can't complain - it,s $2 a day - but they did put in a new 100 wheel last time I was there and I was the first to try it and wow what a difference it makes...)
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Post by gaetzchamp on Sept 12, 2005 23:45:47 GMT -5
Golly that ocean jasp is too coool. may have to get me a jar of that stuff someday.
good work on those,
gaetz
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Sept 12, 2005 23:48:32 GMT -5
Super job, there.
You really did a nice job, and it sounds like you are learning alot too.
You might want to try a doublet on the really thin Plume Agates.
All in all a very goof looking collection.
Ya dun make me proud ta have a hand in it!!
-Banjo
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Post by stoner on Sept 13, 2005 1:29:55 GMT -5
Excellent job tweetie. It seems like just yesterday you were asking me about building a tumbler. You are definetly a quick learner and it shows in your knowledge and your work.
Ed
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 13, 2005 6:16:12 GMT -5
Thanks guys for the compliments, Banjo: what's a doublet?
This diamond machine at the shop is a Titan - is this comparable to a genie?
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 13, 2005 8:03:48 GMT -5
LMAO- The titan eats genies for breakfast! I'm still Amazed that you don't grind the flats till 400- I mean what about saw marks and such? Please help me here cause I have so much trouble getting a good polish on the flats as it is
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 13, 2005 8:46:37 GMT -5
Stefan the saw marks dissapear quickly even on a 400 belt - like Sands said, your saw makes a pretty smooth surface when you cut it, like a 220 belt already done. I used dop sticks to cut a piece of amethyst in two - it was the size of a quarter and about 3/4" thick - it looks fractured but it's not, it's the pattern of the amethyst - that stuff is awesome! Stefan you may have trouble getting a polish on the flats because you,re using a wheel - the wheel is round and doesn't shape to the flats very well (specially the flat back) the front flats I can see being a little easier to polish on condition that you hold the stone right
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Post by creativeminded on Sept 13, 2005 9:23:01 GMT -5
Those are great, you did a beautiful job on them.
Tami
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 13, 2005 11:02:14 GMT -5
OK now I'm completly lost- The flat surface of a freeform cab is started at the 400 belt- and I realize the wheel thing (round vs flat) and I'm working on figuring out a way to put a flat pad on the machine- but I've been starting my flat surfaces at 120!!! Duhhhhhhh! Ok I fell like a newbie all over again *bowes down to tweets superiority* Guess I'll stick to tumbling -
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 13, 2005 12:27:24 GMT -5
Stefan, don't quit - you are not allowed to quit - I'm in no way superior, it's jsut my pictures are taken closer up  120 may be too rough a grind as you need to baby the surface with a grind that's a little gentler as grinding on the 100 or 220 takes away too much too fast - I guess you want something gentler - I haven't tried this either but it makes sense as I always get uneven flats - which is why I've been concentrating on dome shapes instead - that obsidian & lace where really hard to keep shaped just right - hence the dome shapes on the others...  |
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 14, 2005 8:55:41 GMT -5
Dome shapes just crap out on me- I can't get them to look even (and I've tried and tried) Course they do make nice tumbler feed  I guess my problem is that I have no templates to start from- so Everything I start is freeform! Ahh I'll keep at it I guess- But I'm telling you if I see one more scratch after polish- I'm gonna SCREAM!!!! |
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Post by Tweetiepy on Sept 14, 2005 9:37:09 GMT -5
Stefan you shouldn't see scratches before polish either - Maybe your polishing belt is scratching the stones? I think you're using leather, how about using one of those polishing wheels - the soft material ones - cuz the flat laps that I use have a very wattery polish mixture sprinkled on it, I think you were using a paste on yours right? - maybe the paste is scratching??? I got a cloth pad to use on my bench grinder at home, never used it cuz I couldn't find a finer grit for my wheels but they must work - they're relatively cheap
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Sept 14, 2005 11:46:03 GMT -5
I was thinking about that- Must be the belt or the polish- Well it's Certified Cerium Oxide (optical grade)- so I don'y yhink it's the polish- But the belt- Hmmmmmm could I have somehow contaminated the leather belt? I tried some "prepolishing" on a spend 600 belt and got a great shine (so good infact that I never took it to the leather) so now you got me thinking- Is there a way to "clean" a contaminated leather polish belt? THings are starting to fall into place- I think I've contaminated the leather belt (oh great at $55 a pop that sucks) Hmm how to clean?
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Post by rockds on Sept 14, 2005 23:24:38 GMT -5
Last shot is hot, I like the vugs, but thats me
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I guess my problem is that I have no templates to start from- so Everything I start is freeform! Ahh I'll keep at it I guess- But I'm telling you if I see one more scratch after polish- I'm gonna SCREAM!!!!
