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LAPIDARY ARTS and FACETERS DIGEST
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Issue No. 317 - Monday, January 10, 2005
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Moderated by: Thurmond Moore III
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Committed to carrying on the fine works of
Hale Sweeny and Jerry Dewbre
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Hi everyone,
You surprised me with enough post for a list today.
Thanks and enjoy.
Thurmond
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Index to Today's Digest
01 RE: Cabbing Rough in Faceting material Types
02 WTB: Chinese Turquoise Direct from the Source
03 RE: NEW: Large Vibrating Laps ?
04 RE: Cabbing Rough in Faceting material Types
05 RE: Cabbing Rough in Faceting material Types
06: RE: Rebuilding equipment.
07: NEW: Hale Sweeny
08: NEW: Corian
09 NEW: FACETING HISTORY
10 NEW: Facet Rough in Tucson
11 NEW: Imahashi handpiece questions
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Message:01
Subject: Re: Cab Rough
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 15:20:09 EST
To: jemstone@amug.org, lapidary@caprock-spur.com
From: Facets@aol.com
In a message dated 1/7/05 1:43:43 PM, jemstone@amug.org
writes:
<< I'd welcome any suggestions on sources of good cab grade rough in
bright
colored stones normally thought of as faceting materials. >>
Hi John - the best source of high grade cabbing rough I know of is Hilmar
Bosch. Go to:
http://www.africangemstones.co.za/
Hilmar is a great guy, and impeccably honest. I've got no connection other
than as a happy customer, who has been dealing with him for 20 of the 43 years
he's been in business! Look especially at plates 13 &14 (cab grade beryl
&
tourmaline).
If you do deal with him, tell him I said "Hi!"
-Charlie
Charles B. Johnston
TECHNOFACET, Ltd.
facets@aol.com
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Message:02
Subject: Chinese Turquoise
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 13:25:30 -0700
To: <lapidary@caprock-spur.com>
From: "Jed and Abby" <jmonroe@sisna.com>
Hi everyone,
I think this is my first posting to this group. Anyway, a little about
me. I have been doing lapidary work for about the last ten years. I
have a 24" slab, and 10" and 6" slab/trim saws. I also have
a Diamond
Pacific Genie which I use to make cabochons. I was fortunate to be able
to fee-dig for turquoise at a mine in Nevada, and now I am hooked on
turquoise. I started taking silver work classes about 3 months ago, and
have made what I consider to be nice, several rings, and pendants. I am
currently working on a bracelet for my wife that will consist of five
turquoise cabochons set in bezels, connected with jump rings. I hope it
turns out.
I would like to buy some chinese turquoise, but would like to buy
directly from a mine or a dealer in China. I've looked on the internet
trying to find a source, but I haven't had much luck. Can anyone give
me the name of a source that I could contact? I would appreciate any
help this group might be able to lend.
Best regards,
Jay
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Message:03
Subject: Re: Issue No. 316 - Friday, January 07, 2005
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 15:47:49 EST
To: lapidary@caprock-spur.com
From: Send2mail@aol.com
Large vibratory laps
You might try contacting Covington engineering in Redlands California..
They
have a contact with Rose laps / Rociprolap... They go up to 24" inches I
believe? and they might be able to custom make a larger cast iron flat lap plate
for mounting on their cast iron bases ? Diamond Pacific might be able to
custom make a large flat lap ? for a price i am sure you could one of them to
custom make you almost anything.. if you want a 45" flat lap you are
talking
Industrial grade really.. try E bay for larger sanding machines / Sanders
"Finishers" You could then run your glass thru it like a piece
of board wood and then
finally you might just want to contact Barranca in gardens California.. or
other hand grinder companies that sell hand grinders / hand polishers they use
these in granite countertop trade Good luck /
Steve
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Message:04
Subject: Cabbing/ Facet rough
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 16:45:02 -0500
To: lapidary@caprock-spur.com (LapidaryArtsDigest)
From: "Jonathan L. Rolfe" <jon@gearloose.com>
At 02:49 PM 1/7/2005, you wrote:
>I have a hard time finding good quality, good color rough. I know
>it's out there. Rubelite that has too many inclusions for faceting,
etc.
>I'd welcome any suggestions on sources of good cab grade rough in bright
>colored stones normally thought of as faceting materials.
I do not want to sound cranky, but with some notable exceptions of good,
knowledgeable dealers, some of whom we know, you can count on buying facet
rough on E-Bay that will meet your requirements for cabbing. From what I
have seen, I am not exactly joking. Again, the Lists do have some good
people who use that outlet, but many, many times, the sellers either
do not have a clue as to what "Facet Grade" means*, or they are
between
visits to their parole officer, and do not care.
*"Facet Grade", practically and simply put means that LIGHT WILL GO
THROUGH
IT, relatively unimpeded by flaws, fractures, inclusions, etc. unless one
facets hematite, etc.
__________________________________________________________
Message:05
Subject: WOW..Precognition!
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 16:46:19 -0500
To: lapidary@caprock-spur.com (LapidaryArtsDigest)
From: "Jonathan L. Rolfe" <jon@gearloose.com>
At 02:49 PM 1/7/2005, you wrote:
>Unfortunately or Fortunately in this case much of what is listed on e-bay
>as facet grade is actually what you need to fill the bill.
I fired off my answer JUST before I got to your post.
This proves we are both probably right! :-)
_______
Hi Jon, I found out about e-bay descriptions the hard way. $$$ LOL
Thurmond
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Message:06
Subject: Rebuilding equipment.
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 16:53:17 -0500
To: lapidary@caprock-spur.com (LapidaryArtsDigest)
From: "Jonathan L. Rolfe" <jon@gearloose.com>
At 02:49 PM 1/7/2005, you wrote:
>Another magnificent noise and a tripped breaker I decided a new
>motor was needed. $175 later and a new motor was mounted. So far
I was
>into this free machine about $225 and 10 hours of labor. Now the motor
ran.
EBay may be a dubious source for facet rough, but 1/2HP induction motors
are dirt cheap on there. Any motors are. I bought PMDC motors to
convert
my lathe and miller (3/4 and 1 HP) to variable speed drives on EBay, and
got excellent motors and solid state drives for pennies on the
dollar...motors listing for $400 were around 50, and induction motors, they
give away.
Just something for homebuilders to keep in mind.
For example, a small DC motor and controller would have given the saw a
variable speed drive, with constant torque and overload protection, for the
same price as new pulleys, belts, and the adaption effort.
__________________________________________________________
Message:07
Subject: Hale Sweeny
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2005 14:52:54 -0800
To: LapidaryArtsDigest <lapidary@caprock-spur.com>
From: "T.A.Masters" <tam2819@cox.net>
Hello Thurmond,
Are you in touch with Hale? If so, please give him my best and let him
know I often think about him and wonder how anne is.
Thanks
Terrie
_______
Hi Terrie, Hale is a member of the list and will probably respond to your
query.
Thurmond
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Message:08
Subject: Corian
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2005 08:58:55 -0500
To: faceters@caprock-spur.com
From: "David Timpany" <timpany@earthlink.net>
Hi All,
Just made up a couple of 8" corian laps from scrap I was given. Now I
need to use them.
Am assuming I need to use the highly polished side v/s the coarser underside.
Desire to
use one for 50,000 diamond and the other for tin oxide polish. Once used
for these are
they dedicated to remain for that grit? Or can the tin be washed off to
use other type of
polishes such as alunimum oxide, etc.
Also, would like to gather ideas as to how some of you store your polish laps to
prevent
cross contamination. Am concerned with the bottom side of lap being
contaminated from the
machine platen and then transferring this to the other side during storage
somehow.
Appreciate all ideas and suggestions. Am learning a lot from this forum.
Live in a
remote location so that joining a club is not practical. Thanks to all,
dave t.
David Timpany
timpany@earthlink.net
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Message:09
Subject: FACETING HISTORY
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2005 10:45:54 -0800 (PST)
To: LAPIDARY ARTS & FACETERS DIGEST <faceters@caprock-spur.com>
From: Glenn Klein <glennklein@yahoo.com>
Hi All:
I have long been interested in the history of faceting. When did faceting
start? How did
the early faceters go about working on diamonds and colored stones? What
kind of
equipment did they use? What methods did they use to accomplish their
work? These and
many more questions about faceting have crossed my mind...maybe your mind as
well.
So, about two and a half years ago I started researching the books that I could
find, to
see what I could learn about the faceters that have gone before us. I have
a pretty good
collection of gem books of my own, and the Faceters Guild of Southern California
also has
a good collection. I have gone through all of these books as well as the
best ones that I
could lay my hands on at the GIA library, at the Carlsbad campus. The GIA
librarian that
I talked to noted that I could not find much related to what I wanted to learn.
She
suggested that since there seems to be a shortage of the written words on my
chosen
subject area, maybe I should write a book. Well that is what I had
in mind in the first
place, but her encouragement got me really into the project.
I have been spending most of my time the past two years working on the book
writing
project. The whole 2004 year I worked six or seven days a week and at
least seven hours
each day on the project...just ask my wife.
I had planned on having my book available at the OPLC gathering next month at
Tucson, but
it will not be finished then. I will be at the OPLC gathering of faceters
OK, but
although I am nearly finished with the writing I am still waiting for a few
permissions
for some photographs that I want to include in the book. The book will
have approximately
a hundred and twenty-five old pictures in it when completed. Then my work
goes to the
printer, where it will take about four months to go through the routine.
It now looks
like the book will be available around May. It will be available in paper
back and also
hard back form.
I am sure that most faceters will view the completed work, "Faceting
History: Cutting
Diamond and Colored Stones," very informative and interesting.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you faceters at the OPLC Hob Nob at
Tucson on
February 5.
Glenn Klein, USFG Historian
Lake Forest, CA USA
Where it continues to rain! Can you believe that we have had half again as
much rain as
Seattle has gotten this year?
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Message:10
Subject: Facet Rough in Tucson
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 01:30:12 +0000
To: faceters@caprock-spur.com
From: David Epstein Stanley <davids@cdlto.com.br>
Dear Members,
As a lot of you know from
my participation in the digest I'm a
gem buying agent for proffesional gem buyers in Teofilo Otoni Brazil.
Once a year I leave Brazil to go to the Tucson Fair. If any of you will
e-mail me, letting me know what spiece, size and quality you would like
(not amethyst), I will try to bring some up fo you. unlike our regular
way of doing business we won't ask to have any money in advance on a no
recourse basis. In Tucson you can look at it and take it if you like it.
All we ask is you know what you want and give us a good idea of what it is.
For those of you who are interested, please e-mail you
request and
include a phone number. I'll call and make a specific appointment.
Also could someone repeat where and when the lapidary
Digest get
together is?
Thanks,
David Epstein
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Message:11
Subject: Imahashi handpiece questions
Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2005 19:19:41 -0500 (EST)
To: lapidary@caprock-spur.com
From: dcolorflawless@gmavt.net
Hi, I'm brand new to faceting and have an old Imahashi machine with a
handpiece that appears to be incomplete or in need of repair. I'm looking
for a manual for it for faceting and, according to the company's website,
cabbing.
I've queried numerous people over the past couple of years and have gotte=
n
some great info, but as yet found no one who has worked with these and
does repairs. If anyone has a good picture picture, or better yet, and
exploded diagram of the handpiece, I'd be so grateful to get a copy. If
anyone has a manual I could get a copy of (repeated contacts with company
have been fruitless), I'd pay them for their trouble.
I've finally sublet a little studio space (it's nice to get it out of my
livingroom) and can't wait to use it. I work in Graniteville, VT where
there are many granite tool suppliers so getting polishes and abrasives
isn't a problem.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Pierce
PO Box 101
Warren, VT 05674
802-496-4103 home
800-421-0166 work
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