jone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2023
Posts: 112
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Post by jone on Oct 14, 2023 6:39:57 GMT -5
I do not make spheres but I came across this video in my web wandering...fascinating techniques and equipment... |
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Post by jasoninsd on Oct 14, 2023 8:17:25 GMT -5
Thanks for posting this! I didn't see a lot of safety glasses being worn...although respirators were. I know...different country...different regulations (if any).
There is a final polishing step at the 8:00 mark that looks like a popular pool ball cleaner machine...on a bigger scale.
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Post by vegasjames on Oct 14, 2023 9:01:23 GMT -5
That is man made cullet glass, not volcanic glass.
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jone
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since February 2023
Posts: 112
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Post by jone on Oct 14, 2023 9:07:00 GMT -5
Hence the quotes around volcanic...
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Post by Starguy on Oct 14, 2023 12:09:11 GMT -5
joneThanks for posting that. It’s a very interesting process. It gave me some ideas to cleave a couple big rocks I’ve been eyeing.
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Mark K
Cave Dweller 
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,821 
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Post by Mark K on Oct 14, 2023 13:54:59 GMT -5
joneThanks for posting that. It’s a very interesting process. It gave me some ideas to cleave a couple big rocks I’ve been eyeing. Just remember that glass and rock are two different materials. I pondered it too. |
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 14, 2023 23:39:21 GMT -5
The glass is a lot softer. When we were getting started and I was buying beads and jewelry stuff from ebay I bought a few pieces of the "volcano cherry quartz" from a chinese seller. At first they were doing a pretty good job of making it almost bubble free but when it got popular later it was full of bubbles.
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Post by Starguy on Oct 15, 2023 1:04:08 GMT -5
jone Thanks for posting that. It’s a very interesting process. It gave me some ideas to cleave a couple big rocks I’ve been eyeing. Just remember that glass and rock are two different materials. I pondered it too. I’m thinking if a rock has conchoidal cleavage, their notch and wedge technique ought to work. I’ve got a 50 or 60 lb chunk of dendritic agate or opal. It’s way too big to clamp in my saw. I can’t bring myself to start hammering on it because that usually does more damage than good. I think I could get a notch in it with and angle grinder and concrete blade. |
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,821
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Post by Mark K on Oct 15, 2023 5:32:38 GMT -5
It is worth a shot. A lot of stuff will spall off, but it is better than not being able to use it.
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Post by RickB on Oct 15, 2023 5:43:47 GMT -5
I do not make spheres but I came across this video in my web wandering...fascinating techniques and equipment... Those large debitage piles is what flint knapping heaven looks like. So many possible arrowheads in there. jamesp |
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Post by chris1956 on Oct 15, 2023 8:45:49 GMT -5
Thanks for posting this! I didn't see a lot of safety glasses being worn...although respirators were. I know...different country...different regulations (if any). There is a final polishing step at the 8:00 mark that looks like a popular pool ball cleaner machine...on a bigger scale. In one part of the video you can see respirators hanging off the wall covered in dust. Hopefuly, nobody is using those. |
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Post by pebblesky on Oct 15, 2023 12:15:11 GMT -5
My mom recently bought some "red cotton crystal", which I could imagine to be produced the same way as is shown in the video. I shall share with her this video. Fortunately she didn't pay more than a few bucks for an arguably nice-looking big chunk of glass.
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callmerob
starting to spend too much on rocks
I really like a dirt road
Member since September 2019
Posts: 143
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Post by callmerob on Oct 15, 2023 15:22:09 GMT -5
I do not make spheres but I came across this video in my web wandering...fascinating techniques and equipment... Fascinating. Motor looks like a multi-horsepower motor. Note the pulleys. The blade looks +30"? Isn't it running very fast? How do you keep the blade from climbing the cut and running over the operator? "Now hiring new operators. Will train." |
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herb
spending too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 476
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Post by herb on Oct 16, 2023 9:06:02 GMT -5
Thanks for posting this! I didn't see a lot of safety glasses being worn...although respirators were. I know...different country...different regulations (if any). There is a final polishing step at the 8:00 mark that looks like a popular pool ball cleaner machine...on a bigger scale. No safety glasses, but on the plus side nobody is barefoot! |
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Post by liveoak on Oct 17, 2023 6:50:35 GMT -5
I'm impressed with how much hand work goes into the spheres before going in a machine.
I'm thinking, how much could they sell them for to pay for all that labor ?
Patty
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Post by Rockoonz on Oct 17, 2023 12:35:20 GMT -5
I'm impressed with how much hand work goes into the spheres before going in a machine. I'm thinking, how much could they sell them for to pay for all that labor ? Patty That's why most are made in 3rd world countries. We have a small collection of spheres we had made for trades with sphereguy and some we picked up out of estates and auctions. The ones that aren't keepers sell very slowly at shows, and only to that rare collector who can see the difference between ours and the imported ones. The ones Matt made for us were from selected stones and I cut the preform cubes myself. If someone is really intent on making them I suggest they buy or make a preforming machine like this... There are older HP US made rock lathes that are much simpler. basically a small wood lathe frame with a follower style semi auto arbor and tool post grinder arrangement that used saw blades to make a preform. I have pics somewhere. hplapidary.com/collections/shaping-machines/products/highland-park-model-sm1-shaping-machine-for-grinding-spheres-eggs-wands-cabochons-and-other-shapes-with-1-hp-110v-motor |
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... to the New Guys from The ChatBox V.2 Crew