This is my first attempt at making a Cabochon and the material is Biggs Oregon Blue Jasper. The slab was obtained from a local friend here in Eagle Idaho. Matter of fact Wayne sells on eBay under the name Rockhound Nuts and he currently has a few pieces of this beautiful material left not much though.
Back to the cab, I think I must have spent at least 2 hours making this darn thing. I thought that it would be a lot easier than it really was. After all of the hours making this Biggs Jasper Cab it really came out very nice. It actually looks better in person than in the picture. My friend Peter in the next couple of weeks is going to show me how to set this in a silver setting. I will post a article of the finished piece as soon as it is finished.
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Steve
August 31st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
1Way to Go! Looks Good!
Tips:
As you are shaping your blank, keep your template nearby.
Constantly check the stone on the template. You’ll quickly see where you need to grind down. Don’t trust your eyes - use the template. It’s “just right” when the stone just slips through the hole.
Second tip. I hate using glue to hold the stone to the stick. Use the wax. The wax is reusable and so much easier to work with. Finally, to remove the stone from the wax - just put it in the freezed for around 1/2 hour. I ALWAYS put the stone / stick in a baggie. That stone will just fall off! There’s nothing worse than pulling the stick out of the freezer and watching the stone fall onto the tile floor! Shatter! (Don’t ask.)
Finally, when polishing - I have a small amount of tumbler polish setting next to the grinder. On that final wheel, I’ll dip into the dry polish. It really helps speed up the polishing.
If you don’t have one, I’d recommend a getting or making a buffing wheel. It must run VERY slowly (BIG pulley). The buffing wheel is a large, flat Leather pad - about 10 inches in diameter with a foam backing. I apply the polish to this wheel with a small paint brush. I keep the wheel covered with a shower cap to keep out dirt when not in use. It makes a HUGE difference in the polish - going from the final wheel to the buffing wheel. I keep a spary bottle next to the wheel and spray the leather pad occasionally as I polish. You want to feel “drag” as you polish on this wheel. With practice, you’ll get “the feel”. If you’re going to make one, you’ll need a pan under the wheel and a “fender” around the rest of it. Mine has an old shallow, bread pan for the bottom and a piece of aluminum rain guttering material bolted to each end of the bread pan - after going around the wheel - making the “fender”. This is a SIMPLE piece of equipment to make. Unfortunately, those large pulley wheels can cost you around 35.00 new. (Look for old equip that you can salvage for parts). This machine is worth its weight in gold, yet so simple in engineering.
Finally, when you’ve done all you can to polish, improve it and protect it by rubbing the stone down with “new car finish” synthetic wax sold at any aisle that sells car cleaning products.
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