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Post by miket on Jan 24, 2019 15:29:02 GMT -5
So my son gave me this small Fairburn and said I should cab it. Yep, never cabbed before. And all I have is a dremel. Not sure it should be my first try- I'm showing the back to show how much it needs shaped. The front isn't horrible but there is the obvious pattern on the front, one barely there on the end, and one on the back. I would be trying to use the best pattern on the front I think. Any thoughts?
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 24, 2019 15:34:12 GMT -5
All I can say is agates are pretty dang hard. You'll have your work cut out for you.
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Post by miket on Jan 24, 2019 15:44:27 GMT -5
Yeah, I've noticed. Not sure how many blades I've gone through on my tile saw. I don't mind the work but I'm wondering if it would be better to set it aside until I have a cabber. Besides, it's so small I don't know what else to do with it. And I like the patterns and colors.
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Post by lpl on Jan 24, 2019 15:59:06 GMT -5
ooh I'd really have a tough time cutting that! A cabber would make quick work of it...I'd wait I think...
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Post by miket on Jan 24, 2019 16:09:56 GMT -5
ooh I'd really have a tough time cutting that! A cabber would make quick work of it...I'd wait I think... It's way too small to keep as a specimen- something should be done with it I think. A cabber with an experienced person running it maybe... Hmmm, maybe I'll just send it off to someone who knows more than I do (which is just about everyone on here) and see what they could do with it.
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Post by stephan on Jan 24, 2019 16:27:34 GMT -5
I cab a fair amount from uncut pieces. It’s doable, but the is some loss. Also, from what I can see, there’s no guarantee that the tiny agate portion won’t be lost. It can get either smaller or larger going into the rock. And with no banding showing on the back, it could very well be smaller (or nothing) very quickly. I would just oil it, and mount it in a natural shape. That said, if you want me to try, I certainly could.
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Post by miket on Jan 24, 2019 17:20:39 GMT -5
I cab a fair amount from uncut pieces. It’s doable, but the is some loss. Also, from what I can see, there’s no guarantee that the tiny agate portion won’t be lost. It can get either smaller or larger going into the rock. And with no banding showing on the back, it could very well be smaller (or nothing) very quickly. I would just oil it, and mount it in a natural shape. That said, if you want me to try, I certainly could. Thanks for the offer, Stephan! I'll think about that one for sure. From the few Fairburns that we've tumbled that show just a small pattern on the surface, it's been my experience so far that the patterns were only on the surface and we've lost some. Of course my experience is very limited- and you just never know until you do it.
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Post by Peruano on Jan 24, 2019 19:23:25 GMT -5
Polishing that one face would be tempting without trying to make a true blue cabochon. If it turned out to your satisfaction, it would then be tempting to grind a flat spot on the back for a beaver tail bail, or to drill a hole for bead use. What is there to lose. You are saving that rock from obscurity.
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Post by stephan on Jan 24, 2019 21:48:53 GMT -5
I cab a fair amount from uncut pieces. It’s doable, but the is some loss. Also, from what I can see, there’s no guarantee that the tiny agate portion won’t be lost. It can get either smaller or larger going into the rock. And with no banding showing on the back, it could very well be smaller (or nothing) very quickly. I would just oil it, and mount it in a natural shape. That said, if you want me to try, I certainly could. Thanks for the offer, Stephan! I'll think about that one for sure. From the few Fairburns that we've tumbled that show just a small pattern on the surface, it's been my experience so far that the patterns were only on the surface and we've lost some. Of course my experience is very limited- and you just never know until you do it. I had a similar experience cabbing a dryhead agate. And your last statement is very true, but the stones do give us hints as to how likely losing vs. gaining agate pattern is.
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Post by stephan on Jan 24, 2019 21:54:23 GMT -5
Polishing that one face would be tempting without trying to make a true blue cabochon. If it turned out to your satisfaction, it would then be tempting to grind a flat spot on the back for a beaver tail bail, or to drill a hole for bead use. What is there to lose. You are saving that rock from obscurity. That is where I would lean, were it my stone.
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Post by fernwood on Jan 25, 2019 5:00:29 GMT -5
I would just use the Dremel to polish. Drill a hole in the darker end. Instant pendant.
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Post by miket on Jan 25, 2019 10:15:13 GMT -5
Polishing that one face would be tempting without trying to make a true blue cabochon. If it turned out to your satisfaction, it would then be tempting to grind a flat spot on the back for a beaver tail bail, or to drill a hole for bead use. What is there to lose. You are saving that rock from obscurity. That's kind of what I was thinking. Probably helps that I don't know how to make a cab. The first thing I was considering was making the back flat and see where it went from there. Saving the rock from obscurity. I like that.
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Post by miket on Jan 25, 2019 10:17:39 GMT -5
I would just use the Dremel to polish. Drill a hole in the darker end. Instant pendant. Thanks, that's not a bad idea. But it would be a pretty small pendant wouldn't it?
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Post by accidentalrockhound on Jan 25, 2019 16:51:37 GMT -5
I would drill it, polish it ,cord it ,it would be beautiful natural polish pendant. Maybe grind a little on the back to show more of the banding .go for it have fun with it. Give it back to your son to where it. Don't over think it or it will stay that way forever.
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Post by miket on Jan 25, 2019 16:58:43 GMT -5
I would drill it, polish it ,cord it ,it would be beautiful natural polish pendant. Maybe grind a little on the back to show more of the banding .go for it have fun with it. Give it back to your son to where it. Don't over think it or it will stay that way forever. I like that idea too. Thanks.
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