herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 31, 2012 2:47:43 GMT -5
Jim sent me some great stuff from up his way in Wyoming. He told me a few times it was to tumble, but I thought I'd be clever and try to cab a piece. Well the first one broke as it was nearly preformed on the grinding wheel. Ditto #2. I grabbed a piece of some reddish material with lots of white flecks and managed a decent preform. I dopped it with some super glue and then I went to it, grinding a nice dome and moved onto 220. I took connrock's suggestion and painted the entire surface of the cab with black sharpie to make sure I got the whole thing once-over with 220. There were some streaks that wouldn't come out though. After about 10 minutes going over the top and seeing no change in the streaks I took it back to the grind and went over it again. I put it back on 220 and after several passes noticed that the surface that I thought was solid and smooth, was actually full of holes like mini Swiss cheese. I apparently had some sort of agatized concretion with lots of small pockets. I started preforming some mooka jasper I had in a batch of ends, but I realized how late it was and decided to call it a night. When my tumblers are ready I'll toss in all Jim's stuff, which looks great, and remember to listen next time No pics tonight. Everything is going either in the vibe or the rotary when I have an opening.
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meta99
has rocks in the head
Ohio Flint Ridge flint
Member since October 2010
Posts: 540
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Post by meta99 on Jan 31, 2012 6:52:59 GMT -5
You might ask Jim what it was. If it was a rhyolite, it's not something you want to use as one of your first cabs....lots of undercutting. I was 'told' to cab (or tumble) hard stuff first, like agates as they are the best to learn on. "They" were right. I did about a hundred and I learned SO much that now I can cab softer stuff and temperamental stuff as well. Mookite should be better.....
Oh, and stop cabbing when you are tired. Like so many things in life, your performance will suffer and you risk safety concerns. Been there, done that....
Sue
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Jan 31, 2012 9:54:53 GMT -5
When I first started I was lucky enough to be able to buy a box of saw scrap from Mary Anne and Ralph. Ralph is a prolific cabber and he always has saw scrap. You would be surprised as to how many treasures I was able to salvage out of his cast offs. Also it gave me a chance to try working with a lot of different stones with no regret if I messed up a few. There are a lot of busy cabers on this site who I am sure would like to get rid of some scrap. I would post a request to buy some saw scrap to learn on. Also you can find some great deals on Ebuay. I just picked up 18 preform cab blanks in various moss agate sizes of about 2" each for $5.00. Great material to practice on as well, and for cheap. Two of the most precious ingredients in this hobby are time and patience so try not to loose either by working with the wrong material. Stu
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 31, 2012 10:16:51 GMT -5
I've heard of the Sharpie method for making sure you've got the crown done up right but I quit using Sharpies on my slabs or preforms. Lots of agate is microscopically porous ( crazy lace or palm fiber for examples) That dang Sharpie ink can really penetrate into the agate in some cases, causing swearwordworthy problems. Ink can be impossible to get out without grinding half the cab away.....Mel
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 31, 2012 10:38:55 GMT -5
Thanks Sue, Stu and Mel
I have 4 kids, so by the time they are all in bed and I have a few minutes with Nancy it gets late.
I limit my evening activities to what I can do at home, so I end up in the garage late. Jim reiterated that these stones were for tumbling not for cabbing, like I say I was just trying to be clever.
I am not getting burned out though. I enjoy the process, success or failure. There are a finite number of failures before I start succeeding and I just need to keep going and learning.
Dopping has been a big improvement and I don't think I will look back on that though.
I do have a lot of great slabbed stuff, I just wanted to show something to say thanks to Jim, now I need to tumble it and that will take a while to get ready.
Yeah Mel, I ordered aluminum pencils, they just aren't here yet.
As always, thanks to all for the encouragement and advice, it its much appreciated.
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Post by NatureNut on Jan 31, 2012 10:41:33 GMT -5
Playing with rocks and cabbing is the best therapy there is! Jo
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2012 14:08:06 GMT -5
You mentioned burn out. Setting goals is fine but with cabbing I think a goal of one a day could have an adverse effect. Just let it happen. Some days I do not want to touch a rock and other days I will spend ten hours at it. If you do not have pics every day we are not going to criticize you. lol Taking pics and posting them can take quite a bit of time also. I really have enjoyed your posts though and your progress is coming along great.
A lot of the stone that I sent could be cabbed but you were not set up to cab when I sent it. Like Mel said the ink can penetrate much further than you need to go. The micro holes and cavities will not show up on a cab. Try another piece of the slabs that I sent and I think that you will be happy with it. It is the same stuff that I cab and you have seen some of my results. Jim
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2012 14:12:10 GMT -5
YEA, YES, WOOHOO, YIPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HIT 500 POSTS AND GOT MY FIFTH STAR. Now I am not a pup any more and just an old dog. Jim
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jan 31, 2012 15:56:26 GMT -5
Congrats Jim! Do you get a tattoo with your new status on the forum? Get a dragon holding 2 giant polished rocks on fire with a village of gnomes fleeing for fear of death.
Thanks for the encouragement and info. I may take another pass once I get the new diamond wheel. A lot of the breaking was due to the SiC wheel grabbing and chipping pieces off the underside of the stone. The diamond wheel should minimize that.
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Jan 31, 2012 21:06:40 GMT -5
YEA, YES, WOOHOO, YIPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HIT 500 POSTS AND GOT MY FIFTH STAR. Now I am not a pup any more and just an old dog. Jim Well Jim I guess I out rank you. LOL I never notice the star thing Stu
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