Driving me NUTS!!!

Dihusky said:

The polish isn't the concern, it's getting the damn meets to line up on the keel :awful: :awful: the lines are so fine you can hardly distinguish them. :argh:

Click to expand...

Makes me think, what lighting and type of magnification do you use ?

Getting the right colour light source at a refractive angle that highlights the facet is another trick. Some stones react well to different types of light, I change bulbs when I am cutting topaz or zircon as a duller light seems to define the facet better. I also have a LED magnifier that works a treat on some stones but is useless on others.

Lighting is an anglepoise with a 30w incandescent, head magnifier with different lenses and an LED light and finally a Belomo 10x loop. Biggest problem with lights these days is finding low wattage lamps. Find things often work better with a bit of natural light added into the mix and we have plenty of that without any direct sunlight, just the shade of the patio, so nice and soft.

The stone's coming together slowly but is certainly visually challenging during the polishing plus some girdle facets angle the wrong so drive into the lap knocking around accuracy.

Just one of those designs that looks simple until you start and get into it.

There's one thing about our 'art' there can be some challenges. Currently cutting a piece of mm sapphire and working the girdle on a 1200 sintered lap, all going well and the... this:



Tried cutting in one direction, then the other, cut fast then slow but this facet plus the opposing one is acting like it's 11 on the Moh scale, 20 mins and it hasn't moved!

The lap is brand new from Anthony Fitzgerald and has worked beautifully on every other facet, but this pair 'hit the wall'!

There's one thing about our 'art' there can be some challenges. Currently cutting a piece of mm sapphire and working the girdle on a 1200 sintered lap, all going well and then... this:



Tried cutting in one direction, then the other, cut fast then slow but this facet plus the opposing one is acting like it's 11 on the Moh scale, 20 mins and it hasn't moved!

Had to break the surface with the 600 then back to the 1200 only to glaze up again... weird and damn frustration :argh:

Got it finally then went to 8k and was good from there.

These are sent to try us, so much for a cruisy Sunday arvo

That 'scrap bin' you mention Dihusky, when it's full, call me as I use bits and pieces on my Tables and might be worth a beer or 3 for you.... Any-one else who has failures Same applies.... :Y:

LW....