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 Post subject: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 1:12 am 
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Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 2:17 pm
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Location: Western WA State
Hi-

I am new here and have been looking through the old posts. Just starting back into hobby faceting after a 30 year hiatus. Still have my Graves Mark III and it works well, after I replaced the belt. Hopefully will heat up the dop wax this weekend and get going.

So, what are three new things in the world of faceting in the past 3 decades that you think I should know about? After reading about polishing laps in the forum pages, I already ordered a Darkside. Sounds amazing.

Thanks for helping me get re-started. Time to re-learn what I've forgotten and add in the changes.

Greg


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 7:17 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:06 pm
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Batt lap, and various other Gearloose laps and polishing accessories.

Oh, and if you didn't already know good faceting rough is hard to come by and expensive. Hopefully you still have a stock pile from years ago.


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:25 am 
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Welcome back Greg,

I can't find any info on a mark 3. Does it have a constant variable speed ability? If not you can fit a motor and controller into your base with little effort, both available from Graves and reasonably priced.

Do you have a reverse function, if not can you fit one?

I consider these functions essential.

Regards,

Sean.


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 9:32 am 
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Yes, I noticed that rough has certainly gone up in price. There is still quite a bit left from years ago, but it's always fun to look for more.

The Graves MK III looks to be a transition model between the MK I and the MK IV. It looks like the MK IV in basic size and conformation, but is blue, not white. It does have variable speed, but not reverse. I bought it in the mid-70's and cut a lot of stones on it.

Image

Image


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 9:01 pm 
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New things that have popped up in the last 30 years?

1. Gearloose/Adamas products have obsoleted everything else on the market.
2. Meetpoint faceting as an overwhelmingly better method for faceting.
2. Absurdly large variety of awesome designs that are well outside the boring old standards, all of which can be done with meetpoint faceting.
3. Tons of interesting new rough, most of which is expensive or unavailable. (blue garnets, kornerupine, sunset tourmaline, etc.)
4. Gearloose faceting machine, Ultra-Tec V5, laser aligners for girdles, digital angle dials, digital indices (!).
5. New unique settings for stones of Mohs 4 or less, that allow their limited use in jewelry.
6. Absurdly good synthetics with bizarre color changes and excellent optical properties.


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 9:48 am 
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Whoa, slow down! All of that "obsolete" faceting ephemera is now "VINTAGE".

Lorne


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 11:34 am 
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lorne144man wrote:
Whoa, slow down! All of that "obsolete" faceting ephemera is now "VINTAGE".

Lorne


Yeah - I think I am now 'VINTAGE' too...

Thanks folks for sharing. I believe I will start doing things the way I used to until I get the feel back - I was taught to rough cut by feel and sound and then by sight. Then I will explore the new stuff. And yes, I will use my old phenolic lap until the Darkside gets here. :wink:

Something like very basic Meetpoint is how I have always done it; just didn't know that there was a name for it, or a whole new discipline that takes the concept and runs with it.

Greg


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:11 pm 
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Hi Greg,

Welcome back to faceting! If I can be of any help, let me know. I live in Chehalis and have 15 of the newest polishing laps on the market.

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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:57 pm 
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I would add to the list of innovations in the last 30 years:
Poly-Metric Scintillator 88

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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 2:17 pm 
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Here is my first attempt in 30 or so years:
Simple step-cut medium Brazilian amethyst, 8x9mm, 43˚ pavilion mains, 3.2 carat.

Halfway through the crown I knocked the stone against the arbor shaft and lost it (clumsy). Had to re-dop and fudge the rest of the way.


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 2:08 am 
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wow, like riding a bike! imagine what you could do with todays modern equipment! I might add also sir, you definitely need to enter competition. For a first stone in 30 years, it is a damn good one indeed!

edit:
P.S. please post your finished stone in the "off the Dop" section to show the rest of the folks your wonderful work 8)

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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:10 pm 
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Hello,

I am also new to this site and am enjoying reading and seeing everything on here. I have been faceting since the early 80's but have not done much in the last 10-15 years. Wow! How things have changed with polishing! I used to use a ceramic lap, last lap and ultra laps to name a few. Many thanks to Lisa Elser and Tom Smith for taking time answering my questions and helping me to sort through the new polishing laps and decide what I need to get started again. My new laps will be arriving from Tom at Adamas in the next day or two. I cannot wait to get faceting again. I am sure I will have many questions, so thanks in advance for any and all advice I can get. :D

Alex


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:22 pm 
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redmond wrote:
Here is my first attempt in 30 or so years:
Simple step-cut medium Brazilian amethyst, 8x9mm, 43˚ pavilion mains, 3.2 carat.

Halfway through the crown I knocked the stone against the arbor shaft and lost it (clumsy). Had to re-dop and fudge the rest of the way.


Image



At least this hasn't changed in 30 years...even longer.

An yes, you can install a reversing switch on the Mark 3,4 and 5, but you void the warranty. After 30 years, who cares?

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Carolina Custom Gems
tmm5111@gmail.com
No detail is too small. Think about it.
Leave no stone uncut.


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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 1:25 am 
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Arya, many professionals will beg to differ about meet point faceting. Many stones I cut and sell are not. Often material can be saved by other techniques.

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 Post subject: Re: It's been a while since I've cut a stone
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:23 am 
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I'm with you Gene, the more I cut the more I learn to appreciate non-meetpoint cutting. I've only been faceting for five years and at first I thought it was the only way to do it. I think Marco's 'Squaretuguese' was the first design I cut that wasn't totally meetpoint (there are a few facets on the pavilion that are cut to the same depth as others in the tier which are meetpoint). Since then I don't think a single design I've made myself has been totally meetpoint.

Moving away from meetpoint has allowed me to be more flexible and creative. I get a lot of inspiration from cutters like Stephen Kotlowski and Jean-Noel Soni; I've never seen a single meetpoint cut from either of them.

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