rockbrain
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,201
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 2, 2023 13:04:27 GMT -5
been making quite a few cabs with a new machine. I thought some groove wraps would be a quick way to build up some inventory for a sale later this month.  |
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Post by jasoninsd on Jul 2, 2023 13:20:35 GMT -5
Great job Gary! I like how you brought that singular wire from the bail down on several of them. It adds just a little pizzaz!  |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,201
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 2, 2023 15:05:41 GMT -5
Thanks, jasoninsd. I gravitate towards the plainer wraps but some of these need a little something. Plus, I'm not the one buying or wearing them! The front wire on the birdseye is hammered a bit. |
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gunsil
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2023
Posts: 352
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Post by gunsil on Jul 2, 2023 15:06:37 GMT -5
Very nice! I bet you are really loving the new machine!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 2, 2023 18:41:15 GMT -5
Those came out great! I love the bird's eye rhyolite. |
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,980
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Post by khara on Jul 2, 2023 18:49:46 GMT -5
Very nice. I also really like the Birds Eye. For some reason I was wanting to call it mushroom something... How about the green one next to it? That's very nice too, do you know what it is? And then the bottom left, Cotton Candy? Very nice. What machine are you using for your groove cuts? I have an old Inland flat lap that has a little vertical small grinding wheel. About the size of a marker and only maybe a half inch tall. It's great for if you want perfectly vertical cab edges. So since it has this, I'm wondering if I can fashion a groove cutting wheel onto that machine...
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 2, 2023 19:03:04 GMT -5
Great job. The rhyolite and copper ore next to it are my favorites.
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Post by liveoak on Jul 2, 2023 20:15:20 GMT -5
A nice selection - hard to choose.
A good idea to get a bunch of inventory fast.
Patty
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Post by chris1956 on Jul 2, 2023 21:21:04 GMT -5
Those are amazing! Like that the wraps aren't overdone.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 2, 2023 21:48:21 GMT -5
Gary, great job on the wraps! Agree with the Birdseye being the star, but they are all really well done.  |
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agatewhisperer
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since May 2020
Posts: 836
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Post by agatewhisperer on Jul 3, 2023 7:40:02 GMT -5
Nice ones! Do you end up making your groove before doming and polishing the cab or after?
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Post by jasoninsd on Jul 3, 2023 7:44:45 GMT -5
Nice ones! Do you end up making your groove before doming and polishing the cab or after? I'm wondering what others do as well. I do my groove after everything else is done...but I think I've read that a lot of people cut the groove before doing the girdle and doming it. |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,201
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 3, 2023 14:58:15 GMT -5
Very nice! I bet you are really loving the new machine! Thanks gunsil. The new machine is great. Really helped me speed things up. The new work area is just as good. It was over 100 deg this weekend and I was able to work comfortably while sitting and listening to music. I had been standing outdoors. Those came out great! I love the bird's eye rhyolite. Thanks rockjunquie. I've had some other birdseye but have been trying to stabilize it. This is some I got from Brian at Lapidary Central. He's offered chunks here. It's some old stock stuff that's very silicated and it's really hard and takes a great shine. Very nice. I also really like the Birds Eye. For some reason I was wanting to call it mushroom something... How about the green one next to it? That's very nice too, do you know what it is? And then the bottom left, Cotton Candy? Very nice. What machine are you using for your groove cuts? I have an old Inland flat lap that has a little vertical small grinding wheel. About the size of a marker and only maybe a half inch tall. It's great for if you want perfectly vertical cab edges. So since it has this, I'm wondering if I can fashion a groove cutting wheel onto that machine... Thanks, khara. I think mushroom rhyolite is similar. I don't remember for sure what the green blue on is but it's some mix of copper ore stuff. Maybe azurite, chrysocolla I think it has a little malachite in it. Great job. The rhyolite and copper ore next to it are my favorites. Thanks vegasjames. Those are my favorites too. I did have one spot on the copper stuff that wouldn't shine but I guess that's not unusual. A nice selection - hard to choose. A good idea to get a bunch of inventory fast. Patty Thanks liveoak. I'm getting pretty fast at the groove wraps now that I've done a couple. I finally figured out ear rings too and have a couple of sets coming with a wrap that I'm real happy with. They sure take a lot less silver wire with one wrap around the stone instead of three or four! Those are amazing! Like that the wraps aren't overdone. Thanks chris1956. My wife and I both gravitate toward the simpler stuff that lets the stone take center stage, or even the entire stage. Gary, great job on the wraps! Agree with the Birdseye being the star, but they are all really well done. Thank you, hummingbirdstones. I've got another birdseye cab done that came out really nice. Nice ones! Do you end up making your groove before doming and polishing the cab or after? Thanks agatewhisperer. I cut the preform, grind to shape, cut the groove, then mark the dome and cab it. I actually have a set I'm working on that I chipped the top of the earring. I was able to go back and regrind with the wire in place. It also gave me the opportunity to try grinding down and portions of the wire that are proud on the side of the stone. It worked great and was so much quicker than doing it by hand. Nice ones! Do you end up making your groove before doming and polishing the cab or after? I'm wondering what others do as well. I do my groove after everything else is done...but I think I've read that a lot of people cut the groove before doing the girdle and doming it. Yes jasoninsd. Like I said above I girdle it, cut the groove and then dome. I have had to go back and make some grooves deeper when I'm done and that gets a little tricky. My grooving backstop is under the blade so I can't always go low enough. I groove with the cab upside down. |
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ashley
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2023
Posts: 941 
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Post by ashley on Jul 3, 2023 15:01:13 GMT -5
Those look awesome Gary! |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,201
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 3, 2023 15:08:26 GMT -5
This is one that I'm working on for a set. Now that I've done the picture I've seen, I'm missing a chip off the top of it!  And I included a picture of this one again, just because I really like it. Chapinite Jasper. I have a big chunk of it most of its brown. I really like all of it. It makes great cabs but the stuff with the blue is really pretty. Somehow my group pictured him do several of these justice. The bumblebee also looks a lot better in real life than my picture  |
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,201
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 3, 2023 15:09:35 GMT -5
Those look awesome Gary! Thank you ashley, I appreciate it! |
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ashley
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2023
Posts: 941
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Post by ashley on Jul 3, 2023 16:26:41 GMT -5
You’re right that group shot did not do that one justice it looks amazing!
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 3, 2023 17:27:38 GMT -5
Some of the copper ores can be hard to polish due to how soft they are. To get a polish on them, dab a little Zam on a buffing wheel then buff the stone. Again, just a tiny amount of Zam on the buffing wheel as too much leaves a dull waxy finish. Want just enough to put a polish on the stone.
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rockbrain
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2022
Posts: 3,201
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Post by rockbrain on Jul 4, 2023 0:49:27 GMT -5
Thanks for the info vegasjames. I've been using Zam and actually used it on that cab but I've been loading up the buffer wheel. I'll try a new wheel and back off the amount. |
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iamchris
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2023
Posts: 722
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Post by iamchris on Jul 14, 2023 9:02:58 GMT -5
These are so beautiful. Simple and elegant.
May I ask how long you've been cabbing and wrapping for? I'd love to learn how to do something like this but I need to set realistic expectations, haha.
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