Halls xtra with some extra bits and pieces

Awesome! You won't look back.

I tried to buy a Halls for my first machine. 14 months wait and a check in call every few months. Got a bit annoyed towards the end with being told "2 weeks" every time. So I stopped calling. Never got a call to say it was done, never received the machine. The guy who makes them is only an hour from me.

Tried to buy a Gemmasta after that. Was told 7 month wait, if I'm lucky. (heard that story before)

So I went and bought a Facetron. Landed on my doorstep in 8 weeks. Good machine. Sent the head back for a general check up and recalibrate a while ago. Only took a few weeks round trip and the service and communication from the maker was excellent.

I sincerly would have preffered to buy aussie made but oh well.

Well I am looking for something that is worth the purchase, meets my requirements and is available within 6 months or so of order. As far as I have pspoken to anyone who cuts that is experienced with more than one machine only one person said a VJ wasn't a good investment. The turnaround on them meets how long is a reasonable wait is and the pricing is good for the quality and digital instrumentation. Haven't seen a used machine anywhere online or through asking around people that might know someone who will let their setup go for much under new pricing. I'm glad I did more research and asked around. Hopefully I dont fall into an infinite wait time when I do order something new. Or there is a proper value deal up for grabs. Laps are expensive but buying a broken machine as working then having to get parts or repairs done would exceed the price new f9r o m what I have been able to ascertain.

I've used Imahashi, Gemmasta GF3 & 4, Hall Xtra, Hall 2000 and VJ, the Imahashi copy from SriLanka the Sterling is also an excellent and accurate machine for not a lot of money. The 2 I'm not fond of are the Xtra and the VJ, the Xtra because its small and I find the protractor is hard to see and tricky to repeat angles accurately. The VJ has unique ergonomics which I found very difficult to work with even having cut a dozen stones on it, my wife is using it now but also finding it tricky having spent a long time on mast machines but she is persevering. The VJ is in my opinion a love or hate machine.

For fast commercial cuts I'd go back to an Imahashi or a Sterling any day, but for demanding designer cuts and gem recuts/repairs the Hall 2000 extended is very hard to beat. I'd buy a second one in a flash, but they are rare.

If you asked me what machine I would but if wanting a new machine it would be the Polymetric Scintillator 88 seconded by the Ultra Tek, the Scintillator uses 'off the shelf' parts whereas the Ultra Tek has to be factory parts. Both are recognised as being top shelf machines.

Try and find a way where you can try some different machines before you buy. Look for local groups on the AFG website as they have members everywhere around Aus and they will offer you wisdom which comes from many years of cutting.

I was compelled towards an Australian purchase that being a VJ you are the only the sec9nd to fault it. I have done alot of research so far and I'm accepting of any input I can get. Are you saying a VJ is a bad option for precise and repeatable quality cutting because of the curvature of the VJ compared to a traditional straight mast machine.

No not at all, they are a very accurate machine, the problems I encounter are positioning the stone to see the facets when I'm cutting, particularly when doing final polish.

The way the large protractor places the quill, I fins I'm either stretching up or craned over in a awkward way to see the facet clearly, with the bottom end of the protractor in your ribs, and constantly adjusting my lamp, maybe it's just me. The other thing I found is their sensitivity to lap weight, the cutting table is offset from it's support mast, so with a heavy typemetal or cast iron lap it can tilt fractionally and throw the facet out, the same can happen if you put too much pressure on a stone.

For me, it's also very inflexible when working the table, if the previous facets are slightly out, its hellisly difficult to push facets unless you rotate the quill and this can throw the whole table out if you're not spot on 90 degrees.

Just my opinion and why I use the Hall 2000 extended, it gives me unlimited flexibility to find and work facets if I have to, particularly doing repair work, a friend of mine who does a fair bit of repair work also used the Hall 2000 extended and will not use anything else for this type of work.

I have similar experience and can support Dihusky's comment regarding the VJ. It is a very good machine, but certain versions seem to have a sensitivity to lap weight. I sold my first purchased VJ (new) because of the issue. But, I now have an older model VJ that is less sensitive to lap weight and it is an accurate, repeatable machine. I like it, use it and recommend it. However, the issues about ergonomics are still present.

I too also have a Hall 2000 extended, and it is a fantastic machine.