LAPIDARY DIGEST
Administered by Hale Sweeny (hale2@mindspring.com)
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This list digest contains the following message subjects:

1. LapDigest News for Issue No. 32 Monday 7/21/97
2. NEW: Old B+I All-in-One Lapidary Unit
3. NEW: Web Swap Pages
4. NEW: Australian Lapidary Clubs Listings
5. NEW: USA Gem/Mineral Clubs Listings
6. RE: Can this be cheap? (Flat Lapping)
7. RE: Dangers of Rock Dust
8. BIO: Carla M. Fox

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<MSG1>
Subject: LapDigest News for Issue No. 32 Monday 7/21/97

There will be no LapDigests published beginning Wednesday July 23 and ending Monday July 28th. Server will stay so you to send queries and responses, and get items from the Archives (if it works that long unattended!!) Will resume Tuesday 29 July, if you have sent in enough material to have an issue!!

And please remember: Each author is requested to write the words
"-- non-commercial republish permission granted --" at the end of every
item submitted. This gives permission for others to use your item for
non-commercial purposes. Then clubs may legally pick up the items and
reprint them in club bulletins, and thus your words may have wider
circulation and influence. Please use those four words at the end of
each item you submit.

Sometime ago, I asked for any Lapidary tips you may have, or that you may have collected from club bulletins, etc. Please send them to me at <<hale2@mindspring.com>> and put TIP on the subject line.

Thanks -- will see you tomorrow.
hale
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<MSG2>
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997
From: DEZIGNS@mwci.net

Subject: NEW: Old B+I All-in-One Lapidary Unit

Geri Arms writes that she recently bought an old B+I lapidary unit at an auction, and needs an instruction manual for this unit. Apparently, it was built in the '50s or '60s, and did everyting, even faceting. From what she tells me, it looks like a bed pan with the lap in the round opening, with three legs, and a mast at the narrow end. She has a cutting vice and the faceting head plus many homemade 8 inch wooden laps. Can anyone who
remembers this unit give some operating details, and - more importantly - do you know where she can get an owner's or operating manual for it?
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<MSG3>
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997
From: kwetz@acun.com

Subject: NEW: Web Swap Pages

I'm starting a trade list on my home pages. It's small at the moment
and only contains a few cab grade rough items right now, plus some
faceting rough. The cab grade rough includes turquoise and red horn
coral and rutilated quartz and drusy. More will be added as I find
time to digitize and enter them. There are lots of dealers out
there, but hardly any swap pages. So drop by and see what I have; its
at http://www.acun.com/~kwetz in the " Trade Items " link.

Ken Wetz
kwetz@acun.com
http://www.acun.com/~kwetz
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<MSG4>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997
From: johnbow@OntheNet.com.au

Subject: NEW: Australian Lapidary Clubs Listings

Should any of your Digest Readers be in Australia and wish to know their
local Lapidary Club they can contact me at the above E-Mail Address as I
have the complete listing from The Australian Federation of Associated
Lapidary and Craft Clubs ( AFLACCA ).

John G.Bowden (johnbow@onthenet.com.au)
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<MSG5>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997
From: zabinski@bankswith.apollotrust.com

Subject: NEW: USA Gem/Mineral Clubs Listings

Hello Everyone:

I have added a listing of over 900 Clubs by State to my web page. This listing will be of interest to everyone who has asked for club information, because of traveling to a specfic area, for work or vacation. Or just wanting to make a rock connection in a specfic area. The listings are by State and City, with the club name, mailing address, meeting times, meeting location if all was available.

I would like to make this the best source on the web for club information. I'm sure there are clubs out there that are not included, this was not intentional, just could not find any thing information on them. So if you check out the listing and do not find your club, or the information for
your club has changed, as we all know happens. Please email me the additions or corrections, and they will be added to the listing.

I have spent about one and a half years compliing the listing, so enjoy it. This is a lot of time, so if some of the information has change please be curtious when making note of the changes or additions. Please send
E-Mail me Personally any changes or updates.

Albert Zabinski
East Vandergrift, PA USA
E-Mail: zabinski@bankswith.apollotrust.com
URL: http://bankswith.apollotrust.com/~zabinski/
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<MSG6>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997
From: Vybtl@aol.com

Subject: RE: Can this be cheap? (Flat Lapping)

Hi John:

Yes it can. And I don't buy this, "Any shopping I do can only be done on the Internet due to lack of experience with equipment dealers." All you want to do is some flat lapping? Contact one of those Glass Replacement businesses, the one's that replace the 3/8ths tempered sliding Arcadia doors. Presuming
that mine is the norm, they'll usually have pieces that can be cut into 1 foot squares. Get at least three, preferably five. Got a local hobby shop, or lapidary supply store that deals in tumbler grits? Get a pound each of Coarse, Medium, and Fine. While there, or at a hardware store, pick up a 3" muslin cloth wheel preferably compressed, and some Cerium Oxide. Got an electric hand drill, and a couple of 4" C clamps? How about a 1/8 to 3/16 diameter, two inch long bolt or machine screw with a couple of washers and nuts? If you can assemble the above, you're now ready to flat lap. This is assuming of course that you also have more will and desire than money; upper body strength will also come in handy!

Each grit should be used on it's own piece of glass, never mix and match, does nasty things to your ability to polish. A little water, a little grit, and a bit more muscle power. Grind the stone across the surface of the glass in a figure eight or circular motion, wax on, wax off. Coarse grit will be the hardest, so don't be afraid to continue to add more boart till the surface is flat, you'll know when by looking at it. Clean the stone very
well, with a toothbrush if necessary (your room mate's till he/she finds out). Cross contamination is also a problem so do a good job. Go to the next grit with a new piece of glass, grind till the frost on the surface is consistent across the entire face, no scratches should be visible. If so, continue lapping with the medium till the scratches are gone. Happy?! I'll bet you're also tired at this point as well! Clean, go to the fine. Process till face begins to shine slightly when dry, no scratches should be visible, surface should look consistent. Done? Good! Take a break.

Thread the bolt/nut, with one washer against the head, into the hole in the muslin wheel. Place second washer onto bolt, sliding it up against the wheel. Thread the nut on, and torque it tight, clamping it onto the bolt. Thread a second nut on, tighten good-n-tight against the first nut. This lock nut will,, lock the first nut in place. Cluck your assembly into the electric drill. C-clamp the drill onto a flat surface with the wheel hanging over the edge, locking button up or you'll have to hold the trigger throughout the polishing phase which will suck. Rig up a box, or bag, or something above the wheel to catch the slurry that will sling off. Cover the floor with the Dean's newspaper, before he has a chance to read it. Makes for more interesting reading on his part (JOKE!). Mix a thick slurry of Cerium and water in a jar with a lid. Borrow a wide tipped paint brush from the Arts department. Get some type of dust mask so you're not breathing the dust, safety glass!
es, too (you're not trying to polish your cornea), and apply the slurry to the moving wheel. Little bit at a time till it starts to sling off. Start polishing. Apply slurry as the wheel dries out, or once the wheel becomes charged, hit it with a fine mist from a spray bottle. Takes a while, don't give up.

When you're done, then you can decide whether this method is for you, or if you're going to find a way to save for a small unit.

Good luck, and if all else fails, have fun!

Vincent
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<MSG7>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997
From: foxon@europa.com

Subject: RE: Dangers of Rock Dust

Hold on all you wise experienced ones...there are some of us
new-to-lapidary out here who may be missing some basic points...I was under
the impression (mistakedly????) that because I saw with oil and shape and
polish with water on my arbors that I have eliminated the dangers of rock
dust....making a respirator unnecessary.

Please back up a couple of steps and give us newbies a little more info.

Thank you so much!!!!

Carla
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<MSG8>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997
From: foxon@europa.com

Subject: BIO: Carla M. Fox

I live in Oregon, on the wet side of the mountains. I'm relatively new to
lapidary as I snuck in the back door as a metalsmith. I wanted different
rocks to add to my jewelry and couldn't find what I envisioned. With a
helpful-suportive husband I have purchased some old equipment-a trim saw,
two arbors with carborum wheels, and two arbors with expandible
wheels+sandpaper and I am "having at it."

The husband does the cutting and I do the rest. I love all rocks so am
cutting the usual jasper, agate, petrified wood. But I am also cutting and
LOVING granite, basalt (this is the land of volcanoes after all), marble.

Thanks to all you MUCH more experienced sorts for sharing your knowledge
that it takes years to learn. It is very appreciated.

Carla
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Each author is requested to write the words "-- non-commercial republish permission granted --" at the end of every item submitted. This gives permission for others to use your item for non-commercial purposes.
Please use those four words at the end of each item you submit.