I am exited!! Turning into a gem cutter.

[mi528hz]

I guess you could say the surging is an electrical problem? The swap top has a flex-shaft attachment for carving. I have played around with it a little. I want to cut a gem, like an emerald shape and, on the bottom use the flex-shaft to cut and polish little dimples. These will look like bubbles from the top looking down.
Good job on the Topaz! looks clean for being freehand.

 

[nicotime]

I guess you could say the surging is an electrical problem? The swap top has a flex-shaft attachment for carving. I have played around with it a little. I want to cut a gem, like an emerald shape and, on the bottom use the flex-shaft to cut and polish little dimples. These will look like bubbles from the top looking down.
Good job on the Topaz! looks clean for being freehand.

That would be cool looking...thats like what I would do ..I like the odd and unusual kind of stuff. On that heart I mad I actually had to put a piece of foil behind it to brighten it up some as the ruby is a darker purplish red color. I was at software you can use to simulate how the light would affect different facets and it can be very mind blowing..I cant remember what it was now though.

I keep my eye on feebay once in a while for a cheap used lap and rock saw but even used ones people know they can get a pretty penny for them...oh well...one day maybe.

 

[mi528hz]

Well I finished them! They turned out to be 8.5cts. a piece. At 30.00ct. I got $495.00!!! SOLD! I will try and post a pic of the finished product.

 

[me who]

This is all I use! I need to resurface my DarkSide Batt, or buy a new one. I got some Linde A polishing powder and, these two together make polishing an enjoyable experience!

I haven't cut in over a year but you've inspired me, I just received a Battwing today; hope it's a hit.

 

[me who]

Well I finished them! They turned out to be 8.5cts. a piece. At 30.00ct. I got $495.00!!! SOLD! I will try and post a pic of the finished product.

Congrats on the sale, looking forward to the pics.

 

[nicotime]

Well I finished them! They turned out to be 8.5cts. a piece. At 30.00ct. I got $495.00!!! SOLD! I will try and post a pic of the finished product.

Sounds good mi..thats a nice chunk of change...yeah let us know when the pics are up.

 

[mi528hz]

Thanks guys! I just got one of the finished stones up. I can't seem to figure out how to post pics on this thread. That is awesome you are serious about doing some cutting! Is the batwing the one with different laps in one?

 

[mi528hz]

If you need any cutting rough, I got lots of smokey quart. This stuff has a bunch of aluminium in it so, it it really brilliant. I got lots off my claim in my search for amethyst.

 

[me who]

Is the batwing the one with different laps in one?

Yes, I haven't tried it out yet, I just want to marvel at the sheer beauty while still in it's pristine state.

Actually, I'm wondering what the learning curve is gonna be.
.

 

[me who]

If you need any cutting rough, I got lots of smokey quart. This stuff has a bunch of aluminium in it so, it it really brilliant. I got lots off my claim in my search for amethyst.

If directed at me, thanks for the generous offer, I'm pretty good on quartz (stock ATM), if you want to try some beryl I have a boat load of that.... Now if you had a nice clear Sunstone with a red dot in the middle... I'd jump on that.

 

[mi528hz]

If directed at me, thanks for the generous offer, I'm pretty good on quartz (stock ATM), if you want to try some beryl I have a boat load of that.... Now if you had a nice clear Sunstone with a red dot in the middle... I'd jump on that.

That is funny you would say sunstone, I really want to check out the dust devil mine. Been thinking about heading up there since you posted there link. I only have one piece, I bought at the Reno show last year. It has a little orange to green shift. On the quartz, It seems everybody is pretty stocked up on it. I do have a lot of tourmilated pieces. We dug a 16 foot deep hole last winter, with a rope and bucket to haul the dirt out! It is about 4 feet around. The whole way down we were pulling out 20-100 pound tourmilated crystals! They have a crust on the outside, like second growth, or something? So I have been sawing them up for cutting. It was fun digging them out but, at the end of the day we had to carry them out to the truck.(like a mile). Plus all of our digging tools. Awe the life of a rockhound! haha. I have not cut any Beryl yet, maybe in the future when I get board with quartz, we could do a trade or something. I hope you enjoy your new lap. In my pic of the finished stones you can see the marks on mine where I gouged the stone into my lap.

[/IMG]

 

[mi528hz]

I just ran into this.....
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/cosmetic-mods/29563-crystal-tipped-battery.html


I think this will be one of my next projects! I will have one 510 batt with a real gem on the tip, for when I go out on the town!

 

[nicotime]

I just ran into this.....
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/cosmetic-mods/29563-crystal-tipped-battery.html


I think this will be one of my next projects! I will have one 510 batt with a real gem on the tip, for when I go out on the town!

Yep...you could have a market right here for a bling supplier! Cut a stone and drill a tiny pocket in it to embed a 3mm LED inside and mount on your PV.

Nice job on those two gems...that was a good price for that amount of work.

Have you guys ever polished any Lapis? I kept having trouble getting the stones to polish nicely due to the varying hardness's of the lazurite, calcite and pyrite in them. Its not like the heart I posted earlier where I could do the ruby and turquoise separately! Just wondering what to do in a situation like that because different types of rock need different types of polish.

 

[mi528hz]

Hey Nicotime, I could have asked more and she would have paid it. I am just such a critic of my own work. Nobody would notice the flaws unless they were cutters themselves. I have had a hard enough time trying to get a perfect polish on just quartz, in the last year. I have played with a piece of lapis, my friend gave me. I was surprised at how quick my 1200 grit lap ate it up! I have not hit it with my polishing lap but, looking at the finish at 1200, I wouldn't think it would be hard to polish. It is almost there at 1200 already. The pyrite and other minerals seem to flush up with each other fine. Just try practicing on one small corner and, see how it polishes with different methods. I have seen more porous lapis than the one I am playing with, these might be harder to polish.

 

[nicotime]

Hey Nicotime, I could have asked more and she would have paid it. I am just such a critic of my own work. Nobody would notice the flaws unless they were cutters themselves. I have had a hard enough time trying to get a perfect polish on just quartz, in the last year. I have played with a piece of lapis, my friend gave me. I was surprised at how quick my 1200 grit lap ate it up! I have not hit it with my polishing lap but, looking at the finish at 1200, I wouldn't think it would be hard to polish. It is almost there at 1200 already. The pyrite and other minerals seem to flush up with each other fine. Just try practicing on one small corner and, see how it polishes with different methods. I have seen more porous lapis than the one I am playing with, these might be harder to polish.

Yeah it might be better to get yourself established first then go for the bucks. Might have to make friends with an appraiser on down the line. They are sweet though.

I was doing the Lapis by hand too so a nice flat lap would probably make it a whole lot easier. Oh well..like I said...one of these lottery hitting days!

Oh and a lot of people where wanting glass drip tips here too...what about some nice stone tips??

 

[me who]

The whole way down we were pulling out 20-100 pound tourmilated crystals!

"tourmilated" I've never heard that term, Crystals containing tourmaline maybe? If so anything good and clear?

Nice looking cuts BTW, the table looks well polished, not a bad pic either.

A few years ago, you could go to Dust Devil insanely cheap and keep everything. Now the rule have changed:
After the $50, you will be charged 33% of the wholesale value of the stones.

Still not a bad deal but lets face it, you are working for it!

 

[nicotime]

"tourmilated" I've never heard that term, Crystals containing tourmaline maybe? If so anything good and clear?

Nice looking cuts BTW, the table looks well polished, not a bad pic either.

A few years ago, you could go to Dust Devil insanely cheap and keep everything. Now the rule have changed:
After the $50, you will be charged 33% of the wholesale value of the stones.

Still not a bad deal but lets face it, you are working for it!

Hi me who...I have a rock thats tourmilated in this pic if you zoom in on the white rock left of the yellow one. They should have called it spinel!

Hey..what part of MD you in?...I'm in Germantown.

 

[me who]

Hi me who...I have a rock thats tourmilated in this pic if you zoom in on the white rock left of the yellow one. They should have called it spinel!

Hey..what part of MD you in?...I'm in Germantown.

Over "the big water"... on the eastern shore.

Thanks for the pic and explanation too.

 

[mi528hz]

Tourmilated is how we call it out here. Some people will call it rutilated but, I have been told it would have to be tourmaline because of rutile is formed at a different temp. Than quartz. I am not sure. The stuff I have dug up is clear and,kinda smokey with fine black wires. There is this other place we dig where the quartz is a deep blue green with black needles. Really pretty stuff, I have never seen a green like it.

 

[me who]

Tourmilated is how we call it out here. Some people will call it rutilated but, I have been told it would have to be tourmaline because of rutile is formed at a different temp. Than quartz. I am not sure. The stuff I have dug up is clear and,kinda smokey with fine black wires. There is this other place we dig where the quartz is a deep blue green with black needles. Really pretty stuff, I have never seen a green like it.

Wow sounds interesting... if you get a chance snap a pic. Some rutilated material looks pretty cool and sells well ... when oriented in the center a single needle can reflect to look like spokes on a wheel when faceted.