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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 12, 2022 11:19:15 GMT -5
stuckinohio - Back to the issue of breaking a cab during cutting.
If that much pressure is being applied to diamond wheels or laps, all the lapidary is doing is wearing out their equipment prematurely.
The quote most often used is "Let the diamonds do the work.".
If a wheel or lap is worn to the point where more pressure is needed to achieve an acceptable cutting rate, it's time to start shopping for a new one.
Old wheels can be really useful (to a point) for soft or fragile material prone to chipping. An extra arbor, etc, with worn wheels is a great thing to have.
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Post by stardiamond on Feb 12, 2022 14:31:18 GMT -5
stuckinohio - Back to the issue of breaking a cab during cutting. If that much pressure is being applied to diamond wheels or laps, all the lapidary is doing is wearing out their equipment prematurely.
The quote most often used is "Let the diamonds do the work.".
If a wheel or lap is worn to the point where more pressure is needed to achieve an acceptable cutting rate, it's time to start shopping for a new one.
Old wheels can be really useful (to a point) for soft or fragile material prone to chipping. An extra arbor, etc, with worn wheels is a great thing to have.
Agree 100%. The time to replace a wheel depends on whether income is derived from the cabs, then the factor of time applies. The more aggressive the cutting the less time is spent shaping. The less time, the more work can be done. I have a worn 80 grit wheel on my left arbor and aggressive 80 grit wheel on a right arbor. I call that one my bulldozer. I want it to melt rock. The worn one removes the aggressive 80 grit scratches and fine tunes the shape. The aggressive wheels are the Lithuanian top 80 6 inch for around $90. |
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Post by Starguy on Feb 12, 2022 15:06:24 GMT -5
Even with a nice thick layer of dop wax supporting the entire cab, I put all the pressure on the wax. I use the dop stick mostly for angle control. On larger cabs, (30x40) or so, I grind three bevels during stock removal on 80 grit hard then I start rocking back and forth to smooth the dome. I might only grind two bevels before rocking back and forth on smaller cabs. Unusual shaped free form cabs are tricky. It’s easy to thin out some areas. A girdle line on these stones helps a lot.
I haven’t had too many cabs break in the past. Unseen weak areas and undopping accidents are most common. I’ve learned that you should remove the dop stick over a rug and not over a hard tile floor.
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 12, 2022 18:33:12 GMT -5
On larger cabs, (30x40) or so, I grind three bevels during stock removal on 80 grit hard then I start rocking back and forth to smooth the dome. I might only grind two bevels before rocking back and forth on smaller cabs. It sounds like we cab the same way. I have thought that before.  |
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Post by Starguy on Feb 12, 2022 20:33:34 GMT -5
I’ve thought that too. There are many ways to make cabs. I was looking at some of my older cabs the other day. They’re kind of funny. Way too rounded.
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Post by holajonathan on Feb 12, 2022 21:08:51 GMT -5
Even with a nice thick layer of dop wax supporting the entire cab, I put all the pressure on the wax. I use the dop stick mostly for angle control. On larger cabs, (30x40) or so, I grind three bevels during stock removal on 80 grit hard then I start rocking back and forth to smooth the dome. I might only grind two bevels before rocking back and forth on smaller cabs. Unusual shaped free form cabs are tricky. It’s easy to thin out some areas. A girdle line on these stones helps a lot. I haven’t had too many cabs break in the past. Unseen weak areas and undopping accidents are most common. I’ve learned that you should remove the dop stick over a rug and not over a hard tile floor. I have been using dop sticks a little more lately and I agree with your approach. My default has been cabbing with no dop because I feel like I have better control that way. But I realized recently that I can basically do the same thing with a dop stick attached, and I think I like this even better. By gripping the very bottom of the dop stick, where it attaches to the cab, I still have great control, but it's easier to grip than the cab alone. A cab + dop is simply a larger and heavier object than a cab alone, making it easier to control. I used to have the idea that I was supposed to keep both hands on the stick itself. I could never figure out how anyone managed any degree of precision doing that. I guess the answer is -- most people don't do that. |
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Post by stardiamond on Feb 12, 2022 22:03:19 GMT -5
The problem for me no dop was skin cuts/abrasions. When I only worked on the weekends, my fingers could heal. Working more often it got unpleasant.
I was given a lesson about dopping with wax. I hated it because the cabs wouldn't stay on, so I quit dopping.
I thought using a dop meant controlling the cab with the dop. Russ who gave the demo for HP, does what I do, uses the dop and fingers on the cab. Good control and safe fingers.
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Post by holajonathan on Feb 12, 2022 23:57:11 GMT -5
The problem for me no dop was skin cuts/abrasions. When I only worked on the weekends, my fingers could heal. Working more often it got unpleasant. I was given a lesson about dopping with wax. I hated it because the cabs wouldn't stay on, so I quit dopping. I thought using a dop meant controlling the cab with the dop. Russ who gave the demo for HP, does what I do, uses the dop and fingers on the cab. Good control and safe fingers. A more succinct way to say what I was trying to say. Thanks. You'd think that it would be the hard wheels that would eat up fingers and nails. That hasn't been my experience. If I am rubbing my finger against a hard wheel, I know it. The problem is the resin wheels. I don't even realize I'm rubbing against one until I've ground halfway through my fingernail. Even the 3000 grit wheel will quickly eat through a nail. |
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Post by stardiamond on Feb 13, 2022 0:29:56 GMT -5
I had a very good customer who bought some Blue Biggs and Deschutes cabs. She is a silversmith and for these wanted polished backs. If I used wax to dop, I would have dopped the faces. Couldn't use glue. Grinding the dome gives your fingers some kind of chance. Sanding a flat area leaves very little protection and my fingers got chewed up. If it was a regular situation I might have wrapped my fingers with tape.
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller 
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
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Post by realrockhound on Feb 14, 2022 14:49:39 GMT -5
I just dop right to the tip of my finger and let it rip. Become one with the cab.
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 14, 2022 14:59:42 GMT -5
I just dop right to the tip of my finger and let it rip. Become one with the cab.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 14, 2022 15:51:25 GMT -5
I just dop right to the tip of my finger and let it rip. Become one with the cab.  |
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